Switch module, switch, and switching device

Abstract

To reduce the size of an outer handle while reducing the allowance of the outer handle.SOLUTION: A body 2 of a switch module 1 houses a contact. A middle handle 7 is held by the body 2 in a rotatable state about a first rotation axis parallel to a second direction. The second direction is orthogonal to a first direction in which a pushing force is applied to an outer handle attached to the middle handle 7. A reverse handle 4 is attached to the middle handle 7 so as to be rotatable about a second rotation axis parallel to the second direction. A slide member 9 is slidable along a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction by being pressed by a protrusion 71 of the middle handle 7. When the inversion handle 4 is rotated by being pushed by the slide member 9, the contact portion is opened or closed. At least a part of the middle handle 7 is disposed in an opening 22c provided on a surface of the device body 2 facing the outer handle. At least a portion of the reversing handle 4 is arranged between two side walls 72 of the middle handle 7.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a switch module, a switch, and a switch device, and more particularly to a switch module, a switch, and a switch device in which a contact portion is opened or closed by operating an operating handle. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a terminal device including a device main body and a switch block having a movable contact and a fixed contact.

[0003] The device main body is composed of a body, a cover, a reversing handle, and a handle cover. The body is formed in a box shape with an open front, and a switch block is disposed inside the body. The cover is attached to the front side of the body. An opening is provided on the front of the cover for attaching a reversing handle for turning the switch block on and off. A pair of support parts are provided on the front of the cover, facing each other across the opening, and bearing parts are provided on the opposing surfaces of the pair of support parts for supporting the reversing handle so that it can swing freely. The handle cover is attached to cover the reversing handle, and swings integrally with the reversing handle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-323936 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the switch described in Patent Document 1, if the handle cover is enlarged, and the amount of rotation (angle) of the handle cover to close or open the movable contact and the fixed contact is the same, the handle cover (outer handle) will protrude more, which will detract from the aesthetic appearance.

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a switch module, a switch, and a switch device that can be made smaller while reducing the protrusion of the outer handle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A switch module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a housing, a center handle, a reversing handle, and a sliding member. The housing houses a contact unit including a fixed contact and a movable contact. An outer handle, to which a pressing force is applied by an operator, can be attached to the center handle. The center handle is held in the housing so as to be rotatable about a first rotation axis parallel to a second direction. The second direction is a direction perpendicular to the first direction in which the pressing force is applied to the outer handle. The reversing handle is attached to the center handle so as to be rotatable about a second rotation axis parallel to the second direction. The sliding member is slidable along a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions by being pressed by a protrusion provided on the center handle. The reversing handle is rotated by being pressed by the sliding member sliding along the third direction, and the contact unit opens or closes in response to the rotation of the reversing handle. At least a portion of the center handle is disposed in an opening provided on a surface of the housing facing the outer handle. At least a portion of the reversing handle is disposed between two side walls of the central handle that protrude toward the body from both sides in the second direction.

[0008] A switch according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes the switch module and the outer handle attached to the inner handle.

[0009] A switch device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes the switch and a mounting frame that holds the switch and is mountable to a construction surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present disclosure, there is provided a switch module, a switch, and a switch device that are miniaturized while reducing the protrusion margin of the outer handle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a switch module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a switch device including the switch module. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a YZ cross-sectional view of the switch module. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an XY cross-sectional view of the switch device. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of the switch module. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a side view of the main part showing the assembled state of the housing and the middle handle of the switch module. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view of the main part showing the assembled state of the center handle and the reversing handle provided in the switch module. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a YZ cross-sectional view showing the assembled state of the center handle and the reversing handle. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an XY cross-sectional view showing a state in which the central handle to which the reversing handle is attached is held by a jig. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship between a first rotation shaft of a middle handle and a second rotation shaft of a reversing handle included in a switch module of a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Switch modules, switches, and switch devices according to embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the figures described in the following embodiments are schematic diagrams, and the dimensional ratios of the sizes of the components do not necessarily reflect the actual dimensional ratios. Furthermore, the configurations described in the following embodiments are merely examples of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments, and various modifications are possible depending on the design, etc., as long as the effects of the present disclosure can be achieved.

[0013] (Embodiment) (1) Overview An overview of a switch module 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9 and the like. In this embodiment, when a switch device 100 including the switch module 1 is installed on a construction surface such as a wall, a direction perpendicular (orthogonal) to a horizontal plane will be referred to as the "up-down direction" (Z-axis direction in FIG. 2), and the upward direction (positive direction in the Z-axis direction) when viewing the switch device 100 from the front will be referred to as the "upward direction." Furthermore, a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and parallel to the surface of the wall (X-axis direction in FIG. 2) will be referred to as the "left-right direction." When viewing the switch device 100 from the front, the rightward direction (positive direction in the X-axis direction) will be referred to as the "rightward direction," and the leftward direction will be referred to as the "leftward direction." Furthermore, a direction perpendicular to both the up-down direction and the left-right direction, i.e., a direction perpendicular to the surface of the wall, will be referred to as the "front-rear direction" (Y-axis direction in FIG. 2), and the back side of the wall (the back side of the wall) will be referred to as the "rearward direction," and the surface side of the wall (positive direction in the Y-axis direction) will be referred to as the "forward direction." In the following description, the front-rear direction, the up-down direction, and the left-right direction may be referred to as the first direction DR1, the second direction DR2, and the third direction DR3, respectively. Note that the arrows indicating the respective directions in the drawings are merely shown for the purpose of explanation and do not have any substance.

[0014] The switch module 1 includes a body 2, a center handle 7, a reversing handle 4, and a slide member 9 (see FIGS. 1 to 4).

[0015] The housing 2 accommodates a contact portion 3 including a fixed contact 3a and a movable contact 3b.

[0016] The inner handle 7 can be attached to the outer handle 6 (see FIGS. 2 and 4), to which a pushing force is applied by an operator. The inner handle 7 is held in the body 2 in a state in which it can rotate around a first rotation axis Ax1 (see FIGS. 3 and 6) that is parallel to a second direction DR2. The second direction DR2 is perpendicular to the first direction DR1 in which a pushing force is applied to the outer handle 6.

[0017] The reversing handle 4 is attached to the middle handle 7 in a state where it can rotate about a second rotation axis Ax2 (see FIGS. 3 and 7) that is parallel to the second direction DR2.

[0018] The slide member 9 is slidably moved along a third direction DR3 that is perpendicular to the first direction DR1 and the second direction DR2 when pressed by a protrusion 71 provided on the middle handle 7.

[0019] The reversing handle 4 is pushed by the sliding member 9 that slides along the third direction DR3, causing the reversing handle 4 to rotate, and the contact portion 3 opens or closes in response to the rotation of the reversing handle 4.

[0020] At least a part of the inner handle 7 is disposed in an opening 22c provided on the surface of the body 2 facing the outer handle 6.

[0021] In the middle handle 7, at least a part of the reversing handle 4 is disposed between two side walls 72 that protrude toward the body 2 from both sides in the second direction DR2.

[0022] Here, two directions being "orthogonal" does not necessarily mean that the two directions intersect at a right angle, but may also mean that the two directions are slightly offset from 90 degrees (for example, by a few degrees, specifically about ±10 degrees). Furthermore, two directions being "parallel" does not necessarily mean that the two directions on the same plane do not intersect, but may also include a state in which the two directions on the same plane intersect at an angle of a few degrees, specifically about ±10 degrees.

[0023] In the above configuration, an opening 22c is provided on the surface of the housing 2 facing the outer handle 6, and at least a portion of the middle handle 7 is disposed in this opening 22c. At least a portion of the reversing handle 4 is disposed between two side walls 72 provided on the middle handle 7. By adopting the above configuration, the switch module 1 of this embodiment has the middle handle 7 disposed inside the housing 2, and the reversing handle 4 disposed inside the middle handle 7.

[0024] According to the above configuration, when the outer handle 6 is pressed to rotate the inner handle 7, to which the outer handle 6 is attached, about the first rotation axis Ax1, the slide member 9 is pushed by the protrusion 71 of the inner handle 7 and slides along the third direction DR3. The sliding member 9 then pushes the reversing handle 4, rotating the reversing handle 4 about the second rotation axis Ax2 and opening or closing the contact unit 3. Here, because the movement of the outer handle 6 is transmitted to the reversing handle 4 via the slide member 9, the amount of rotation of the outer handle 6 required to rotate the reversing handle 4 from the position where the reversing handle 4 is open to the position where the contact unit 3 is closed can be made smaller than when the slide member 9 is not present. Furthermore, the amount of rotation of the outer handle 6 required to rotate the reversing handle 4 from the position where the reversing handle 4 is closed to the position where the contact unit 3 is open can be made smaller than when the slide member 9 is not present. Therefore, compared to when the slide member 9 is not present, the amount of rotation of the outer handle 6 can be reduced, which has the advantage that even if the outer handle 6 is enlarged, the protruding margin of the end of the outer handle 6 can be reduced. Furthermore, with at least a portion of the reversing handle 4 disposed between the two side walls 72, at least a portion of the middle handle 7 is disposed in the opening 22c of the housing 2. Therefore, for a given size of the housing 2, the external dimensions of the switch module 1 can be made smaller than when the middle handle 7 is attached to the outside of the reversing handle 4 disposed in the opening 22c of the housing 2. Therefore, it is possible to provide a switch module 1 that can be made smaller while reducing the protruding margin of the outer handle 6.

[0025] The switch 10 of this embodiment includes the switch module 1 and an outer handle 6. The outer handle 6 is attached to the inner handle 7.

[0026] According to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a switch 10 including a switch module 1 that can be made compact while reducing the protrusion margin of the outer handle 6.

[0027] The switch device 100 of this embodiment also includes a switch 10 and a mounting frame 8 that holds the switch 10 and can be mounted on an installation surface.

[0028] According to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a switch device 100 including a switch module 1 that can be made compact while reducing the protrusion margin of the outer handle 6.

[0029] (2)Details The switch module 1, the switch 10 including the switch module 1, and the switch device 100 including the switch 10 according to the embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS.

[0030] (2.1) Switch configuration The configuration of the switch 10 will now be described.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the switch 10 according to this embodiment includes a switch module 1 and an outer handle 6. As described above, the switch module 1 also includes the housing 2, the central handle 7, the reversing handle 4, and the slide member 9. The outer handle 6 and the central handle 7 form an operating handle 5. The operating handle 5 rotates (swings) within a predetermined angle range around a first rotation axis Ax1 in response to operation by the operator. The outer handle 6 has an operating surface 61 that accepts operation by the operator. The outer handle 6 can be attached to the opposite side of the central handle 7 from the reversing handle 4, that is, in front of the central handle 7. When the outer handle 6 is attached to the central handle 7, the outer handle 6 and the central handle 7 swing together.

[0032] 1, 3, and 4, the switch module 1 includes a body 2, a contact unit 3, a reversing handle 4, a middle handle 7, a sliding member 9, and a coil spring 49. The switch module 1 of this embodiment further includes pillar terminals PC1 and PC2.

[0033] The housing 2 is an outer shell that houses the contact unit 3, the reversing handle 4, the slide member 9, and the pillar terminals PC1 and PC2. The housing 2 has a rectangular box-shaped body 21 made of synthetic resin with an open front, and a synthetic resin cover 22 joined to the front side of the body 21.

[0034] The body 21 has a plurality of (for example, four) assembly protrusions 21a. The assembly protrusions 21a are provided on the outer surfaces of two side walls that face each other in the short-side direction (vertical direction) of the body 21, spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the body 21.

[0035] The cover 22 has a plurality of (for example, four) assembly tongues 22a that protrude rearward from the rear end of the cover 22.

[0036] The assembly holes 22b provided in the four assembly tongues 22a are fitted into the four assembly projections 21a of the body 21, whereby the body 21 and the cover 22 are joined together.

[0037] The body 21 accommodates the contact portion 3 and pillar terminals PC1 and PC2. More specifically, the body 21 is provided with an accommodation chamber 23a in the center in the left-right direction to accommodate the contact portion 3. The body 21 also has an accommodation chamber 23b on the right side of the accommodation chamber 23a to accommodate the pillar terminal PC1, and an accommodation chamber 23c on the left side of the accommodation chamber 23a to accommodate the pillar terminal PC2. The accommodation chambers 23b and 23c are provided with wire insertion holes 24 (see FIG. 4) at the bottoms (rear wall of the body 21) to insert wires connected to the pillar terminals PC1 and PC2 into the body 21.

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the contact unit 3 includes a fixed contact 3a and a movable contact 3b. The fixed contact 3a is provided on a fixed contact member 31. The movable contact 3b is provided on a movable contact plate 33. The fixed contact member 31 is formed, for example, by bending a metal plate. The movable contact plate 33 has a rectangular plate shape, and a protrusion 34 provided on the front end of the movable contact plate 33 is inserted into a coil spring 49. V-shaped grooves 25 (see FIG. 4) are provided on the upper and lower inner walls of the body 21, into which the rear end of the movable contact plate 33 is inserted. When the orientation of the coil spring 49 changes in response to the rotation of the reversing handle 4, the movable contact plate 33 swings around its rear end as a fulcrum. Here, the movable contact plate 33 can swing between a position where the movable contact 3b contacts the fixed contact 3a (a position where the contact unit 3 is closed) and a position where the movable contact 3b is separated from the fixed contact 3a (a position where the contact unit 3 is opened). In other words, the movable contact plate 33 swings in response to the rotation of the reversing handle 4, thereby closing or opening the contact unit 3.

[0039] The pillar terminal PC1 includes a cylindrical body L1 formed by bending a metal sheet into a cylindrical shape and a screw terminal Sc1 screwed into a screw hole provided in the cylindrical body L1. When the pillar terminal PC1 is housed in the accommodation chamber 23b, one opening of the cylindrical body L1 faces an electric wire insertion hole provided in the rear wall of the body 21, and the screw terminal Sc1 screwed into the cylindrical body L1 is exposed from the right side surface of the body 21. A rectangular wire connection portion 32 provided on a fixed contact member 31 is inserted inside the cylindrical body L1. The conductor portion of an electric wire inserted through the electric wire insertion hole 24 is inserted between the threaded portion of the screw terminal Sc1 screwed into the cylindrical body L1 and the wire connection portion 32. With the conductor portion of the electric wire inserted between the threaded portion of the screw terminal Sc1 and the wire connection portion 32, the electric wire and the fixed contact member 31 are electrically connected by screwing in the screw terminal Sc1.

[0040] Like the pillar terminal PC1, the pillar terminal PC2 includes a cylindrical body L2 formed by bending a metal sheet into a cylindrical shape and a screw terminal Sc2 screwed into a screw hole provided in the cylindrical body L2. When the pillar terminal PC2 is housed in the accommodation chamber 23c, one opening of the cylindrical body L2 faces an electric wire insertion hole provided in the rear wall of the body 21, and the screw terminal Sc2 screwed into the cylindrical body L2 is exposed from the left side surface of the body 21. A first piece 36 of a conductive plate 35 bent into an L shape is inserted inside the cylindrical body L2. A second piece 37 of the conductive plate 35 is disposed along the bottom of the accommodation chamber 23a (the rear wall of the body 21). A groove 38 is formed in the second piece 37 of the conductive plate 35 and fits into the rear end of the movable contact plate 33. The movable contact plate 33 swings around the contact point with the second piece 37 as the rotation of the reversing handle 4. The conductor portion of the electric wire inserted through the electric wire insertion hole 24 is inserted between the threaded portion of the screw terminal Sc2 screwed into the cylindrical body L2 and the first piece 36 of the conductive plate 35. With the conductor portion of the electric wire inserted between the threaded portion of the screw terminal Sc2 and the first piece 36 of the conductive plate 35, the electric wire, the conductive plate 35, and the movable contact plate 33 are electrically connected by screwing in the screw terminal Sc2.

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, the cover 22 has a bottom portion 220, a pair of first wall portions 221, and a pair of second wall portions 222.

[0042] The bottom portion 220 is a plate-like portion whose thickness direction is along the front-rear direction (first direction DR1). The bottom portion 220 is disposed between the contact portion 3, which has the fixed contact 3a and the movable contact 3b, and the operating handle 5 in the front-rear direction.

[0043] The pair of first wall portions 221 protrude forward from both ends of the bottom portion 220 in the short side direction.

[0044] The pair of second wall portions 222 protrude forward from both longitudinal ends of the bottom portion 220, respectively.

[0045] In this embodiment, the bottom 220, the pair of first wall portions 221, and the pair of second wall portions 222 are integrally formed. The bottom 220, the pair of first wall portions 221, and the pair of second wall portions 222 form an opening 22c that is open forward, and at least a part of the middle handle 7, at least a part of the reversing handle 4, and the slide member 9 are disposed in this opening 22c. In other words, the pair of first wall portions 221 face each other in the up-down direction across the opening 22c in which the slide member 9 and the like are housed. Furthermore, the pair of second wall portions 222 face each other in the left-right direction across the opening 22c in which the slide member 9 and the like are housed.

[0046] A rectangular through-hole 22d is provided in the center of the bottom portion 220. A part of the reversing handle 4 (a cylindrical portion 42 described later) is inserted into the through-hole 22d of the bottom portion 220.

[0047] Each of the pair of first wall portions 221 is provided with a support portion 225 that swingably supports the middle handle 7. That is, the cover 22 has a pair of support portions 225 that face each other in the up-down direction with the opening 22c therebetween.

[0048] The pair of support portions 225 protrude forward from the front ends of the pair of first wall portions 221, respectively. When viewed from the top-bottom direction, the support portion 225 has a triangular shape in which the width in the left-right direction of the support portion 225 narrows toward the front. A groove-shaped first bearing portion 226 into which a first shaft portion 73 provided on the side wall 72 of the middle handle 7 is inserted is provided on the inner surface of each of the pair of support portions 225 (the surface facing the side wall 72 of the middle handle 7 arranged in the opening 22c). The first shaft portion 73 serving as the first rotation axis Ax1 is provided on the middle handle 7, and the device body 2 (the cover 22 in this embodiment) has the first bearing portion 226 that rotatably supports the first shaft portion 73 of the middle handle 7. The first bearing portion 226 is provided on the inner surface of the support portion 225, extending from the rear end of the cover 22 toward the front, up to near the front end of the support portion 225. The front end portion of the first bearing portion 226 is formed in a V-shape such that the groove width narrows toward the front end.

[0049] The slide member 9 is a synthetic resin molded product having a rectangular shape in a front view. The slide member 9 is housed in an opening 22c defined by the bottom 220, a pair of first wall portions 221, and a pair of second wall portions 222 of the cover 22 so as to face the operating handle 5 in the front-rear direction. More specifically, the slide member 9 is disposed behind the operating handle 5. Furthermore, the slide member 9 is disposed in the opening 22c so that its longitudinal direction is aligned with the left-right direction and its lateral direction is aligned with the up-down direction.

[0050] The slide member 9 is disposed in the opening 22c so as to be slidable in the left-right direction in response to the swinging of the operating handle 5, which swings in response to the operation of the operator.

[0051] The slide member 9 has a flat base portion 91 that is rectangular in shape when viewed from the front.

[0052] The base 91 has inclined surfaces 93 at both ends in the left-right direction, such that the width of the base 91 in the left-right direction increases toward the rear.

[0053] A square-hole-shaped through-hole 92, into which the cylindrical portion 42 of the reversing handle 4 is inserted, is provided in the center of the base 91 in the left-right direction. In this way, the slide member 9 is provided with the through-hole 92, into which the cylindrical portion 42 is inserted. When the slide member 9 slides in the third direction, the inner surface of the through-hole 92 comes into contact with the cylindrical portion 42, causing the reversing handle 4 to rotate about the second rotation axis Ax2. In other words, the cylindrical portion 42 is pressed by the inner surface of the through-hole 92, causing the reversing handle 4 to rotate about the second rotation axis Ax2.

[0054] Furthermore, locking claws 94 that hook onto stepped portions 22e (see FIG. 3) provided on the inner surface of through-hole 22d are provided in the center in the left-right direction at the rear end portions of the upper and lower side surfaces of base 91. When locking claws 94 hook onto stepped portions 22e, forward movement of slide member 9 is restricted, and slide member 9 is able to slide in the left-right direction.

[0055] The reversing handle 4 is attached to the middle handle 7 in a state where it can rotate around a second rotation axis Ax2.

[0056] As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the reversing handle 4 has a base portion 41 and a cylindrical portion .

[0057] The base 41 is a plate-shaped portion disposed between the operating handle 5 (more specifically, the middle handle 7) and the slide member 9.

[0058] The tubular portion 42 is a cylindrical portion that protrudes rearward from the center in the left-right direction of the rear surface of the base portion 41. In other words, the reversing handle 4 has the tubular portion 42 that protrudes on the side opposite to the middle handle 7.

[0059] In this embodiment, the base portion 41 and the cylindrical portion 42 are formed integrally, for example, but the base portion 41 and the cylindrical portion 42 may also be formed separately.

[0060] The base 41 is formed, for example, in the shape of a rectangular plate. The base 41 has a pair of through holes 44 arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the base 41. A pair of protrusions 76 (see FIG. 4) of the middle handle 7 is inserted into the pair of through holes 44, respectively.

[0061] 1, 3, and 4, the base 41 has a pair of second shafts 43 that serve as fulcrums for the swing of the reversing handle 4. The pair of second shafts 43 are protrusions that protrude from the center positions in the longitudinal direction of both opposing surfaces in the short direction of the base 41. The front end of each of the pair of second shafts 43 is formed in a semicircular shape.

[0062] The pair of second shafts 43 are inserted into groove-shaped second bearings 74 provided on the inner surfaces of the two side walls 72 of the middle handle 7 (surfaces facing the base 41 of the reversing handle 4). The reversing handle 4 is provided with the second shaft 43, which serves as the second rotation axis Ax2, and the middle handle 7 has a second bearing 74 that rotatably supports the second shaft 43 of the reversing handle 4. The second bearing 74 extends forward from the rear end of the side wall 72 to near the front end of the side wall 72. The front end of the second bearing 74 is curved to match the shape of the front end of the second shaft 43 (FIGS. 5 and 7). The rear end of the second bearing 74 is provided with a hook 75 that protrudes toward the reversing handle 4. As described above, the second bearing 74 includes insertion grooves provided on the inner surfaces of each of the two side walls 72 of the middle handle 7. The second shaft 43 of the reversing handle 4 is inserted into these insertion grooves. The insertion groove is provided with a hooking claw 75 that hooks onto the second shaft 43, located on the opposite side of the outer handle 6 from the second shaft 43 inserted into the insertion groove. Note that, for simplicity of illustration, the first shaft 73 is omitted in Figure 7.

[0063] When the two second shafts 43 of the reversing handle 4 are inserted into the two second bearings 74 provided on the two side walls 72, the reversing handle 4 can swing within a predetermined angle range, with the two second shafts 43 inserted into the two second bearings 74 as fulcrums. Here, the front end portions of the second shafts 43 are formed in a semicircular shape, and the front end portions of the insertion grooves that form the second bearings 74 are formed into mirror surfaces that conform to the semicircle at the front end portion of the second shafts 43. Therefore, the center of the semicircle provided at the front end portion of the second shafts 43 becomes the second rotation axis Ax2 about which the reversing handle 4 rotates. In other words, the reversing handle 4 is attached to the middle handle 7 in a state where it can rotate about the second rotation axis Ax2 that is parallel to the second direction DR2.

[0064] The cylindrical portion 42 is inserted into a through-hole 92 of the slide member 9 arranged behind the base portion 41.

[0065] 3 and 4, a first end (front end) of the coil spring 49 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 42 and fixed to the cylindrical portion 42. A second end (rear end) of the coil spring 49 is exposed from the end of the cylindrical portion 42. A protrusion 34 provided on the front end of the movable contact plate 33 is inserted into the coil spring 49 from the second end of the coil spring 49. In this manner, the first end of the coil spring 49 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 42, and a part of the movable contact plate 33 is inserted into the second end of the coil spring 49. When the reversing handle 4 is rotated, the movable contact 3b and the fixed contact 3a provided on the movable contact plate 33 are closed or opened.

[0066] The operating handle 5 is a member that swings when operated by an operator. The operating handle 5 has an outer handle 6 and a middle handle 7 located behind the outer handle 6, as shown in Figures 2 and 4.

[0067] The outer handle 6 has an operation unit 60 that is operated by an operator. The operation unit 60 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate that is significantly larger than the size of the switch module 1 when viewed from the front or rear. The operation unit 60 has an operation surface 61 that accepts operations by the operator.

[0068] Four locking hooks are provided on the rear surface of the operating unit 60, which are respectively hooked into four locking holes 77 provided in the middle handle 7. The outer handle 6 is attached to the middle handle 7 by hooking the four locking hooks into the four locking holes 77, respectively.

[0069] Furthermore, fulcrum protrusions 62 (see FIG. 2) that protrude rearward are provided in the center in the left-right direction at both the upper and lower ends of the rear surface of the operating unit 60. When the outer handle 6 is attached to the inner handle 7 of the switch module 1 attached to the mounting frame 8, the tip of the fulcrum protrusion 62 comes into contact with the mounting frame 8, so even if the operator presses the upper or lower end of the operating handle 5, the operating handle 5 can be reliably rotated in response to the operation.

[0070] Furthermore, the rear surface of the operating portion 60 is provided with two protrusions 63 (see FIG. 4) that are inserted into two jig insertion holes 78 provided in the middle handle 7, respectively.

[0071] The inner handle 7 is connected to the outer handle 6 so as to swing integrally therewith.

[0072] As shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, the middle handle 7 has a main body 70, two protrusions 71, two side walls 72, and two first shafts 73.

[0073] The main body 70 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate with the longitudinal direction extending in the left-right direction. The aforementioned locking holes 77 are provided at each of the four corners of the front surface of the main body 70. The outer handle 6 is attached to the inner handle 7 by hooking the four locking hooks of the outer handle 6 into the four locking holes 77 of the main body 70, respectively.

[0074] The rear surface of the main body 70 is provided with two protrusions 71 that protrude rearward from both ends in the left-right direction. The two protrusions 71 are formed, for example, in the shape of a rectangular plate. The two protrusions 71 have the same length in the front-to-rear direction (i.e., the amount of protrusion from the main body 70). In addition, two side walls 72 that protrude rearward are provided from both ends in the up-down direction of the main body 70. The two side walls 72 face each other in the up-down direction. In addition, the rear surface of the main body 70 is provided with two protrusions 76 that are inserted into two through holes 44 provided in the reversing handle 4, respectively.

[0075] 4, the tip (rear end) of the protrusion 71 on the right side is in contact with the inclined surface 93 on the right side of the slide member 9. Also, the tip (rear end) of the protrusion 71 on the left side is in contact with the inclined surface 93 on the left side of the slide member 9.

[0076] A groove-shaped second bearing portion 74 into which the second shaft portion 43 is inserted is provided on the inner surface of the side wall 72. A hooking claw 75 is provided at the rear end of the second bearing portion 74. Therefore, when the second shaft portion 43 of the reversing handle 4 is inserted into the second bearing portion 74 provided on the inner surface of the side wall 72, the hooking claw 75 gets caught on the second shaft portion 43, and the reversing handle 4 is temporarily held to the intermediate handle 7. Therefore, when the intermediate handle 7 with the reversing handle 4 temporarily held therein is assembled into the body 2 (specifically, into the opening 22c of the cover 22), the reversing handle 4 is less likely to come off the intermediate handle 7, which has the advantage of improving assembly workability.

[0077] A first shaft 73 having a triangular shape in a side view is provided on the outer surface of the side wall 72. The first shaft 73 is provided in the center of the intermediate handle 7 in the left-right direction. The front end of the first shaft 73 is arc-shaped when viewed from the top-bottom direction, and the center of the arc at the front end of the first shaft 73 is the first rotation axis Ax1, which is the center of rotation of the intermediate handle 7. When the first shaft 73 of the intermediate handle 7 is inserted into the first bearing 226 of the support part 225, the intermediate handle 7 can swing within a predetermined angle range relative to the cover 22, with the first shaft 73 inserted into the first bearing 226 as a fulcrum. This allows the outer handle 6 connected to the intermediate handle 7 to swing integrally with the intermediate handle 7 relative to the cover 22. In this embodiment, the first shaft 73 and the second shaft 43 are in the same position when viewed from the second direction. In addition, when viewed from the second direction, the first shaft portion 73 and the second shaft portion 43 being in the same position does not necessarily mean that the first shaft portion 73 and the second shaft portion 43 are in exactly the same position, and there may be a positional deviation between the first shaft portion 73 and the second shaft portion 43 that can be considered a manufacturing error.

[0078] 4, the pair of protrusions 76 protrude from the rear surface of the main body 70 along a direction intersecting the operation surface 61. More specifically, the pair of protrusions 76 protrude from the main body 70 in a direction toward the slide member 9. The pair of protrusions 76 are provided so as to be located between the pair of protrusions 71.

[0079] The pair of protrusions 76 are inserted into a pair of through holes 44 provided in the base 41 of the reversing handle 4, respectively. This improves workability when assembling the switch module 1. That is, a worker assembling the switch module 1 can easily assemble the middle handle 7 to the reversing handle 4 using the pair of through holes 44 as a guide.

[0080] The length of the pair of protrusions 76 in the protruding direction is shorter than the length of the pair of projections 71 in the protruding direction, and the tips of the pair of protrusions 76 do not come into contact with the slide member 9 arranged behind the base 41.

[0081] Furthermore, the intermediate handle 7 is provided with a plurality of jig insertion holes 78 at positions overlapping with the reversing handle 4 when viewed from the second direction, and the plurality of jig insertion holes 78 are aligned in the third direction DR3. Here, in this embodiment, the plurality of jig insertion holes 78 include two jig insertion holes 78 provided on both sides of the first rotation axis Ax1 in the third direction. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9 , the main body 70 of the intermediate handle 7 is provided with two jig insertion holes 78 spaced apart in the left-right direction (third direction DR3), into which protrusions 501 and 502 at the tip of a jig 500 are inserted. The jig 500 is provided in an automatic assembly machine that grips the intermediate handle 7 to which the reversing handle 4 is attached and assembles it into the cover 22. When the jig 500 grips the middle handle 7 to which the reversing handle 4 is attached, if the rotation of the reversing handle 4 relative to the middle handle 7 is not restricted, it becomes difficult to align the coil spring 49 fixed to the reversing handle 4 with the protrusion 34 of the movable contact plate 33. In this embodiment, when the jig 500 grips the middle handle 7 to which the reversing handle 4 is attached, two protrusions 501 and 502 provided at the tip of the jig 500 are inserted into the two jig insertion holes 78 and come into contact with the front end of the reversing handle 4. Here, because the length of the left protrusion 501 is longer than the length of the right protrusion 502, when the protrusions 501 and 502 come into contact with the front end of the reversing handle 4, the reversing handle 4 is positioned in a state rotated counterclockwise around the second rotation axis Ax2. Therefore, when the jig 500 grips the middle handle 7 to which the reversing handle 4 is attached, the rotation of the reversing handle 4 relative to the middle handle 7 is restricted, which makes it easier to align the coil spring 49 fixed to the reversing handle 4 with the protrusion 34 of the movable contact plate 33. This has the advantage that the middle handle 7 to which the reversing handle 4 is attached can be easily gripped by the jig 500 of an automatic assembly machine and assembled into the cover 22.

[0082] Here, in the present embodiment, since a plurality of jig insertion holes 78 are arranged side by side in the third direction DR3, the rotation of the inverting handle 4 can be more reliably restricted compared to restricting the rotation of the inverting handle 4 by contacting the protrusion of the jig 500 inserted into one jig insertion hole 78 with the inverting handle 4. Furthermore, when restricting the rotation of the inverting handle 4 with the protrusion of the jig 500 inserted into one jig insertion hole 78, the size of the protrusion that contacts the inverting handle 4 needs to be increased. Therefore, increasing the size of the jig insertion hole 78 may reduce the strength of the middle handle 7. In the present embodiment, since a plurality of jig insertion holes 78 are arranged side by side in the third direction DR3, the size of each of the plurality of jig insertion holes 78 can be reduced compared to providing only one jig insertion hole 78, which has the advantage of suppressing a decrease in the strength of the middle handle 7.

[0083] In addition, in this embodiment, two jig insertion holes 78 are provided on both sides of the first rotation axis Ax1 in the third direction, so that the rotation of the reversing handle 4 relative to the middle handle 7 can be restricted whether the reversing handle 4 attempts to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise around the second rotation axis Ax2.

[0084] Furthermore, when the outer handle 6 is attached to the intermediate handle 7, the two protrusions 63 of the outer handle 6 are inserted into the two jig insertion holes 78 of the intermediate handle 7, which has the advantage of making it less likely for the outer handle 6 to become misaligned with respect to the intermediate handle 7.

[0085] (2.2) Switch device configuration Next, a switch device 100 including the switch 10 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0086] The switch device 100 according to this embodiment includes a switch 10 and a mounting frame 8 that holds the switch 10 and can be mounted on an installation surface.

[0087] The mounting frame 8 is formed into a rectangular frame shape using synthetic resin or a metal plate. A rectangular window hole 81 is formed in the mounting frame 8, to which the switch module 1 is attached. The mounting frame 8 includes a pair of first beam portions 82 and a pair of second beam portions 83. The pair of first beam portions 82 face each other in the up-down direction, sandwiching the window hole 81 therebetween. The pair of second beam portions 83 face each other in the left-right direction, sandwiching the window hole 81 therebetween.

[0088] Each of the pair of first beam portions 82 is provided with an insertion hole 84 into which a screw (not shown) for fixing the first beam portion 82 to the construction surface is inserted.

[0089] Each of the pair of second beam portions 83 is provided with an insertion hole 85 into which a screw (not shown) for fixing the second beam portion 83 to the construction surface is inserted.

[0090] Furthermore, a plurality of (for example, four) fitting grooves 86 are provided in the up-down direction on each of the pair of second beam portions 83. The distance between two adjacent fitting grooves 86 is formed to be the same as the distance between two mounting claws 22f provided on each of the left and right side surfaces of the switch module 1 (cover 22).

[0091] Two mounting claws 22f provided on the left side surface of the cover 22 engage with fitting grooves 86 provided in the left second beam portion 83. Two mounting claws 22f provided on the right side surface of the cover 22 engage with fitting grooves 86 provided in the right second beam portion 83. In this way, the switch module 1 is held in the mounting frame 8.

[0092] The outer handle 6 is attached from the front to the inner handle 7 of the switch module 1 which is held by the mounting frame 8. In this way, the inner handle 7 and the outer handle 6 form the operating handle 5.

[0093] In this way, the mounting frame 8 can be mounted on a construction surface while holding the switch 10 in a state in which the operating handle 5 can be operated from the front.

[0094] (2.3) Explanation of the operation of the switch device The following describes the operation of the switch device 100. In the following description, it is assumed that the initial state is a state in which the fixed contact 3a and the movable contact 3b are in contact with each other, that is, the contact unit 3 is in a closed state, as shown in FIG.

[0095] In the initial state where the contact unit 3 is closed, the movable contact plate 33 is tilted to the right, with the contact position (groove 38) with the second piece 37 of the conductive plate 35 as the fulcrum. At this time, the coil spring 49 into which the protrusion 34 of the movable contact plate 33 is inserted and the reversing handle 4 into which the coil spring 49 is inserted are rotated counterclockwise around the second rotation axis Ax2.

[0096] Furthermore, in the initial state, the slide member 9 through which the cylindrical portion 42 of the reversing handle 4 is inserted is positioned to the right within the opening 22c. As a result, the contact position between the left protrusion 71 and the left inclined surface 93 of the slide member 9 is located further rearward than the contact position between the right protrusion 71 and the right inclined surface 93 of the slide member 9. In other words, in the initial state, the operating handle 5 rotates counterclockwise around the first rotation axis Ax1, and the right end of the operating handle 5 is located forward compared to the left end of the operating handle 5.

[0097] When the operator presses the right end of the operating handle 5 rearward, the operating handle 5 rotates (swings) clockwise around the first rotation axis Ax1.

[0098] In the initial state, the right protrusion 71 contacts the right inclined surface 93 of the slide member 9, and the left protrusion 71 contacts the left inclined surface 93 of the slide member 9. Therefore, when the operating handle 5 rotates clockwise around the first rotation axis Ax1, the right protrusion 71 presses the right inclined surface 93 of the slide member 9, causing the slide member 9 to slide leftward. When the slide member 9 moves leftward, a leftward force is applied from the slide member 9 to the cylindrical portion 42 of the reversing handle 4. This causes the reversing handle 4 to rotate (swing) clockwise around the second rotation axis Ax2.

[0099] As the reversing handle 4 swings clockwise, the rear end of the coil spring 49 inserted inside the cylindrical portion 42 of the reversing handle 4 moves to the left. Here, because the protrusion 34 of the movable contact plate 33 is inserted into the rear end of the coil spring 49, the movable contact plate 33 rotates counterclockwise around the contact position with the second piece 37 of the conductive plate 35 as a fulcrum. As a result, the movable contact 3b moves to a position away from the fixed contact 3a. In other words, the contact unit 3 is in an open state.

[0100] In the open-contact state, the slide member 9 through which the cylindrical portion 42 of the reversing handle 4 is inserted is positioned to the left side within the opening 22c. As a result, the contact position between the left-side protrusion 71 and the left-side inclined surface 93 of the slide member 9 is positioned further forward than the contact position between the right-side protrusion 71 and the right-side inclined surface 93 of the slide member 9. In other words, in the open-contact state, the left end of the operating handle 5 is positioned further forward than the right end of the operating handle 5.

[0101] Furthermore, when the operator presses the left end of the operating handle 5 rearward in the open contact state, the operating handle 5 rotates (swings) counterclockwise around the first rotation axis Ax1.

[0102] In the open-contact state, the left protrusion 71 contacts the left inclined surface 93 of the sliding member 9, and the right protrusion 71 contacts the right inclined surface 93 of the sliding member 9. Therefore, when the operating handle 5 rotates counterclockwise around the first rotation axis Ax1, the left protrusion 71 presses the left inclined surface 93 of the sliding member 9, causing the sliding member 9 to slide to the right. When the sliding member 9 moves to the right, a rightward force is applied from the sliding member 9 to the cylindrical portion 42 of the reversing handle 4. This causes the reversing handle 4 to rotate (swing) counterclockwise around the second rotation axis Ax2.

[0103] As the reversing handle 4 swings counterclockwise, the rear end of the coil spring 49 inserted inside the cylindrical portion 42 of the reversing handle 4 moves to the right. Here, the protrusion 34 of the movable contact plate 33 is inserted into the rear end of the coil spring 49, so the movable contact plate 33 rotates clockwise around the contact position with the second piece 37 of the conductive plate 35 as a fulcrum. As a result, the movable contact 3b moves to a position where it contacts the fixed contact 3a. In other words, the contact unit 3 is in a closed state.

[0104] In the closed state, the slide member 9 through which the cylindrical portion 42 of the reversing handle 4 is inserted is positioned to the right within the opening 22c. As a result, the contact position between the right protrusion 71 and the right inclined surface 93 of the slide member 9 is positioned further forward than the contact position between the left protrusion 71 and the left inclined surface 93 of the slide member 9. In other words, in the closed state, the right end of the operating handle 5 is positioned further forward than the left end of the operating handle 5.

[0105] In this embodiment, the first shaft 73 that serves as the first rotation axis Ax1 of the central handle 7 and the second shaft 43 that serves as the second rotation axis Ax2 of the reversing handle 4 are provided separately, so the angular range over which the reversing handle 4 swings can be set to a different angular range from the angular range over which the central handle 7 swings. Furthermore, by rotating the reversing handle 4 with the slide member 9 pressed by the central handle 7, the angular range over which the reversing handle 4 swings can be made larger than the angular range over which the central handle 7 swings. Conversely, since the angular range over which the central handle 7 swings can be made smaller than the angular range over which the reversing handle 4 swings, there is an advantage in that by reducing the angular range over which the operating handle 5 swings, the protrusion of the operating handle 5 from the wall surface can be made smaller.

[0106] In this embodiment, the first shaft 73 and the second shaft 43 are at the same position when viewed from the second direction DR2, so the first rotation axis Ax1 and the second rotation axis Ax2 are aligned when viewed from the second direction DR2. Therefore, even when the middle handle 7 rotates, the second rotation axis Ax2, which is the center of rotation of the reversing handle 4, does not move, which has the advantage of making it easier to design the movement of the reversing handle 4 compared to when the second rotation axis Ax2 moves in response to the rotation of the middle handle 7. Another advantage is that the overall length of the switch module 1 in the first direction DR1 can be made shorter compared to when the second shaft 43 is located on the opposite side of the first shaft 73 from the housing 2.

[0107] (3) Variations The above embodiment is merely one of various embodiments of the present disclosure, and various modifications can be made to the above embodiment depending on the design and the like as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved.

[0108] Modifications of the above embodiment are listed below. The modifications described below can be applied in appropriate combinations.

[0109] In the above embodiment, the switch module 1 is attached to a wall or the like so that the second direction DR2 is the up-down direction and the third direction DR3 is the left-right direction, but the direction in which the switch 10 is attached can be changed as appropriate. For example, the switch module 1 may be attached to a wall or the like so that the second direction DR2 is the left-right direction and the third direction DR3 is the up-down direction.

[0110] The outer handle 6 and the inner handle 7 may be integrally formed. In other words, the functions of the outer handle 6 and the inner handle 7 in the above embodiment may be realized by a single member.

[0111] The switch 10 is not limited to a single-pole switch, but may be a double-pole switch, a three-way switch, a four-way switch, or the like.

[0112] In the above embodiment, one switch module 1 is attached to the mounting frame 8, but multiple (for example, two) switch modules 1 may be attached to the mounting frame 8. When two switch modules 1 are attached to the mounting frame 8, the vertical dimension of the outer handle 6 is approximately half of the vertical dimension of the outer handle 6 shown in FIG.

[0113] In the above embodiment, the first shaft 73 and the second shaft 43 were in the same position when viewed from the second direction DR2, but the positional relationship between the first shaft 73 and the second shaft 43 can be changed as appropriate. The second shaft 43 may be in a position different from the first shaft 73 when viewed from the second direction DR2. In this case, the second rotation axis Ax2, which is the rotation center of the reversing handle 4, moves in accordance with the rotation of the middle handle 7, so the behavior of the reversing handle 4 can be changed compared to when the first shaft 73 and the second shaft 43 are in the same position.

[0114] For example, as shown by the solid line in Fig. 10, the second rotation axis Ax2 made up of the second shaft portion 43 may be located rearward compared to the first rotation axis Ax1 made up of the first shaft portion 73 when viewed from the second direction DR2. Note that, for the sake of simplicity, Fig. 10 shows the cover 22 and the reversing handle 4 in a schematic manner, and does not show the middle handle 7 that rotates around the first rotation axis Ax1.

[0115] In this case, when the operator presses the left end of the operating handle 5 in the open state to rotate the middle handle 7 counterclockwise around the first rotation axis Ax1, the second bearing 74 provided on the middle handle 7 moves to the right. When the second bearing 74 moves to the right, the second rotation axis Ax2 moves to the right (toward the fixed contact 3a), so the amount of rotation of the reversing handle 4 to bring the movable contact 3b into contact with the fixed contact 3a can be reduced. This has the advantage that the amount by which the operating handle 5 is pressed to switch from the open state to the closed state, i.e., the angle by which the operating handle 5 is rotated, can be reduced. The same applies when switching from the closed state to the open state; the amount by which the operating handle 5 is pressed to switch from the open state to the closed state, i.e., the angle by which the operating handle 5 is rotated, can be reduced.

[0116] Furthermore, as shown by the dotted line in Figure 10, the second rotation axis Ax2 consisting of the second shaft portion 43 may be located forward compared to the first rotation axis Ax1 consisting of the first shaft portion 73 when viewed from the second direction DR2.

[0117] In this case, when the operator presses the left end of the operating handle 5 in the open state to rotate the middle handle 7 counterclockwise around the first rotation axis Ax1, the second bearing 74 provided on the middle handle 7 moves to the left. When the second bearing 74 moves to the left, the second rotation axis Ax2 moves to the left (away from the fixed contact 3a). Therefore, the amount of rotation of the reversing handle 4 to bring the movable contact 3b into contact with the fixed contact 3a can be increased, and the slide member 9 and other components can be designed to match the behavior of the reversing handle 4. The same applies when switching from the closed state to the open state; the amount of rotation of the reversing handle 4 to switch from the open state to the closed state can be increased, and the slide member 9 and other components can be designed to match the behavior of the reversing handle 4.

[0118] (summary) The above-described embodiments and the like disclose the following aspects.

[0119] The switch module (1) of the first aspect includes a housing (2), a middle handle (7), a reversing handle (4), and a slide member (9). The housing (2) houses a contact unit (3) including a fixed contact (3a) and a movable contact (3b). The middle handle (7) can be attached to an outer handle (6) to which a pushing force is applied by an operator. The middle handle (7) is held in the housing (2) in a state in which it can rotate about a first rotation axis (Ax1) parallel to a second direction (DR2). The second direction (DR2) is a direction perpendicular to the first direction (DR1) in which a pushing force is applied to the outer handle (6). The reversing handle (4) is attached to the middle handle (7) in a state in which it can rotate about the second rotation axis (Ax2) parallel to the second direction (DR2). The slide member (9) is pushed by a protrusion (71) provided on the middle handle (7) to slide along a third direction (DR3) perpendicular to the first direction (DR1) and the second direction (DR2). The reversing handle (4) is pushed by the slide member (9) sliding along the third direction (DR3), causing the reversing handle (4) to rotate, and the contact portion (3) opens or closes depending on the rotation of the reversing handle (4). At least a portion of the middle handle (7) is disposed in an opening (22c) provided on the surface of the body (2) facing the outer handle (6). At least a portion of the reversing handle (4) is disposed between two side walls (72) of the middle handle (7) protruding from both sides in the second direction (DR2) toward the body (2).

[0120] According to this embodiment, the amount of rotation of the outer handle 6 can be reduced compared to when the slide member 9 is not provided. Therefore, even if the outer handle 6 is enlarged, the protruding margin of the end of the outer handle 6 can be reduced. Furthermore, with at least a portion of the reversing handle 4 disposed between the two side walls 72, at least a portion of the middle handle 7 is disposed in the opening 22c of the housing 2. Therefore, for a given size of the housing 2, the outer dimensions of the switch module 1 can be reduced compared to when the middle handle 7 is attached to the outside of the reversing handle 4 disposed in the opening 22c of the housing 2. Therefore, a switch module 1 that can be miniaturized while reducing the protruding margin of the outer handle 6 can be provided.

[0121] The switch module (1) of the second aspect is the same as that of the first aspect, but further includes a coil spring (49) and a movable contact plate (33) provided with a movable contact (3b). The reversing handle (4) has a cylindrical portion (42) protruding on the side opposite the center handle (7). A first end of the coil spring (49) is inserted into the cylindrical portion (42). A part of the movable contact plate (33) is inserted into a second end of the coil spring (49). Rotation of the reversing handle (4) closes or opens the movable contact (3b) and the fixed contact (3a) provided on the movable contact plate (33).

[0122] According to this aspect, similar to the first aspect, it is possible to provide a switch module (1) that can be made compact while reducing the protrusion of the outer handle (6).

[0123] In the switch module (1) of the third aspect, in the second aspect, the slide member (9) is provided with a through hole (92) into which the cylindrical portion (42) is inserted. When the slide member (9) slides in the third direction (DR3), the inner surface of the through hole (92) comes into contact with the cylindrical portion (42), causing the reversing handle (4) to rotate around the second rotation axis (Ax2).

[0124] According to this aspect, similar to the first aspect, it is possible to provide a switch module (1) that can be made compact while reducing the protrusion of the outer handle (6).

[0125] In the switch module (1) of the fourth aspect, in any one of the first to third aspects, the central handle (7) is provided with a first shaft (73) that serves as a first rotation axis (Ax1), and the reversing handle (4) is provided with a second shaft (43) that serves as a second rotation axis (Ax2). The housing (2) has a first bearing (226) that rotatably supports the first shaft (73) of the central handle (7). The central handle (7) has a second bearing (74) that rotatably supports the second shaft (43) of the reversing handle (4).

[0126] According to this aspect, similar to the first aspect, it is possible to provide a switch module (1) that can be made compact while reducing the protrusion of the outer handle (6).

[0127] In the switch module (1) of the fifth aspect, the first shaft portion (73) and the second shaft portion (43) are at the same position as in the fourth aspect when viewed from the second direction (DR2).

[0128] According to this embodiment, even when the central handle 7 rotates, the second rotation axis (Ax2), which is the center of rotation of the reversing handle 4, does not move, which has the advantage of making it easier to design the movement of the reversing handle 4 compared to when the second rotation axis (Ax2) moves in response to the rotation of the central handle 7. Another advantage is that the overall length of the switch module 1 in the first direction (DR1) can be made shorter compared to when the second shaft portion (43) is located on the opposite side of the first shaft portion (73) from the body 2.

[0129] In the switch module (1) of the sixth aspect, the second shaft portion (43) is located at a position different from the first shaft portion (73) in the fourth aspect when viewed from the second direction (DR2).

[0130] According to this embodiment, the second rotation axis (Ax2), which is the center of rotation of the reversing handle (4), moves in response to the rotation of the middle handle (7), so the behavior of the reversing handle (4) can be changed compared to when the first shaft portion (73) and the second shaft portion (43) are in the same position.

[0131] In a switch module (1) of a seventh aspect, in any of the fourth to sixth aspects, the second bearing portion (74) includes an insertion groove provided on the inner surface of each of the two side walls (72) of the inner handle (7). The second shaft portion (43) of the reversing handle (4) is inserted into the insertion groove, and the insertion groove is provided with a hooking claw (75) on which the second shaft portion (43) is hooked, located on the opposite side of the outer handle (6) with respect to the second shaft portion (43) inserted into the insertion groove.

[0132] According to this embodiment, the reversing handle 4 can be temporarily held by the central handle 7. Therefore, when the central handle 7 temporarily holding the reversing handle 4 is assembled into the body 2, the reversing handle 4 is less likely to come off the central handle 7, which has the advantage of improving the ease of assembly.

[0133] In the switch module (1) of the eighth aspect, in the seventh aspect, the middle handle (7) is provided with a plurality of jig insertion holes (78) at a position overlapping with the reversing handle (4) when viewed from the first direction (DR1). The plurality of jig insertion holes (78) are aligned in the third direction (DR3).

[0134] According to this embodiment, the rotation of the inverting handle 7 relative to the central handle 4 can be restricted by contacting the protrusion of the jig 500 inserted into each of the multiple jig insertion holes 78 with the inverting handle 4. Therefore, when the central handle 4 holding the inverting handle 7 is assembled into the opening 22c of the housing 2, the rotation of the inverting handle 7 is restricted, which has the advantage of improving the ease of assembly. Also, compared to when a single protrusion of the jig 500 inserted into a single hole formed by connecting multiple jig insertion holes 78 is brought into contact with the inverting handle 4, the size of each jig insertion hole 78 can be made smaller, which has the advantage of preventing a decrease in the strength of the central handle 7.

[0135] In a ninth aspect of the switch module (1), in the eighth aspect, the multiple jig insertion holes (78) include two jig insertion holes (78) provided on both sides of the first rotation axis (Ax1) in the third direction (DR3).

[0136] This embodiment has the advantage that the rotation of the reversing handle (7) relative to the middle handle (4) can be limited whether the reversing handle (7) is attempting to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise around the second rotation axis (Ax2).

[0137] A switch (10) of a tenth aspect includes the switch module (1) of any one of the first to ninth aspects, and an outer handle (6) attached to the inner handle (7).

[0138] According to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a switch (10) that can be made compact while reducing the protrusion of the outer handle (6).

[0139] A switch device (100) of an eleventh aspect includes the switch (10) of the tenth aspect and a mounting frame (8) that holds the switch (10) and can be mounted on an installation surface.

[0140] According to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a switch device (100) that can be made compact while reducing the protrusion of the outer handle (6).

[0141] The configurations according to the second to ninth aspects are not essential for the switch module (1) and can be omitted as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0142] 1 Switch Module 2. Body 3 Contact point 3a fixed contact 3b Movable contact 4 Reverse Handle 6 Outer Handle 7 Middle Handle 9 Slide member 10 Switch 22c opening 33 Movable contact plate 42 Cylindrical part 43 Second shaft 49 Coil spring 71 Protrusion 72 Side wall 73 First shaft 74 2nd bearing part 75 Grabbing claw 78 Jig insertion hole 92 Through Hole 100 Switching Device 226 1st bearing part Ax1 First rotation axis Ax2 Second rotation axis DR1 1st direction DR2 2nd direction DR3 3rd direction

Claims

1. a housing that houses a contact portion including a fixed contact and a movable contact; an inner handle to which an outer handle to which a pushing force is applied by an operator can be attached, and which is held on the body in a state in which it can rotate about a first rotation axis that is parallel to a second direction perpendicular to a first direction in which the pushing force is applied to the outer handle; an inversion handle attached to the middle handle in a state rotatable about a second rotation axis parallel to the second direction; a slide member; the sliding member is slidably moved along a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction by being pushed by a protrusion provided on the middle handle, The reversing handle is pushed by the sliding member that has slid along the third direction, whereby the reversing handle rotates, and the contact portion opens or closes in response to the rotation of the reversing handle, At least a portion of the inner handle is disposed in an opening provided on a surface of the container opposite the outer handle, At least a portion of the reversing handle is disposed between two side walls of the central handle that protrude toward the body from both sides in the second direction. Switch module.

2. The device further includes a coil spring and a movable contact plate on which the movable contact is provided, The reversing handle has a cylindrical portion protruding on the opposite side to the central handle, a first end of the coil spring inserted into the cylindrical portion; a second end of the coil spring is inserted into a portion of the movable contact plate; When the reversing handle is rotated, the movable contact and the fixed contact provided on the movable contact plate are closed or opened. The switch module according to claim 1 .

3. The slide member has a through hole into which the cylindrical portion is inserted, When the sliding member slides along the third direction, an inner surface of the through hole comes into contact with the cylindrical portion, causing the reversing handle to rotate around the second rotation axis. The switch module according to claim 2 .

4. The middle handle is provided with a first shaft portion that serves as the first rotation shaft, The reversing handle is provided with a second shaft portion that serves as the second rotation shaft, the housing has a first bearing portion that rotatably supports the first shaft portion of the center handle, The central handle has a second bearing portion that rotatably supports the second shaft portion of the reversing handle. The switch module according to claim 1 .

5. When viewed from the second direction, the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion are at the same position. The switch module according to claim 4 .

6. When viewed from the second direction, the second shaft portion is located at a position different from that of the first shaft portion. The switch module according to claim 4 .

7. the second bearing portion includes an insertion groove provided on each inner surface of the two side walls of the middle handle, The second shaft portion of the reversing handle is inserted into the insertion groove, The insertion groove is provided with a hooking claw on which the second shaft portion is hooked, the hooking claw being located on the opposite side of the outer handle relative to the second shaft portion inserted into the insertion groove. The switch module according to claim 4 .

8. The middle handle is provided with a plurality of jig insertion holes at a portion overlapping with the reversing handle when viewed from the first direction, The plurality of jig insertion holes are aligned in the third direction. The switch module according to claim 7 .

9. the plurality of jig insertion holes include two jig insertion holes provided on both sides of the first rotation axis in the third direction, The switch module according to claim 8 .

10. A switch module according to any one of claims 1 to 9; the outer handle attached to the middle handle, switch.

11. A switch according to claim 10; and a mounting frame that can hold the switch and be attached to an installation surface. Switch device.

Images