A limiting noise reduction mechanism for an automobile combination switch operating lever

Abstract

The utility model discloses a mechanism for automobile combination switch operating lever position limiting noise reduction belongs to automobile electronic control technical field. The mechanism includes handle, upper casing, lower casing, knob, top pin spring subassembly, gear shape, yoke, PCBA board and electric contact sliding block. Through setting up soft limit boss structure on gear shape, cooperate with the top pin spring subassembly assembled on handle, provide buffer effect before operating lever reaches hard limit. When steering or light changing operation, gear shape boss first realizes soft limit to top pin spring subassembly, absorbs impact energy, then carries out hard limit by knob or lower casing. The utility model adopts the limit mode of soft and hard combination, effectively reduces the impact noise in the operation process, improves the operation feeling, improves product reliability and service life, solves the problem of traditional hard limit structure noise, impact and is strong, especially suitable for the application scene of high requirement such as automobile steering switch.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automotive manufacturing technology, specifically to a limiting and noise reduction mechanism for an automotive combination switch operating lever. Background Technology

[0002] The turn signal switch is a key component for controlling automotive turn signals, typically mounted below the steering wheel and fixed to the pillar. Its basic structure includes a handle, upper housing, lower housing, actuating element, top pin and spring, toothed element, shift fork, PCBA board, and electrical contact slider. When the handle is operated, the actuating element or shift fork drives the electrical contact slider to move linearly along a guide groove, thereby achieving the turn signal or turn signal switching function.

[0003] In existing technologies, turn signals typically employ purely hard limiting methods for their limiting mechanism. Specifically, left and right turn functions usually achieve hard limiting by directly mechanically blocking the actuating element through a limiting structure on the housing; the dimmer switch function uses a structure on the actuating element to hard limit the handle. While this traditional purely hard limiting method is simple in structure, low in cost, and reliable, its inherent mechanical impact characteristics lead to significant drawbacks: When the lever moves rapidly to its limit position, the moving parts (such as the handle or actuator) collide directly and violently with the fixed limiting structure (such as the rigid limiting surface on the housing or actuator). This collision produces a loud "click" sound. With the increasing demands for automotive ride quality, especially the increasingly stringent requirements for in-vehicle noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) performance, this prominent noise has become a significant defect affecting user experience and product quality, making it difficult to meet the stringent technical requirements of mainstream OEMs. Frequent rigid collisions not only generate noise but also produce significant instantaneous impact forces on the colliding components (such as the plastic housing, actuator, and top pin). Over long-term use, this can easily lead to wear, deformation, and even micro-cracks in the limiting structure due to repeated impacts, potentially affecting the feel and reliability of operation, and shortening the lifespan of components. Purely rigid limiting lacks a buffering process; the operating force changes abruptly at the moment of limiting, resulting in a harsh, abrupt, and less smooth feel transmitted to the driver, reducing the quality and comfort of handling.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for an innovative limiting mechanism that can effectively mitigate the impact when the operating lever reaches the limiting position while ensuring reliable limiting function, thereby significantly reducing operating noise, minimizing impact force, and improving operating feel. This is the technical problem that this invention aims to solve. This invention introduces a composite limiting scheme combining "soft limiting" and "hard limiting," aiming to fundamentally overcome the aforementioned shortcomings of existing pure hard limiting technologies. Utility Model Content

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide a limiting and noise reduction mechanism for an automotive combination switch operating lever.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by this application to solve its technical problem is: a mechanism for limiting and reducing noise of the operating lever of an automotive combination switch, including a handle, an upper housing, a lower housing, a toggle component, a top pin spring assembly, a tooth profile, a shift fork, a PCBA board, and an electrical contact slider. The tooth profile is provided with a boss structure for achieving soft limiting. The top pin spring assembly is assembled with the handle and can interact with the boss structure on the tooth profile to achieve buffering of the operating lever before reaching the hard limiting.

[0007] Furthermore, the soft limit boss structure is set on the tooth profile, and its number corresponds to the number of switch positions.

[0008] Furthermore, the toothed shape is assembled and fixed to the lower shell through its rib groove structure.

[0009] Furthermore, the toggle is connected to the circular recess on the handle via a circular boss, allowing the handle to rotate relative to the toggle to achieve the light-changing function.

[0010] Furthermore, the toggle component is provided with a cylindrical structure, which cooperates with the upper and lower housings to serve as a rotating shaft for the handle component to achieve left and right steering gear rotation.

[0011] Furthermore, during the light-changing operation, the toothed boss first achieves a soft limit on the top pin spring assembly, and then the actuating element achieves a hard limit on the handle.

[0012] Furthermore, when performing left and right turning operations, the toothed boss first achieves soft limiting of the top pin spring assembly, and then the lower housing achieves hard limiting of the actuating component.

[0013] Furthermore, the electrical contact slider is assembled in the groove of the lower housing and moves linearly under the drive of the shift fork or shifting element to realize the electrical contact function.

[0014] Furthermore, the handle, toggle, and top pin spring assembly are pre-assembled to form the handle component; the toothed part and the shift fork are pre-assembled onto the lower housing to form the lower housing component; finally, the handle component, upper housing, lower housing component, PCBA board, and electrical contact slider are assembled into a complete switch.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the technical solution in this application are as follows: The noise reduction mechanism for limiting the operating lever of an automotive combination switch provided in this application achieves significant technological advancements and improved performance through innovative structural design. This mechanism features a specialized soft-limiting boss structure on the toothed component, which cooperates with the top pin spring assembly mounted on the handle to provide effective cushioning before the operating lever reaches its extreme position. This combination of soft and hard limiting fundamentally solves the impact noise problem generated by traditional purely hard limiting mechanisms. The elastic deformation of the spring assembly absorbs most of the impact energy, gradually dissipating the kinetic energy of the operating lever. Ultimately, the impact force and noise upon contact with the hard limiting structure are significantly reduced, significantly improving the product's NVH performance and meeting the stringent requirements of modern automobiles for operating noise.

[0016] The innovative design of this applicant is also reflected in its multifunctional integration and assembly optimization. The toothed component is fixed to the lower housing through a ribbed structure, which not only provides accurate installation positioning but also ensures the positional accuracy of the soft-limit boss. The toggle and handle adopt a circular boss and concave-convex mating method, which realizes the rotational movement of the light-changing function while ensuring the smoothness of the movement. At the same time, the cylindrical structure on the toggle and the upper and lower housings cooperate to form the rotation center of the steering operation, realizing the organic integration of steering and light-changing functions. The linear movement of the electrical contact slider in the groove of the lower housing is precisely driven by the shift fork or toggle, ensuring the reliability of the electrical connection. This highly integrated design achieves the coordinated operation of multiple functions within a limited space.

[0017] Furthermore, this application employs a modular assembly method, pre-assembling the handle, actuating element, and top pin spring assembly into a handle component, and pre-assembling the toothed part and shift fork into a lower housing component, before final assembly. This assembly process not only improves production efficiency and ensures consistent product quality but also facilitates maintenance and replacement. The entire mechanism has a compact and rational structure, with optimized motion relationships between components. This achieves noise reduction while ensuring smooth and comfortable operation, accurate and reliable positioning, and a significantly extended service life, resulting in high practical value and market competitiveness. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments: Figure 1 This is an assembly diagram of the overall structure of the automotive combination switch used in this application. Figure 2 This is an exploded structural diagram of the handle component of this application. Figure 3 This is an exploded structural diagram of the lower housing component of this application. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure after the assembly of this application is completed. Figure 5 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the toothed component and the soft-limiting boss structure of this application. Figure 6This is a schematic diagram of the working state of the limit structure when the high beam mode is operated in this application. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the working state of the limit structure during the overtaking gear operation of this application. Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the working state of the limit structure when the left turn gear is operated according to this application. Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the working state of the limit structure when the right turn gear is operated according to this application. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Handle; 2. Upper housing; 3. Lower housing; 4. Actuator; 5. Top pin spring assembly; 6. Tooth; 7. Shift fork; 8. PCBA board; 9. Electrical contact slider.

[0020] Implementation, for example Figures 1 to 9 As shown, this utility model provides a mechanism for limiting and reducing noise of an operating lever in an automotive combination switch. It includes a handle 1, an upper housing 2, a lower housing 3, a toggle element 4, a top pin spring assembly 5, a toothed section 6, a shift fork 7, a PCBA board 8, and an electrical contact slider 9. The toothed section 6 has a boss structure for achieving soft limiting. The top pin spring assembly 5 is assembled with the handle 1 and interacts with the boss structure on the toothed section 6 to achieve buffering of the operating lever before reaching the hard limiting position. This technical solution enables the operating lever to effectively reduce impact noise through elastic buffering before reaching its extreme position, significantly improving the NVH performance of the product.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, a soft-limiting boss structure is provided on the tooth profile 6, and its number corresponds to the number of switch positions. This technical solution ensures that each operating position receives a uniform and consistent buffering effect, guaranteeing the stability and consistency of multi-position operation.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the toothed profile 6 is assembled and fixed to the lower housing 3 via its ribbed structure. This technical solution ensures accurate positioning and reliable fixation of the toothed profile 6, providing a stable structural foundation for the soft-limiting function.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the actuating element 4 is connected to the circular recess on the handle 1 via a circular boss, allowing the handle 1 to rotate relative to the actuating element 4 to achieve the light-changing function. The above technical solution achieves a separate structural design for the steering and light-changing functions, improving operational flexibility and reliability.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the actuating element 4 has a cylindrical structure that cooperates with the upper housing 2 and the lower housing 3, serving as a rotation shaft for the handle component to achieve left and right steering gear rotation. The above technical solution provides a stable rotational support structure, ensuring smooth and stable steering operation.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, during the light-changing operation, the boss of the toothed 6 first softly limits the top pin spring assembly 5, and then the actuating element 4 hard limits the handle 1. This technical solution, through a combination of soft and hard limiting methods, significantly reduces operating noise while ensuring functional reliability.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, when performing left or right steering operations, the boss of the toothed part 6 first softly limits the top pin spring assembly 5, and then the lower housing 3 hardly limits the actuating element 4. This technical solution achieves graded buffering during steering operations, effectively improving the handling feel and reducing impact noise.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the electrical contact slider 9 is fitted into a groove in the lower housing 3 and moves linearly under the drive of the fork 7 or the actuating element 4 to achieve the electrical contact function. The above technical solution ensures the reliability and stability of the electrical connection while maintaining a compact structural layout.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, the handle 1, the actuating element 4, and the top pin spring assembly 5 are pre-assembled to form the handle component; the toothed part 6 and the shift fork 7 are pre-assembled onto the lower housing 3 to form the lower housing component; finally, the handle component, the upper housing 2, the lower housing component, the PCBA board 8, and the electrical contact slider 9 are assembled into a complete switch. The above technical solution adopts a modular assembly method, which improves production efficiency and product quality consistency, while also facilitating maintenance and replacement.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, the overall operation of the noise reduction and limiting mechanism for the automotive combination switch lever is as follows: When the operator moves the lever to perform a steering or light-changing operation, the lever drives the actuating element or shift fork to move, which in turn drives the electrical contact slider to move linearly within the groove of the lower housing, thus realizing the circuit switching function. During this process, the soft limiting boss structure on the tooth profile first contacts the top pin spring assembly, absorbing most of the impact energy through the elastic deformation of the spring, achieving a buffering effect; then, the actuating element or lower housing provides the final hard limit, ensuring accurate gear positioning. This combination of soft and hard limiting methods not only ensures operational reliability but also significantly reduces impact noise, while providing a smooth operating feel.

[0030] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments only illustrate several preferred implementations of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be pointed out that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A mechanism for limiting and reducing noise of a combination switch operating lever, comprising a handle (1), an upper housing (2), a lower housing (3), a toggle element (4), a top pin spring assembly (5), a toothed part (6), a toggle fork (7), a PCBA board (8), and an electrical contact slider (9), characterized in that: The tooth (6) is provided with a boss structure for achieving soft limit. The top pin spring assembly (5) is assembled with the handle (1) and can interact with the boss structure on the tooth (6) to achieve buffering of the operating rod before reaching the hard limit.

2. The mechanism for limiting and reducing noise of the combined switch operating lever according to claim 1, characterized in that: The soft limit boss structure is set on the tooth shape (6), and its number corresponds to the number of switch positions.

3. The mechanism for limiting and reducing noise of the combined switch operating lever according to claim 2, characterized in that: The tooth (6) is assembled and fixed to the lower housing (3) by the rib groove structure thereon.

4. The mechanism for limiting and reducing noise of the combined switch operating lever according to claim 3, characterized in that: The toggle (4) is connected to the circular recess on the handle (1) via a circular boss, so that the handle (1) can rotate relative to the toggle (4) to achieve the light-changing function.

5. The mechanism for limiting and reducing noise of the combined switch operating lever according to claim 4, characterized in that: The actuating component (4) is provided with a cylindrical structure, which cooperates with the upper housing (2) and the lower housing (3) to serve as a rotating shaft for the handle component to achieve left and right steering gear rotation.

6. The mechanism for limiting and reducing noise of the combined switch operating lever according to claim 5, characterized in that: When performing the light-changing operation, the boss of the tooth (6) first achieves soft limiting of the top pin spring assembly (5), and then the toggle member (4) hard limits the handle (1).

7. The mechanism for limiting and reducing noise of the combination switch operating lever according to claim 6, characterized in that: When performing left and right turning operations, the boss of the tooth (6) first achieves soft limiting of the top pin spring assembly (5), and then the lower housing (3) achieves hard limiting of the toggle member (4).

8. The mechanism for limiting and reducing noise of the combination switch operating lever according to claim 7, characterized in that: The electric contact slider (9) is assembled in the groove of the lower housing (3) and moves linearly under the drive of the fork (7) or the actuating element (4) to realize the electric contact function.

9. The mechanism for limiting and reducing noise of the combined switch operating lever according to claim 8, characterized in that: The handle (1), the toggle (4), and the top pin spring assembly (5) are pre-assembled to form the handle component; the tooth (6) and the fork (7) are pre-assembled onto the lower housing (3) to form the lower housing component; finally, the handle component, the upper housing (2), the lower housing component, the PCBA board (8), and the electrical contact slider (9) are assembled into a complete switch.

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