Operation switch

Abstract

To provide an operation switch in which a contact part can be separated from an operation part without using a tool.SOLUTION: An operation switch 10 comprises: an operation part 12; a contact part 14 which has a fitting hole 33 for inserting a body part 24, and which can be detachably attached to the operation part 12; a substantially C-shaped wire spring 16 which has an engagement bent part 16e on each tip end, and which fixes the operation part 12 to the contact part 14 when it is partially fitted into a groove 26 on the body part 24: and a cam part 52b which is provided so as to be capable of moving into and out of an opening 16a formed by a wire spring 16, and which is inclined such that a distance between cam faces 52ba on both sides decreases toward the opening 16a. When a release lever 50 enters the opening 16a, the cam faces 52ba of the cam part 52b push the wire spring 16 and a pair of tip end parts 16d such that they become separated from each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 15

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an operation switch having an operation section with an operator, and a contact section with a contact that operates in conjunction with the operator and is detachable from the operation section. [Background technology]

[0002] The operation switch is attached to a hole provided in a panel such as a control panel. In this case, an operation unit with buttons is arranged on the front side of the panel, and a contact unit that can be attached to or detached from the operation unit is provided on the back side. The operation unit is provided with contacts that switch the connection state of the terminals in conjunction with the operation of the buttons.

[0003] As a means for attaching and detaching the operating part and the contact part, for example, Patent Document 1 describes providing a C-shaped wire spring as an engaging part on one side, and engaging both sides of this wire spring with engaging grooves on the other side. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-062574 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the operating switch described in Patent Document 1, a C-shaped spring automatically engages simply by inserting part of the operating part into the contact part, allowing for one-touch connection, but when separating, the spring must be pulled using a tool.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide an operation switch in which the contact portion and the operation portion can be separated without using tools. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the operating switch of the present invention comprises an operating element attached to the surface of a panel, a body part protruding from the operating element to the back side of the panel through a panel hole, and an operating part having a pair of grooves formed at opposite locations on the circumferential surface of the body part, an attachment hole into which the body part is inserted, and a contact part having one or more contacts whose terminal connection state is switched in conjunction with the operation of the operating element and which is detachable from the operating part, a roughly C-shaped wire spring whose part fits into the groove to fix the operating part and the contact part, and a release lever which is arranged to be able to advance and retreat relative to the roughly C-shaped opening of the wire spring and has a cam part which is inclined so that the distance between the cam surfaces on both sides narrows as it advances, and which is characterized in that when the operating surface of the release lever is pushed in the insertion direction by hand, the cam surfaces of the cam part push the pair of tip ends of the wire spring apart so as to move them away from each other as the release lever advances into the opening.

[0008] In this type of operating switch, by manually pressing the operating surface of the release lever without using any tools, the cam surface spreads the tip of the wire spring, elastically deforming the wire spring and allowing it to come out of the groove, separating the contact portion and the operating portion.

[0009] The wire spring may have a pair of engaging portions at the tip ends that are bent toward the insertion direction, and the contact portion may have a pair of guide inclined surfaces that guide the pair of engaging portions so as to separate from each other when both ends of the wire spring are pushed apart by the cam surface, and a pair of engaged portions that limit the withdrawal of the wire spring by bringing the pair of separated engaging portions into contact with each other after the wire spring is elastically deformed and withdrawn from the groove. When a force is applied to the wire spring in the withdrawal direction, the tip ends will abut against the engaged portions, preventing withdrawal.

[0010] The release lever may be supported so as to be displaceable in the direction of attachment / detachment between the operating portion and the contact portion, and may have a guide portion that prevents the release lever from slipping out in the backward direction. This allows the release lever to move back and forth stably. If the direction of attachment / detachment of the release lever matches the direction of attachment / detachment between the operating portion and the contact portion, the release lever can be configured to barely protrude to the side, making the operation switch compact.

[0011] The wire spring may have engaging portions at the pair of tip portions that are bent toward the insertion direction, the guide portion may have a stopper that limits the displacement of the release lever in the insertion direction, and when the release lever inserts, the cam surface may contact and spread the arc-shaped bent portions of the engaging portions, and the cam surface may contact the bent portions until the displacement is limited by the stopper. The engaging portions function as acting portions that are pressed by the cam surface of the release lever. Furthermore, if the bent portions are arc-shaped, they can slide smoothly against the cam surface and do not damage the cam surface.

[0012] The operating surface may be inclined so as to approach the front side as seen from the operator in the direction of entry, so that a force directed toward the rear side as seen from the operator is applied to the release lever, thereby canceling out the force directed toward the front side received from the wire spring.

[0013] The wire spring may include a linear base end portion, a pair of intermediate portions that bend from both ends of the base end portion and extend linearly, and tip portions that bend from the tips of the pair of intermediate portions to form both ends of an approximately C-shaped opening. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] In the operating switch of the present invention, by manually pressing the operating surface of the release lever without using any tools, the cam surface spreads the tip of the wire spring, elastically deforming the wire spring and allowing it to come out of the groove and separate the contact portion and the operating portion. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an operation switch according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an operation switch in which an operation portion and a contact portion are separated. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view showing the operation switch. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the circumferential surface of the body portion. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the operation switch. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional plan view of the operation switch in a state where the operation portion and the contact portion are coupled together. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a front view of the release lever and its surrounding area. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional side view of the release lever and its surrounding area. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the release lever and the guide portion. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a front view of the release lever. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the release lever. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a partially sectional plan view showing the first stage of assembling the wire spring into the case. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a partially sectional plan view showing an intermediate stage of assembling the wire spring to the case. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional plan view of the portion shown in FIG. 6 when the release lever is pressed. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a front view of the portion shown in FIG. 7 when the release lever is pressed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an operation switch according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

[0017] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an operation switch 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing an operation switch in which an operation portion 12 and a contact portion 14 are separated. In Fig. 2, the wire spring 16 is omitted.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the operating switch 10 includes an operating unit 12, a contact unit 14 that is detachable from the operating unit 12, a wire spring 16, a nut 18, a washer 20, and a release lever 50. The operating unit 12 has a button (operator) 22 that is manually operated, and a body 24 that protrudes from the button 22. The button 22 may be either a momentary type or an alternate type. The button 22 is prismatic, but is not limited to this, and may be mushroom-shaped, for example. The button 22 may also be an illuminated type, a key cylinder type, a toggle type, a selector type, or the like.

[0019] The wire spring 16 is an engaging part that connects the operating unit 12 and the contact unit 14. The wire spring 16 is generally C-shaped and has an opening 16a formed therein (see FIG. 5). In the following description, for convenience, directions are defined based on the wire spring 16. That is, the width direction of the opening 16a is defined as the X direction, and the direction perpendicular to that is defined as the Y direction. The direction in which the operating unit 12 and the contact unit 14 are attached and detached, i.e., the direction perpendicular to the X and Y directions, is defined as the Z direction. The Z direction is the height direction of the operation switch 10, a direction perpendicular to the panel P (see FIG. 3), the direction in which the operating unit 12 and the contact unit 14 are attached and detached, the direction in which the case 32 is attached to the holder 30 (described later), and the direction in which the release lever 50 advances and retreats relative to the guide unit 40. For ease of explanation, the Y1 direction, which is one side of the Y direction, will also be referred to as the front, and the Y2 direction, which is the opposite side, will also be referred to as the rear, and the Z1 direction, which is one side of the Z direction (the side of the contact unit 29), will also be referred to as the down direction, and the Z2 direction, which is the opposite side (the side of the button 22), will also be referred to as the up direction. The mounting orientation of the operation switch 10 is not limited to these. These directions are indicated by arrows in the drawings as appropriate.

[0020] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view showing the operation switch 10. As shown in FIG. 3, the operation switch 10 is attached to a panel P such as a control panel. Specifically, a button 22 is provided on the surface of the panel P, and a body 24 protrudes to the back side through a panel hole Pa formed in the panel P. A nut 18 is threaded onto a screw formed in the body 24, and the body 24 is fixed to the panel P via a washer 20. A contact portion 14 is attached to the body 24, as will be described later. In FIG. 3, the panel P is shown by an imaginary line.

[0021] FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the circumferential surface of the body 24. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the body 24 of the operating unit 12 is cylindrical and protrudes downward from the button 22. D-cut surfaces 24b are formed on opposing sides of the circumferential surface of the body 24. The D-cut surfaces 24b extend in the Y direction over a range of approximately 50 degrees around the circumferential surface of the body 24. A groove-forming protrusion 24c is provided at the circumferential center of the D-cut surface 24b. The groove-forming protrusion 24c extends in the Y direction and is approximately half the length of the D-cut surface 24b. Both end surfaces of the groove-forming protrusion 24c are approximately perpendicular to the D-cut surface 24b, but may be slightly inclined inward. A groove 26 (see also FIG. 6) is formed between the upper portion 24d of the body 24 and the groove-forming protrusion 24c. Depending on design conditions, the groove-forming protrusion 24c may be formed above the groove 26. Two protrusions equivalent to groove-forming protrusion 24c may be provided above and below groove 26. In other words, groove-forming protrusion 24c is provided so as to form at least one of the upper and lower side surfaces of groove 26. Groove-forming protrusion 24c protrudes from D-cut surface 24b and is discontinuous with the circumferential surface of body 24. Groove 26 has a substantially rectangular cross section that opens to the side.

[0022] As will be described later, the operating part 12 and the contact part 14 are coupled together by the wire spring 16 engaging with the groove 26. The depth of the groove 26 is approximately equal to the diameter of the wire spring 16 at its shallowest point and slightly deeper than the diameter of the wire spring 16 at its deepest point. In other words, the wire spring 16 fits sufficiently deep within the groove 26, and there are no shallow engaging portions, so the operating part 12 and the contact part 14 can be securely fixed together. This prevents the operating part 12 and the contact part 14 from coming apart, even if, for example, they are forcibly twisted. In particular, by making both end faces of the groove-forming protrusion 24c approximately perpendicular to the D-cut surface 24b or slightly inclined inward, the wire spring 16 is less likely to come out than when the groove 26 is shaped to gradually become shallower along the circumferential direction, and the operating part 12 and the contact part 14 are less likely to separate even when a relatively strong external force is applied.

[0023] The body 24 is cylindrical, and has a rotation-preventing recess 24a formed at its front end. A pair of chamfered portions 28 are formed along the Y direction at the lower end of the body 24. The pair of chamfered portions 28 are formed from the side surfaces of the groove-forming projections 24c to the lower end of the body 24, and are shaped to be cut diagonally so that the width of the lower end in the X direction narrows.

[0024] Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the operation switch 10. To make it easier to understand the three-dimensional shape of the wire spring 16 shown in Fig. 5, lines that do not actually exist are shown at the boundaries of the multiple bent portions. As shown in Fig. 5, the contact portion 14 includes a holder 30 that includes up to three contact units 29, and a case 32 that is fixed by covering the holder 30. The case 32 covers the holder 30 along the Z direction. The holder 30 and the case 32 form the base of the contact portion 14.

[0025] The holder 30 is roughly divided into a front rod chamber 30a and a rear unit chamber 30b. Three rods 35a, 35b, and 35c are incorporated in the rod chamber 30a and guided in the Z direction. The rods 35a and 35b are arranged separately on the left and right. The rod 35c is arranged midway between the rods 35a and 35b, and is pushed down in conjunction with the rods 35a and 35b when either the rod 35a or the rod 35b is pushed down.

[0026] A pair of engaged protrusions 30c that protrude upward are provided on both sides of the rod chamber 30a in the holder 30. The engaged protrusions 30c are formed integrally with the holder 30 and protrude upward through protrusion through-holes 32ba, which will be described later. The engaged protrusions 30c have a generally rectangular shape that is slightly longer in the Y direction and slightly shorter in the X direction in a plan view. The length of the engaged protrusions 30c in the Y direction is longer than the diameter of the wire spring 16. The holder 30 is provided with a plurality of engaging protrusions 30d.

[0027] The three contact units 29 are held in unit chamber 30b, and each has three terminals 29a protruding downward. In other words, there are a total of nine terminals 29a in operation switch 10. The three terminals 29a are a normally open terminal, a normally closed terminal, and a common terminal. Inside contact unit 29, there are provided contacts (not shown) that open and close via rods 35a to 35c in response to the operation of button 22.

[0028] In the left contact unit 29, the connection state of the terminal 29a is switched by pushing down the rod 35a. In the right contact unit 29, the connection state of the terminal 29a is switched by pushing down the rod 35b. In the center contact unit 29, the connection state of the terminal 29a is switched by pushing down the rod 35c. The number of contact units 29 held by the holder 30 may be one or two, and it is advisable to place a dummy body in any empty space.

[0029] Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional plan view of the operation switch 10 with the operation portion 12 and the contact portion 14 coupled together. Fig. 7 is a front view of the release lever 50 and its surrounding area. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional side view of the release lever 50 and its surrounding area. In Fig. 7 and Fig. 15, which will be described later, the release lever 50 is shown with a dotted background for easy identification.

[0030] 5 and 6, the case 32 has a cover 32a that surrounds the holder 30 on all four sides, a cover plate 32b formed along the edge of the upper surface of the cover 32a, an irregularly shaped cylindrical body 32c that protrudes upward from the cover plate 32b, an annular plate 32d provided on the upper part of the cylindrical body 32c, and a plurality of engagement holes 32e. The engagement protrusions 30d engage with the engagement holes 32e, thereby fixing the holder 30 and the case 32 together. The cover plate 32b, the cylindrical body 32c, and the annular plate 32d form a circular mounting hole 33 in their centers. The body 24 is inserted into the mounting hole 33.

[0031] The cover plate 32b forms a step between the cover 32a and the cylindrical body 32c perpendicular to the Z direction (i.e., forming an XY plane) and covers a portion of the upper surface of the holder 30. Protrusion through-holes 32ba are formed on both sides of the front of the cover plate 32b near the ends of first inclined surfaces (guide inclined surfaces) 32cb (described later). The protrusion through-holes 32ba are provided at positions from which the engaged protrusions 30c protrude upward. The engaged protrusions 30c protruding from the protrusion through-holes 32ba are positioned to restrict the movement of the engaging bent portion 16e at the tip of the wire spring 16 when the wire spring 16 is pulled rearward, as described later. The gap between the engaged protrusions 30c and the first inclined surfaces 32cb is set sufficiently narrower than the diameter of the wire spring 16 so as to block the engaging bent portion 16e in the moving direction. The engaged protrusions 30c and the first inclined surfaces 32cb may be in contact with each other.

[0032] The cylindrical body 32c has a forward bulge 32ca, a pair of first inclined surfaces 32cb, a pair of slide surfaces 32cc, a pair of second inclined surfaces 32cd, and a pair of rearward bulges 32ce. The cylindrical body 32c also has a guide portion 40 that supports and guides the release lever 50. The height of the cylindrical body 32c in the Z direction is slightly greater than the engaging bent portion 16e (described later). The forward bulge 32ca protrudes slightly from the front surface of the cover 32a.

[0033] The pair of first inclined surfaces 32cb connect the forward bulge 32ca and the slide surface 32cc, and are surfaces that slope backward toward both sides in the X direction. The first inclined surfaces 32cb are located inside the apex of the rectangular outline of the case 32. The first inclined surfaces 32cb are not generally inclined in the Z direction. There is a small step between the first inclined surfaces 32cb and the forward bulge 32ca. The first inclined surfaces 32cb may be formed as a flat surface or an arcuate surface depending on the specifications.

[0034] The pair of slide surfaces 32cc are flat surfaces formed along the Y direction at both ends of the cylindrical body 32c in the X direction. The slide surfaces 32cc are slightly recessed inward from both side surfaces of the cover 32a in the X direction. The space surrounded on three sides by the slide surfaces 32cc, the cover plate 32b, and the annular plate 32d is slightly recessed from the side surfaces of the case 32, forming the guide groove 34.

[0035] The pair of second inclined surfaces 32cd are formed so as to continue from the slide surface 32cc and move further rearward and inward. The second inclined surfaces 32cd are inclined so as to extend forward toward both sides in the X direction. In other words, the second inclined surfaces 32cd are provided inside the apex of the rectangular outline of the case 32. The second inclined surfaces 32cd are not generally inclined in the Z direction.

[0036] Thus, the contact portion 14 is rectangular in plan view, with a pair of first inclined surfaces 32cb formed on the inner sides of two adjacent vertices of the rectangle, and a pair of second inclined surfaces 32cd formed on the inner sides of the remaining two vertices.

[0037] The pair of rearward bulges 32ce are portions of the second inclined surface 32cd that protrude rearward. A notch 33b is formed between the pair of rearward bulges 32ce. The notch 33b is wide enough to allow a tool to be inserted. The mounting hole 33 opens rearward at the notch 33b. On the opposite side of the forward bulge 32ca, i.e., in front of the inner cavity of the mounting hole 33, there is provided an anti-rotation protrusion 33a that protrudes slightly rearward.

[0038] Narrow gaps 36 are formed between the cylindrical body 32c and the annular plate 32d on both sides in the X direction. The gaps 36 are formed above the slide surface 32cc (in the Z2 direction) and along the Y direction. The width of the gaps 36 in the Z direction is slightly larger than the diameter of the wire spring 16. The gaps 36 extend all the way to the mounting hole 33. In other words, the gaps 36 are slit-shaped holes, and the mounting hole 33 is open on both sides by the gaps 36.

[0039] The guide portion 40 will now be described. The guide portion 40 has a first guide portion 42 provided additionally to the forward bulging portion 32ca, and a pair of second guide portions 44 provided adjacent to both ends of the forward bulging portion 32ca in the X direction.

[0040] The first guide portion 42 includes a pair of pillars 42a extending from both ends of the forward bulge portion 32ca in the X direction to the cover plate 32b, and a bridge portion 42b connecting the pillars 42a. The pillars 42a are adjacent to the first inclined surface 32cb. The bridge portion 42b is located at approximately the midpoint of the forward bulge portion 32ca in the Z direction, and its upper surface (stopper) 42ba is flat. The Y1 side surface of the forward bulge portion 32ca and the Y2 side surface of the bridge portion 42b are parallel to each other, forming an XZ plane, and a narrow guide gap 42c is secured. In this embodiment, the X width of the pair of pillars 42a is approximately 1 / 7 of the forward bulge portion 32ca, and the guide gap 42c has a wide width of approximately 5 / 7 of the forward bulge portion 32ca.

[0041] The forward bulge 32ca is located slightly toward the Y2 side from the Y1 side surface (see FIG. 8) of the cover 32a, forming a step 42d. The area from the guide gap 42c to the step 42d between the pair of pillars 42a forms a slide space 42e. A small rectangular notch 42f is formed in the upper center of the bridge portion 42b on the Y2 side.

[0042] A pair of second guide portions 44 are formed symmetrically adjacent to both ends of the forward bulge portion 32ca in the X direction, and each is composed of a guide groove 44a and a guide arm 44b. The guide groove 44a is formed from approximately the midpoint of the first inclined surface 32cb to the annular plate 32d and is a groove that opens upward. The guide groove 44a is moderately deep in the Y2 direction, but a corner 44aa near the mounting hole 33 is slanted so as not to penetrate the mounting hole 33. The guide arm 44b is formed so that the outer periphery of the annular plate 32d protrudes to the Y1 side of the guide groove 44a. The inner walls of the guide groove 44a and the guide arm 44b are continuous and are configured to abut against a protrusion 56 and a chamfered portion 52c, which will be described later.

[0043] As described above, the wire spring 16 is generally C-shaped with the opening 16a and is formed from a single wire member. The wire spring 16 includes a linear base end 16b arranged in the X direction at the rear, a pair of intermediate portions 16c that bend forward from both ends of the base end 16b and extend linearly, a tip end 16d that bends from the tip of the intermediate portion 16c and forms both ends of the opening 16a, and an engaging bent portion 16e that is further bent downward from the tip side of the tip end 16d. As such, the wire spring 16 has a simple shape with many linear portions and few bends, making it easy to manufacture and inexpensive.

[0044] The base end 16b contacts the rear end portion of the second inclined surface 32cd, but a gap large enough to allow a tool to be inserted is maintained between the base end 16b and the body 24. The middle portion 16c extends along the Y direction and fits into the gap 36, with a portion of it being positioned inside the mounting hole 33. The middle portion 16c, which fits into the mounting hole 33 from the gap 36, engages with the groove 26 of the body 24 mounted in the mounting hole 33. The tip end 16d is aligned with the first inclined surface 32cb. The engaging bent portion 16e is located at a point that is almost in contact with the forward bulge 32ca. In this state, the wire spring 16 is not subjected to any external force and is in its natural state without any elastic deformation.

[0045] The intermediate portion 16c of the wire spring 16 fits into the gap 36 (see also FIG. 1) and does not shift in the Z direction. Therefore, the body portion 24 is positioned in the Z direction by the intermediate portion 16c fitting into the groove 26, and the body portion 24 is securely fixed to the contact portion 14. Furthermore, the body portion 24 is fitted into the mounting hole 33, and is also fixed in the rotational direction by the anti-rotation protrusion 33a fitting into the anti-rotation recess 24a.

[0046] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the release lever 50 and the guide portion 40. FIG. 10 is a front view of the release lever 50. FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the release lever 50. The release lever 50 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 11. The release lever 50 is manually pushed in when separating the operation portion 12 and the contact portion 14. It is supported by the guide portion 40 and is provided so as to be movable in the Z direction relative to the opening 16a of the wire spring 16. When the release lever 50 is pushed downward (see FIG. 15) in the steady state (see FIG. 7), the contact portion 14 and the operation portion 12 can be separated, and when released, it returns to the steady state. That is, the downward direction (Z1 direction) of the release lever 50 in this embodiment is the advance direction, and the upward direction (Z2 direction) is the retreat direction.

[0047] When viewed from the front (see Figure 10), the release lever 50 forms a flat, approximately T-shape with the horizontal member 52 and the vertical member 54 protruding downward from the horizontal member 52, and when viewed from above (see Figure 11), it forms a flat, approximately U-shape with the horizontal member 52 and a pair of protrusions 56 protruding in the Y2 direction from both ends of the horizontal member 52.

[0048] The cross member 52 has an X width slightly larger than the opening 16a of the wire spring 16, and an inclined operating surface 52a that can be manually pressed downward is formed at the upper portion on the Y2 side, and downwardly protruding cam portions 52b are formed at both ends in the X direction. The protrusion 56 and the cam portion 52b are integrally configured. The operating surface 52a is inclined downward so that it approaches the front side when viewed from the operator on the Y1 side. A shallow recess 52aa is formed in the center of the operating surface 52a, where a nameplate with a writing such as "PUSH" can be attached. The recess 52aa is part of the operating surface 52a and can be manually pressed.

[0049] The outer lower surface of the cam portion 52b in the X direction forms an inclined cam surface 52ba. The pair of left and right cam surfaces 52ba are inclined so that the distance between them narrows toward the opening 16a. An oblique chamfered portion 52c is formed on the Y1 side of the cam portion 52b. The lower surface of the cross member 52 is flat, and when the release lever 50 is pushed downward (see Figure 15), it abuts against the upper surface 42ba of the bridge portion 42b, limiting displacement in the insertion direction. In other words, the upper surface 42ba acts as a stopper for the release lever 50. The sliding distance of the release lever 50 is, for example, approximately 1 mm.

[0050] The vertical member 54 is thin and has an X width that just fits into the slide space 42e, and a Y width that just fits into the guide gap 42c. The horizontal member 52 and the vertical member 54 form the same surface on the Y2 side and abut and slide against the forward bulge 32ca. The Z width of the vertical member 54 is set to be appropriately long, so that it abuts and slides against the forward bulge 32ca over an appropriately wide area, but does not reach the stepped portion 42d when the release lever 50 is pressed downward to the maximum extent (see Figure 15).

[0051] A small anti-slip projection 54a, tapering downward, is formed at the center of the lower end of the vertical member 54 on the Y1 side. When the release lever 50 is attached to the guide portion 40, the anti-slip projection 54a passes through the notch 42f and the guide gap 42c and snaps into engagement with the underside 42bb of the column portion 42a. In the steady state (see FIG. 7), the cam surface 52ba of the release lever 50 abuts against the upper arc portion 16ea of ​​the engaging bent portion 16e of the wire spring 16, applying a slight upward elastic force, but the anti-slip projection 54a prevents the release lever 50 from slipping out. In this way, the underside 42bb of the column portion 42a prevents the release lever 50 from slipping out in the backward direction. In the steady state, the horizontal member 52 is positioned approximately in the same position as the annular plate 32d, and there is a sufficient gap between the horizontal member 52 and the nut 18 (see FIG. 1) for a finger to insert, allowing manual operation.

[0052] The first guide portion 42 supports the center portion of the release lever 50 in the X direction. That is, the horizontal member 52 and the vertical member 54 are positioned in the Y direction by the Y2 side surfaces thereof abutting against the forward bulging portion 32ca, and the vertical member 5 fitted into the guide gap 42c is positioned in the Y direction by the Y1 side surface thereof abutting against the bridge portion 42b. The vertical member 54 is also fitted into the slide space 42e, and is positioned in the X direction.

[0053] The second guide portion 44 supports both ends of the release lever 50 in the X direction. That is, the convex portion 56 is shaped to fit into the guide groove 44a, and is positioned in the X and Y2 directions. Furthermore, the guide arm 44b abuts against the chamfered portion 52c, and is positioned in the Y1 direction. In this way, the release lever 50 is supported at its center and both ends by the first guide portion 42 and the second guide portion 44, and can move stably in the Z direction without tilting in either direction. The release lever 50 is small, lightweight, and inexpensive, for example, as it is made of molded resin.

[0054] 12 is a partially cross-sectional plan view showing the initial stage of assembling the wire spring 16 to the case 32. FIG. 13 is a partially cross-sectional plan view showing an intermediate stage of assembling the wire spring 16 to the case 32.

[0055] 12, when attaching the wire spring 16 to the case 32, the wire spring 16 is pushed forward, and the opening is gradually opened as the pair of engaging bent portions 16e are aligned with the second inclined surfaces 32cd. Because the engaging bent portions 16e are aligned with the second inclined surfaces 32cd, they are prevented from opening excessively along the side surfaces of the case 32, as shown by the imaginary lines. Furthermore, the pair of engaging bent portions 16e are smoothly guided along the second inclined surfaces 32cd, preventing one from getting caught and the other from opening excessively.

[0056] As shown in Figure 13, when the wire spring 16 is pushed further forward into the case 32, the engaging bent portion 16e at the tip moves from the second inclined surface 32cd to the slide surface 32cc, which is part of the guide groove 34. The engaging bent portion 16e is guided by the guide groove 34 and moves properly forward without shifting in the up-down direction (Z direction). Because the engaging bent portion 16e moves within the guide groove 34, it does not slide against or damage the side surface of the case 32. Because the guide groove 34 is recessed from the side surface of the case 32, the wire spring 16 can be prevented from opening.

[0057] In this way, the second inclined surface 32cd and the guide groove 34 properly guide the wire spring 16 when attaching the wire spring 16 to the case 32 and prevent the wire spring 16 from opening excessively, thereby preventing the wire spring 16 from being plastically deformed beyond its elastic limit.

[0058] After this, when the wire spring 16 is further pressed in, the engaging bent portion 16e at the tip moves from the slide surface 32cc to the first inclined surface 32cb, and its own elasticity narrows the opening. At this stage, the holder 30 is not attached to the case 32, and the engaged protruding portion 30c does not protrude from the protruding portion through-hole 32ba, so there is nothing to interfere with the tip 16d and engaging bent portion 16e of the wire spring 16, allowing for smooth assembly.

[0059] Thereafter, the case 32 is placed over the holder 30 in the Z direction and fixed, and the contact portion 14 is attached to the operation unit 12 via the panel P, resulting in the state shown in Figure 6. By combining and fixing the case 32 and the holder 30, the pair of engaged protrusions 30c of the holder 30 each protrude upward from the protrusion through-holes 32ba. The engaged protrusions 30c are inserted into the protrusion through-holes 32ba with almost no gap, which acts to position the holder 30 and the case 32.

[0060] When connecting the contact portion 14 and the operating portion 12, when the body portion 24 is inserted into the mounting hole 33, the pair of chamfered portions 28 (see FIG. 2) push the pair of intermediate portions 16c outward, and by inserting it further, the intermediate portions 16c engage with the grooves 26, connecting the operating portion 12 and the contact portion 14. In this way, with the operating switch 10, the contact portion 14 and the operating portion 12 can be connected with a single touch, eliminating the possibility of the operator forgetting one of the multiple operating steps.

[0061] Figure 14 is a cross-sectional plan view of the part shown in Figure 6 when the release lever 50 is pressed. Figure 15 is a front view of the part shown in Figure 7 when the release lever 50 is pressed.

[0062] To couple the contact portion 14 and the operating unit 12, the operating surface 52a of the release lever 50 is pressed downward by a human hand F. As the release lever 50 moves downward and enters the opening 16a of the wire spring 16, the cam surfaces 52ba of the pair of cam portions 52b push the engaging bent portions 16e formed on the tip portions 16d apart against their elastic force. The cam portions 52b act as cams, elastically deforming the wire spring 16 and disengaging the intermediate portion 16c from the groove 26. This releases the body portion 24 from its fixed position in the Z direction, allowing it to be removed from the mounting hole 33, separating the operating unit 12 and the contact portion 14. Therefore, the operating switch 10 can separate the contact portion 14 and the operating unit 12 without using tools. In this state, the pair of tip portions 16d abut against the first inclined surfaces 32cb, preventing the wire spring 16 from slipping out toward the Y2 side.

[0063] When the release lever 50 is pushed downward, it is stably supported by the guide portion 40. Furthermore, it is the upper end arc portion 16ea of ​​the engaging bent portion 16e that the cam surface 52ba comes into contact with and pushes apart, so that the cam surface 52ba is not damaged or caught, and smooth sliding is possible.

[0064] Because the tip end 16d is displaced slightly toward the Y2 side while following the first inclined surface 32cb, the release lever 50 receives a reaction force toward the Y1 side. In other words, the elastic reaction force that the release lever 50 receives from the engaging bent portion 16e can occur not only in the upward direction but also in the Y1 direction, but because the operating surface 52a is inclined downward so as to approach the front side as viewed from the operator, the force applied to the operating surface 52a occurs not only downward but also in the Y2 direction, and therefore the force in the Y direction acts to cancel out. Therefore, large surface pressure is not applied to the bridge portion 42b and guide arm 44b that support the release lever 50 on the Y1 side, allowing for smooth displacement.

[0065] In this embodiment, the displacement direction of the release lever 50 is the Z direction, which is the same as the attachment / detachment direction of the contact portion 14 and the operation portion 12, and the operation switch 10 is compact overall with almost no protrusion in the Y direction. However, depending on the design conditions, the release lever 50 may be configured to be displaced at an angle relative to the Z direction. In other words, the release lever 50 only needs to be configured so that the cam portion 52b can move forward and backward relative to the opening 16a of the wire spring 16 and the cam surface 52ba is inclined so that the spacing narrows toward the opening 16a.

[0066] The release lever 50 abuts against the upper surface 42ba of the bridge portion 42b, thereby restricting excessive downward movement and preventing the wire spring 16 from being deformed more than necessary, thereby preventing the wire spring 16 from having a shortened life due to repeated attachment and detachment operations.

[0067] When the release lever 50 is pushed downward, the cam surface 52ba abuts against the upper end circular arc portion 16ea of ​​the engaging bent portion 16e until it abuts against the upper surface 42ba and is restricted in displacement. In other words, the upper end circular arc portion 16ea does not come off the cam surface 52ba, and the cam surface 52ba is constantly subjected to an elastic reaction force, so that when the hand F is released, the cam surface 52ba automatically returns to the state shown in Figures 6 and 7. In other words, the wire spring 16 is a component for connecting the contact portion 14 and the operating portion 12, but it also has a function of returning the release lever 50, and no other component is required for the return.

[0068] The contact portion 14 and the operating portion 12 of the operating switch 10 can be separated by manually operating the release lever 50. However, depending on the operator's discretion, they can also be separated by inserting a tool such as a flathead screwdriver into the notch 33b (see FIG. 6), hooking it onto the base end 16b of the wire spring 16, and pulling it out in the Y2 direction. When the wire spring 16 is pulled out in the Y2 direction, the pair of first inclined surfaces 32cb guide the pair of engaging bent portions 16e so that they move apart in the X direction. The wire spring 16 is then pulled out while elastically deforming so that the opening 16a widens. As the opening 16a widens, the pair of middle portions 16c move apart in the X direction while inclining, eventually disengaging from the groove 26 and disengaging.

[0069] After the wire spring 16 elastically deforms and the intermediate portion 16c comes out of the groove 26, the pair of spaced-apart engaging bent portions 16e come into contact with the engaged protrusions 30c. The engaged protrusions 30c are erected in the Z direction and limit the displacement of the engaged protrusions 30c, restricting the backward extension of the engaging bent portions 16e and the wire spring 16. This prevents the wire spring 16 from coming off the contact portion 14, and prevents the worker from dropping or losing the wire spring 16.

[0070] In this way, the engaging bent portion 16e is used as a means for expanding the opening 16a of the wire spring 16 by operating the release lever 50, and is also used rationally as a means for restricting withdrawal when the wire spring 16 is pulled out to the Y2 side with a tool. However, if the wire spring 16 is not expected to be pulled out with a tool, for example, if the notch 33b for inserting a tool is not formed, the engaged protruding portion 30c may be omitted.

[0071] The release lever 50 and the guide portion 40 are provided on only one surface of the case 32 having a rectangular cross section, and there is little change in design compared to conventional products.

[0072] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can of course be freely modified within the scope of the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 10 Operation switch 12 Control section 14 Contact point 16 Wire spring 16a opening 16b Proximal end 16c middle part 16d Tip 16e Engagement bend 22 Buttons (operators) 24 Torso 24b D-cut surface 24c groove forming protrusion 26 Groove 29 Contact unit 29a terminal 30 Holder 32 cases 32cb First inclined surface (guide inclined surface) 33 Mounting hole 40 Guide section 42 First guide section 42a Pillar 42b Bridge 42ba top 42bb bottom 42c guide gap 42e Slide Space 44 Second guide section 44a Guide groove 44b Guide arm 50 Release lever 52 Cross member 52a Operation surface 52b Cam part 52ba cam surface 54 Vertical members 56 Convex part

Claims

1. an operating section having an operator attached to a surface of a panel, a body protruding from the operator to a rear side of the panel through a panel hole, and a pair of grooves formed at opposite positions on a circumferential surface of the body; a contact portion that is detachable from the operating portion and has an attachment hole into which the body portion is inserted and one or more contacts whose terminal connection state is switched in response to operation of the operating element; a substantially C-shaped wire spring, a portion of which fits into the groove to fix the operation portion and the contact portion; a release lever provided with a cam portion that is movable forward and backward relative to the substantially C-shaped opening of the wire spring and that has an inclination such that the distance between cam surfaces on both sides narrows toward the forward direction; and The operating surface of the release lever is manually pushed in the direction of entry, and the release lever enters the opening, causing the cam surface of the cam portion to push the pair of tip ends of the wire spring apart from each other. An operating switch characterized by:

2. the wire spring includes a pair of engaging portions at the tip ends that are bent toward the insertion direction, The contact portion is a pair of inclined guide surfaces that guide the pair of engaging portions so as to move them apart from each other when both ends of the wire spring are pushed apart by the cam surfaces; a pair of engaged portions that restrict the withdrawal of the wire spring by abutting against the pair of engaging portions that are spaced apart from each other after the wire spring is elastically deformed and removed from the groove; Equipped with 2. The operating switch according to claim 1.

3. The release lever is supported so as to be displaceable along the direction in which the operation portion and the contact portion are attached and detached, and a guide portion is provided to prevent the release lever from slipping out in the backward direction.

3. The operating switch according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the wire spring has a pair of engaging portions at the tip ends that are bent toward the insertion direction, the guide portion has a stopper that limits displacement of the release lever in the insertion direction, When the release lever advances, the cam surface abuts against the arc-shaped bent portion of the engagement portion and pushes it apart, and the cam surface abuts against the bent portion until displacement is limited by the stopper.

4. The operating switch according to claim 3.

5. The operation surface is inclined so as to approach the front side in the approach direction as seen from the operator.

3. The operating switch according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The wire spring is a linear base end portion; A pair of intermediate portions bent and extending linearly from both ends of the base end portion; tip portions bent from the tips of the pair of intermediate portions to form both ends of a substantially C-shaped opening; Equipped with 3. The operating switch according to claim 1 or 2.

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