JPH1050177A - Switch mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To independently and simultaneously actuate more than two functions, and concurrently intend to surely perform the actuations. SOLUTION: A key top 2 is so supported on a support part 6 as to be freely rotated and also freely moved vertically. When a first or a second actuating part 2a is pressed, the key top 2 is revolved around a shaft part 4 as a fulcrum. At this time, the first or second switch is turned on. When a third actuating part 2c is pressed, the key top 2 is moved down against the force of a spring 10. By this constitution, both the first and second switches 14 and 16 are turned on.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a switch mechanism used for an alarm clock or the like, and more particularly to a switch mechanism capable of operating a plurality of functions individually or simultaneously depending on a position to be operated.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional switch mechanisms of this type include:
JP-A-60-138229 and JP-A-4-438.
No. 34 was disclosed. In these switch mechanisms, the left and right ends move up and down like a seesaw with a central convex portion or a shaft portion as a fulcrum, and the two switches provided below the key top are pressed by these ends to turn on. Was to be in a state.

[0003]

In the above-described conventional switch mechanism, by pressing both ends of the key top, the internal switches can be turned on to operate two functions. When such a switch mechanism is used, for example, for a snooze switch and a lamp switch of a timepiece, a snooze function is activated by pressing one end of a keytop, and a lamp is turned on by pressing the other end of the keytop to display a time display section. It can be configured to illuminate. However, since the fulcrum of the key top is fixed, two internal switches cannot be turned on at the same time, and there is a problem that the operation of the snooze function and the lighting of the lamp cannot be performed at the same time.

In order to enable the two internal switches to be turned on at the same time, the key top may be supported by an internal switch without providing a fulcrum at the center of the key top. , The movement of the key top when pressing the end of the key top becomes unstable, and no matter where the key top is operated, two internal switches may be turned on at the same time, resulting in reduced operability. The problem arises.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and has as its object the operability that two or more functions can be operated individually and simultaneously and that the operations can be performed reliably. It is to provide a good switch mechanism.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A switch mechanism according to the present invention has first and second operating portions at opposite ends with a central portion therebetween, and a third operating portion at the central portion. A key top, a support portion for rotatably supporting a central portion of the key top and being movable up and down, and first and second opposing members respectively disposed on first and second operation portions of the key top.
And a switch.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In a switch mechanism according to the present invention, a key top is supported by a supporting portion so as to be rotatable and vertically movable. That is, the support portion is a groove for supporting the shaft portion of the key top rotatably and vertically movable,
A spring for elastically supporting the shaft from below, or a coil spring or a leaf spring for supporting the center of the key top. When the key top is supported by such a support portion, when the first or second operation portion at the end portion of the key top is pressed, the key top rotates around the central shaft portion or the spring and the first first portion inside the key top rotates. Alternatively, the second switch is pressed to turn it on. Also, when the third operation portion at the center of the key top is pressed, the key top moves downward while maintaining a substantially horizontal state against the force of the spring. As a result, the first and second switches are both pressed and turned on. As described above, in the switch mechanism of the present invention, three types of operations are possible, and each operation can be reliably performed by a reliable and stable operation of the key top.

[0008]

1 is a sectional view showing a switch mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, and FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view.

Reference numeral 2 in the figure denotes a key top. The key top 2 is formed in a horizontally long rectangular plate shape, and the shaft portion 4 protrudes from both side surfaces at the center. On the surface of the key top 2 in the present embodiment, a first operating portion 2a is provided at one end thereof for pressing when operating the snooze function, and is pressed at the other end for lighting the lamp. A second operation unit 2b is provided, and a third operation unit 2c is provided at the center to perform a pressing operation when simultaneously operating and lighting the snooze and the lamp.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a support for supporting the shaft 4 of the key top 2. The support portion 6 includes a groove 8 formed in a vertical direction and a spring 10 disposed inside the groove 8. The groove 8 in the present embodiment is provided in a concave portion 12a that fits the keytop 2 formed on the upper part of the watch case 12 and the like. Formed between a pair of vertically extending protruding portions 12b. The spring 10 is formed of a coil spring arranged in each of the two grooves 8.

Reference numerals 14 and 16 denote first and second switches including tact switches and the like. The first and second switches 14 and 16 in this embodiment function as a snooze switch and an illumination switch, respectively. Further, the first and second switches 14 and 16 are provided in the recessed portions 1 so as to correspond to the first and second operation portions 2a and 2b of the key top 2, respectively.
2a is arranged at the bottom.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a frame pair such as a decorative plate, which is attached to the surface of the watch case 12, and in this embodiment, the upper opening of the groove 8 for preventing the shaft 4 of the key top 2 from jumping out of the groove 8. It is fixed to the watch case 12 so as to cover the part.

In the switch mechanism having the above configuration,
Normally, as shown in FIG. 1, the key top 2 is located at the upper end of the groove 8 when the shaft 4 is pushed up by the spring 10, and the first and second operation parts 2 a and 2 b at the ends are also provided. First
And the second switches 14 and 16 are in a horizontal state. Here, when the first operation portion 2a of the key top 2 is pressed, a slight force acts in the direction of pressing down the shaft portion 4, but does not reach the spring 10, and most of the pressing force is reduced. 2 acts clockwise in the figure, whereby the key top 2 rotates clockwise in the figure and presses the first switch 14.
When the first switch 14 is pressed and turned on as described above, a snooze operation in which, for example, an alarm sound is stopped for a certain period of time is started. Similarly, when the second operation portion 2b of the key top 2 is pressed, most of the pressing force acts in a direction to rotate the key top 2 counterclockwise in the drawing, and the key top 2 is pressed counterclockwise. Rotate clockwise to press the second switch 16 to turn it on. This allows
For example, the lamp is turned on and the time display unit is illuminated. As described above, when the first or second operation portion 2a, 2b is pressed, the shaft portion 4 does not move downward because the shaft portion 4 is supported by the spring 10 and the key top 2 is not moved by the groove 8. It is also prevented from moving in the direction of the end, so that it can move only in the direction of rotation, ensuring the first or second switch 1
4, 16 can be turned on individually.

On the other hand, when the third operation portion 2c of the key top 2 is pressed, the shaft portion 4 is pushed down along the groove 8 while contracting the spring 10. As a result, the entire key top 2 moves downward, and the first and second switches 14, 1
6 are pressed together and turned on. Therefore, the alarm sound can be temporarily stopped by one switch operation, and the time can be confirmed by illuminating the time display unit.

When the pressing operation of the first and second operation portions 2a and 2b of the key top 2 is stopped, the key top 2 is restored to its original state by the elasticity of the first and second switches 14 and 16. Returning to the state, when the pressing operation of the third operation unit 2c is stopped, the third operation unit 2c is pushed up by the elasticity of the spring 10 and returns to the original state.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views of a switch mechanism according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 6 and 7 are plan views and central cross-sectional views of the key tops shown in FIGS. It is. The same parts as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. The key top 22 in the switch mechanism shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is not provided with the shaft portion 4 as shown in FIG. 1, and the center of the back surface of the key top 22 is directly supported by the coil spring 24 or the chevron plate. Spring 26
It is configured to be supported by. In addition, key top 22
Is provided with an edge portion 22d having a step on the outer periphery thereof.
The edge 22d has a structure in which it is locked to the inner surface of the opening 12c of the watch case 12 to prevent the watch case 12 from being pulled out. Further, in this switch mechanism, the first and second switches 14 and 16 and the coil spring 24 or the leaf spring 26 are attached to a substrate 28 such as a circuit board, and attached together with the key top 22 from the back side of the watch case 12.

In the switch mechanism having the above-mentioned structure, when the first or second operation portion 22a, 22b provided at the end of the key top 22 is pressed, the coil spring 24 is pressed.
Alternatively, the key top 22 rotates with the leaf spring 26 as a fulcrum, and the first or second switch 14 or 16 can be individually turned on. When the central third operation portion 22c is pressed, the key The top 22 sinks, and the first and second switches 14 and 16 can be simultaneously turned on. When the key top 22 is directly supported by the spring as described above, the lateral support rigidity of the key top 22 is insufficient, but the inner peripheral surface of the opening 12c and the outer peripheral surface of the key top 22 come into contact with each other. Since the displacement of the key top 22 in the lateral direction during the operation is prevented, the operability is not reduced and the reliable operation can be performed.

[0018]

According to the present invention, the center of the key top is supported only by the vertical groove and the spring or the spring for suppressing the vertical movement, so that the key top rotates when the end of the key top is pressed. However, when the center is pressed, the entire key top operates so as to descend, so that the two internal switches can be operated individually or simultaneously depending on the position where the key top is operated. In particular, since the fulcrum at the time of rotation of the key top is determined by the groove and the spring or the spring, the entire key top does not sink when the end of the key top is pressed, and the first or second key top is surely set. The switch can be pressed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a switch mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the switch mechanism shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the switch mechanism shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a switch mechanism according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a switch mechanism according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the key top shown in FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a central cross-sectional view of the key top shown in FIG. 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

 2, 22 key top 2a, 22a first operation unit 2b, 22b second operation unit 2c, 22c third operation unit 4 shaft unit 6 support unit 8 groove 10 spring 14 first switch 16 second switch 24 Coil spring 26 leaf spring 28 substrate

Claims (1)

[Claims] A key top having first and second operating portions at opposite ends with a central portion therebetween and a third operating portion at the central portion; and a central portion of the key top. A support portion rotatably and vertically movably supported; and first and second switches arranged opposite to the first and second operation portions of the key top, respectively, wherein the first or second switch is provided. By operating one of the two operation units, the first or second switch is individually turned on, and by operating the third operation unit, the first and second switches are simultaneously turned on. A switch mechanism characterized in that: