Four-directional control switch

Abstract

A flange section presses a tip of one of four elastic arms upon tilting of a controlling unit formed of a stick and the flange section. The pressed elastic arm operates one of individual-switches disposed at four corners of a switch case. Each elastic arm extends from each side of the quadrangular switch case to at least a middle point of a side, which is adjacent and parallel to the arm. Using this structure, a four-directional control switch, which can effectively use a space in an electronic apparatus, can be obtained.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a four-directional control switch used for controlling various compact electronic apparatuses.

2. Background Art

FIG. 12 shows a sectional front view of a conventional four-directional control switch, and FIG. 13 shows a plan view of a switch case accommodating movable contacts. Central-fixed contact 3 (hereinafter referred to as “contact 3 ”) is placed on a center of an inner bottom of quadrangular switch case 1 (hereinafter referred to as “case 1 ”) whose top is open. Contact 3 is formed of common contact 2 and central contact 3 A for a central switch. As shown in FIG. 13 , four individual-fixed contacts 4 A- 4 D (hereinafter referred to as “contacts 4 A- 4 D”) for peripheral switches are placed at four corners of the inner bottom of case 1 , and respective leading terminals are protruded from an outer periphery of case 1 . Besides, in FIG. 13 , movable contact spring 5 (hereinafter referred to as “spring 5 ”) made of an elastic thin metal plate is formed by coupling dome-shaped central movable contact 6 (hereinafter referred to as “contact 6 ”) with individual-movable contacts 7 A- 7 D (hereinafter referred to as “contacts 7 A- 7 D”) via coupling section 5 A. Contact 6 corresponds to contact 3 , and contacts 7 A- 7 D respectively correspond to contacts 4 A- 4 D. Spring 5 is accommodated in case 1 in a manner that contact 6 and contacts 7 A- 7 D respectively face toward contact 3 and contacts 4 A- 4 D. Operating unit 8 and stick 9 are disposed on spring 5 . Operating unit 8 is formed of cylindrical section 8 A and skirt section 8 B at its lower part. Stick 9 is held independently and movably in a vertical direction through central hole 8 C of operating unit 8 . Four hemispherical protrusions 10 A- 10 D (hereinafter referred to as “protrusions 10 A- 10 D”) of a bottom of skirt section 8 B respectively come into contact with tops of contacts 7 A- 7 D, where protrusions 10 B and 10 D are not shown in the drawings. Bottom section 9 A of stick 9 comes into contact with a top of contact 6 . Operating unit 8 is rockably held through central hole 11 A of cover 11 covering the top of case 1 .

For example, as shown by an arrow in a sectional front view of FIG. 14 , the four-directional control switch is operated by tilting stick 9 in a direction of one of the four corners of case 1 . Thus, operating unit 8 also rocks and tilts, so that protrusion 10 A of the bottom of skirt section 8 B, which has been tilted and moved downward, presses downward contact 7 A corresponding to protrusion 10 A. As a result, contact 7 A is elastically inverted. Contact 7 A comes into contact with contact 4 A, thereby permitting conduction between certain leading terminals. When pressing-force against stick 9 in the tilted direction is removed, the four-directional control switch is returned to an original state shown in FIG. 12 by elastic restoring force of contact 7 A. When stick 9 is tilted in the direction of another one of the four corners, the same operation is executed, thereby permitting conduction between certain leading terminals. Then, when pressing-force is removed, the four-directional control switch returns to the original state.

As shown by an arrow in a sectional front view of FIG. 15 , when stick 9 is pressed in a vertical downward direction, only stick 9 moves straight and downward. Thus, bottom section 9 A presses contact 6 downward and elastically inverts contact 6 . Then, contact 6 comes into contact with central contact 3 A of contact 3 , thereby permitting conduction between certain leading terminals. When pressing-force against stick 9 in the downward direction is removed, the four-directional control switch is returned to the original state shown in FIG. 12 by elastic restoring force of contact 6 .

The conventional four-directional control switch discussed above is disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2001-351478.

The conventional four-directional control switch has individual-switches at the four corners of quadrangular case 1 , so that case 1 can be downsized. However, in an electronic apparatus using the conventional switch, stick 9 is generally tilted in a direction of front, rear, right or left when operated. Therefore, when the conventional switch is mounted on the electronic apparatus, case 1 has to be mounted on the electronic apparatus at a 45° angle with respect to a side of a casing of the electronic apparatus. In a word, case 1 needs to be mounted at an angled. Thus, an area corresponding to a quadrangle whose one side corresponds to a diagonal line of case 1 is needed for a space in the casing of the electronic apparatus. As a result, the conventional switch cannot effectively use a space in the casing of the electronic apparatus and is disadvantageous for downsizing of the electronic apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A four-directional control switch presses one of four elastic arms, whose flange section has a stiffness characteristic, by tilting a controlling unit formed of a stick and a flange section. The pressed elastic arm operates one of individual-switches disposed at four corners of a switch case. Each elastic arm extends from each side of the switch case to at least a middle point of a side, which is adjacent and parallel to the arm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional front view of a four-directional control switch in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the four-directional control switch.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the line 3 — 3 .

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a switch case of an essential part of the four-directional control switch.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an operating unit of an essential part of the four-directional control switch.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the switch case, on which the operating unit of the essential part of the four-directional control switch is mounted.

FIG. 7 is a sectional front view showing a state where a stick of the four-directional control switch is tilted for operation.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of FIG. 7 taken along the line 8 — 8 .

FIG. 9 is a sectional front view showing a state where the stick of the four-directional control switch is pressed for operation.

FIG. 10 is a sectional front view of another four-directional control switch in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a sectional front view of still another four-directional control switch in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a sectional front view of a conventional four-directional control switch.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a switch case accommodating movable contacts of an essential part of the conventional four-directional control switch.

FIG. 14 is a sectional front view showing a state where a stick of the conventional four-directional control switch is tilted for operation.

FIG. 15 is a sectional front view showing a state where the stick of the conventional four-directional control switch is pressed for operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a sectional front view of a four-directional control switch in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the switch. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the line 3 — 3 . FIG. 4 is a plan view of a switch case of the switch.

Hollows 22 A- 22 D are formed at four corners of an inner bottom of quadrangular switch case 21 (hereinafter referred to as “case 21 ”) whose top is open, and hollow 22 E is formed on a center of the inner bottom of case 21 . Central contacts 23 A- 23 D (hereinafter referred to as “contacts 23 A- 23 D”) and side contacts 24 A- 24 D (hereinafter referred to as “contacts 24 A- 24 D”) are fixed at bottoms of hollows 22 A- 22 D, where contacts 23 A- 23 D respectively correspond to contacts 24 A- 24 D. Central contact 23 E (hereinafter referred to as “contact 23 E”) and side contact 24 E (hereinafter referred to as “contact 24 E”) are fixed at a bottom of hollow 22 E, where contact 23 E and contact 24 E make a pair.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 4 , individual-leading terminals 25 A- 25 E (hereinafter referred to as “terminals 25 A- 25 E”) and common leading terminal 25 F (hereinafter referred to as “terminal 25 F”) are placed at case 21 , and protruded from an outer periphery of case 21 . Contacts 23 A- 23 E are respectively coupled with terminals 25 A- 25 E, and contacts 24 A- 24 E are coupled with terminal 25 F. Dome-shaped movable contacts 26 A- 26 E (hereinafter referred to as “contacts 26 A- 26 E”) are made of elastic thin metal plates. Bottoms of outer peripheries of contacts 26 A- 26 E are respectively disposed on contacts 24 A- 24 E in hollows 22 A- 22 E. Bottoms of top sections 27 A- 27 E of contacts 24 A- 24 E respectively confront contacts 23 A- 23 E with a predetermined space. Four individual-switches 28 A- 28 D (hereinafter referred to as “switches 28 A- 28 D”) and central switch 28 E (hereinafter referred to as “switch 28 E”) are formed as discussed above, where switches 28 B and 28 C are not shown in the drawings. Switches 28 A- 28 E individually work by pressing centers of upper sections of contacts 26 A- 26 E.

Switches 28 A- 28 E are constructed as discussed above, so that each switch can be downsized, stably operated with click-feeling and inexpensive.

Flexible insulating sheet 29 covers upper surfaces of hollows 22 A- 22 E accommodating switches 28 A- 28 E. This structure improves a dust proof characteristic and holds contacts 26 A- 26 E at stable positions.

Operating unit 30 , which is formed by punching and bending an elastic thin metal plate, is mounted on an upper part of case 21 . As shown in FIGS. 5-6 , operating unit 30 includes elastic arms 32 A- 32 D (hereinafter referred to as “arms 32 A- 32 D”) which extend from hinge sections 31 A- 31 D having narrow widths. Each of hinge sections 31 A- 31 D is placed at each side of frame 30 A, which is the same size as a quadrilateral formed by four outer periphery walls 21 A- 21 D of case 21 . Each of arms 32 A- 32 D extends from one side of case 21 to at least a middle point of another side, which is adjacent and parallel to the arm, through above a center of each of switches 28 A- 28 E. As shown in FIG. 3 , arms 32 A- 32 D respectively have pressing sections 33 A- 33 D, which confront top sections 27 A- 27 D of contacts 26 A- 26 D via insulating sheet 29 with a predetermined space, at their middle sections. Ribs 34 A- 34 D are formed at arms 32 A- 32 D for reinforcing in a manner such that each whole arm has enough stiffness.

As discussed above, pressing sections 33 A- 33 D are respectively formed at arms 32 A- 32 D, whereby switches 28 A- 28 D positively work.

Operating unit 30 is formed in one piece, so that positional deviation of arms 32 A- 32 D or pressing sections 33 A- 33 D formed thereon is reduced.

Controlling unit 35 made of a resin is formed of stick 36 for operating the four-directional control switch and flange section 37 formed in one piece thereunder. Protrusion 37 E at a center of a bottom of flange section 37 is contacted with and held by an upper surface of top section 27 E of dome-shaped contact 26 E of switch 28 E via insulating sheet 29 . Protrusions 37 A- 37 D are formed at an outer periphery of flange section 37 and protruded forward four areas where upper surfaces of tips of arms 32 A- 32 D are contacted.

Switches 28 A- 28 E positively work due to the formation of protrusions 37 A- 37 E, and controlling unit 35 is held and smoothly tilts due to the formation of protrusion 37 E.

Cover 38 made of a resin covers an opening of an upper surface of case 21 . A lower surface of central hole 38 A of cover 38 holds a hemispheric upper surface of flange section 37 of controlling unit 35 tiltably and movably in a vertical direction, thereby causing stick 36 to protrude upward. Controlling unit 35 can smoothly tilt due to this structure. The hemispheric upper surface of flange section 37 does not rotate. Cover 38 is coupled with case 21 in a manner that frame 30 A of operating unit 30 is sandwiched and fixed between a lower surface of outer peripheries of cover 38 and upper sections of outer periphery walls 21 A- 21 D of case 21 .

As discussed above, arms 32 A- 32 D and pressing sections 33 A- 33 D, which are formed thereon, are made in one piece as operating unit 30 . Therefore, when controlling unit 35 and cover 38 are mounted, assembling becomes easy and positional deviation between pressing sections 33 A- 33 D and switches 28 A- 28 D is reduced. As a result, the four-directional control switch stably works.

The four-directional control switch is constructed as discussed above, and an operation thereof is described as follows.

The first operation is described hereinafter. In an ordinary state shown in FIG. 1 , pressing-force is applied to stick 36 of controlling unit 35 in a direction of an arrow shown in a sectional front view of FIG. 7 . In other words, stick 36 is tilted toward outer periphery wall 21 A which is one of four sides of case 21 . Then a contacted area between protrusion 37 E and top section 27 E of contact 26 E of switch 28 E works as a fulcrum, and the hemispheric upper surface of flange section 37 tilts along the lower surface of central hole 38 A of cover 38 at the fulcrum. Protrusion 37 A, which is formed at a side where flange section 37 tilts and moves downward, presses a tip, which comes into contact with protrusion 37 A, of arm 32 A downward.

As shown in FIG. 8 which is a sectional view of FIG. 7 taken along the line 8 — 8 , hinge section 31 A, which is a root of arm 32 A, works as a fulcrum and the whole arm 32 A revolves at the fulcrum. Then pressing section 33 A comes into contact with top section 27 A of contact 26 A of switch 28 A, and presses contact 26 A downward while bending insulating sheet 29 .

Pressed contact 26 A is elastically inverted and provides a click-feeling upon certain pressing-force and pressing stroke, so that a lower surface of top section 27 A comes into contact with contact 23 A. Thus, contact 23 A and contact 24 A electrically couple with each other, and switch 28 A works. A signal is transmitted to a circuit of an electronic apparatus using this four-directional control switch via terminals 25 A and 25 F.

After that, when pressing-force against stick 36 of controlling unit 35 in the tilted direction is removed, arm 32 A and contact 26 A try to return to an original state due to their elastic restoring force. Therefore, a bottom of protrusion 37 A of the outer periphery of flange section 37 is pressed back. Then, contact 23 A and contact 24 A are electrically separated from each other, so that switch 28 A is placed in an OFF state and the four-directional control switch returns to the ordinary state shown in FIG. 1 .

In the same manner as discussed, when stick 36 of controlling unit 35 is tilted toward one of other outer periphery walls 21 B- 21 D, which is one of four sides of case 21 , controlling unit 35 operates switch 28 B, 28 C or 28 D in its tilted direction.

The tilted angle of stick 36 becomes larger than that of a conventional method by a ratio of a length between each of hinge sections 31 A- 31 D and each tip of arms 32 A- 32 D to a length between each of hinge sections 31 A- 31 D and each of pressing sections 33 A- 33 D. Therefore, even when an operator touches stick 36 by mistake, it is unlikely that the four-directional control switch will malfunction.

As mentioned above, ribs 34 A- 34 D are formed at arms 32 A- 32 D for reinforcing. Therefore, arms 32 A- 32 D have enough stiffness. Using this structure, in the tilted operation of stick 36 , when the tips of arms 32 A- 32 D are pressed downward, pressing sections 33 A- 33 D elastically and certainly invert respective contacts 26 A- 26 D by certain pressing-force and pressing stroke.

As discussed above, in the four-directional control switch of this embodiment, each of switches 28 A- 28 D is placed in an ON state by tilting stick 36 toward one side of case 21 . Therefore, when the switch is mounted on the electronic apparatus, case 21 does not need to be angled with respect to a side of a casing of the electronic apparatus. As a result, the switch can effectively use a space in the casing of the electronic apparatus.

Next, the second operation is described hereinafter. In the ordinary state shown in FIG. 1 , pressing-force is applied to stick 36 of controlling unit 35 in a vertical downward direction shown by an arrow of a sectional front view of FIG. 9 . Whole controlling unit 35 moves downward, and the upper surface of flange section 37 of controlling unit 35 is separated from the lower surface of central hole 38 A of cover 38 . Protrusion 37 E at the center of the bottom of flange section 37 presses top section 27 E of contact 26 E of switch 28 E downward while bending insulating sheet 29 .

Pressed contact 26 E is elastically inverted and provides a click-feeling upon certain pressing-force and pressing stroke, so that a lower surface of top section 27 E comes into contact with contact 23 E. Thus, contact 23 E and contact 24 E electrically couple with each other, and switch 28 E works. A signal is transmitted to the circuit of the electronic apparatus using this four-directional control switch via terminals 25 E and 25 F.

After that, when pressing-force against stick 36 of controlling unit 35 in the vertical downward direction is removed, contact 26 E tries to return to the original state due to its elastic restoring force. Therefore, protrusion 37 E at the center of the bottom of flange section 37 of controlling unit 35 is pressed back. Contact 23 E and contact 24 E are electrically separated from each other, so that switch 28 E is placed in the OFF state and the four-directional control switch returns to the ordinary state shown in FIG. 1 .

When pressing-force is applied to stick 36 of controlling unit 35 in the vertical downward direction, the upper surfaces of the tips of arms 32 A- 32 D are also pressed downward by a length corresponding to the pressing stroke of contact 26 E of switch 28 E. Then hinge sections 31 A- 31 D work as a fulcrum, and arms 32 A- 32 D slightly revolve at the fulcrum. According to this revolving, pressing sections 33 A- 33 D at a middle section of arms 32 A- 32 D move downward not more than a half distance of movement of the tips of arms 32 A- 32 D. As mentioned above, pressing sections 33 A- 33 D are spaced from top sections 27 A- 27 D of contacts 26 A- 26 D at a predetermined distance. Therefore, when stick 36 is pressed, switches 28 A- 28 D do not work.

As discussed above, in the four-directional control switch of this invention, certain input can be executed not only by tilting stick 36 of controlling unit 35 in four directions but also upon using switch 28 E by pressing stick 36 in the vertical downward direction.

Besides the structure mentioned above, protrusion 37 E at the center of the bottom of flange section 37 of controlling unit 35 can be held by an inner bottom of case 21 using only four switches 28 A- 28 D, namely, without providing switch 28 E. In this structure, if a hollow or the like corresponding to protrusion 37 E is formed at the inner bottom of case 21 and protrusion 37 E is rotatably held thereon, an operation for tilting becomes stable.

Furthermore, protrusion 41 can be formed at a center of an inner bottom of case 21 , and hollow 41 corresponding to protrusion 41 can be formed at a center of a bottom of controlling unit 35 , as shown in FIG. 10 . Using this structure, controlling unit 35 can be held by protrusion 41 . In addition, hemispherical convex section 43 can be formed at a center of an inner bottom of case 21 , and hemispherical concave section 44 corresponding to convex section 43 can be formed at a bottom of controlling unit 35 , as shown in FIG. 11 .

In this embodiment, operating unit 30 having arms 32 A- 32 D is formed by punching and bending an elastic thin metal plate. However, operating unit 30 can be formed in one piece of an elastic resin.

Claims

1. A four-directional control switch comprising:a quadrangular switch case having first, second, third and fourth sides; a first arm mounted to said switch case adjacent and parallel to said first side of said switch case, said first arm being at least half as long as said first side of said switch case; a second arm mounted to said switch case adjacent and parallel to said second side of said switch case, said second arm being at least half as long as said second side of said switch case; a third arm mounted to said switch case adjacent and parallel to said third side of said switch case, said third arm being at least half as long as said third side of said switch case; a fourth arm mounted to said switch case adjacent and parallel to said fourth side of said switch case, said fourth arm being at least half as long as said fourth side of said switch case; a controlling unit mounted to said switch case and including a stick, and a flange section, arranged to press and operate said arms upon tilting of said stick, formed at a lower end of said stick; and four individual switches respectively disposed at four comers of an inner bottom of said switch case and being respectively operable by said arms.

2. The four-directional control switch of claim 1, whereinsaid arms respectively include pressing sections which respectively confront said individual switches at positions at which said individual switches are operated.

3. The four-directional control switch of claim 1, whereinsaid controlling unit further includes a first protrusion formed at a center of a bottom of said flange section, said first protrusion being arranged to come into contact with a center of said inner bottom of said switch case.

4. The four-directional control switch of claim 1, whereinsaid controlling unit further includes four second protrusions formed at an outer periphery of said flange section and being respectively operable to press and operate said arm.

5. The four-directional control switch of claim 1, further comprisinga cover having a central hole, said flange section protruding through said central hole and being tiltably held by said cover.

6. The four-directional control switch of claim 1, whereinsaid switch case has hollows respectively formed at four corners of said inner bottom thereof; and each of said four individual switches includes a fixed contact provided in one of said hollows, and a dome-shaped movable contact formed of an elastic thin metal plate and disposed above said fixed contact.

7. The four-directional control switch of claim 6, further comprising a pliable insulating sheet covering said hollows.

8. The four-directional control switch of claim 1, further comprising:a central switch, which works by pressing an upper section thereof, disposed at a center of said inner bottom of said switch case; and wherein said controlling unit is mounted to be vertically movable, and said central switch works by pressing said stick vertically.

9. The four-directional control switch of claim 1 further comprising a frame; andhinge sections for respectively coupling said frame with said arms in a manner that said arms can move vertically.

10. The four-directional control switch of claim 9,wherein said arms, said hinge sections and said frame are formed in one piece of one of an elastic thin metal plate and an elastic resin.