Switching device

Abstract

To achieve improvement of easiness of the assembly and operability of a switch gear.SOLUTION: A switch gear includes: an outer case having an opening; an inner case which is inserted into a housing space of the outer case through the opening; an operation part which is provided at a part of the outer case and may be elastically deformed by pressing operation of an operator; a pivot member which has a pivot part supported by the inner case and is pressed by the operation part to pivot in the housing space; and a switch which is pressed by the pivot member pivoting. The pivot member has the pivot part at the back bottom part side of the housing space.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a switch device. [Background technology]

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 discloses a switch device in which an operating portion of a cover member is pressed to rotate a drive member rotatably supported by a case, thereby driving a switch with the drive member. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-130277 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the technology of Patent Document 1 does not have a configuration that takes into consideration the operation direction when the switch device is installed on an installation object, so there is a risk that good operability cannot be obtained depending on the operation direction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A switch device according to one embodiment includes an outer case having an opening, an inner case inserted into a storage space of the outer case through the opening, an operating part provided in a part of the outer case and elastically deformable when pressed by an operator, a pivot member having a pivot part supported by the inner case and pivoting within the storage space when pressed by the operating part, and a switch that is pressed when the pivot member pivots, and the pivot member has a pivot part on the bottom side of the storage space. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to one embodiment, the ease of assembly and operability of the switch device can be improved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a switch device according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a switch device according to an embodiment; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a switch device according to an embodiment; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective cross-sectional view of a switch device according to an embodiment; [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a method for assembling a switch device according to an embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a method for assembling a switch device according to an embodiment; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the operation of a switch device according to an embodiment; [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a first configuration example of a bottom surface portion of an outer case included in a switch device according to an embodiment; [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a second configuration example of the bottom surface of the outer case of the switch device according to the embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0009] (Switch device configuration) Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of a switch device 100 according to an embodiment. Figs. 2 and 3 are exploded perspective views of the switch device 100 according to an embodiment. Fig. 4 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the switch device 100 according to an embodiment.

[0010] The switch device 100 shown in Figures 1 to 4 is attached to a vehicle back door 10 (an example of an "opening and closing body"), and when pressed by an operator's hand, it is switched on and can release the latch of the vehicle back door 10.

[0011] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the switch device 100 includes an outer case 110, an inner case 120, a circuit board 130, a lever 140, a first seal member 151, and a second seal member 152. As shown in FIG.

[0012] The outer case 110 is a resin box-shaped member having a hollow structure. The outer case 110 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape. The inner space of the outer case 110 is a storage space 111 capable of storing the inner case 120. A vertical plate-shaped flange portion 112 is integrally formed on the front portion of the outer case 110. An opening 112A connected to the storage space 111 is formed in the center of the flange portion 112. The opening 112A has a rectangular shape with the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) as the longitudinal direction and the up-down direction (Z-axis direction) as the short side direction. As a result, the storage space 111 has the opening 112A on the front side (X-axis positive side) and a deep bottom surface on the rear side (X-axis negative side). At both ends of the flange portion 112 in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction), a through hole 112B is formed penetrating the flange portion 112 in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction). A screw (not shown) for screwing and fixing the switch device 100 to the back door 10 of the vehicle is inserted into the through hole 112B.

[0013] The outer case 110 has a hard resin part 110A and a soft resin part 110B. The hard resin part 110A is made of a hard resin material and constitutes the upper part of the outer case 110. The soft resin part 110B is made of a soft resin material such as elastomer and constitutes the lower part of the outer case 110. The hard resin part 110A and the soft resin part 110B of the outer case 110 are integrally formed by two-color molding. The bottom part 110C of the outer case 110 is provided with an operating part 113 having a rectangular shape (horizontally elongated rectangular shape) that protrudes downward. The operating part 113 is provided overlapping the lower surface of the lever 140 arranged in the storage space 111, that is, the surface of the operating part 113 on the storage space 111 side is in close contact with the lower surface of the lever 140 (see FIG. 4). Bottom surface portion 110C of outer case 110 is a part of soft resin portion 110B. Therefore, operation portion 113 provided on bottom surface portion 110C of outer case 110 is elastically deformed by being pressed, so that lever 140 can be pushed upward.

[0014] The inner case 120 is a box-shaped member made of resin having a hollow structure. The inner case 120 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape smaller than the storage space 111 of the outer case 110. The internal space of the inner case 120 is a storage space 121 capable of storing a circuit board 130 and the like. The inner case 120 is inserted into the storage space 111 of the outer case 110 from an opening 112A of the outer case 110. A front wall portion 122 provided on the front side (positive side of the X-axis) of the inner case 120 has a horizontally long rectangular shape that is slightly larger than the opening 112A of the outer case 110 and slightly smaller than the rectangular frame portion 112C of the outer case 110. When the inner case 120 is inserted into the accommodation space 111 of the outer case 110, the front wall portion 122 is fitted inside the rectangular frame portion 112C of the outer case 110 and abuts against the periphery of the opening 112A of the outer case 110, thereby closing the opening 112A. A square cylindrical connector 125 is provided at the center of the front wall portion 122 and protrudes forward (in the positive direction of the X-axis). The connector 125 is connected to another connector provided on the back door 10, thereby electrically connecting the switch device 100 to wiring on the back door 10 side.

[0015] The circuit board 130 is a flat, hard resin member disposed in the center of the storage space 121 of the inner case 120. The circuit board 130 is connected and fixed by soldering or the like to a plurality of terminals 123 provided on the ceiling surface of the storage space 121 so as to protrude downward. A switch 131 is mounted facing downward in the center of the lower surface 130A of the circuit board 130. The switch 131 is switched to an ON state when pressed, and is switched to an OFF state when the pressure is released. The switch 131 used is one that provides a clicking sensation when it is switched to an ON state.

[0016] The lever 140 is an example of a "pivot member". The lever 140 is a resinous, flat-plate-like member pivotally provided in the storage space 111 of the outer case 110. The lever 140 has a rectangular shape with the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) as the longitudinal direction and the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) as the transverse direction. A round bar-shaped pivot part 141 extending in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) is integrally provided at the rear end of the lever 140 (the end on the deep bottom part 111A side of the storage space 111). The lever 140 is arranged in a horizontal position at a position corresponding to the bottom surface part of the inner case 120 with the pivot part 141 supported by the inner case 120. A convex pressing part 142 that presses the switch 131 is provided at the center of the upper surface 140A of the lever 140. The lever 140 can pivot upward about the pivot portion 141 to press the switch 131 with the pressing portion 142 .

[0017] The first seal member 151 is a rectangular ring-shaped member formed using an elastic material such as rubber. The first seal member 151 is disposed inside the rectangular frame portion 112C so as to surround the periphery of the opening 112A. The first seal member 151 is pressed by the front wall portion 122 of the inner case 120 and elastically deforms, thereby coming into close contact with the front wall portion 122 and sealing the storage space 111 of the outer case 110.

[0018] The second seal member 152 is a rectangular ring-shaped member formed using an elastic material such as rubber. The second seal member 152 is disposed and adhered to the front surface of the flange portion 112 so as to surround the periphery of the rectangular frame portion 112C. The second seal member 152 is pressed by the installation surface 12 of the back door 10 and elastically deforms, thereby closely adhering to the installation surface 12 of the back door 10, absorbing impacts applied to the outer case 110, and suppressing the intrusion of water or the like into the opening 12A formed in the installation surface 12 of the back door 10.

[0019] (Method of Assembling the Switch Device 100) Figures 5 and 6 are diagrams for explaining a method of assembling the switch device 100 according to one embodiment. Figures 5(a) and 6(a) show the switch device 100 in a state in which the inner case 120 has not been inserted. Figure 6(b) shows the switch device 100 in a state in which the insertion of the inner case 120 has begun. Figures 5(b) and 6(c) show the switch device 100 in a state in which the inner case 120 has been completely inserted.

[0020] 5 and 6, when assembling the switch device 100, the rear part of the inner case 120 is inserted into the accommodation space 111 of the outer case 110 through the opening 112A of the outer case 110. At this time, the front wall part 122 of the inner case 120 is fitted inside the rectangular frame part 112C of the outer case 110 and abutted against the periphery of the opening 112A.

[0021] 5(b) and 6(c), the inner case 120 is pushed to an appropriate position in the accommodation space 111, and the lever 140 supported by the inner case 120 is disposed at a position overlapping with the operation part 113 provided on the bottom surface part 110C of the outer case 110. The opening 112A is also closed by the front side wall part 122. Furthermore, the front side wall part 122 presses the first seal member 151 provided surrounding the periphery of the opening 112A to elastically deform it, thereby closely adhering to the entire periphery of the first seal member 151, thereby sealing the accommodation space 111 of the outer case 110.

[0022] In addition, when the inner case 120 is fully inserted, the engagement claws 124 provided on both the left and right side surfaces of the inner case 120 engage with the engagement grooves 114 provided on both the left and right inner wall surfaces of the outer case 110, thereby restricting movement of the inner case 120 in the front-to-rear direction (X-axis direction) and preventing the inner case 120 from falling out of the storage space 111.

[0023] Here, as shown in FIG. 6(a), before the inner case 120 is accommodated in the accommodation space 111, the lever 140 is inclined downward by the reaction force of the switch 131. Then, as shown in FIG. 6(b), when the inner case 120 is accommodated in the accommodation space 111, the lever 140 is pushed up and supported by the horizontal inner bottom surface of the accommodation space 111, and is corrected to a horizontal state. Therefore, the lever 140 is prevented from wobbling with the switch 131, and a certain initial operation load is applied to the switch 131 to bring the lever 140 into a half-pressed state that does not turn the switch on. As a result, the switch device 100 according to one embodiment can reduce the amount of play of the lever 140 with respect to the switch 131, and a direct switch operation feeling can be obtained.

[0024] 6(b), the lever 140 is supported by the inner case 120 at the pivot part 141, so that the height position of the pivot part 141 is fixed and the lever 140 is inserted into the accommodation space 111 from the pivot part 141 side, so that the lever 140 can be smoothly inserted into the accommodation space 111 without getting caught on the periphery of the opening 112A. This improves the ease of assembly of the switch device 100 according to one embodiment.

[0025] (Operation of the Switching Device 100) Fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the switch device 100 according to one embodiment. Fig. 7(a) shows the switch device 100 in a state where the operation unit 113 is not pressed. Fig. 7(b) shows the switch device 100 in a state where the operation unit 113 is pressed.

[0026] 7, the switch device 100 is attached to a vertical installation surface 12 of a vehicle back door 10 with the pivot part 141 side facing the operator (X-axis negative side) and the opening 112A side facing the installation surface 12 (X-axis positive side). At this time, the connector 125 provided on the front surface of the front wall part 122 of the inner case 120 is inserted into the opening 12A formed in the installation surface 12, and the second seal member 152 provided on the front surface of the flange part 112 of the outer case 110 is in close contact with the periphery of the opening 12A, thereby suppressing the intrusion of water or the like from the opening 12A.

[0027] When opening the back door 10, the operator, with his / her palm facing upward, presses the operating portion 113 provided on the bottom portion 110C of the outer case 110 upward with the tips (palm) of the fingers from the rear side (negative side of the X-axis) of the switch device 100 as shown in FIG. 7(b).

[0028] As a result, within the storage space 111 of the outer case 110, the lever 140 is pressed by the operating portion 113, causing it to pivot upward about the pivot portion 141, and the pressing portion 142 of the lever 140 presses the switch 131, switching the switch 131 to the on state.

[0029] Switch 131 is switched to the on state, thereby releasing the latch of back door 10. As a result, the pressing force of the fingertips of the operator on operation unit 113 becomes a biasing force, and the back door 10 is rotated to open upward (positive direction on the Z axis) and forward (positive direction on the X axis), which is the pressing direction of the pressing operation and the direction away from the operator (see arrow A in the figure).

[0030] Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the lever 140 has the pivot part 141 provided on the bottom part 111A side (X-axis negative side) of the accommodation space 111, so that when the operation part 113 is pressed, the part in front of the pivot part 141 (X-axis positive side) pivots upward with the pivot part 141 as the center. As a result, the lever 140 is inclined so that the height position gradually increases from the rear end (pivot part 141) to the front end. Similarly, the operation part 113 is also inclined so that the height position gradually increases from the rear end to the front end by elastically deforming following the lever 140, so that the tip part (belly part) of the operator's finger is easily caught. Therefore, the operator can hook the tip part (belly part) of the finger on the operation part 113 while pressing the operation part 113 with the tip part of the finger, and therefore the back door 10 whose latch has been released can be easily rotated upward and forward to open.

[0031] 7, a protruding portion 115 protruding downward (Z-axis negative direction) is provided at the rear end (X-axis negative side end) of the bottom surface portion 110C of the outer case 110. Also, as shown in FIG. 7, the protruding portion 115 is provided behind the operating portion 113 (X-axis negative direction) and protrudes downward (Z-axis negative direction) from the operating portion 113. This allows the operator to hook the tip of the finger (first joint) of the hand on the protruding portion 115 while pressing the operating portion 113 with the tip of the finger, and therefore the back door 10 whose latch has been released can be easily rotated upward and forward to open.

[0032] (Example of configuration of bottom surface portion 110C of outer case 110) Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a first configuration example of the bottom surface 110C of the outer case 110 included in the switch device 100 according to one embodiment. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a second configuration example of the bottom surface 110C of the outer case 110 included in the switch device 100 according to one embodiment.

[0033] The operation portion 113, which is a part of the soft resin portion 110B, is provided on the bottom surface portion 110C of the outer case 110. The operation portion 113 is elastically deformable when pressed.

[0034] The operation unit 113 is provided with a thick portion 113A in the center in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction). The operation unit 113 is also provided with a first thin portion 113B in front of the thick portion 113A (X-axis positive side). The operation unit 113 is also provided with a second thin portion 113C in rear of the thick portion 113A (X-axis positive side).

[0035] First thin portion 113B and second thin portion 113C are thinner than thick portion 113A. Therefore, first thin portion 113B and second thin portion 113C are more easily elastically deformed than thick portion 113A when thick portion 113A is pressed.

[0036] As an example, as shown in FIG. 8, the front-rear width W1 of the first thin portion 113B is substantially equal to the front-rear width W2 of the second thin portion 113C.

[0037] 9, the front-rear width W1 of the first thin portion 113B is larger than the front-rear width W2 of the second thin portion 113C. This makes it possible to make the first thin portion 113B, which has a larger amount of elastic deformation (amount of extension) during a pressing operation, more elastically deformable than the second thin portion 113C, so that the pressing force received by the thick portion 113A can naturally put the operating portion 113 into an inclined state, thereby providing a good operating feel.

[0038] As described above, the switch device 100 of one embodiment comprises an outer case 110 having an opening 112A, an inner case 120 inserted into the storage space 111 of the outer case 110 from the opening 112A, an operating unit 113 provided in a part of the outer case 110 and elastically deformable by a pressing operation by an operator, a lever 140 having a pivot part 141 supported by the inner case 120 and pivoting within the storage space 111 by being pressed by the operating part 113, and a switch 131 that is pressed by the pivoting of the lever 140, and the lever 140 has the pivot part 141 on the deep bottom side 111A of the storage space 111.

[0039] As a result, in one embodiment of the switch device 100, the pivot part 141 is provided on the deep bottom 111A side of the storage space 111, so that when a pressing operation is performed on the operating part 113 from the deep bottom 111A side of the storage space 111, the lever 140 and the operating part 113 can be inclined so that their height positions gradually increase from the end on the pivot part 141 side to the end on the opening 112A side, making it easier for the operator to hook the tips of his or her fingers on the operating part 113.

[0040] In addition, the switch device 100 of one embodiment can be assembled by inserting the inner case 120 into the storage space 111 from the opening 112A of the outer case 110. At this time, the lever 140 can be inserted into the storage space 111 from the pivot part 141 side, so that the inner case 120 can be smoothly inserted into the storage space 111 without the lever 140 getting caught on the peripheral portion of the opening 112A.

[0041] Therefore, according to the switch device 100 according to one embodiment, the ease of assembly and operability of the switch device 100 can be improved.

[0042] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims.

[0043] For example, the switch device of the present invention is not limited to a back door of a vehicle, but can be applied to any opening / closing body. Also, for example, the switch device of the present invention is not limited to an opening / closing body that rotates to open, but can be applied to an opening / closing body that opens in the vertical or horizontal direction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 10 Back door (opening and closing body) 12 Installation surface 12A opening 100 Switching device 110 Outer case 110A Hard resin part 110B Soft resin part 110C Bottom part 111 Containment Space 111A Deep part 112 Flange part 112A opening 112B Through hole 112C Rectangular frame 113 Operation section 113A Thick part 113B 1st thin section 113C 2nd thin section 114 Engagement groove 115 Ridge 120 Inner case 121 Containment Space 122 Front wall 123 Terminal 124 Engagement claw 125 Connector 130 Circuit Board 130A Bottom 131 Switch 140 Lever (pivot member) 141 Cardinal Branch 142 Pressing part 151 First seal member 152 Second seal member

Claims

1. an outer case having an opening; an inner case that is inserted into the accommodation space of the outer case through the opening; an operating portion provided in a part of the outer case and elastically deformable by a pressing operation by an operator; a pivot member having a pivot portion supported by the inner case and pivoting within the accommodation space when pressed by the operation portion; a switch that is pressed by the pivoting of the pivot member; Equipped with The opening is the outer case is provided on a first side surface side intersecting with a surface having the operation unit, The pivot member is The pivot portion is provided on a second side surface side opposite to the first side surface side in the accommodation space. A switching device comprising:

2. Used for opening and closing the opening and closing body, The pivot part is disposed on the installation surface of the opening / closing body so that the pivot part side is the operator side and the opening side is the installation surface side of the opening / closing body.

2. The switch device according to claim 1.

3. The pivot member and the operation portion are When the pressing operation is not performed, the pressing operation is in a horizontal state. When the pressing operation is performed, the device is inclined from the operator side toward the installation surface side toward the inside of the storage space.

3. The switch device according to claim 2.

4. The pivot member is When the pressing operation is not performed, the switch is in a half-pressed state.

4. The switch device according to claim 3.

5. The outer case is A raised portion is provided on the operator side of the operation portion and is raised higher than the operation portion.

5. The switch device according to claim 3 or 4.

6. The outer case is The hard resin portion and the soft resin portion are integrally formed with each other, The operation unit includes: The soft resin portion is provided 6. The switch device according to claim 3, wherein the switch device is a switch that is connected to the first and second electrodes.

7. The opening / closing device is adapted to rotate in the pressing direction of the pressing operation and in the direction away from the operator. The device is placed on the mounting surface of the body.

7. The switch device according to claim 3, wherein the switch device is a switch that is connected to the first and second electrodes.

8. The opening / closing body is a back door of a vehicle.

8. The switch device according to claim 7.

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