Switch apparatus

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a switch apparatus having a pusher provided between an operating element and a switch body.

Hitherto, a conventional apparatus illustrated in

FIG. 4

has been provided as a switch apparatus having a pusher provided between an operating element and a switch body. In this conventional apparatus, an operating element

2

includes an intermediate portion

2

a

in a lateral direction, as viewed in this figure, which is pivotally supported by a case

1

a

through a shaft

3

in such a manner as to be able to upwardly and downwardly turn. A projection

4

is provided at a portion, which is placed at right side away from the pivotally supported portion (that is, the intermediate portion

2

a

) of this operating element

2

, as viewed in this figure, in such a way as to downwardly project therefrom.

A linear-rod-like pusher

5

is disposed under the projection

4

. A pusher guide

7

having a guide hole

6

for guiding this pusher

5

in such a way as to be able to upwardly and downwardly move in a linear direction is formed integrally with the case

1

and thus provided and fixed therein.

A switch body

8

having an actuator

8

a

is provided under the pusher

5

by being mounted on a circuit board

9

. This circuit board

9

is fixed to the case

1

.

In the conventional apparatus of this configuration, when the right-side portion of the operating element

2

is downwardly pushed down into a space, the projection

4

downwardly pushes the pusher

5

. Then, the pusher

5

downwardly pushes the actuator

8

a

of the switch body

8

. Thus, an operation of forcedly pushing the switch body

8

is performed, so that the switch body

8

is put into a conducting state.

When the forced pushing of the operating element

2

is canceled from the pushing state, the pusher

5

is upwardly pushed back by a restoring force of the switch body

8

which returns the actuator

8

a

, and the right-side portion of the operating element

2

is upwardly pushed back through the projection

4

. As the pusher

5

is pushed back, the switch body

8

returns to an interrupting state.

In the aforementioned conventional apparatus, the pusher guide

7

is operative to guide the pusher

5

so that the pusher

5

vertical moves in the linear direction in response to an upward or downward turn (that is, a circular arc motion around the shaft

3

) of a portion in which the projection

4

of the operating element

2

is present. Thus, the pusher guide

7

serves to enable the apparatus to properly perform an operation of forcedly pushing the switch body

8

, that is, to obtain a reliable conductive state by downwardly and forcedly pushing the switch body

8

in a straight direction. Therefore, the length L

1

of the pusher guide

7

should be somewhat large.

Thus, in the case of the aforementioned conventional apparatus, the pusher guide

7

having the length L

1

is disposed between the switch body

8

and the projection

4

for forcedly pressing the pusher

5

of the operating element

2

. Therefore, the switch body

8

, the pusher guide

7

, and the operating element

2

are sequentially stacked. Consequently, the conventional apparatus has drawbacks in that the thickness t

1

of the entire switch apparatus is large, and that thus, the required installation space of the switch apparatus is large.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is accomplished in view of the aforementioned circumstances. Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a switch apparatus enabled to properly perform an operation of forcedly pushing a switch body and to reduce the thickness of the entirety thereof.

To achieve the foregoing object, according to the invention, there is provided a switch apparatus, which comprises an operating element pivotally supported in such a way as to be able to forcedly push and turn in a direction opposite to a direction in which the operating element pushes, a pusher to be pushed by a part of the operating element, which part is disposed at a place located away from a pivotally supported portion thereof, a pusher guide for forcedly pushing and guiding the pusher in such a manner as to be able to move the pusher in a linear direction opposite to a direction in which the pusher is forcedly pushed, and a switch body that undergoes a forced pushing operation to be performed by the pusher. In this apparatus, a guided portion located away from between the switch body and the part of the operating element, which part forcedly pushes the pusher, is formed in the pusher. Further, the pusher guide is provided at a place located away from between the switch body and the part of the operating element, which part forcedly pushes the pusher. Furthermore, the pusher guide guides the guided portion in such a way as to be able to move the pusher in the linear direction.

In order to solve the aforesaid object, the invention is characterized by having the following arrangement.

(1) A switch apparatus comprising:

an operating element pivotally supported through a pivotally supported portion thereof;

a pusher to be pushed by a pushing part of the operating element, the pushing part being disposed at a place shifted from the pivotally supported portion;

a switch body to be pushed by the pusher;

a guided portion away from a portion between the switch body and the pushing part, formed in the pusher; and

a pusher guide for guiding the guided portion in a linear direction, which is arranged at a place away from the portion between the switch body and the pushing part.

(2) The switch apparatus according to (1), wherein the pusher includes the guided portion guided by the pusher guide and a main body portion which is pushed by the operating element and pushes the switch body.

(3) The switch apparatus according to (2), wherein the main body portion is shorter than the guided portion in the linear direction.

(4) The switch apparatus according to (3), wherein the main body portion is shorter than the pusher guide in the linear direction.

(5) The switch apparatus according to (2), wherein the pusher includes an arm which is extended in a direction substantially perpendicular to the linear direction and connects the main body portion to the guided portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

is a broken side view illustrating an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2

is an exploded perspective view illustrating the embodiment.

FIG. 3

is a plan view illustrating a primary part of a case.

FIG. 4

is a view illustrating a conventional switch apparatus, which partly corresponds to FIG.

1

.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, an embodiment, which is an example of the application of the invention to a volume control switch device for use in an audio apparatus of a vehicle, especially, an automobile, will be described with reference to

FIGS. 1

to

3

.

Referring to

FIG. 3

, there is shown a case

11

that is in a state in which only one of operating elements

12

at one side is mounted on the case

11

. This case

11

is almost in a boat form. The case

11

includes an accommodating portion

13

provided at the side (that is, a lower side, as viewed in

FIG. 3

) opposite to the side of the operating element

12

.

In an accommodating portion

13

, projections

14

of short length having cylinder shape are formed on the front-side edge portions of both the left-side and right-side walls of a central portion in such a way as to be integral therewith and as to slightly outwardly project therefrom, as viewed in this figure. Pusher guides

15

and

16

are respectively disposed at an upper side part and a lower side part of the accommodating portion

13

, as viewed in this figure, and similarly formed in such a way as to be integral therewith. These pusher guides

15

and

16

form T-shaped grooves

15

a

and

16

a

, respectively, and are respectively placed at upper and lower positions in such a manner as to be symmetrical with respect to the center of the portion

13

. The groove

15

a

of the upper pusher guide

15

is upwardly opened, while the groove

16

a

of the lower pusher guide

16

is downwardly opened.

On the other hand, as illustrated in

FIG. 1

, a circuit board

19

, on which switch bodies

17

and

18

are mounted, is accommodated and fixed in the accommodating portion

13

. In this case, the switch bodies

17

and

18

are constituted by tact switches, and respectively have actuators

17

a

and

18

a

, each of which protrudes upwardly. Further, these switch bodies

17

,

18

are placed closer to the side opposite to the projection

14

(that is, to the side of a counter-projection

14

) than the pusher guides

15

and

16

.

Pushers

20

and

21

are placed on the switch bodies

17

and

18

, respectively. As illustrated in

FIG. 2

, each of these pushers

20

and

21

is formed so that a corresponding one of guided portions

20

a

and

21

a

is integral with corresponding ones of arms

20

b

and

21

b

and main body portions

20

c

and

21

c

. Each of the guided portions

20

a

and

21

a

has a planar T-shaped configuration, similarly as the grooves

15

a

and

16

a

of the pusher guides

15

and

16

, and upwardly and downwardly extends in such a way as to have a length L

11

. The arms

20

b

and

21

b

are extended from the guided portions

20

a

and

21

a

, respectively. Each of the main body portions

20

c

and

21

c

is formed under an end portion of a corresponding one of the arms

20

b

and

21

b

. In this case, each of the main body portions

20

c

and

21

c

is shaped like a short-length circular cylinder, and has a length L

12

that is shorter than the length L

11

of the guided portions

20

a

and

21

a.

As shown in

FIG. 1

, each of the guided portions

20

a

and

21

a

is inserted into a corresponding one of the grooves

15

a

and

16

a

of the pusher guides

15

and

16

from above. Thus, the pushers

20

and

21

are enabled to upwardly and downwardly move in a linear direction by guiding the guided portions

20

a

and

21

a

. Incidentally, the pusher guide

15

and

16

have a length that is nearly equal to the length L

11

of the guided portions

20

a

and

21

a

. In this case, the arms

20

b

and

21

b

are respectively projected from left-side and right-side opened apertures. The main body portions

20

c

and

21

c

are put on the actuators

17

a

and

18

a

of the switch bodies

17

and

18

, respectively.

On the other hand, the operating element

22

is shaped like a cap that is much larger than the accommodating portion

13

. A shaft journal part of the operating element

22

is formed at a lower part of the central portion of the operating element

22

in such a way as to be integral therewith. The top face of the operating element

22

has a warp that is curved from the central part thereof upward to lateral sides thereof, as viewed in FIG.

1

. Moreover, the operating element

22

includes projections

24

and

25

formed at places, which are located laterally away from the central part thereof, on the bottom face of the operating element

22

in such a manner as to protrude therefrom, as viewed in FIG.

1

.

The journal part of the operating element

22

is fitted onto each of the projections

14

of the case

11

. Consequently, the operating element

22

is attached and supported thereon in such a way as to be able to upwardly and downwardly turn around each of the projections

14

. In this case, the direction of the upward or downward turn of the operating element

22

is a forced pushing direction in which the operating element

22

is forcedly pushed, or a direction opposite to the forced pushing direction. This attachment of the operating element

22

results in that the bottom ends of the projections

24

and

25

are put on the main body portions

20

c

and

21

c

of the pushers

20

and

21

. Furthermore, the operating element

22

is adapted so that the entirety thereof covers the whole accommodating portion

13

.

Incidentally, as shown in

FIG. 2

, necessary indications

26

,

27

, and

28

and a projection for a blind operation are provided on the top face of the operating element

22

.

With the aforementioned configuration, when the left-side part of the operating element

22

is downwardly pushed into a space, as viewed in

FIG. 1

, the operating element

22

turns anticlockwise, so that the main body portion

20

c

of the pusher is pushed down by the projection

24

that performs a circular arc motion. When the right-side part of the operating element

22

is downwardly pushed into a space, as viewed in

FIG. 1

, the operating element

22

turns clockwise, so that the main body portion

21

c

of the pusher

21

is pushed down by the projection that performs a circular arc motion.

At that time, the projections

24

and

25

are placed at parts located laterally away from the central portion of the operating element

22

pivotally supported by the projection

14

of the case

11

, that is, the pivotally supported part of the operating element

22

. Therefore, the pushers

20

and

21

are forcedly pushed by the parts located away from the pivotally supported portion of the operating element

22

. The pushed pushers

20

and

21

are respectively guided by the pusher guides

15

and

16

, which act upon the guided portions

20

a

and

20

b

, in such a way as to downwardly move in a linear direction.

Then, the movement of the pusher

20

results in that the actuator

17

a

of the switch body

17

is downwardly pushed. Thus, the switch body

17

undergoes a forced pushing operation, so that the switch apparatus is put into a conducting state. In this case, the magnitude of sounds radiated from the audio apparatus of the automobile is increased. Furthermore, the movement of the pusher

21

results in that the actuator

18

a

of the switch body

18

is downwardly and forcedly pushed. Thus, the switch body

18

undergoes a forcedly pushing operation, so that similarly, the switch apparatus is put into a conducting state. In this case, the magnitude of sounds radiated from the audio apparatus of the automobile is decreased. The aforementioned length L

11

of the pusher guides

15

and

16

is a length required to cause the pushers

20

and

21

to properly perform operations of forcedly pushing the switch bodies

17

and

18

.

At that time, each of the pusher guides

15

and

16

is disposed away from a portion between a corresponding one of the switch bodies

17

,

18

and a corresponding one of the parts (the projections

24

and

25

) which push the pushers

20

and

21

of the operating element

22

, toward the projection

14

of the case

11

, which is a support shaft for the operating element

22

. Each of the guided portions

20

a

and

21

a

of the pushers

20

a

and

21

a

of the pushers

20

and

21

is disposed away from a portion between a corresponding one of the switch bodies

17

,

18

and a corresponding one of the parts (the projections

24

and

25

) which forcedly push the pushers

20

and

21

of the operating element

22

, toward the projection

14

of the case

11

.

Incidentally, when the forced pushing of the operating element

22

is canceled during each of the aforementioned states, the pushers

20

and

21

are upwardly pushed back by restoring forces of the switch bodies

17

and

18

. Moreover, the operating element

22

is upwardly pushed back through the projections

24

and

25

, which respectively return the actuators

17

a

and

18

a

. Furthermore, as the pushers

20

and

21

are pushed back, the switch bodies

17

and

18

return to an interrupting state.

Thus, according to the apparatus of this configuration, each of the pushers

20

and

21

is guided by a corresponding one of the pusher guides

15

and

16

at a place away from between a corresponding one of the switch bodies

17

and

18

and a corresponding one of the parts which push the pushers

20

and

21

of the operating element

22

. Therefore, the necessary length L

11

of each of the pusher guides

15

and

16

for properly performing operations of forcedly pushing a corresponding one of the switch bodies

17

and

18

is assured at a place away from a portion between a corresponding one of the switch bodies

17

and

18

and a corresponding one of the parts of the operating element

22

, which are used for forcedly pushing the pushers

20

and

21

. Thus, differently from the conventional apparatus, according to this embodiment, there is no need for ensuring the necessary length L

11

of each of the pusher guides

15

and

16

for properly performing operations of forcedly pushing the switch bodies

17

and

18

at a place away from a portion between a corresponding one of the switch bodies

17

and

18

and corresponding one of the parts of the operating element

22

(incidentally, the length L

12

of each of the main body portions

20

c

and

21

c

of the pushers

20

and

21

, which should be assured, is shorter than the necessary length L

11

of each of the pusher guides

15

and

16

).

Thus, in the case of the apparatus of this configuration, operations of forcedly pushing the switch bodies

17

and

18

are properly performed. Simultaneously, the thickness t

11

of the entire switch apparatus can be reduced. Consequently, the installation space of the switch apparatus can be made to be small.

Incidentally, the scope of application of the invention is not limited to a volume control switch device for use in an audio apparatus of a vehicle, especially, an automobile. The invention may be widely applied to general switch devices. Further, instead of placing each of the guided portions

20

a

and

21

a

of the pushers

20

and

21

and the pusher guides

15

and

16

at a place away from a portion between a corresponding one of the switch bodies

17

and

18

and the parts for forcedly pushing the pushers

20

and

21

of the operating element

22

to the projection

14

of the case

11

, each of the guided portions

20

a

and

21

a

of the pushers

20

and

21

and the pusher guides

15

and

16

may be placed at a position located away from therebetween to a side opposite to the projection

14

.

Additionally, the pusher guides

15

and

16

may be formed in such a manner as to be separated from the case

11

and fixed by being incorporated into the case

11

, instead of being formed in such a way as to be integral with the case

11

. Moreover, the switch bodies

17

and

18

are not limited to tact switches. Furthermore, any other switches may be employed as long as an operation of forcedly pushing thereof is performed by the pushers

20

and

21

.

Further, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Especially, the invention can be practiced by suitably changing the practical shapes of constituent elements of the invention without departing from the gist thereof.

As described above, according to the switch apparatus of the invention, an operation of forcedly pushing the switch body can be properly performed. Moreover, the thickness of the entire switch apparatus can be reduced.

Number	Name	Date	Kind
5584380	Naitou	Dec 1996	A
5689095	Kawase	Nov 1997	A
5691517	Yamamoto et al.	Nov 1997	A
5957273	Karasik	Sep 1999	A
6140713	Stringwell	Oct 2000	A

Switch apparatus

Information

Patent Number

Date Filed

Date Issued

Inventors

Original Assignees

Examiners

Agents

CPC

US Classifications

Field of Search

US

International Classifications

Abstract

Description

Claims

Priority Claims (1)

US Referenced Citations (5)