Trigger switch

Abstract

To provide a trigger switch that allows attachment / detachment of a trigger cap and has high safety.SOLUTION: A trigger switch TS comprises a trigger 1 that receives pushing by operator's operation and can move to the deepest position in a pushing direction. The trigger 1 includes a center member 11 to which a trigger cap 10 is removably attached, and a restriction member 14 that is movably supported on the center member 11 and can restrict the movement of the trigger 1. When receiving first pushing, the movement of the trigger 1 having the trigger cap 10 attached to the center member 11 is restricted by the restriction member 14 in a restriction state at a restriction position not reaching the deepest position. When the received first pushing is cancelled, the restriction member 14 makes a transition from the restriction state to a restriction cancellation state, and when receiving second pushing after the cancellation of the first pushing, the restriction member can move to the deepest position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 15

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a trigger switch that is provided with a trigger that accepts a depression operation. [Background technology]

[0002] A trigger switch used to operate a power tool has a trigger that accepts a push operation by an operator (see, for example, Patent Document 1). When the operator places his / her finger on the trigger and pulls (pushes) the trigger, the trigger switch is activated and the power tool operates. The trigger of the trigger switch has, for example, a trigger cap on which the operator places his / her finger and a base shaft member (plunger) that supports the trigger cap. Also, in order to obtain an operating feel and appearance that suits the operator's preferences and to prevent unauthorized use, etc., attention has been focused on trigger switches in which the trigger cap can be attached / detached from the base shaft member. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-206248 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Trigger switches that allow the attachment / detachment of a trigger cap require measures such as cutting off the main power supply to prevent malfunction, for example, when attaching the trigger cap to the base shaft member, and a variety of countermeasures have been proposed.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a trigger switch that is highly safe, such as one that is prevented from malfunctioning. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, a trigger switch is provided that includes a trigger that can be moved to a deepest position in a pushing direction in response to being depressed by an operator, and a housing that movably supports the trigger, wherein the trigger includes a trigger cap having a finger hook portion on which the operator's finger can be hooked, a base shaft member to which the trigger cap is removably attached, and a limiting member that is movably supported on the base shaft member and can limit the movement of the trigger, the base shaft member has an attachment portion to which the trigger cap is attached, and a shaft portion that supports the attachment portion at one end and has the other end inserted into the housing, and when the trigger cap is removed, the limiting member is in a restricted state, thereby restricting the movement of the trigger to a restricted position where the trigger does not reach the deepest position, and when the trigger cap is attached, the limiting member is capable of transitioning between a restriction release state and a restriction release state in which the restriction on the movement of the trigger is released.

[0007] Furthermore, in the trigger switch, when a first depression is received, the movement of the trigger, which has the trigger cap attached to the base shaft member, is restricted by the limiting member, which is in a restricted state, and when the received first depression is released, the limiting member transitions from the restricted state that restricts the movement of the trigger to an unrestricted state, and when a second depression is received after the first depression is released, the limiting member is in the unrestricted state, so that the trigger can move to its deepest position.

[0008] Furthermore, in the trigger switch, the housing has an engaging portion that engages with the limiting member, and the limiting member has an engaging portion that engages with the housing, and is characterized in that it transitions between a restricted state in which the engaging portion engages with the engaging portion of the housing in response to movement of the trigger by being pushed, and an unrestricted state in which the engaging portion does not engage with the engaging portion of the housing in response to movement of the trigger by being pushed.

[0009] Furthermore, in the trigger switch, the limiting member is supported on the base shaft member so as to be movable between a first position in which the limiting state is established and a second position in which the limiting state can be transitioned between the limiting state and the unrestricted state, and when a first depression is received, the limiting member, which is in the limiting state at the first position, moves from the first position to the second position while maintaining the limiting state, and when the first depression is released, the limiting member transitions from the limiting state to the unrestricted state at the second position.

[0010] The trigger switch further includes a biasing member for biasing the limiting member, and the trigger cap has an abutment portion that abuts against the limiting member. When a first depression is received, the trigger cap presses the limiting member with the abutment portion, causing the limiting member to move from a first position to a second position against the bias of the biasing member while engaged with the locking portion. When the first depression is released, the limiting member is biased by the biasing member to perform a swinging motion with the part of the trigger cap abutting the abutment portion as a fulcrum, thereby disengaging from the locking portion and transitioning from a restricted state to a released state.

[0011] In addition, in the trigger switch, the limiting member has a swinging part that serves as a swing axis, and is supported on the base shaft member so as to be capable of swinging with the swinging part as the swing axis, and is characterized in that, by removing the trigger cap from the base shaft member, the limiting member is biased by the biasing member to move to a first position, and is biased by the biasing member to swing with the swinging part as the swing axis at the first position, thereby entering a restricted state. Effect of the Invention

[0012] The trigger switch disclosed in the present application has excellent effects such as being able to enhance safety by preventing malfunctions, etc. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1]1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the appearance of an electric device disclosed herein; [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the appearance of a trigger switch disclosed herein; [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the appearance of a trigger switch disclosed herein; [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing an example of a trigger switch disclosed herein; [Diagram 5] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a trigger included in a trigger switch disclosed in the present application; [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a trigger cap of a trigger included in a trigger switch disclosed in the present application. FIG. [Figure 7] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a base shaft member included in a trigger switch disclosed herein; [Figure 8] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a base shaft member included in a trigger switch disclosed herein; [Figure 9] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a limiting member included in a trigger switch disclosed in the present application; [Figure 10] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a limiting member included in a trigger switch disclosed in the present application; [Figure 11] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a detachment prevention member provided in a trigger switch disclosed herein; [Figure 12] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a front portion of a trigger switch disclosed herein. [Figure 13] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a front portion of a trigger switch disclosed herein. [Figure 14] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a front portion of a trigger switch disclosed herein. [Figure 15] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a front portion of a trigger switch disclosed herein. [Figure 16] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a front portion of a trigger switch disclosed herein. [Figure 17] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a front portion of a trigger switch disclosed herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0015] <Application Examples> The trigger switch disclosed in the present application is applicable to various electric devices, including electric tools equipped with a drive unit such as a motor, such as an electric drill, an electric screwdriver, an electric wrench, an electric grinder, etc. Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, an electric device PT and a trigger switch TS attached to the electric device PT, which are illustrated in the drawings, will be described.

[0016] <Electric device PT> FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the appearance of the electric device PT disclosed in the present application. The electric device PT disclosed in the present application can be applied to various devices such as electric tools such as an electric drill, an electric screwdriver, an electric wrench, and an electric grinder, as well as water guns, paint guns, and model guns equipped with a trigger switch TS. The electric device PT illustrated in FIG. 1 has a shape in which a hand-held part is attached to a substantially cylindrical main body part that houses a drive part (not shown) such as an electric motor. A trigger switch TS used for operating the electric device PT is attached to the hand-held part. In the following description, as shown in the figure, the direction of the substantially cylindrical main body part is the top, and the direction of the hand-held part is the bottom. Also, the direction in which a rotary tool part such as a drill is attached is the front, and the direction in which the trigger switch TS is pressed is the rear. That is, in the trigger switch TS incorporated in the electric device PT, the direction from the front to the rear is the direction in which it is pressed by a pressing operation. These directions are for convenience of explanation, and do not limit the directions in which the electric device PT and the trigger switch TS are used.

[0017] <Trigger switch TS> Next, the trigger switch TS provided in the electric device PT will be described. Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the appearance of the trigger switch TS disclosed in the present application. The trigger switch TS includes members such as a trigger 1, a housing 2, and a switching lever 3.

[0018] The trigger 1 is a member that receives a pressing operation by an operator, and is incorporated in the electric device PT in an exposed state so as to be operable. The trigger 1 can move from a release position in which no pressing operation is received to a deepest position in the pressing direction upon receiving a pressing operation. The trigger 1 is equipped with a trigger cap 10 having a finger hook 100 on which an operator's finger can be hooked. The finger hook 100 of the trigger cap 10 is curved in a concave shape so that the operator can easily hook the finger. The housing 2 contains various members, and is incorporated inside the electric device PT. The switching lever 3 is a member for switching settings such as the operating direction and operating mode.

[0019] Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the appearance of a trigger switch TS disclosed in the present application. A trigger cap 10 provided on the trigger 1 can be attached / detached. Fig. 3 shows a state in which the trigger cap 10 has been removed from the trigger 1. The trigger 1 further includes a base shaft member 11 that supports the trigger cap 10, a detachment prevention member 12 that prevents the trigger cap 10 attached to the base shaft member 11 from being detached, and a covering member 13 that covers an exposed portion of the base shaft member 11.

[0020] FIG. 4 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing an example of a trigger switch TS disclosed in the present application. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a trigger 1 included in the trigger switch TS disclosed in the present application. FIG. 5 shows the trigger 1 with a trigger cap 10 and a covering member 13 removed, as viewed from the front upper left. The trigger switch TS includes members such as the trigger 1, a housing 2, and a switching lever 3, and further includes mechanisms such as a switching mechanism 4 and an opening / closing mechanism 5. The trigger 1 includes members such as the trigger cap 10, a base member 11, a detachment prevention member 12, and a covering member 13, and further includes members such as a limiting member 14, a first biasing member 15, and a second biasing member 16. FIG. 5 shows the positional relationship between the base member 11, the detachment prevention member 12, and the limiting member 14 in the trigger 1 so that they can be visually recognized.

[0021] FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a trigger cap 10 of the trigger 1 included in the trigger switch TS disclosed in the present application. FIG. 6 shows the trigger cap 10 from a perspective diagonally from the rear right upwards, so that the inner structure on the base shaft member 11 side can be seen. The trigger cap 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 6. The trigger cap 10 is formed in a substantially rectangular hollow box shape, and the top and rear faces are open. The trigger cap 10 has a step-like step portion 101 formed on the inner bottom face, which is stepwise higher from the rear end side (the front side in the figure), and a through hole 102 penetrating the bottom face is formed in front of the step portion 101 (the back side). The step portion 101 has a function of guiding the trigger cap 10 and lifting the detachment prevention member 12 when the trigger cap 10 is attached to the base shaft member 11. The through hole 102 has a function of fitting the anti-detachment member 12 when the trigger cap 10 is attached to the base shaft member 11, thereby preventing the trigger cap 10 from coming off. The detachment member fitted in the through hole 102 passes through the through hole 102 and is exposed from below the trigger cap 10. The trigger cap 10 is formed with an abutment portion 103 that abuts against the limiting member 14 from the left inner wall surface to the front inner wall surface. The abutment portion 103 is formed at the corners of the left inner wall surface and the front inner wall surface so as to protrude inward in a sector shape in a plan view, and abuts against the limiting member 14 when the trigger cap 10 is attached to the base shaft member 11 and in the attached state.

[0022] 7 and 8 are schematic perspective views showing an example of a base shaft member 11 included in the trigger switch TS disclosed in the present application. FIG. 7 shows the base shaft member 11 from a front upper left perspective, and FIG. 8 shows the base shaft member 11 from a rear upper left perspective. The base shaft member 11 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5, 7, and 8. The base shaft member 11 is a plunger having an attachment portion 110 to which the trigger cap 10 is attached, and a shaft portion 111 extending rearward from the attachment portion 110. The shaft portion 111 supports the attachment portion 110 at its front end (one end side), and its rear portion (the other end side) is inserted into the housing 2. The opening / closing mechanism 5 is attached to the rear end of the shaft portion 111 located inside the housing 2. The attachment portion 110 located in the front is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The attachment portion 110 has a lever locking portion 112 in a substantially pentagonal prism shape formed on its upper surface, which is capable of engaging with the switching lever 3 to lock the switching lever 3. The mounting portion 110 has a pair of left and right guide pieces 113 formed on the lower surface thereof so as to extend downward. The guide pieces 113 guide the vertical movement of the detachment prevention member 12. The mounting portion 110 has a support portion 114 formed on the left side thereof, which supports the limiting member 14 in an operable manner. The support portion 114 is formed as a substantially rectangular parallelepiped recess on the left side of the mounting portion 110. The front and left side of the support portion 114 formed as a recess are open. The inner bottom surface and inner top surface of the support portion 114 formed as a recess are formed as substantially parallel surfaces. The support portion 114 supports the limiting member 14 by sandwiching it from above and below with the inner bottom surface and inner top surface. The limiting member 14 is supported by the inner bottom surface and inner top surface of the support portion 114, but is not fixed, and can perform operations such as swinging and moving. The rear of the support portion 114 is formed in a shape that guides but does not restrict the operation of the limiting member 14 supported by the support portion 114. The support portion 114 has an inner wall surface facing the limiting member 14, on which a substantially circular recess with which the first biasing member 15 abuts is formed.

[0023] The covering member 13 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. The covering member 13 is a flexible bellows that covers the shaft portion 111 of the base shaft member 11. The covering member 13 covers a portion of the shaft portion 111 of the base shaft member 11 that is exposed to the outside of the housing 2. The front end of the covering member 13 abuts against the rear surface of the mounting portion 110 of the base shaft member 11, and the rear end abuts against the front surface of the housing 2.

[0024] 9 and 10 are schematic perspective views showing an example of the limiting member 14 included in the trigger switch TS disclosed in the present application. FIG. 9 shows the limiting member 14 from a perspective of the front left and FIG. 10 shows the limiting member 14 from a perspective of the front right. The limiting member 14 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5, 9, and 10. The limiting member 14 has an extension portion 140 extending substantially forward and backward, and the rear end of the extension portion 140 is formed in a hook shape bent to the left as an engagement portion 141. The engagement portion 141 is bent at a slightly obtuse angle with respect to the extension direction of the extension portion 140. The engagement portion 141 engages with the housing 2 depending on the operating state of the limiting member 14. The extension portion 140 has a substantially cylindrical swing portion 142 protruding up and down at a position about 1 / 3 from the front end. The swinging portion 142 is sandwiched between the inner bottom surface and inner top surface of the support portion 114 of the base shaft member 11 and functions as a swinging axis, and swings around the swinging portion 142 as a swinging axis. Although the swinging portion 142 functions as a swinging axis, it is not fixed within the support portion 114 of the base shaft member 11. With the swinging portion 142 sandwiched between the inner bottom surface and inner top surface, the limiting member 14 moves, for example, in the left-right direction intersecting with the pushing direction. The extension portion 140 of the limiting member 14 has a left side surface near the front end that is inclined in stages. The limiting member 14 has a substantially circular fitting recess 143 formed from the front end vicinity of the right side surface to the swinging portion 142. One end of the first biasing member 15 is fitted into the fitting recess 143. The first biasing member 15 is formed, for example, using a compression coil spring, one end of which is fitted into the mating recess 143 of the limiting member 14 and the other end of which abuts against a recess on the inner wall surface of the support portion 114 of the base shaft member 11, and which biases the limiting member 14 to the left at the one end.

[0025] FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the detachment prevention member 12 included in the trigger switch TS disclosed in the present application. The detachment prevention member 12 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8 and 11. The detachment prevention member 12 has a square column-shaped button portion 120 protruding downward at its lower portion. The detachment prevention member 12 is attached to the lower portion of the mounting portion 110 of the base shaft member 11 so as to be movable up and down while being guided by a guide piece 113 of the base shaft member 11. The detachment prevention member 12 has an upper portion formed in a shaft shape and has a second biasing member 16 wound around it. The second biasing member 16 abuts against the detachment prevention member 12 at its lower end and abuts against the lower surface of the mounting portion 110 of the base shaft member 11 at its upper end. The second biasing member 16 is formed using, for example, a compression coil spring, and biases the detachment prevention member 12 downward. When the trigger cap 10 is attached to the attachment portion 110 of the base shaft member 11, the button portion 120 of the detachment prevention member 12 fits into the through hole 102 of the trigger cap 10, and the button portion 120 and the through hole 102 engage with each other to prevent detachment of the trigger cap 10. When removing the trigger cap 10 attached to the attachment portion 110 of the base shaft member 11, the button portion 120 exposed from the through hole 102 of the trigger cap 10 is pushed upward against the biasing force of the second biasing portion, whereby the engagement between the button portion 120 and the through hole 102 is released, and the trigger cap 10 becomes removable.

[0026] The housing 2 will be described with reference to Figs. 2 to 4. The housing 2 is a hollow box with a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is formed by combining a right half body 20 and a left half body 21. The housing 2 accommodates various members such as the rear part of the shaft portion 111 of the base shaft member 11, various circuits, a part of the switching mechanism 4, and the opening / closing mechanism 5. A substantially circular opening is provided in the front of the housing 2, through which the shaft portion 111 of the base shaft member 11 penetrates. The switching lever 3 is attached to the top surface of the housing 2 by penetrating through the opening. A board (not shown) on which various circuits are arranged is provided inside the left half body 21 of the housing 2, and the lower end of the board is exposed from the lower part of the housing 2 and serves as a terminal that forms a circuit with the drive unit accommodated in the main body of the electric device PT. The housing 2 is formed with a plate-shaped locking portion 22 extending forward from the front of the right half body 20. The locking portion 22 engages with the engaging portion 141 of the limiting member 14 to limit the movement of the trigger switch TS.

[0027] The switching mechanism 4 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. The switching mechanism 4 has a switching contact brush 40 that moves back and forth in response to the operation of the switching lever 3. When the switching contact brush 40 moves back and forth, a switching circuit formed by the switching contact brush 40 and a circuit on a board disposed inside the left half body 21 of the housing 2 is switched, and the setting is changed. The switching lever 3 that operates the switching mechanism 4 can be swung left and right, and when it is located in the middle of its swing range, it engages with a lever locking portion 112 of the base shaft member 11, preventing the trigger 1 from being pressed in.

[0028] The opening and closing mechanism 5 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The opening and closing mechanism 5 is attached to the rear end of the shaft portion 111 of the base shaft member 11, and moves back and forth with the movement of the trigger 1. A third biasing member 50 using a compression coil spring is disposed at the rear of the opening and closing mechanism 5, and biases the trigger 1 forward via the opening and closing mechanism 5. The opening and closing mechanism 5 has an opening and closing contact brush 51 on its left side surface. The opening and closing contact brush 51 forms an opening and closing circuit together with a circuit on a board disposed inside the left half body 21 of the housing 2. The opening and closing circuit is switched by the opening and closing mechanism 5 moving back and forth, and for example, the drive, stop, speed change, etc. of the power unit are controlled.

[0029] Next, the operation of the trigger switch TS configured as above will be described. FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the front part of the trigger switch TS disclosed in the present application. FIG. 12 shows a horizontal cross-section of the front part of the trigger switch TS from a top view. The top of the figure is shown to be the front of the trigger switch TS. In the state in FIG. 12 where the trigger cap is removed, the limiting member 14 is biased by the first biasing member 15 and is located at the first position on the left end side in the support part 114. FIG. 12 shows a state in which the removed trigger cap 10 is placed on the mounting part 110 of the base shaft member 11 from such a state. In FIG. 12, the trigger cap 10 is placed on the front end of the mounting part 110 of the base shaft member 11, but is not fixed. In FIG. 12, the first biasing member 15 biases the limiting member 14 at the first position, centered between the front end of the limiting member 14 and the swinging portion 142, so that the limiting member 14 swings left (counterclockwise) and the engagement portion 141 at the rear end is positioned on the right side.

[0030] FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the front part of the trigger switch TS disclosed in the present application. FIG. 13 shows a state in which the trigger cap 10 is pushed backward from the state shown in FIG. 12 and attached. In the state shown in FIG. 13, the button portion 120 of the detachment prevention member 12 is fitted into the through hole 102 of the trigger cap 10, and the trigger cap 10 is fixed so as not to be detached. In the state shown in FIG. 13, the limiting member 14 is located at a first position in the support portion 114 of the base shaft member 11, and is biased by the first biasing member 15, so that the engaging portion 141 at the rear end is located at a position where it engages with the locking portion 22 of the housing 2. When the engaging portion 141 is in the position where it engages with the locking portion 22, the trigger 1 cannot move to the deepest position even if a pushing operation is received, and the movement is restricted at a limiting position where the deepest position is not reached. 13, the trigger 1 is in a restricted state where its movement is restricted at the restricted position. Therefore, even if the trigger cap 10 is strongly pushed in the pushing direction (rearward) during the work of attaching the trigger cap 10 to the base shaft member 11, the movement of the trigger 1 is restricted at the restricted position and the trigger 1 does not reach the deepest position. Therefore, even if the power supply and various safety functions are not functioning, the drive unit is not driven by pushing the trigger 1, and a safe state is maintained.

[0031] Fig. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the front part of the trigger switch TS disclosed in the present application. Fig. 14 is cut at a different horizontal cross section slightly lower than Fig. 13 in the state of Fig. 13, and is viewed from above. In the state shown in Fig. 14, the left side surface near the front end of the limiting member 14 abuts against the abutment portion 103 of the trigger cap 10.

[0032] FIG. 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the front part of the trigger switch TS disclosed in the present application. FIG. 15 shows a state in which an operation of pressing the trigger 1 in the pressing direction from the state shown in FIG. 14 is accepted. In the present application, the first pressing operation of the trigger 1 after the attachment of the trigger cap 10 is completed is referred to as the first pressing, and the second or subsequent pressing operations of the trigger 1 are referred to as the second pressing. That is, FIG. 15 shows a state in which the first pressing is accepted from the state shown in FIG. 14. When the first pressing operation is accepted, the engagement portion 141 of the limiting member 14 is engaged with the locking portion 22 of the housing 2 and cannot move in the pressing direction (rearward), so that the abutment portion 103 of the trigger cap 10 presses the limiting member 14 to the left while abutting against the limiting member 14. The restricting member 14, which has been pressed to the left by the contact portion 103, moves from the first position to the second position while maintaining the restricted state in which the engaging portion 141 and the locking portion 22 are engaged, against the biasing force of the first biasing member 15. The movement from the first position to the second position is a movement from left to right intersecting the pushing direction. Within the movement range of the restricting member 14, the first position is a position on the left end side, and when the restricting member 14 is located at the first position, the restricting member 14 is in a restricted state in which it engages with the locking portion 22. Within the movement range of the restricting member 14, the second position is a position on the right end side, and when the restricting member 14 is located at the second position, the restricting member 14 operates to transition between the restricted state and the released state. FIG. 15 shows the state in which the restricting member 14 has moved to the second position. 15 in which the limiting member 14 has moved to the second position, the engaging portion 141 of the limiting member 14 maintains engagement with the locking portion 22 of the housing 2, so that the movement of the trigger 1 is restricted at the restricting position in response to the first depression. Therefore, when the first depression is received, the movement of the trigger 1 is restricted at the restricting position and does not reach the deepest position. In other words, the drive portion is not driven by the depression of the trigger 1, and a safe state is maintained.

[0033] FIG. 16 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the front part of the trigger switch TS disclosed in the present application. FIG. 16 shows a state immediately after the first depression of the trigger 1 is released from the state shown in FIG. 15, and the trigger 1 is biased by the third biasing member 50 and moves to the release position in the front. In the state shown in FIG. 16, the limiting member 14 is located at the second position and abuts against the abutting portion 103 of the trigger cap 10, and the trigger 1 is in a restricted state in which the movement is restricted at the restricted position. By the movement of the limiting member 14 from the first position to the second position, the first biasing member 15 is in a compressed state. Then, by releasing the first depression shown in FIG. 16 and moving the trigger 1 to the release position, the engagement between the engagement portion 141 of the limiting member 14 and the locking portion 22 of the housing 2 is released.

[0034] FIG. 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the front part of the trigger switch TS disclosed in the present application. FIG. 17 shows a state in which the limiting member 14 has been operated from the state shown in FIG. 16. As a result of the disengagement between the engaging portion 141 of the limiting member 14 and the locking portion 22 of the housing 2, the limiting member 14 is urged by the first urging member 15 to swing rightward (clockwise) in the figure, with the portion abutting against the abutting portion 103 of the trigger cap 10 as a fulcrum. As shown in FIG. 17, the swinging motion causes the engaging portion 141 of the limiting member 14 to move toward the left half body 21 of the housing 2, transitioning from the restricted state to the unrestricted state. In the state shown in FIG. 17, when an operation of pushing the trigger 1, that is, a second push is received, the engaging portion 141 of the limiting member 14 is positioned at a position not engaged with the locking portion 22 of the housing 2, so that the trigger 1 can be pushed to the deepest position. If the button is pressed two or more times, it is highly likely that the button was pressed intentionally by the operator, rather than due to a malfunction.

[0035] As described above, the trigger switch TS disclosed in the present application allows the attachment / detachment of the trigger cap 10, while preventing malfunctions when attaching the trigger cap 10. Moreover, the trigger switch TS disclosed in the present application maintains safety by restricting the initial first depression after the trigger cap 10 is attached, while allowing a second depression after the first depression is released. In this way, the trigger switch TS disclosed in the present application provides excellent effects, such as being able to achieve both safety and operability.

[0036] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in various other forms. Therefore, the above-described embodiment is merely illustrative in all respects and should not be interpreted as being restrictive. The technical scope of the present invention is described by the claims, and is not restricted in any way by the text of the specification. Furthermore, all modifications and changes within the equivalent scope of the claims are within the scope of the present invention.

[0037] For example, in the above embodiment, the restricting member 14 is shown to be capable of swinging movement around the swinging portion 142 as the swing axis, and of moving movement between the first position and the second position; however, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be expanded into various forms, such as a configuration that does not have the swinging portion 142.

[0038] That is, the trigger switch TS disclosed in the present application can be deployed in various forms according to the following supplementary notes.

[0039] (Appendix 1) A trigger switch including a trigger that can be moved to a deepest position in a pushing direction in response to being pushed in by an operator, and a housing that movably supports the trigger, The trigger is A trigger cap having a finger hook portion on which an operator's finger can be hooked; a base shaft member to which the trigger cap is removably attached; a limiting member operably supported on the base member and capable of limiting movement of the trigger; Equipped with The base shaft member is a mounting portion to which the trigger cap is attached; a shaft portion that supports the mounting portion at one end and has the other end that is inserted into the housing; It has When the trigger cap is removed, When the limiting member is in the limited state, the movement of the trigger is limited at a limiting position where the trigger does not reach the deepest position, When the trigger cap is attached, The restricting member is capable of transitioning between a restricted state and a restricted state in which the restriction on the movement of the trigger is released. A trigger switch characterized by:

[0040] (Appendix 2) 2. The trigger switch according to claim 1, When the first push is accepted, The trigger, in which the trigger cap is attached to the base shaft member, is restricted in movement by the restricting member in a restricted state, When the first push that was accepted is released, The restricting member transitions from a restricted state in which the movement of the trigger is restricted to a released state, When a second push is received after the first push is released, Since the restricting member is in the unrestricted state, the trigger is allowed to move to its deepest position. A trigger switch characterized by:

[0041] (Appendix 3) 3. The trigger switch according to claim 2, The housing includes: a locking portion that engages with the restricting member, The limiting member is an engagement portion that engages with the housing; The trigger is moved by being pressed, and the engaging portion is engaged with the locking portion of the housing in a restricted state, and the engaging portion is not engaged with the locking portion of the housing in a released state. A trigger switch characterized by:

[0042] (Appendix 4) 4. The trigger switch according to claim 3, The limiting member is supported by the base shaft member so as to be movable between a first position in which the limiting member is in a limited state and a second position in which the limiting member can transition between the limited state and a non-limited state, When the first push is accepted, The restricting member, which is in a restricted state at the first position, is adapted to move from the first position to the second position while maintaining the restricted state, When the first push is released, The restricting member is adapted to transition from a restricted state to an unrestricted state in the second position. A trigger switch characterized by:

[0043] (Appendix 5) 5. The trigger switch according to claim 4, a biasing member that biases the restricting member, The trigger cap has an abutment portion that abuts against the limiting member, When the first push is accepted, When the trigger cap presses the limiting member with the abutment portion, the limiting member moves from the first position to the second position against the bias of the biasing member while being engaged with the locking portion, When the first push is released, The restricting member is biased by the biasing member to perform a swinging motion about a portion of the trigger cap that is in contact with the contact portion, thereby disengaging from the locking portion and transitioning from a restricted state to a released state. A trigger switch characterized by:

[0044] (Appendix 6) 6. The trigger switch according to claim 5, The limiting member is It has a swinging part that serves as a swinging axis, The base shaft member is supported so as to be capable of swinging about the swing portion as a swing axis, When the trigger cap is removed from the base shaft member, the trigger cap is biased by the biasing member to move to a first position, and is biased by the biasing member to swing around the swinging portion as a swinging axis at the first position, thereby entering a restricted state. A trigger switch characterized by: [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] PT electric equipment TS Trigger Switch 1 Trigger 10 Trigger Cap 103 Contact part 11 Base member 110 Mounting part 111 Shaft 14 Restriction Members 140 Stretching section 141 Engagement part 142 Swinging part 15 First biasing member 16 Second biasing member 2. Chassis 22 Locking part 3 Switching lever 4. Switching mechanism 5 Opening and closing mechanism

Claims

1. A trigger switch including a trigger that can be moved to a deepest position in a pushing direction in response to being pushed in by an operator, and a housing that movably supports the trigger, The trigger is A trigger cap having a finger hook portion on which an operator's finger can be hooked; a base shaft member to which the trigger cap is removably attached; a limiting member operably supported on the base member and capable of limiting movement of the trigger; Equipped with The base shaft member is a mounting portion to which the trigger cap is attached; a shaft portion that supports the mounting portion at one end and has the other end that is inserted into the housing; It has When the trigger cap is removed, When the limiting member is in the limited state, the movement of the trigger is limited at a limiting position where the trigger does not reach the deepest position, When the trigger cap is attached, The restricting member is capable of transitioning between a restricted state and a restricted state in which the restriction on the movement of the trigger is released. A trigger switch characterized by:

2. 2. The trigger switch according to claim 1, When the first push is received, The trigger, in which the trigger cap is attached to the base shaft member, is restricted in movement by the restricting member in a restricted state, When the accepted first push is released, The restricting member transitions from a restricted state in which the movement of the trigger is restricted to a released state, When a second push is received after the first push is released, Since the restricting member is in the unrestricted state, the trigger is allowed to move to its deepest position. A trigger switch characterized by:

3. 3. The trigger switch according to claim 2, The housing includes: a locking portion that engages with the restricting member, The limiting member is an engagement portion that engages with the housing; The trigger is moved by being pressed, and the engaging portion is engaged with the locking portion of the housing in a restricted state, and the engaging portion is not engaged with the locking portion of the housing in a released state. A trigger switch characterized by:

4. 4. The trigger switch according to claim 3, The limiting member is supported by the base shaft member so as to be movable between a first position in which the limiting member is in a limited state and a second position in which the limiting member can transition between the limited state and a released state, When the first push is received, The restricting member, which is in a restricted state at the first position, is adapted to move from the first position to the second position while maintaining the restricted state, When the first depression is released, The restricting member is adapted to transition from a restricting state to a non-restricting state at the second position. A trigger switch characterized by:

5. 5. The trigger switch according to claim 4, a biasing member that biases the restricting member, The trigger cap has an abutment portion that abuts against the limiting member, When the first push is received, When the trigger cap presses the limiting member with the abutment portion, the limiting member moves from the first position to the second position against the bias of the biasing member while being engaged with the locking portion, When the first depression is released, The restricting member is biased by the biasing member to perform a swinging motion about a portion of the trigger cap that is in contact with the contact portion, thereby disengaging from the locking portion and transitioning from a restricted state to a released state. A trigger switch characterized by:

6. 6. The trigger switch according to claim 5, The limiting member is It has a swinging part that serves as a swinging axis, The base shaft member is supported so as to be capable of swinging about the swing portion as a swing axis, When the trigger cap is removed from the base shaft member, the trigger cap is biased by the biasing member to move to the first position, and is biased by the biasing member to swing around the swinging portion as a swinging axis at the first position, thereby entering a restricted state. A trigger switch characterized by:

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