JP2000164077A - Push-button switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a push-button switch easy to perform the assembling works by decreasing the number of component parts. SOLUTION: A push-button switch is composed of a body 1 having an opening 11, an operation handle 2 to make seesaw motions when one end 21a exposed at the opening 11 or the other end 21b is turned, an electroconductive torsion coil spring 3 furnished with a coil part 31 and having such a structure that two arms 32a and 32b installed extensionally to the sides of the coil part 31 are put in resilient contact with the body 1 with seesaw motions of the handle 2, a common terminal 4 fixed to the body 1 and connected electrically with the coil part 31, and stationary terminals 51 and 52 fixed to the body 1 and having stationary contacts 51a and 52a, wherein the torsion coil spring 3 is structured so that the arms 32a and 32b contact with and separate from the stationary contacts 51a and 52a with the seesaw motions of the handle 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a push-button switch for controlling opening and closing of a current by a seesaw operation of an operation handle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of push button switch, there is one having a configuration shown in FIGS. This one is
A body A formed in a box shape with a bottom by providing both side walls A21 and A22 comprising one side wall A21 and the other side wall A22 on both sides of the opening A1, and one end B1 exposed at the opening A1 of the body A.
When one or the other end portion B12 is operated, an operation handle B that performs a seesaw operation, and one arm C2 and the other arm C3 provided with a coil portion C1 and integrally extended to both sides of the coil portion C1.
Includes a torsion coil spring C elastically contacting the body A by the seesaw operation of the operation handle B, and a common terminal D and a fixed terminal E fixed to the body A.

More specifically, an operation piece B1 having an operation handle B having one end B11 or another end B12, and a rotation piece B2 protruding from a substantially central portion of the operation piece B1 and provided with a rotation shaft. It is formed in a substantially T-shaped front. The fixed terminal E is formed as a pair consisting of one fixed terminal E1 and the other fixed terminal E2,
One fixed terminal E1 has one fixed contact portion E11 and is fixed to one side wall A21 of the body A, and the other fixed terminal E2 has another fixed contact portion E21 and is fixed to the other side wall A21 of the body A. .

Further, a plate-like elastic spring F is fixed to the rotating piece B2 of the operating handle B, and the first piece F1 and the first piece F
A second piece F2 and a third piece F respectively extending from one end
3 is provided, and the operation handle B is rotated around a rotation axis by a seesaw operation. The first piece F1 of the elastic spring F is moved to the common terminal D by the seesaw operation of the operation handle B.
The second piece F2 contacts and separates from the one fixed contact E11 of the one fixed terminal E1, or the second piece F2 comes into contact with and separates from the other fixed contact E21 of the other fixed terminal E2, in a state of sliding and electrical connection. Between the fixed terminals E1, E2 and the common terminal D.

[0005]

In the conventional push button switch described above, the seesaw operation of the operating handle B causes
The connection between the fixed terminals E1, E2 and the common terminal D can be opened and closed via an elastic spring F.

However, the plate-like elastic spring F having the first piece F1, the second piece F2, and the third piece F3 must be fixed to the rotating piece B2 of the operation handle B, and the number of parts is large. In addition, the assembly workability was poor, and this was one of the factors of cost increase.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a push-button switch having a reduced number of parts and having good assembling workability.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a body having an opening and one end or the other end exposed to the opening of the body are operated. And a conductive torsion coil spring having a coil portion and one and the other arms integrally provided on both sides of the coil portion and elastically contacting the body by the seesaw operation of the operation handle. And a common terminal fixed to the body and electrically connected to the coil portion, and a fixed terminal fixed to the body and having a fixed contact portion, wherein the torsion coil spring has at least one of the two arms. The fixed handle portion of the fixed terminal is brought into contact with and separated from the fixed contact portion by a seesaw operation of the operation handle.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the fixed terminals are formed as a pair having one fixed contact portion and the other fixed contact portion, respectively.
The torsion coil spring has a configuration in which the one arm and the other arm contact and separate from the one fixed contact part and the other fixed contact part, respectively.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the plate-like common terminal is a fixed piece fixed to the body and a projecting piece protruding from the fixed piece. And the protruding piece is in compression contact with the coil portion of the torsion coil spring.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a body, which is formed in a substantially boxed shape with resin and has an opening 11 opened to one side;
1, two side walls 12a and 12b, a bottom portion, and a box-shaped interior, each having one side wall 12a and the other side wall 12b.
One protruding wall 13a and the other protruding wall 13b have a tapered portion and are protruded from one side wall 12a and the other side wall 12b toward the inside of the box shape, respectively.

Reference numeral 2 denotes an operation handle, which is made of resin and has an operation piece 21 having one end 21a and the other end 21b, and a rotation piece 22 protruding from a substantially central portion of the operation piece 21, and has a substantially T-shaped front view. The rotating piece 22 is provided with a housing groove 22a and a rotating shaft 22b protruding from the groove bottom of the housing groove 22a, and the one engaging groove 22c and the other engaging groove 22d are It is provided radially on both sides to 22b. The rotating shaft 22b is rotatably supported by the body 1, and when the operation piece 21 operates the one end 21a or the other end 21b, the turning piece 22 is rotated to perform a seesaw operation.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a torsion coil spring, which is formed of a conductive material having elasticity such as a stainless steel wire, the surface of which is plated with silver to form a coil portion 31 formed in a coil shape, and integrated with both sides of the coil portion 31. Arm 32 extended to
a and the other arm 32b are provided and arranged inside the box-shaped body 1. Then, the coil portion 31 is wound three turns and is housed in the housing groove 22a of the operation handle 2, and the one arm 32a is engaged with the one engagement groove 22c on the one protruding wall 13a of the body 1 while the other arm 32a is engaged with the engagement groove 22c. The arm 32b abuts on the other protruding wall 13b while being engaged with the other engagement groove 22d. Then, the one arm 32a and the other arm 32b are elastically displaced by the seesaw operation of the operation handle 2, and the one side wall 12a and the other side wall 12 of the body 1 are moved.
b. This will be described later in detail.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a common terminal, which is formed in a plate shape from conductive copper or a copper alloy, and has a fixing piece 41 and the fixing piece 41.
Is formed in a substantially T-shaped front surface with a projecting piece 42 projecting from the center of the body 1, and the fixing piece 41 is formed on both side walls 1 of the body 1.
Both ends are fixed to both side walls 12a, 12b on the bottom side of the body 1 in a state of contacting the side walls orthogonal to 2a, 12b, and are respectively drawn out of the box. Here, the projecting piece 42 is brought into compression contact with the coil portion 31 of the torsion coil spring 3 and is electrically connected to the coil portion 31.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a fixed terminal, which is formed as a pair consisting of one fixed terminal 51 and the other fixed terminal 52, each of which is formed of a conductive copper or copper alloy in a plate shape. On the other hand, the fixed terminal 51 is a one-sided lead piece and a one-sided fixed contact part 51a formed by bending an L-shaped side surface from an end of the one-side lead piece.
Is provided, and one lead-out piece is fixed to one side wall 12a of the body 1 and is led out from the one side wall 12a.

Further, the other fixed terminal 52 is provided with another fixed contact portion 52a which is bent from the end of the other lead piece and the other lead piece into a substantially L-shaped side surface. The other side wall 12b is fixed to the side wall 12b.
Is derived from Then, by the seesaw operation of the operation handle 2, the one fixed contact part 51 a and the other fixed contact part 52 a come into contact with and separate from the one arm 32 a and the other arm 32 b of the torsion coil spring 3, respectively.

The operation of this will be described. When the operation handle 2 is operated by pressing the one end 21a, the operation piece 2
1 rotates counterclockwise about the rotation shaft 22b to perform a seesaw operation, and elastically displaces the one arm 32a engaged with the one engaging groove 22c to elastically contact the one protruding wall 13a of the body 1. , A reaction force against the operation force is applied. At this time,
The other arm 32b of the torsion coil spring 3 has the other protruding wall 1
3b, it comes into contact with the other fixed contact portion 52a, and conducts between the common terminal 4 and the other fixed terminal 52 via the other arm 32b and the coil portion 31 to change from the open state to the closed state.

When the pressing of the one end 21a of the operating handle 2 is removed, the operating piece 21 rotates clockwise by a reaction force based on the elastic displacement of the one arm 32a, and the torsion coil spring 3 turns the other end. The arm 32b is separated from the other fixed contact portion 52a and contacts the other protruding wall 13b,
The state between the common terminal 4 and the other fixed terminal 52 is changed from the closed state to the open state.

When the operation handle 2 is operated by pressing the other end 21b, the operation piece 21 rotates clockwise about the rotation shaft 22b to perform a seesaw operation, and the other engagement groove 22d. The other arm 32b engaged with the body 1 is elastically displaced and elastically comes into contact with the other protruding wall 13b of the body 1 to apply a reaction force to the operating force. At this time, the one arm 32a of the torsion coil spring 3 is separated from the one protruding wall 13a and comes into contact with the one fixed contact portion 51a, and the conduction between the common terminal 4 and the one fixed terminal 51 is performed via the one arm 32a and the coil portion 31. Then, the state is changed from the open state to the closed state.

When the pressing of the other end 21b of the operating handle 2 is removed, the operating piece 21 rotates counterclockwise by a reaction force based on the elastic displacement of the other arm 32b, and the torsion coil spring 3 is turned. The one arm 32a is separated from the one fixed contact portion 51a and comes into contact with the one protruding wall 13a to change the state between the common terminal 4 and the one fixed terminal 51 from the closed state to the open state.

In the push button switch according to the embodiment, as described above, the two arms 3 of the torsion coil spring 3 are used.
2a, 32b At least one arm 32a comes into contact with and separates from one fixed contact portion 51a of one fixed terminal 51 by the seesaw operation of operation handle 2, and opens and closes between one fixed terminal 51 and common terminal 4 via torsion coil spring 3. As compared to the conventional case where a leaf spring that rotates by the seesaw operation is provided and opened and closed via the leaf spring, the leaf spring becomes unnecessary, the number of parts is reduced, assembly is facilitated, and cost reduction is achieved. can do.

The pair of fixed terminals 5 are formed by one fixed terminal 51 having one fixed contact portion 51a and the other fixed terminal 52 having the other fixed contact portion 52a.
The torsion coil spring 3 connects the one arm 32a and the other arm 32b to one fixed contact portion 51a and the other fixed contact portion 52
a, one end 2 of the operating handle 2
1a is operated, the other arm 32b is connected to the other fixed contact 52a, and when the other end 21b is operated, one arm 32b is operated.
a is provided at one of the fixed contact portions 51a so that the two sets of energizing circuits between the pair of fixed terminals 5 and the common terminal 4 can be controlled to open and close, respectively. Since a piece 41 and a projecting piece 42 protruding from the fixing piece 41 are provided, and the projecting piece 42 is in compression contact with the coil portion 31 of the torsion coil spring 3, a simple structure can be achieved without requiring new parts. Thus, the coil section 31 can be electrically connected to the common terminal 4.

In this embodiment, the pair of fixed terminals 5
Are formed by one fixed terminal 51 and the other fixed terminal 52 having one fixed contact portion 51a and the other fixed contact portion 52a, respectively, and the one arm 32a and the other arm 32b are formed by the one fixed contact portion 51a and the other fixed contact portion 52, respectively.
a, but the fixed terminal 5 is formed on one of the one fixed terminal 51 and the other fixed terminal 52, and the one arm 32a or the other arm 32b is connected to or separated from either one of them. It may be formed and is not limited.

In the present embodiment, the coil portion 31 of the torsion coil spring 3 is in compression contact with the protruding piece 42 and is electrically connected to the common terminal 4. The terminal 4 may be connected, and there is no limitation.

[0026]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, at least one of the two arms of the torsion coil spring comes into contact with and separates from the fixed contact portion of the fixed terminal by the seesaw operation of the operation handle, and the gap between the fixed terminal and the common terminal is established. Since it opens and closes via a torsion coil spring, a leaf spring that rotates by a seesaw operation is provided, and the leaf spring is not required as compared with the conventional case where it is opened and closed via the leaf spring. And cost reduction can be achieved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the first aspect, the pair of fixed terminals includes one fixed terminal having one fixed contact portion and the other fixed terminal having the other fixed contact portion. Since the torsion coil spring contacts and separates the one arm and the other arm with the one fixed contact part and the other fixed contact part, respectively, when one end of the operation handle is operated, the other arm becomes the other fixed contact part, and 4. The device according to claim 3, wherein when the end is operated, the one arm is respectively separated from and separated from the one fixed contact portion, and two sets of energizing circuits between the pair of fixed terminals and the common terminal can be respectively opened and closed. In addition to the effects of claim 1 or claim 2,
The common terminal is provided with a fixing piece fixed to the body and a projecting piece projecting from the fixing piece, and the projecting piece is brought into compression contact with the coil portion of the torsion coil spring, so that no new parts are required. With a simple configuration, the coil section can be electrically connected to the common terminal.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view (FIG. 2) showing an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view taken along the same line (an XX sectional view in FIG. 1).

FIG. 3 is a front partial sectional view showing a conventional example.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view taken along the same line (ZZ sectional view in FIG. 3).

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Body 11 Opening 2 Operation handle 21a One end 21b The other end 3 Torsion coil spring 31 Coil part 32a One arm 32b The other arm 4 Common terminal 41 Fixing piece 42 Protrusion piece 5 A pair of fixed terminals 51 One fixed terminal 51a One fixed. Contact part (fixed contact part) 52 The other fixed terminal 52a The other fixed contact part (fixed contact part)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A body having an opening, an operation handle that performs a seesaw operation when one end or the other end exposed to the opening of the body is operated, and a coil portion provided integrally on both sides of the coil portion. A torsion coil spring having one side and the other arm extending to the body and having a conductive property to be elastically contacted with the body by the seesaw operation of the operation handle; a common terminal fixed to the body and electrically connected to the coil portion; A fixed terminal having a fixed contact portion fixed thereto, wherein the torsion coil spring is formed such that at least one of the two arms comes into contact with or separates from the fixed contact portion of the fixed terminal by a seesaw operation of the operation handle. A push button switch, characterized in that: 2. The fixed terminal is formed as a pair having one fixed contact portion and another fixed contact portion, respectively, and the torsion coil spring is configured such that the one arm and the other arm have one fixed contact portion and the other fixed contact portion. 2. The push-button switch according to claim 1, wherein the push-button switch is moved toward and away from each other. 3. The plate-shaped common terminal includes a fixing piece fixed to the body and a projecting piece projecting from the fixing piece, and the projecting piece is in compression contact with a coil portion of the torsion coil spring. 3. The push-button switch according to claim 1, wherein the push-button switch is provided.