This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-223063, filed Dec. 28, 2023. The contents of that application are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
The claimed invention relates to a switch device.
Some switch devices include a switch body and a holder. The switch body includes a switch housing and a terminal. The terminal protrudes from the switch housing. A lead wire is connected to the terminal. The holder covers the connection portion between the terminal and the lead wire. Furthermore, in order to protect the connection portion, the inside of the holder is filled with a sealing member such as resin. For example, in the switch device disclosed in International Publication WO2020/179289, a holder is placed over a switch body and houses a sealing member.
In the above-referenced switch device, the holder is placed over the switch body in order to fix the holder to the switch body. Therefore, the holder has an outer shape larger than the switch body, and the holder is large in size. An object of the claimed invention is to reduce the size of a holder that covers a sealing member in a switch device.
An embodiment of a switch device in accordance with the claimed invention includes a switch body, a lead wire, a sealing member, and a holder. The switch body includes a switch housing and a first terminal protruding from the switch housing. The lead wire includes a tip portion fixed to the first terminal. The sealing member seals the first terminal and the tip portion. The holder covers the sealing member. The holder includes a connection portion disposed within the holder. The holder is fixed to the switch body by attaching the connection portion to the first terminal.
In the switch device, the connection portion is disposed within the holder, and the holder is fixed to the switch body by attaching the connection portion to the first terminal. The holder is thereby made smaller.
The connection portion may be attached to the first terminal by a snap-fit. In this case, the connection portion can be attached to the first terminal with a simple structure. The holder is thereby made smaller.
The first terminal may include a notch. The connection portion may be engaged with the notch, so that the holder is prevented from coming off in a direction in which the first terminal protrudes from the switch housing. In this case, the holder is prevented from coming off by the engagement between the connection portion and the notch.
The connection portion may include a first snap-fit portion and a second snap-fit portion. The first snap-fit portion may extend from an inner surface of the holder, be disposed on a first lateral side relative to the first terminal and engage with the first terminal. The second snap-fit portion may extend from the inner surface of the holder, be disposed on a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side with respect to the first terminal, and engage with the first terminal. In this case, the first snap-fit portion and the second snap-fit portion engage with the first terminal from both lateral sides of the first terminal. The connection portion is thereby firmly attached to the first terminal.
The holder may include a snap-fit retainer that prevents the first snap-fit portion and the second snap-fit portion from spreading apart. The snap-fit retainer may include a first extending portion and a second extending portion. The first extending portion may extend from the inner surface of the holder and be disposed on the first lateral side of the first snap-fit portion. The second extending portion may extend from the inner surface of the holder and be disposed on the second lateral side of the second snap-fit portion. In this case, the snap-fit retainer prevents the first snap-fit portion and the second snap-fit portion from spreading apart. The connection portion is thereby firmly attached to the first terminal.
The switch body may include a second terminal protruding from the switch housing. The holder may include a terminal presser extending from the inner surface of the holder. The terminal presser contacts the second terminal from a direction opposite to a direction in which the connection portion is engaged with the first terminal by snap-fitting. In this case, the terminal presser contacts the second terminal, thereby preventing the holder from moving in a direction in which the snap-fit of the connection portion comes off from the first terminal. The connection portion is thereby firmly attached to the first terminal.
The terminal presser may extend obliquely from the inner surface of the holder toward the second terminal. In this case, when the terminal presser is bent, the elastic force of the terminal presser presses the terminal presser against the second terminal. The connection portion is thereby firmly attached to the first terminal.
The switch body may include a second terminal protruding from the switch housing. The connection portion may include a first snap-fit portion and a second snap-fit portion. The first snap-fit portion may extend from the inner surface of the holder and engage with the first terminal. The second snap-fit portion may extend from the inner surface of the holder and engage with the second terminal. In this case, the degree of freedom in arranging the first snap-fit portion and the second snap-fit portion is improved.
The holder may include a first holder member and a second holder member. The first holder member may include a mounting projection. The second holder member may include a mounting hole and may be a separate body from the first holder member. The first holder member may be attached to the second holder member by press-fitting the mounting projection into the mounting hole. In this case, the first holder member is attached to the second holder member while preventing the holder from becoming large.
The connection portion may be attached to the first terminal by press-fitting. In this case, the connection portion is attached to the first terminal with a simple structure. The holder is thereby made smaller.
The connection portion may include a first press-fit portion and a second press-fit portion. The first press fit portion may include a first recess and extend from the inner surface of the holder. The second press-fit portion may include a second recess and extend from the inner surface of the holder. The first terminal may be press-fit between the first recess and the second recess. In this case, the connection portion is attached to the first terminal with a simple structure. The holder is thereby made smaller.
The switch housing may include a bottom portion and a groove. The bottom portion may be disposed in the holder. The groove may be provided on a side surface of the bottom portion. The holder may include a protrusion that protrudes toward the inside of the holder. The protrusion may be engaged with the groove, thereby preventing the holder from coming off in a direction in which the first terminal protrudes from the switch housing. In this case, the holder is prevented from coming off by the engagement between the protrusion and the groove while preventing the holder from becoming large.
The holder may include a lead protector. The lead protector may include a lead hole and protrude from a side surface of the holder. The lead wire may extend through the lead hole. In this case, the lead wire is protected by the lead protector.
The outer shape of the holder may be same as or smaller than the outer shape of the switch housing. The outer shape of the holder may be disposed flush with the outer shape of the switch housing. In this case, the holder is made smaller.
Hereinafter, an embodiment of a switch device in accordance with the claimed invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In this embodiment, the direction in which the first terminal 11, the second terminal 12, and the third terminal 13 protrude from the switch housing 10 is defined as the downward direction, and the opposite direction is defined as the upward direction. As shown in
As shown in
The third terminal 13 is constantly electrically connected to the first terminal 11 in the switch housing 10. In a state that the button 14 is not pressed, the first terminal 11 and the third terminal 13 are electrically disconnected from the second terminal 12. In a state that the button 14 is pressed, the first terminal 11 and the third terminal 13 are electrically connected to the second terminal 12. However, conversely to the above, the first terminal 11 and third terminal 13 may be electrically connected to the second terminal 12 in a state that the button 14 is not pressed. The first terminal 11 and third terminal 13 may be electrically disconnected from the second terminal 12 in a state that the button 14 is pressed.
The first lead wire 3 includes a first tip portion 3A. The first tip portion 3A is electrically connected to the first terminal 11. For example, the first tip portion 3A may be connected to the first terminal 11 by soldering or welding. The first tip portion 3A and the first terminal 11 are disposed within the holder 6. The second lead wire 4 includes a second tip portion 4A. The second tip portion 4A is electrically connected to the second terminal 12. For example, the second tip portion 4A may be connected to the second terminal 12 by soldering or welding. The second tip portion 4A and the second terminal 12 are disposed within the holder 6. No lead wire is connected to the third terminal 13. However, a lead wire may be connected to the third terminal 13.
As shown in
The holder 6 covers the sealing member 5. The holder 6 is made of elastic resin.
The outer shape of the holder 6 is flush with the outer shape of the switch housing 10. In particular, the switch housing 10 includes a switch front wall 23, a switch rear wall 24, a first switch side wall 25, and a second switch side wall 26. The holder 6 includes a holder front wall 33, a holder rear wall 34, a first holder side wall 35, and a second holder side wall 36. The outer surface of the holder front wall 33 is flush with the outer surface of the switch front wall 23. The outer surface of the holder rear wall 34 is flush with the outer surface of the switch rear wall 24. The outer surface of the first holder side wall 35 is flush with the outer surface of the first switch side wall 25. The outer surface of the second holder side wall 36 is flush with the outer surface of the second switch side wall 26.
As shown in
As described above, the holder 6 includes the first holder member 6A and the second holder member 6B. The second holder member 6B is a separate body from the first holder member 6A. The holder 6 is divided into the first holder member 6A and the second holder member 6B from the front and rear. The second holder member 6B is disposed behind the first holder member 6A. The first holder member 6A includes the holder front wall 33 described above. The second holder member 6B includes the holder rear wall 34 described above.
As shown in
As shown in
In detail, the connection portion 41 includes a first snap-fit portion 42 and a second snap-fit portion 43. The first snap-fit portion 42 and the second snap-fit portion 43 are engaged with the first terminal 11. The first snap-fit portion 42 and the second snap-fit portion 43 engage with the first terminal 11 from the lateral sides and the rear of the first terminal 11. The first snap-fit portion 42 and the second snap-fit portion 43 extend from the inner surface of the holder 6. The first snap-fit portion 42 and the second snap-fit portion 43 are disposed apart from each other in the left-right direction. The first snap-fit portion 42 is disposed rightward of the first terminal 11. The second snap-fit portion 43 is disposed leftward of the first terminal 11.
As shown in
The second snap-fit portion 43 includes a second lever 46 and a second hook 47. The second lever 46 extends rearward from the inner surface of the holder front wall 33. The second lever 46 is disposed leftward of the first terminal 11. The second lever 46 engages with the first terminal 11 from the left side of the first terminal 11. The second hook 47 protrudes from the second lever 46. The second hook 47 is disposed behind the first terminal 11. The second hook 47 engages with the first terminal 11 from the rear of the first terminal 11.
The second notch 49 has a recessed shape from the right side surface of the first terminal 11. The second snap-fit portion 43 engages with the second notch 49. The second notch 49 is disposed below the second snap-fit portion 43. The second notch 49 engages with the second snap-fit portion 43 from below the second snap-fit portion 43. This prevents the holder 6 from falling downwardly from the first terminal 11.
As shown in
The holder 6 includes a first terminal presser 53 and a second terminal presser 54. The first terminal presser 53 extends obliquely from the inner surface of the holder front wall 33 toward the second terminal 12. The first terminal presser 53 is disposed in front of the second terminal 12 and is in contact with the second terminal 12. The second terminal presser 54 extends obliquely from the inner surface of the holder front wall 33 toward the third terminal 13. The second terminal presser 54 is disposed in front of the third terminal 13 and is in contact with the third terminal 13.
As described above, the first snap-fit portion 42 and the second snap-fit portion 43 are engaged with the first terminal 11 from the lateral sides. This restricts the holder 6 from moving in the left-right direction. The first snap-fit portion 42 and the second snap-fit portion 43 are engaged with the first terminal 11 from the rear. This restricts the holder 6 from moving backward. Additionally, the first terminal presser 53 and the second terminal presser 54 contact the second terminal 12 and the third terminal 13 from the front. This restricts the holder 6 from moving forward. That is, the first and second snap-fit portions 42 and 43 and the first and second terminal pressers 53 and 54 restrict the movement of the holder 6 in the front-rear direction. Further, the first notch 48 and the second notch 49 of the first terminal 11 restrict downward movement of the holder 6. The holder 6 is thereby firmly fixed to the switch body 2.
In the switch device 1 described above, the connection portion 41 is disposed within the holder 6, and the holder 6 is fixed to the switch body 2 by attaching the connection portion 41 to the first terminal 11. The holder 6 is thereby made smaller.
Although one embodiment of the claimed invention has been described above, the claimed invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.
The structure of the switch device 1 is not limited to that of the above embodiment and may be modified. The structure of the holder 6 is not limited to that in the above embodiment and may be modified. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the outer shape of the holder 6 is flush with the outer shape of the switch housing 10. However, the outer shape of the holder 6 may be smaller than the outer shape of the switch housing 10.
The arrangement of the lead wires 3 and 4 is not limited to that in the above embodiment and may be changed.
The arrangement of the first snap-fit portion 42 and the second snap-fit portion 43 is not limited to that in the above embodiment and may be changed. For example,
The first extending portion 51 and the second extending portion 52 may extend from different portions of the inner surface of the holder 6. As shown in
The arrangement of the first to third terminals 11-13 is not limited to that in the above embodiment and may be changed.
The first snap-fit portion 42 and the second snap-fit portion 43 may be engaged with different terminals. As shown in
The structures of the first terminal presser 53 and the second terminal presser 54 are not limited to those in the above embodiment and may be modified. For example,
The connection portion 41 may be attached to the first terminal 11 by fixing means other than a snap-fit.
In the above embodiment, the first snap-fit portion 42 and the second snap-fit portion 43 extend rearward from the inner surface of the holder front wall 33. However, as shown in
1: Switch device, 2: Switch body, 3: First lead wire, 5: Sealing member, 6: Holder, 6A: First holder member, 6B: Second holder member, 10: Switch housing, 11: First terminal, 12: Second terminal, 38A: First mounting hole, 40A: First mounting projection, 42: First snap-fit portion, 43: Second snap-fit portion, 48: First notch, 50: Snap-fit retainer, 51: First extending portion, 52: Second extending portion, 53: First terminal presser, 55: Lead protector, 56: First lead hole, 58: First press-fit portion, 59: Second press-fit portion, 63: Bottom portion, 64: Groove, 65: Protrusion
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-223063 | Dec 2023 | JP | national |