JP2007073261A - Steering switch device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a high-reliability steering switch device which prevents malfunctions caused by intrusion of foreign materials and abrasion of contacts. <P>SOLUTION: A housing 19 for a steering switch device 1 has a window 11a at the operation side, is attached to a steering wheel 30, and incorporates a circuit board 6 with a fixed contact 7 inside the housing 19. A rubber sheet 8 has a swelling portion 8a, and is mounted on the circuit board 6. An actuator 9 is supported to be able to swing. A rotary knob 13 is supported to be able to rotate. A part of the rotary knob 13 is exposed to the window 11a. This rotary knob 13 is provided with a protruding driver 13b which is engaged with the actuator 9 while sliding. When the rotary knob 13 is rotated, the driver 13b swings and rotates the actuator 9. In turn, a swing end 9b on the actuator 9 performs pushing drive of the swelling portion 8a on the lower side. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a steering switch device that is mounted on a steering wheel (handle) of a vehicle such as an automobile and operates various on-vehicle devices, and more particularly to a steering switch device that includes a rotary knob that can be rotated.

  When a switch device mounted on the steering wheel of an automobile enables operation of in-vehicle devices such as a car audio system and a car air conditioner, when the operation of these in-vehicle devices is performed while driving, Since there is no need to release the safety, the safety is dramatically improved and the operability is enhanced.

As a conventional example of this type of steering switch device, a rotating member provided with a movable contact or a torsion coil spring wound around a rotating shaft is incorporated in a housing provided with a fixed contact. A configuration is also known in which an operation portion extending on a rotating member is projected outward from a housing so as to be able to perform a rotating operation (for example, see Patent Document 1). In such a conventional steering switch device, the pivot shaft of the pivot member is pivotally supported on the support shaft of the housing, and both arms of the torsion coil spring are connected to the engagement step portion provided in the housing. Since it is elastically contacted, when the operation portion of the rotating member is rotated, the torsion coil spring is biased (compressed) to generate an elastic repulsive force, and when the operating force is removed, the elastic repulsive force causes the rotating member to rotate. Can be automatically returned to the neutral position. Further, since the movable contact rotates in the housing during the rotation operation, the switch-on signal can be output by sliding the movable contact to the fixed contact. The housing of the steering switch device is attached to an appropriate portion of the steering wheel of the automobile so that the lead wire led out from each fixed contact is connected to an external circuit via a connector or the like.
JP 2000-306469 A (page 3-6, FIG. 4)

  In the above-described conventional steering switch device, the movable contact and the fixed contact are exposed in the internal space of the housing, and the movable contact rotates and moves integrally with the rotating member during the rotation operation so as to contact the fixed contact. Although this rotating member has an operating part protruding outward from the housing, there is a possibility that foreign matter such as dust and moisture may enter from the outside into the internal space of the housing and is therefore movable. There is a possibility that foreign matter adheres to the contact or the fixed contact to cause a contact failure or a short circuit accident. Further, in such a conventional steering switch device, the movable contact slides with respect to the fixed contact during the rotation operation. Therefore, when the rotation operation is repeated many times, the contact portion gradually wears, and this abrasion powder also causes a short circuit accident. There was a fear.

  The present invention has been made in view of the actual situation of such a prior art, and an object thereof is to provide a highly reliable steering switch device capable of preventing malfunction caused by intrusion of foreign matter and wear of contact portions. It is in.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the steering switch device of the present invention, a housing that is attached to the steering wheel and has a window portion on the operation surface side, and a circuit that is installed in the housing substantially parallel to the window portion. A substrate, a hermetic switch element that is disposed on the circuit board and generates an elastic repulsion force that resists a pressing driving force, and a swing end that is swingably held in the housing. An actuator mounted on the housing; and a rotary knob that is rotatably held in the housing and is partially exposed to the window portion. The rotary knob projects a drive unit that can be engaged with the actuator. When the rotary knob is rotated, the drive unit swings and rotates the actuator so that the switch element is pressed and driven by the swing end. .

  In the steering switch device configured as described above, when the rotation knob drive unit swings and rotates the actuator during the rotation operation, the swinging end portion of the actuator presses the switch element to rotate. Can be used as a switch element, so that the contact part is not exposed to the internal space of the housing, which can enter the internal space of the housing from the outside. Since the possibility that foreign matter such as dust and moisture will adhere to the contact portion is remarkably reduced, it is easy to avoid poor contact and short circuit accidents. In addition, the switch element can adopt a non-sliding contact structure in which the movable contact and the fixed contact are opposed to each other so that they can be contacted and separated. Defects are unlikely to occur, and high reliability is easily maintained.

  In the above configuration, if the housing further includes a return spring that engages with the rotary knob and generates a return force during the rotation operation, there is a slight backlash between the drive unit and the actuator of the rotary knob during non-operation. Even in such a case, since the rotary knob itself is kept free of play by the return spring, the dimensional accuracy can be set relatively rough, and the parts cost can be reduced and the assemblability can be improved.

  Further, in the above configuration, the switch element is a fixed contact fixed on the circuit board, a dome body mounted on the circuit board around the fixed contact and capable of elastically buckling, and the dome. A movable contact fixed inside the body and facing the fixed contact so as to be able to come into contact with and separated from the fixed contact, and the movable contact is brought into contact with the fixed contact by being buckled and deformed by being pressed. In addition, the waterproof and dustproof property of the contact portion can be remarkably enhanced, and a relatively large elastic repulsive force and a clear click feeling can be generated by the dome body, so that the reliability and operation feeling can be improved with a simple configuration. It is preferable.

  In the above configuration, the housing includes an upper case having a window portion and a lower case to which the upper case is attached, and the actuator is swingably supported by the lower case, and the rotary knob is the lower case. If the upper case is attached to the lower case, the assembly can be completed by attaching the upper case to the lower case. A steering switch device with good performance can be obtained.

  In the steering switch device according to the present invention, since the drive unit of the rotary knob presses the switch element via the swinging end portion of the actuator during the rotation operation, the contact portion is not exposed to the internal space of the housing. A hermetic switch element can be used, and it is easy to avoid poor contact and short circuit accidents due to the entry of foreign matter. In addition, a non-sliding contact structure in which the movable contact and fixed contact are slidably opposed to the switch element can be adopted, so that even if the rotation operation is repeated many times, poor conduction due to wear of the contact portion occurs. Hateful. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a highly reliable steering switch device that can prevent malfunction due to intrusion of foreign matter and wear of contact portions.

  An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a steering switch device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an assembled product of the switch device, and FIG. Is a front view showing a steering wheel equipped with the switch device, FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of an operation at the time of rotating the switch device, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a rubber seat incorporated in the switch device, and FIG. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the return spring integrated in this switch apparatus.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the steering switch device 1 according to the present embodiment is mounted in a pair of left and right inside an annular portion 31 of a steering wheel 30 of an automobile. Although the pair of steering switch devices 1 are formed in a symmetrical shape but have the same basic structure, only the steering switch device 1 mounted on the right side of FIG. 3 will be described below.

  The steering switch device 1 includes a lower case 2 in which a positioning pin 3 and a swing support portion 4 are erected, and a circuit board installed in the lower case 2 with a wiring pattern including a fixed contact 7 formed on the upper surface. 6, a rubber sheet 8 having a dome-shaped bulging portion 8a at a plurality of locations and placed on the circuit board 6, and a swing shaft portion 9a are pivotally supported by the swing support portion 4 and swing ends. An actuator 9 having a portion 9b mounted on the bulging portion 8a, an upper case 10 attached to the lower case 2 so as to cover the circuit board 6 and the rubber sheet 8, and an upper case 10 having a window portion 11a. The integrated frame-shaped case 11, the rotary knob 13 that is rotatably supported in the lower case 2 and a part of which is exposed to the window portion 11 a, and the rotary shaft 13 a of the rotary knob 13 are wound around and rotated. A torsion coil spring 14 that operates as a return spring during operation; The lower case has two operation keys 15 and 16 which are supported by the upper case 10 so as to be movable up and down at two places adjacent to the cylindrical case 11 and whose lower ends are mounted on the bulging portion 8a, and an opening 17a 2 and the cover body 17 that closes the upper case 10. Then, a rotation operation with respect to the rotary knob 13 and a pressing operation with respect to the operation keys 15 and 16 can be performed. Regardless of which operation is selected, the corresponding bulging portion 8a is elastically buckled and deformed. As a result, a click feeling is generated, and the movable contact 18 in the bulging portion 8a comes into contact with the fixed contact 7 on the circuit board 6 to be switched on (see FIG. 5). The lower case 2, the upper case 10, and the frame-shaped case 11 constitute a housing 19. The circuit board 6, the rubber sheet 8, the actuator 9, the torsion coil spring 14, and the like are accommodated in the internal space of the housing 19. In addition, the rotary knob 13 and the operation keys 15 and 16 are exposed on the upper surface side of the housing 19 and can be operated with fingers.

  The configuration of each part will be described in detail. Inside the lower case 2 is a swing support comprising a positioning pin 3 for positioning the circuit board 6 and the rubber sheet 8, and a pair of upright walls 4b having a shaft hole 4a for the actuator 9. 4 and the support wall 12 having the shaft groove 12a for the rotary knob 13 are erected, and the pair of standing wall portions 4b are erected substantially in parallel and have shaft holes 4a formed at opposite positions. Yes. In addition, a plurality of terminal holes 2a are arranged in one side portion in the lower case 2, and a shaft hole for the rotary knob 13 is provided in the other side portion in the lower case 2 at a location facing the shaft groove 12a. 2b is formed, and an engagement step portion 5 inclined in an inverted C shape for elastically contacting both arms 14a of the torsion coil spring 14 is provided in the vicinity thereof.

  The circuit board 6 is installed in the housing 19 so as to be substantially parallel to the window portion 11a. On the circuit board 6, a wiring pattern (not shown) including the fixed contact 7 is formed, and the illumination LED 20 and the like A terminal 21 for external connection is provided. Further, the circuit board 6 is formed with a plurality of through holes 6a through which the positioning pins 3 are inserted, and a cutout part 6b serving as an arrangement space for the swing support part 4, corresponding to each through hole 6a. In a state where the positioning pins 3 are inserted and the respective terminals 21 are inserted into the corresponding terminal holes 2a, the circuit board 6 is accurately positioned and placed and fixed on the lower case 2.

  The rubber sheet 8 is an integrally molded product made of elastic rubber. From the sheet-like portion, six bulged portions 8a that can buckle and deform, and two pin engaging portions 8b that are attached to the positioning pins 3 are provided. The two rectangular tube portions 8c into which the LEDs 20 are inserted are formed so as to protrude, and a cut-out portion 8d serving as an arrangement space for the swing support portion 4 is formed immediately above the cut-out portion 6b of the circuit board 6. Yes. The rubber sheet 8 is placed and fixed on the circuit board 6 in a positioning state in which each pin engaging portion 8b is attached to the corresponding positioning pin 3, and as shown in FIG. The movable contacts 18 provided on the ceiling surface are opposed to the corresponding fixed contacts 7 so as to be able to contact and separate.

  The actuator 9 has a rocking shaft portion 9a whose axis is aligned with the rocking center, and swings by pivoting both ends of the rocking shaft portion 9a into the shaft holes 4a of the pair of standing wall portions 4b. The moving support unit 4 is supported so as to be able to swing. As shown in FIG. 4, the actuator 9 is formed in a line-symmetric shape with respect to the swing shaft portion 9a, and the swing end portions 9b at both ends shown in the figure are arranged in parallel via a cut portion 8d. It is mounted in an elastic contact state on the bulging portion 8a. That is, when the swinging shaft portion 9a of the actuator 9 is press-fitted between the pair of standing wall portions 4b at the assembly stage, the swinging end portions 9b are disposed on the corresponding bulging portions 8a, and then swung. Since both end portions of the shaft portion 9a enter the shaft hole 4a and are pivotally attached, the actuator 9 is snap-coupled to the swing support portion 4, and each swing end portion 9b applies a reaction force from the corresponding bulging portion 8a. The preloaded state is maintained. The actuator 9 is disposed adjacent to the support wall 12 located on one side of the rotary knob 13, and the rotary knob 13 is described later in a notch 9 c formed in the center of the actuator 9. The drive unit 13b is inserted so as to be movable up and down. And the inner wall which opposes via the notch 9c becomes the engaging part 9d which engages this drive part 13b so that sliding is possible, and when the rotary knob 13 is rotated, the drive part 13b is integrated. The actuator 9 swings and rotates in one direction around the swing shaft 9a, and the biased swing end 9b descends. The corresponding bulging portion 8a is pressed and driven.

  The rotary knob 13 is formed in a substantially semi-cylindrical shape including a rotary shaft 13a, and both ends of the rotary shaft 13a are rotatably supported by the shaft groove 12a of the support wall 12 and the shaft hole 2b of the lower case 2. Has been. A driving portion 13b extending in an L shape on the outer side of the support wall 12 protrudes from an end portion of the rotating shaft 13a on the shaft groove 12a side, and a tip end portion of the driving portion 13b is set to a predetermined rotation radius. At the same time, it extends parallel to the axial direction of the rotating shaft 13 a and is inserted into the notch 9 c of the actuator 9. The torsion coil spring 14 is wound around the end of the rotary shaft 13a of the rotary knob 13 on the shaft hole 2b side. As shown in FIG. 2 is in elastic contact with the engaging step 5 in the inner wall. Thereby, when the rotary knob 13 is rotated, the arm portion 14a in the rotation direction is strongly pressed against the engagement step portion 5 to generate an elastic repulsive force, and the rotary knob 13 after the rotating operation is caused by this elastic repulsive force. It comes to automatically return.

  A frame-like case 11 is attached to a predetermined position of the upper case 10, and the upper case 10 is fixed on the lower case 2 by appropriate means such as screws 22 and caulking. Operation keys 15 and 16 are supported on the upper case 10 so as to be movable up and down, and the upper surfaces of these operation keys 15 and 16 are exposed at two locations adjacent to the frame-shaped case 11. In the present embodiment, the case where a separate frame-like case 11 is retrofitted to the upper case 10 is illustrated, but the upper case 10 and the frame-like case 11 may be integrally molded products.

  The cover body 17 is fixed to the outer wall surface of the lower case 2 by appropriate means such as snap coupling, and the frame-like case 11 with the rotary knob 13 exposed in the opening 17a of the cover body 17 and the operation keys 15 and 16. Is coming out. The operator can selectively perform the rotating operation of the rotary knob 13 and the pressing operation of the operation keys 15 and 16 by moving a finger within the opening 17a.

  Next, the operation of the steering switch device 1 configured as described above will be described.

  First, the operation when the rotary knob 13 is rotated will be described mainly with reference to FIG. When the operator rotates the rotary knob 13 with fingers in the neutral state shown in FIG. 4A, the torsion coil spring 14 is pushed and bent in the holder 12, and the drive unit 13 b rotates integrally with the rotary knob 13. In order to drive the actuator 9, a predetermined bulging portion 8 a is pressed by the actuator 9. For example, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the rotary knob 13 is rotated in the direction of arrow A, the drive unit 13b in the notch 9c of the actuator 9 rotates while pushing the engagement portion 9d on the right side of the drawing. As the actuator 9 oscillates and rotates clockwise about the oscillating shaft portion 9a, the oscillating end portion 9b on the right side of the drawing descends while pushing the lower bulging portion 8a. As a result, the bulging portion 8a is elastically buckled and causes a click feeling, and the movable contact 18 in the bulging portion 8a comes into contact with the corresponding fixed contact 7 to output a switch-on signal. The The operation when the rotary knob 13 is rotated in the direction opposite to the direction of the arrow A is the same. In this case, the left swing end portion 9b shown in FIG. 4 pushes the lower bulging portion 8a and buckles. A switch-on signal resulting from the deformation is output.

  In addition, when the rotational operation force on the rotary knob 13 is removed in the state of FIG. 4B, the bulging portion 8a that has been buckled and deformed returns to its original dome shape by its own elastic force. The movable contact 18 moves away from the fixed contact 7 and is switched off, and the swinging end 9b on the right side of the figure is pushed up by the bulging portion 8a, and the actuator 9 swings and rotates counterclockwise. In addition, since the rotary knob 13 closes and biases the torsion coil spring 14 as shown in FIG. 6B during the rotation operation, the elastic repulsive force of the torsion coil spring 14 is applied to the rotary knob. 13 and the actuator 9 act as a force for returning to the original position. Therefore, when the rotational operation force is removed, the rotary knob 13 and the actuator 9 reliably rotate backward to their neutral positions and automatically return to the neutral state shown in FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view as viewed in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 1, that is, in the direction from the shaft hole 12 c side of the holder 12 toward the shaft groove 12 a side of the holder 12.

  When the operating force is removed after the rotating operation, the rotary knob 13 is automatically returned to the substantially neutral position by the elastic repulsive force of the bulging portion 8a that has been pushed into the swinging end portion 9b of the actuator 9, so that the torsion coil A configuration in which the spring 14 is omitted is also possible. However, if the torsion coil spring 14 is incorporated as a return spring after the rotation operation as in this embodiment, even if there is some backlash between the drive portion 13b of the rotary knob 13 and the actuator 9 when not operated. Since the rotary knob 13 itself is kept free of play by the torsion coil spring 14, the dimensional accuracy can be set to be relatively rough, and the parts cost can be reduced and the assemblability can be improved.

  Next, the operation when the operation key 15 is pressed will be described. Since the operation key 15 is mounted on the corresponding bulging portion 8a, the bulging portion 8a is elastically buckled during the pressing operation. The deformation causes a click feeling, and the movable contact 18 in the bulging portion 8a comes into contact with the corresponding fixed contact 7 to output a switch-on signal. When the pressing operation force is removed, the bulging portion 8a that has been buckled and deformed returns to its original dome shape by its own elastic force, so that the movable contact 18 is separated from the fixed contact 7 and switched off. In addition to switching, the pressed operation key 15 is pushed up by the bulging portion 8a and automatically returns to the original position. Note that the operation when the other operation key 16 is pressed is completely the same as this, and the description thereof is omitted.

  As described above, the steering switch device 1 according to the present embodiment employs a simple mechanism that converts the rotational motion into the vertical motion, and the actuator 9 is swung and rotated by the drive portion 13b of the rotary knob 13 during the rotational operation. Accordingly, the swing end portion 9b of the actuator 9 presses the lower bulging portion 8a to output a switch-on signal. Further, when the operation key 15 or the operation key 16 is pressed, the keys 15 and 16 are moved down to press and drive the lower bulging portion 8a, so that a switch-on signal corresponding to each pressing operation is output. It has become. Therefore, in any of the operations, a sealed type element in which the fixed contact 7 and the movable contact 18 are not exposed to the internal space of the housing 19 can be used as the switch element that is driven to be pressed. By placing the rubber sheet 8 having the bulging portion 8a at the place on the circuit board 6, the sealing performance of each switch element is remarkably enhanced. Therefore, in this steering switch device 1, there is a very low risk that foreign matter such as dust or moisture that has entered the housing 19 from the outside adheres to the contact portion to cause a contact failure or a short-circuit accident. In addition, since each switch element is a non-sliding contact structure in which the fixed contact 7 and the movable contact 18 are opposed to each other so that they can be contacted and separated, even if the operation is repeated many times, poor conduction due to wear of the contact portion occurs. In this respect, the reliability of the contact point is increasing. In addition, if the movable contact 18 provided in the bulging part 8a of the rubber sheet 8 is arranged above the fixed contact 7 to form a switch element as in this embodiment, the waterproof and dustproof property of the contact part is remarkably improved. In addition, since the relatively large elastic repulsive force and a clear click feeling can be generated by the bulging portion 8a, the reliability and operation feeling can be improved with a simple configuration.

  Further, the steering switch device 1 according to the present embodiment forms a housing 19 by an upper case 10 in which a frame-like case 11 having a window portion 11a is integrated and a lower case 2 to which the upper case 10 is attached. Since the actuator 9 is swingably supported by the lower case 2 and the rotary knob 13 is rotatably supported by the lower case 2, the circuit board 6 and the rubber sheet 8 are placed in the lower case 2 during assembly. In addition, the actuator 9 and the rotary knob 13 can all be assembled. When the upper case 10 is attached to the lower case 2, the assembly is completed. Therefore, this steering switch device 1 has good assemblability.

  In the above embodiment, the composite switch device 1 in which other operation members (operation keys 15, 16) are arranged in parallel on the rotary knob 13 is illustrated, but the operation member is only the rotary knob 13. In short, the present invention is applicable to any switch device provided with an operation member capable of pressing and driving the switch element via the swing mechanism similarly to the rotary knob 13.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a steering switch device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the assembly completion product of this switch apparatus. It is a front view which shows the steering wheel which mounted | wore with this switch apparatus. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing at the time of rotation operation of this switch apparatus. It is principal part sectional drawing of the rubber seat integrated in this switch apparatus. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the return spring integrated in this switch apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Steering switch apparatus 2 Lower case 4 Swing support part 5 Engagement step part 6 Circuit board 7 Fixed contact 8 Rubber sheet 8a Bumping part 9 Actuator 9a Swing shaft part 9b Swing end part 9c Notch 9d Engagement part 10 Upper case 11 Frame-shaped case 11a Window portion 12 Support wall 13 Rotating knob 13a Rotating shaft 13b Driving portion 14 Torsion coil spring (return spring)
17 Cover body 18 Movable contact 19 Housing 30 Steering wheel

Claims (4)

A housing attached to the steering wheel and having a window on the operation surface side, a circuit board installed in the housing substantially parallel to the window, and a pressure driving force disposed on the circuit board. A sealed switch element that generates an elastic repelling force to resist, an actuator that is swingably held in the housing and has a swing end mounted on the switch element, and is rotatable in the housing A rotary knob that is held and partly exposed to the window,
A drive unit that can be engaged with the actuator is protruded from the rotary knob, and when the rotary knob is rotated, the drive unit swings and rotates the actuator, so that the switch element is pressed and driven to the swing end. A steering switch device characterized in that the steering switch device is provided.   The steering switch device according to claim 1, further comprising a return spring that engages with the rotary knob in the housing and generates a return force during a rotation operation.   3. The dome according to claim 1, wherein the switch element is fixed on the circuit board, and the dome is mounted on the circuit board around the fixed contact and can be elastically buckled and deformed. And a movable contact fixed inside the dome body and facing the fixed contact so as to be capable of coming into contact with and separated from the fixed contact, and the movable contact is fixed by the buckling deformation when the dome body is pressed and driven. A steering switch device that contacts a contact.   4. The housing according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes an upper case having the window portion and a lower case to which the upper case is attached, and the actuator is swingably supported by the lower case. The steering switch device is characterized in that the rotary knob is rotatably supported by the lower case.

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