Switching device, timepiece, and manufacturing method of switching device

Abstract

The present application provides a kind of switch device, clock and the manufacturing method of switch device, the switch device has: shell, is formed with inside and outside through hole passing through hole;And operating component, with operating shaft and operating head, one end side of the operating shaft is inserted into the through hole of the shell from the outside of the shell, the operating head is fixed to the other end side of the operating shaft, the operating head of the operating component includes: shaft locking portion, by at least covering the region of the predetermined angle in the circumferential direction of the outer circumference of the operating shaft, is fixed to the operating shaft;And cover portion, cover the outer circumference of at least part of the operating shaft in the axial direction of the shaft locking portion, part of the inner circumferential wall of the cover portion is connected with the shaft locking portion by connecting portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to switching devices, clocks, and methods for manufacturing switching devices. Background Technology

[0002] For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-033435 discloses a clock having an operating component, the operating component having a shaft portion that can be slidably inserted into a through hole of a cylindrical component mounted in a housing, and a head provided at the end of the shaft portion. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0004] However, when the head of the operating component protrudes outward from the housing, the head of the operating component or the like may be damaged by external impacts. This invention addresses and resolves this issue by providing a switching device and a clock that prevent damage to the operating component even when the clock is subjected to an impact.

[0005] Solution for solving the problem

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the switching device of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a housing having a through hole extending through both the inside and outside; and an operating member having an operating shaft and an operating head, one end of the operating shaft being inserted into the through hole of the housing from the outside of the housing, and the operating head being fixed to the other end of the operating shaft, the operating head of the operating member comprising: a shaft locking portion fixed to the operating shaft by at least a region covering the outer periphery of the operating shaft at a predetermined angle in the circumferential direction; and a cover portion covering at least a portion of the outer periphery of the operating shaft in the axial direction of the shaft locking portion, a portion of the inner peripheral wall of the cover portion being connected to the shaft locking portion via a connecting portion.

[0007] Invention Effects

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent damage to the operating parts even when the clock is subjected to an impact. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This is the front view of the clock in the implementation method.

[0010] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Enlarged view of the main part of section II shown.

[0011] Figure 3 This is a side sectional view of the operating components of the clock and the main parts surrounding them in the embodiment.

[0012] Figure 4This is a plan view of the operating components when viewed from the axial direction of the operating shaft towards the operating head side.

[0013] Figure 5 It is along Figure 4 The cross-sectional view of the VV line shown.

[0014] Figure 6 This is a side sectional view of the operating components and the main surrounding parts of a modified clock.

[0015] Figure 7 This is a plan view of a modified operating component when viewed from the axial direction of the operating shaft towards the operating head side. Detailed Implementation

[0016] Reference Figures 1 to 5 An embodiment of the switching device of the present invention and a clock having the switching device will be described. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the clock is a wristwatch worn on the wrist (hereinafter referred to as "clock 100"). Furthermore, in Figure 1 The illustration of the watch strap for wearing the watch on the wrist is omitted. Hereinafter, the watch face side (the side visible to the eye) is designated as the top side, and the back side (the side not visible to the eye, the side worn on the wrist) is designated as the bottom side (see reference). Figure 3 Additionally, the "12 o'clock position," "6 o'clock position," "3 o'clock position," and "9 o'clock position" on a clock indicate... Figure 1 The directions shown represent the various directions in the display of the analog clock. Furthermore, various limitations, technically preferred for carrying out the invention, are added to the embodiments described below, but the scope of the invention is not limited to the following embodiments and the illustrated examples.

[0017] The clock 100 includes a switching device 2 comprising a housing 1. For example... Figure 1 , Figure 3 As shown, the housing 1 is a cylindrical component along the thickness direction (vertical direction) of the watch 100, and is formed, for example, from various relatively hard synthetic resins. Furthermore, the housing 1 preferably has a certain degree of strength, but the material constituting the housing 1 is not limited to the material illustrated here. The housing 1 can also be formed from metal materials such as stainless steel (SUS), titanium, or aluminum. Additionally, in the illustrated example, the housing 1 and the watch 100 equipped with it are shown as approximately circular in plan view, but the shapes of the housing 1 and the watch 100 are not limited to circular; for example, they can also be elliptical, rectangular, etc. A watch strap mounting part 11 (not shown) is provided on the housing 1 for mounting a watch strap. The watch strap mounting part 11 is, for example, positioned at the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions of a simulated watch.

[0018] In this embodiment, the housing 1 is formed as a short column shape with openings at the top and bottom, and the interior is a hollow storage space. For example... Figure 3As shown, a windshield member 12 is installed at the opening on the upper side of the housing 1 (the surface side of the watch 100) to block the opening. The windshield member 12 is formed, for example, of transparent glass. Furthermore, an external component 13, such as a bezel, is provided on the outside of the housing 1 to surround the windshield member 12. Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the external component 13 extends from the upper side of the housing 1 to the side. Furthermore, the opening on the lower side of the housing 1 (the rear side of the watch 100) is closed by the back cover component 14. A module 15 is disposed within the storage space inside the housing 1, between the windshield component 12 and the back cover component 14. Figure 3 (Represented by double-dotted lines). Module 15 includes, for example, a substrate (not shown), various electronic components, etc., and is a functional part that enables the clock 100 to operate.

[0019] An operating component 3 is appropriately mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the housing 1. The number and arrangement of the operating components 3 are not particularly limited, but in certain embodiments, such as... Figure 1 As shown, operating components 3 are provided at approximately the "2 o'clock position," "4 o'clock position," "8 o'clock position," and "10 o'clock position" in the clock 100. In this embodiment, the operating component 3 constitutes a push-button switch and has an operating shaft 4 and an operating head 5. An operating component mounting portion 17 protruding from the outer periphery of the housing 1 is formed at the location where the operating component 3 is mounted, and a through hole 18 penetrating the inside and outside of the housing 1 is formed approximately at the center of the operating component mounting portion 17. Figure 3 In this embodiment, the protruding side of the operating component mounting portion 17 is designated as the end face 171. Furthermore, a recess 172, which is recessed from the end face 171 in the insertion direction of the operating shaft 4, is formed approximately at the center of the end face 171 and around the through hole 18. Additionally, a guide portion 173, which protrudes slightly outward from the end face 171, surrounds the recess 172. The guide portion 173 guides the operating component 3, particularly the operating shaft 4, in a straight line within the through hole 18. By preventing the operating shaft 4 from wobbling, the operating head 5 is also less likely to wobble, thus preventing bending of the operating shaft 4. In this embodiment, the switching device 2 is configured to include the operating component 3 and a housing 1 through which the operating shaft 4 of the operating component 3 is inserted.

[0020] The operating shaft 4 of the operating component 3 is a shaft component made of a material harder than the operating head 5, and one end of it is inserted into the through hole 18 from the outside of the housing 1. In this embodiment, the operating shaft 4 is made of various metal materials. The metal material forming the operating shaft 4 is preferably a high-strength material such as duplex stainless steel. This improves impact resistance without changing the shaft diameter of the operating shaft 4. However, the material used to form the operating shaft 4 is not limited to this. In addition, a gasket 41 is provided at the part of the operating shaft 4 that is inserted into the through hole 18 to ensure airtightness. The operating shaft 4 is configured such that when the operating component 3, which constitutes a push-button switch, is pushed into the housing 1, it can press the contact portion (not shown) provided in the module 15 to perform a switching action. Specifically, when the operating component 3 is pushed into the housing 1, the end 40 of the operating shaft 4 inserted into the housing 1 directly or indirectly presses the contact portion of the module 15 to perform a switching action. An elastic member is installed on the other end of the operating shaft 4 at the position where the gasket 41 is provided. The elastic member is a component that returns the operating member 3 to its original position when the operating member 3 is pushed into the housing 1 side. In the embodiment, for example, such as Figure 3 The coil spring 42 is shown. The coil spring 42 is disposed in the recess 172, and one end of it abuts against the end face of the shaft locking part 51 of the operating head 5, which will be described later. When the operating member 3 is pushed in, the coil spring 42 is compressed, and when no pressing force is applied, the coil spring 42 pushes the shaft locking part 51 back to its original position.

[0021] The operating head 5 is fixed to the other end of the operating shaft 4 and is the part operated by the user. At least the operating head 5 of the operating component 3 protrudes from the outer side of the housing 1. Here, regarding the housing 1 side, if an external component 13, such as a bezel, is provided to cover the side of the housing 1 as in the embodiment (see [reference]...), Figure 3 ), including external components 13. That is, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, at least a portion of the operating head 5 of the operating member 3 in the embodiment is beyond the outermost line of the housing 1 side (housing 1 and outer component 13). Figure 2 The line shown by the dashed line protrudes outward. In this embodiment, the operating head 5 is formed of resin. Therefore, various colors and shapes can be easily achieved, resulting in excellent appearance. Thus, the operating head 5 is formed of a material that is softer than the operating shaft 4. In addition, the housing 1 is harder than the operating head 5. For example, when the housing 1 is formed of resin, the resin used to form the housing 1 is a resin that is harder than the resin used to form the operating head 5. The operating head 5 includes a shaft locking portion 51 and a cover portion 52 that are fixed to the operating shaft 4. The shaft locking portion 51 is fixed to the operating shaft 4 by a region that covers at least a predetermined angle in the circumferential direction of the outer periphery of the operating shaft 4. In this embodiment, the shaft locking portion 51 covers the entire circumferential periphery of the operating shaft 4.

[0022] like Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, the cover 52 is an umbrella-shaped portion located outside the shaft locking portion 51 and opening towards the housing 1. The shaft locking portion 51 protrudes from the inside of the top surface of the cover 52 towards the housing 1. The other end of the operating shaft 4 is embedded approximately in the center of the shaft locking portion 51, and the shaft locking portion 51 and the operating shaft 4 are integrated. The shape of the cover 52 is not limited to the example shown in the figure; for example, it could be a shape with rounded corners overall compared to the example shown. The cover 52 only needs to cover at least a portion of the outer periphery of the shaft locking portion 51. In the example shown in the figure, the lengths of the cover 52 and the shaft locking portion 51 are the same (see reference). Figure 3 as well as Figure 5 However, the cover 52 may extend longer in the axial direction of the operating shaft 4 than the shaft locking part 51, or it may be shorter than the example shown in the figure.

[0023] In the embodiment where an external component 13 is provided on the outside of the housing 1, the external component 13 and the operating component 3 are respectively provided with a through hole 131 through which at least the operating shaft 4 can be inserted. In the embodiment, the operating component mounting portion 17 protrudes from the housing 1 side (inner side) of the through hole 131. The external component 13 is positioned by the operating component mounting portion 17 protruding into the through hole 131, and its position will not shift. In addition, in the embodiment, a portion of the cover portion 52 of the operating head 5 is inserted into the through hole 131 from the outside. When the operating component 3 is pushed into the housing 1 side by the user, the operating head 5 can be pushed into the housing 1 side end face 521 of the cover portion 52 and abut against the end face 171 of the operating component mounting portion 17. However, at least when the operating component 3 is not pushed into the housing 1 side, the cover portion 52 and the housing 1 will not contact or interfere. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the guide portion 173 of the operating member mounting portion 17 protrudes outward from the end face 171, but the guide portion 173 is located further inward than the diameter of the inner side of the cover portion 52, and its protrusion is also set to a height dimension that prevents it from entering the inner side of the cover portion 52 at least when the operating member 3 is not pushed into the housing 1 side. If the guide portion 173 is larger than the example shown in the figure and interferes with the operating head 5, especially the cover portion 52, then, for example from... Figure 3 When force is applied in the direction α indicated by the hollow arrow, the operating head 5 is pressed against the housing 1 side, making it susceptible to stress from the housing 1 side, which could lead to breakage (damage) or deformation. In this embodiment, the guide portion 173 is positioned within a range where it does not interfere with the operating member 3, ensuring a large gap between the guide portion 173 on the housing 1 side and the operating member 3 (operating head 5). Therefore, there is no concern that the operating head 5 of the operating member 3 might hit the housing 1 and break or be damaged when subjected to external impact. Alternatively, the operating member mounting portion 17 may not have a guide portion 173, and there may be no portion protruding outwards from the end face 171.

[0024] In one embodiment, a portion of the inner peripheral wall of the cover 52 is connected to the shaft locking portion 51 via a connecting portion 53. The connecting portion 53 is, for example, a thin-walled rib. In another embodiment, such as... Figure 4 As shown, when the operating head 5 is viewed axially along the operating shaft 4, the connecting portion 53 is arranged in a roughly cross shape, surrounding the operating shaft 4. By connecting the cover 52 and the shaft locking portion 51 using the connecting portion 53, the strength of the operating head 5 can be improved, preventing crushing, cracking, deformation, etc., of the operating head 5 when an impact is applied. The range in which the connecting portion 53 is set can be appropriately set, but in the example shown, it is set from the base end side of the shaft locking portion 51 protruding from the cover 52 to the opening side of the cover 52. Furthermore, on the opening side of the cover 52, the connecting portion 53 is set in a range that is closer to the end face 521, so that when the operating member 3 is pushed into the housing 1 side, the connecting portion 53 does not contact the guide portion 173, etc., on the housing side (see reference). Figure 3 and Figure 5 (cross section).

[0025] Next, the operation of the switch device 2 and the clock 100 equipped with the switch device 2 in this embodiment will be explained. The operating member 3 of the switch device 2 in this embodiment is generated by injection molding of resin, for example, to form the operating head 5. That is, by flowing heated resin into a mold and cooling and solidifying it, the operating head 5, which has a shaft locking part 51, a cover part 52, and a connecting part 53, is formed. Generally, resin has the property of expanding when heated and contracting when cooled. Therefore, depending on the structure of the mold, etc., it is easy to generate a recess called a "dent" on the surface of the molded article when the resin cools. When such a recess is generated on the surface, the appearance of the operating head 5 deteriorates. The thicker the resin, the easier it is to generate a "dent". Therefore, in this embodiment, the cover part 52 as a whole, that is, the top surface of the cover part 52 that protrudes from the shaft locking part 51 and the side surface covering the outer periphery of the shaft locking part 51, is formed to be relatively thin, and the shaft locking part 51 and the cover part 52 are connected by a thin rib-shaped connecting part 53. Therefore, compared to structures where strength is increased by filling the inner side of the umbrella-shaped cover 52 with resin, it is less likely for "shrinkage marks" to form on the surface. Additionally, as... Figure 4 As shown, four connecting portions 53 are arranged approximately evenly in the circumferential direction of the shaft locking portion 51, thereby preventing the cover portion 52 from being crushed, broken, or deformed regardless of the direction of impact. Furthermore, an operating shaft 4 made of duplex stainless steel or the like is fixed to the shaft locking portion 51. The method of fixing the operating shaft 4 to the shaft locking portion 51 is not particularly limited. For example, the operating shaft 4 can be placed in a mold, and the operating component 3 with the operating shaft 4 can be formed by insert molding. Alternatively, the operating shaft 4 can be inserted into the shaft locking portion 51 after the operating head 5 is formed. After forming the operating component 3, the operating shaft 4 side is mounted to the housing 1, completing the switching device 2.

[0026] Specifically, a module 15 is arranged inside the housing 1, and a windshield member 12 is installed to block the opening on the upper side of the housing 1. An external component 13 is then arranged from the upper side to the side of the housing 1. The external component 13 is positioned relative to the housing 1 by inserting the operating component mounting part 17 into the through hole 131 of the external component 13. Then, the operating component 3 is inserted into each through hole 131 from the side of the operating shaft 4. Furthermore, the operating shaft 4 is inserted into the through hole 18 of the operating component mounting part 17, and the end 40 of the operating shaft 4 is able to press against the contact part of the module 15. An E-ring (not shown) or similar device is used to prevent the end 40 of the operating shaft 4 from detaching from the housing 1. Furthermore, the lower opening of the housing 1 is closed using the back cover member 14, completing the watch 100. In this embodiment, a watch strap is installed in the watch strap mounting part 11, allowing the watch 100 to be worn on the wrist.

[0027] Even if the watch 100 equipped with the switching device 2 of the embodiment is dropped or violently impacted by an object, the connecting portions 53, which are arranged approximately evenly around the operating shaft 4 (the shaft locking portion 51 to which the operating shaft 4 is fixed), can prevent the cover portion 52 from being crushed, deformed, or broken, thus maintaining its shape. Furthermore, the operating shaft 4 is made of a high-strength material such as duplex stainless steel. Therefore, it is also possible to prevent the operating shaft 4 from bending or breaking due to impact. Thus, even when the operating head 5 is designed to protrude from the housing 1 side, the operating component 3 is less prone to malfunction.

[0028] As described above, the switch device 2 of this embodiment includes: a housing 1 having a through hole 18 extending through both the inside and outside; and an operating member 3 having an operating shaft 4 and an operating head 5. One end of the operating shaft 4 is inserted into the through hole 18 of the housing 1 from the outside, and the operating head 5 is fixed to the other end of the operating shaft 4 and is formed of resin. The operating head 5 of the operating member 3 includes a shaft locking portion 51 fixed to the operating shaft 4 and a cover portion 52 covering at least a portion of the outer periphery of the shaft locking portion 51. The cover portion 52 and the shaft locking portion 51 are partially connected by a connecting portion 53. In this way, by connecting the cover portion 52 and the shaft locking portion 51 using the connecting portion 53, even if subjected to external impact, the umbrella-shaped portion, i.e., the cover portion 52, is not easily crushed, deformed, cracked, or damaged, thus maintaining the appearance quality. As a result, it is not necessary to protect the operating member 3, especially the operating head 5, with a button guard or the like, increasing the freedom of arrangement and design of the operating member 3.

[0029] Furthermore, the connecting portion 53 in this embodiment is a thin-walled rib. When parts are formed by resin injection molding, the thicker the resin, the more easily a recess, known as a "dent," is formed on the surface of the molded article when the resin cools and solidifies. In this regard, in this embodiment, by using a thin, rib-shaped connecting portion 53 to connect the shaft locking portion 51 and the cover portion 52, the strength of the operating head 5 can be improved, and the operating head 5 itself can also be thin-walled. Therefore, while constructing a structure that, for example, uses resin to fill the inner side of the umbrella-shaped cover portion 52 to improve strength, it is difficult to generate "dents" on the surface, and the same strength improvement can be achieved.

[0030] When viewed along the axial direction of the operating shaft 4, the connecting portion 53 is arranged in a roughly cross shape, surrounding the operating shaft 4. Therefore, it can withstand impacts from any direction, preventing damage such as crushing, cracking, or deformation of the cover 52. Furthermore, in the switching device 2 of the watch 100, in the event of a drop of the watch 100, it is particularly susceptible to impact from the top side (surface side, visual confirmation side, windshield member 12 side). That is, drops from the side are less common, but in the case of a drop from the back side (bottom side), the strap acts as a buffer to mitigate the impact. In contrast, in the case of a drop from the top, the operating member 3 is most likely to experience a stronger impact from above. Regarding this, by providing the connecting portion 53 approximately evenly around the shaft to reinforce the operating head 5, even a structure where the operating member 3 can freely rotate around the shaft can withstand impacts from the top of the watch 100.

[0031] Furthermore, the operating shaft 4 in this embodiment is made of a metallic material. In particular, in this embodiment, the operating shaft 4 is made of a high-strength material such as duplex stainless steel. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the operating shaft 4 from bending or breaking due to impact, thus reducing the likelihood of malfunctions such as switching problems.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, at least the operating head 5 of the operating member 3 protrudes from the outer side of the housing 1. If the operating member 3 protrudes outward without protection from a button guard or similar component, it could be directly impacted in the event of a fall of the watch 100. In this regard, in this embodiment, by connecting the cover 52 and the shaft locking part 51 using the connecting part 53, even if subjected to external impact, the umbrella-shaped portion, i.e., the cover 52, is less likely to be crushed, deformed, or broken. Therefore, while preventing malfunctions to the operating member 3, the design allows for greater freedom in the appearance design by employing a design where the operating head 5 protrudes from the housing 1 side.

[0033] Furthermore, with the switch device 2 of the embodiment and the module 15 housed inside the housing 1, the operating component 3 will not deform even when subjected to impact, maintaining excellent appearance and increasing the design freedom of the watch 100. In addition, due to the improved impact resistance of the operating component 3, malfunctions of the switch when the watch 100 is subjected to impact are less likely to occur.

[0034] Furthermore, although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from its spirit.

[0035] For example, in the above embodiment, when the operating head 5 is viewed along the axial direction of the operating shaft 4, the connecting portion 53 is arranged in a roughly cross shape around the operating shaft 4, but the arrangement of the connecting portion is not limited to this. For example, as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, it is also possible that, when the operating head 5a is viewed axially along the operating shaft 4a, the connecting portion 53a of the operating component 3a is at least located on the surface side of the clock (in... Figure 6 The part corresponding to the upper side (the middle). As mentioned above, in the switch device 2 provided in the clock, in the event of the clock being dropped, it is particularly susceptible to a large impact from the upper side of the clock (the surface side, the visual confirmation side, the windshield member 12 side). Regarding this, when the switch device 2 is configured as a push-button switch provided in the clock, it is not intentionally rotated like the crown. Therefore, if the connecting part 53a is provided at the part corresponding to the surface side of the clock (the middle side is the upper side), it is more likely to cause a significant impact. Figure 6 The part corresponding to the upper side (middle) can be expected to prevent damage or deformation of the operating head 5a. Furthermore, if the operating component 3a is also provided with a rotation limiting structure that restricts the rotation of the operating shaft 4a around the axis, it can reliably prevent damage from the watch face side (in the upper part). Figure 6 The impact from the middle (top side) can be expected to prevent deformation and other effects.

[0036] As a rotation-restricted construction, for example, Figure 7 As shown, a protrusion 525 is provided on the end face 521 of the cover portion 52 on the housing 1 side. Furthermore, a recess 175 is provided on the end face 171 of the operating member mounting portion 17 of the housing 1 at a position corresponding to the protrusion 525 of the cover portion 52. The protrusion 525 and the recess 175 can be any corresponding shapes that fit together; the specific shapes are not limited. Alternatively, the shape of the cover portion 52 when viewed from the axial direction of the operating shaft 4 can be rectangular. By employing any of these configurations, the rotation of the operating member 3 can be restricted. Furthermore, the rotation-restricting configuration is not limited to the configuration illustrated here. For example, a protrusion may be provided on the end face 171 of the operating member mounting portion 17, and a corresponding recess may be formed on the end face 521 of the cover portion 52.

[0037] Alternatively, the connecting portion that connects the cover portion 52 and the shaft locking portion 51 can be provided in four or more locations around the shaft. In this case, the connecting portions can be arranged approximately evenly around the shaft, but if... Figure 7 As shown, when a rotation limiting structure is provided to restrict the rotation of the operating shaft 4 around the axis, it is also possible to achieve rotation on the side of the clock face (in...). Figure 6 Multiple connecting parts are concentrated in the corresponding area (the upper part of the clock face). This allows for more reliable protection against attacks from the clock face (on the upper part of the clock face). Figure 6 The impact (from the top side) can be expected to prevent deformation, breakage, etc.

[0038] Furthermore, the operating component does not necessarily have to be a component constituting a push-button switch. For example, the operating component could be a watch crown with an operating head and a winding core that serves as an operating axis, and which performs actions such as opening and closing by rotation. Additionally, in cases where the operating component, like a watch crown, is intended to rotate about an axis, for example... Figure 4 As shown, preferably, when the operating head 5 is viewed in the axial direction of the operating shaft 4, the connecting portion 53 is arranged approximately evenly along the axial direction in a manner that surrounds the operating shaft 4, thus forming a structure capable of preventing impacts from all directions.

[0039] Furthermore, the operating shaft 4 is not limited to being made of a material with higher strength than usual, as in the embodiment. For example, in cases where the strength is increased by making the shaft diameter of the operating shaft larger than usual, ordinary SUS (stainless steel) or the like can also be used as the material.

[0040] Furthermore, providing external mounting parts 13 covering the upper and side surfaces of the housing 1 is not mandatory. For example, the operating member 3 can be directly exposed to the outside from the operating member mounting portion 17 of the housing 1. Moreover, providing the operating member mounting portion 17 is not mandatory; the operating shaft 4 of the operating member 3 can be directly mounted through a through hole provided on the side surface of the housing 1. In these cases, the operating member 3 is, for example, configured to be more... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The example shown protrudes further from the outer side of the housing 1. With such a structure, the switching device 2, as described in this embodiment, can withstand external impacts. That is, it can prevent damage such as crushing, cracking, and deformation of the operating head 5, thus maintaining its appearance quality, and it can also prevent the operating shaft 4 from breaking or bending, thus avoiding switching malfunctions.

[0041] Furthermore, the shape, location, and extent of the connecting portion 53 are not limited to the example shown in the figure. The connecting portion 53 only needs to not affect the appearance of the operating component 3 and to prevent damage such as crushing, cracking, or deformation of the operating head 5 when the operating component 3 is subjected to impact. For example, in... Figure 5In the example shown, the connecting portion 53 is provided from the base end side of the shaft locking portion 51 protruding from the cover portion 52 to the opening side of the cover portion 52. However, as long as it does not affect the impact resistance of the operating component, there may be a gap portion where the connecting portion 53 is not provided, such as a part of the base end side of the shaft locking portion 51.

[0042] The following are variations of the embodiments. In the above embodiments, the shape of the shaft locking portion 51 is illustrated as covering the entire circumference of the operating shaft 4, but the shaft locking portion 51 is not limited to this structure. The shaft locking portion 51 can be any structure that is fixed to the operating shaft 4, and can be any structure that covers at least a predetermined angle in the circumferential direction of the outer circumference of the operating shaft 4. For example, the shape of the shaft locking portion 51 can also be a slit shape with multiple slits parallel to the axial direction of the operating shaft 4. In this case, the shaft locking portion 51 only needs to have an arc-shaped portion connected to the connecting portion 53 in the area corresponding to at least one or more connecting portions 53. Preferably, the width of the arc portion is larger than the width of the connecting portion 53 so that it can be stably fixed to the operating shaft 4. Alternatively, it can be a structure in which multiple openings are formed in a part of the shaft locking portion 51. In this case, the shaft locking portion 51 only needs to have a portion connected to the connecting portion 53 in the area corresponding to at least one or more connecting portions 53. In this way, the structure can also be that the shaft locking part 51 connected to the connecting part 53 is partially provided in the circumferential direction on the outer periphery of the operating shaft 4.

[0043] Furthermore, the switch device is not limited to being installed on a clock. In addition, the clock 100 is not limited to having only clock functions; for example, it may also have various functions such as a pedometer, heart rate monitor, altimeter, barometer, etc., and may also be a so-called smartwatch.

[0044] The above description describes several embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but includes the scope of the invention as described in the claims and its equivalents.

Claims

1. A switching device, characterized in that, have: The shell having a through hole extending from the inside out; and An operating component has an operating shaft and an operating head. One end of the operating shaft is inserted into the through hole of the housing from the outside of the housing, and the operating head is fixed to the other end of the operating shaft. The operating head of the aforementioned operating component includes: a shaft locking portion, which is fixed to the operating shaft by at least a region covering the outer periphery of the operating shaft at a predetermined angle in the circumferential direction; and a cover portion, which covers at least a portion of the outer periphery of the operating shaft in the axial direction of the shaft locking portion. A portion of the inner peripheral wall of the aforementioned cover is connected to the aforementioned shaft locking portion via a connecting portion.

2. The switching device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aforementioned operating shaft is formed of a material harder than the aforementioned operating head.

3. The switching device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aforementioned connecting part is a thin-walled rib.

4. The switching device according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the operating head is viewed along the axial direction of the operating shaft, the connecting portion is configured in a generally cross shape to surround the operating shaft.

5. The switching device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The switching device constitutes the push-button switch installed on the clock. When the operating head is viewed along the axial direction of the operating shaft, the connecting portion is provided at least at a position corresponding to the surface side of the clock.

6. The switching device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The aforementioned operating component has a rotation limiting structure that restricts the rotation of the operating shaft about the shaft.

7. The switching device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aforementioned operating shaft is formed of a metal material. The aforementioned operating head is formed of resin.

8. The switching device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aforementioned shell is formed of a material that is harder than the aforementioned cover.

9. The switching device according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least the operating head of the aforementioned operating component is configured to protrude from the outer side of the aforementioned housing.

10. A clock, characterized in that, have: The switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 9; and Modules housed inside the casing.

11. A method for manufacturing a switching device, the switching device comprising: An operating component having an operating shaft and an operating head fixed to one end of the operating shaft; and The shell has a through hole that runs through both the inside and outside. The manufacturing method of the above-mentioned switching device is characterized by comprising: The first step is to form an operating head, which has a shaft locking part, a cover part, and a connecting part. The cover part covers at least a portion of the outer periphery of the shaft locking part along the axial direction of the operating shaft, and the connecting part connects a portion of the inner peripheral wall of the cover part to the shaft locking part. In the second step, the shaft locking part is fixed to the operating shaft by covering at least a predetermined angle of the outer periphery of the operating shaft with the shaft locking part. as well as In the third step, the other end of the aforementioned operating shaft is inserted into the aforementioned through hole from the outside of the aforementioned housing.

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