Electrical component and step-down unit

Abstract

To provide an electric component comprising a voltage step-down unit which is suppressed in depth dimension and therefore can be applied to a narrow space, and furthermore is compact and lightweight.SOLUTION: An illuminated switch 10 has: a terminal portion 16 which is provided at a rear side of a panel P, and has a lamp terminal 34; a lamp 14 which projects light by being supplied with a power via the lamp terminal; and a voltage step-down unit 11 which steps down an AC voltage of an external power supply and supplies the stepped-down voltage to the lamp terminal 34. The terminal portion 16 comprises a terminal portion main body 17. The lamp terminal 34 is provided in such a way as to protrude from a terminal surface 17c. The voltage step-down unit 11 comprises: a first portion 42 arranged along a lateral face 17b and having an input terminal 46; a second portion 44 arranged in such a way as to protrude from the terminal surface 17c so that an output terminal 52 is connected to the lamp terminal 34; resistors R1 to R6 for stepping down the external power supply; and a bridge element DB rectifying the stepped-down AC into DC. The resistors R1 to R6 are provided at the first portion 42.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrical component and a step-down unit including a panel front portion having a light projecting portion and a terminal portion provided on the back side of the panel.

Background Art

[0002] Various illuminated electrical components indicating control states are provided on panels such as control panels. Such an electrical component generally includes a panel front portion having a transmissive light projecting portion and a terminal portion provided on the back side of the panel, and an internal lamp is lit by supplying power from the outside to the terminals of the terminal portion. The lamp is provided, for example, in the terminal portion. In an illuminated switch, the light projecting portion also serves as an operation button. The illuminated switch includes a lamp terminal for supplying power to the lamp and a plurality of contact terminals whose connection state is switched by the operation of the operation button. These terminals protrude from the terminal portion main body to the side opposite to the panel front portion.

[0003] Some lamps are of low voltage specification, and it is necessary to step down the voltage in order to light them with an external commercial AC power supply. Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 describe additionally providing a step-down unit for stepping down an AC power supply for an illuminated switch.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, the step-down unit described in Patent Document 1 is connected to the lamp terminal and protrudes considerably from the lamp terminal, making it difficult to apply when the depth dimension of the control panel is small. Further, since the load on the lamp terminal increases with a long protrusion amount, the lamp terminal must be made of a considerably robust structure.

[0006] Part of the step-down unit described in Patent Document 2 is provided on the side of the terminal part main body, and the protrusion amount from the lamp terminal can be suppressed. However, this step-down unit has a transformer for step-down, is large and heavy, and is costly.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an electrical component including a step-down unit that suppresses the depth dimension and is applicable to a narrow space, and is small and lightweight.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, an electrical component according to the present invention includes a light projecting unit, a panel front portion provided on the front side of a panel, a lamp terminal, a terminal portion provided on the back side of the panel, a lamp that emits light by being supplied with power from the lamp terminal and projects light from the light projecting unit, and a step-down unit that steps down the voltage of an AC external power source and supplies it to the lamp terminal. The terminal portion includes a terminal portion main body having a terminal surface on the side opposite to the panel front portion and a side surface intersecting the terminal surface. The lamp terminal is provided so as to protrude from the terminal surface. The step-down unit has an input terminal to which the external power source is connected, a first portion arranged along the side surface, a second portion arranged at a position facing the terminal surface and connecting an output terminal that outputs the stepped-down power to the lamp terminal, and an electric circuit including one or more resistors that step down the external power source input from the input terminal. At least a part of the resistor is provided in the first portion.

[0009] The input terminal may protrude within the range of the difference in the protruding amounts of the first part and the second part from the first part toward the side opposite to the front panel surface. This results in a reasonable configuration without wasted space.

[0010] A first substrate provided with the input terminal and the resistor is provided in the first part, and a second substrate provided with the output terminal is provided in the second part. The second substrate may be connected at a right angle to the surface of the first substrate. Thereby, the first substrate and the second substrate are arranged from the side surface of the terminal portion main body to the terminal surface, and the step-down unit can be configured compactly.

[0011] The first substrate includes a substrate main portion where the resistor is provided, and a substrate protruding portion protruding from the substrate main portion in the same direction as the input terminal. The second substrate may be connected to the substrate protruding portion. Thereby, the input terminals can be arranged on both sides of the substrate protruding portion, resulting in a reasonable configuration without wasted space.

[0012] The resistors may be composed of a plurality and be provided dispersedly on both surfaces of the first substrate. Thereby, the area of the first substrate can be suppressed to an area corresponding to the side surface of the terminal portion main body.

[0013] The first part includes a first engaging piece on the side facing the terminal portion main body. The second part includes an engaging piece support protrusion protruding from the end portion on the side opposite to the first part toward the front panel surface side, and a second engaging piece provided at a position supported by the engaging piece support protrusion and facing the terminal portion main body. The step-down unit may be connected to the terminal portion in a snap-fit manner by the first engaging piece and the second engaging piece. In this way, by providing the first engaging piece and the second engaging piece using the mutual arrangement relationship between the first part and the second part, the step-down unit can be stably fixed to the terminal portion while having a simple configuration.

[0014] The first part may include a storage case for storing the resistor, and a cover fixed to the storage case to cover an end portion on the side facing the panel and including the first engaging piece. The first substrate can be stored in the storage case through an opening, and the opening can be covered by the cover.

[0015] The front surface portion of the panel is provided with operation buttons, and the terminal portion may be provided with a plurality of contact terminals whose connection state is switched by the operation of the operation buttons. Thus, the present invention can also be applied to a so-called illuminated switch.

[0016] The resistor may be composed of a plurality of resistors and may include a parallel connection portion in which two or more are connected in parallel. By removing a predetermined one of the parallel resistors, it becomes possible to apply them to different voltages and consumption currents. Also, even when changing the number of resistors, the same substrate can be used.

[0017] The electric circuit may include a bridge circuit that rectifies the alternating current stepped down by the resistor into direct current, and the bridge circuit may be provided in the second part. When the bridge circuit is provided, a DC lamp can be applied. Also, since at least a part of the resistor is provided in the first part, providing the bridge circuit in the second part improves the balance of element arrangement.

[0018] Further, the step-down unit according to the present invention includes a light projecting unit, a panel front portion provided on the front side of the panel, a lamp terminal, a terminal portion provided on the back side of the panel, and a lamp that emits light when power is supplied from the lamp terminal and projects light from the light projecting unit. The step-down unit is attached to an electrical component and steps down the voltage of an AC external power supply to supply it to the lamp terminal. The terminal portion includes a terminal portion main body having a terminal surface on the side opposite to the panel front portion and a side surface intersecting the terminal surface. The lamp terminal is provided so as to protrude from the terminal surface. The step-down unit has an input terminal to which the external power supply is connected, a first portion arranged along the side surface, and a second portion arranged at a position facing the terminal surface and connecting an output terminal for outputting the stepped-down power to the lamp terminal. The step-down unit also includes an electric circuit including one or more resistors for stepping down the external power supply input from the input terminal, and at least a part of the resistor is provided in the first portion.

Advantages of the Invention

[0019] In the electrical component and the step-down unit according to the present invention, since the resistor is provided in the first portion, the volume of the second portion is suppressed, and the amount of protrusion in the depth direction can be suppressed, so that it can be applied to a narrow space. Further, a resistor is used as a means for stepping down an AC power supply, and it is smaller and lighter in weight compared to other means such as a transformer.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, the illuminated switch 10 and the step-down unit 11 according to the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The illuminated switch 10 is an embodiment of the electrical component according to the present invention. Note that the present invention is not limited by this embodiment.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the illuminated switch 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the illuminated switch 10. FIG. 3 is a side view of the illuminated switch 10.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the illuminated switch 10 includes the above-described step-down unit 11, a panel attachment body 12 attached to the panel P, a terminal portion 16 provided on the back side of the panel P and having a lamp 14 inside, a nut 18, and a washer 20. First, the parts of the illuminated switch 10 other than the step-down unit 11 will be described.

[0024] The lamp 14 is, for example, an LED and lights up by applying a DC rated current. By using the lamp 14 as an LED, the current consumption becomes sufficiently small, and it becomes possible to use resistors R1 to R6 with a small rated wattage as described later. The lamp 14 has a built-in resistor corresponding to the rated voltage (for example, 24V). The lamp 14 may be inside the panel attachment body 12 depending on the specifications. The terminal portion 16 is formed to be detachable from the panel attachment body 12, but the panel attachment body 12 and the terminal portion 16 may be integrated depending on the specifications.

[0025] The terminal part 16 has a block-shaped terminal part main body 17. For convenience of the following description, directions are defined based on the terminal part main body 17. That is, the width direction along one surface of the terminal part main body 17 which is rectangular in plan view is defined as the X direction, and the direction orthogonal to it is defined as the Y direction. Also, the attachment / detachment direction between the panel attachment body 12 and the terminal part 16, that is, the direction orthogonal to the X direction and the Y direction is defined as the Z direction. The Z direction is the depth direction of the illumination type switch 10 and is the direction orthogonal to the panel P (see FIG. 3). For convenience of description, one side of the Z direction, the Z1 direction (the back side direction of the panel P), is also called downward, and the opposite side, the Z2 direction (the front side direction of the panel P), is also called upward. The attachment orientation of the illumination type switch 10 is not limited to these. These directions are appropriately indicated by arrows in the drawings.

[0026] The panel attachment body 12 has a panel front part 22 provided on the front side of the panel P and a body part 24 protruding in the Z1 direction from the panel front part 22. A light projecting part 22a is provided on the panel front part 22. The lamp 14 emits light when power is supplied from the lamp terminal 34 and projects light from the light projecting part 22a. The light projecting part 22a is formed of a transparent resin and transmits the light of the lamp 14 to the front side, and there are types such as transparent, translucent, colored, and colorless. The "light projecting part" in the present application is in a broad sense and only needs to be something that does not completely block the light of the lamp 14.

[0027] The light projecting part 22a also serves as an operation button and can be pressed downwards. Depending on the specifications, the light projecting part 22a and the operation button may be separate. The operation button may be either a momentary type or an alternate type. The panel front part 22 and the operation button are prismatic, but are not limited to this, and may be, for example, round or mushroom-shaped. The operation button may also be a key cylinder type, a toggle type, a selector type, etc.

[0028] The illumination switch 10 is attached to a panel P such as a control panel. Specifically, a panel front portion 22 is provided on the surface of the panel P, and a body portion 24 projects to the back side through a panel hole Pa formed in the panel P. Then, a nut 18 is screwed onto a screw formed on the body portion 24, and the body portion 24 is fixed to the panel P via a washer 20. A terminal portion 16 is attached to the body portion 24 as will be described later. In FIG. 3, the panel P is shown by a phantom line.

[0029] The body portion 24 has a cylindrical shape and projects downward from the panel attachment body 12. A pair of grooves 26 are formed at positions on the circumferential surface of the body portion 24 that are opposite to each other. At the lower end of the body portion 24, a pair of chamfered portions 28 along the Y direction are formed. The pair of chamfered portions 28 are at the lower part of the groove 26 and are shaped such that the width in the X direction of the lower end portion is obliquely cut to be narrowed.

[0030] The terminal portion 16 has the lamp 14 and a terminal portion main body 17 as described above. The terminal portion main body 17 is, for example, a resin molded body. A circular hollow portion 17a is formed in the terminal portion main body 17. The lamp 14 is provided at the center of the hollow portion 17a and projects in the Z2 direction. When the terminal portion 16 is fixed to the panel attachment body 12, the lamp 14 enters the inside of the panel attachment body 12 and approaches the light projecting portion 22a.

[0031] Nearly three-sided recesses 17d are formed near the end portion of the terminal portion main body 17 in the Z2 direction. A substantially C-shaped wire spring 30 is provided in the recess 17d. A pair of opposing straight portions 30a of the wire spring 30 slightly enter the inside of the hollow portion 17a.

[0032] When the body portion 24 of the panel attachment body 12 enters the hollow portion 17a of the terminal portion 16, the chamfered portion 28 presses and expands the straight portion 30a of the wire spring 30, enabling insertion. Then, the straight portion 30a engages with the groove 26 to fix the panel attachment body 12 and the terminal portion 16. When detaching the terminal portion 16 from the panel attachment body 12, when a predetermined operation is performed on the wire spring 30 with a tool, the pair of straight portions 30a move apart from each other left and right, come out of the groove 26, and can be detached.

[0033] The terminal part body 17 has four side surfaces 17b and a terminal surface 17c in the Z1 direction. The terminal surface 17c is a surface in the Z1 direction and is on the side opposite to the panel front part 22. The terminal part body 17 is in a block shape, and the side surface 17b and the terminal surface 17c are orthogonal (with a tolerance). On the surfaces of the four side surfaces 17b that face each other in the Y direction, protrusions 17ba that are slightly longer in the X direction are formed. The side surface of the protrusion 17ba in the Z1 direction is an inclined surface.

[0034] The terminal part 16 is provided with contact terminals 32 and lamp terminals 34. The contact terminals 32 and the lamp terminals 34 each protrude from the terminal surface 17c in the Z1 direction. Three contact terminals 32 arranged in parallel in the Y direction form a set, and two sets are provided. The three contact terminals 32 in one set are a normally open terminal, a normally closed terminal, and a common terminal. The three contact terminals 32 in one set are part of a contact unit provided in the terminal part body 17. The contact unit includes contacts (not shown) that open and close in conjunction with the button operation of the light projecting part 22a. That is, the connection state between the three contact terminals 32 in one set is switched by the operation of the operation button. Since the basic configuration in which the connection state of the contact terminals 32 is switched by the operation button is well-known, the description is omitted.

[0035] In the present embodiment, a maximum of two contact units are provided in the terminal part body 17, but only one may be provided, or no contact unit may be provided. When no contact unit is provided, the illuminated switch 10 becomes an illuminator without the function of a switch. The two contact units are provided spaced apart in the X direction. Each contact terminal 32 has a flat shape with a narrow width in the X direction.

[0036] A pair of lamp terminals 34 are provided in parallel in the Y direction. The lamp terminals 34 are provided in the middle of the three contact terminals 32 spaced apart in the X direction. The lamp terminals 34 have a flat shape that is substantially the same as that of the contact terminals 32, but the direction is different by 90 degrees from that of the contact terminals 32, and they are provided so that the width in the Y direction is narrow.

[0037] Next, the step-down unit 11 which is an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The step-down unit 11 steps down the voltage of an AC external power supply and supplies it to the lamp terminal 34. The external power supply is, for example, commercial 110V or 220V. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the step-down unit 11. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the case 40. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the case 40.

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the step-down unit 11 has the case 40 as a base. The case 40 is composed of a first part 42 and a second part 44. A part of the first part 42 and the second part 44 overlaps, and they are provided so as to be T-shaped and orthogonal in plan view (see FIG. 6). The case 40, except for the cover 50 described later, is an integral resin molded body, but it may be configured by combining a plurality of resin bodies. In the present application, for convenience of explanation, the cover 50 is regarded as a part of the case 40.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, the first part 42 is disposed substantially in contact along one of a pair of side surfaces 17b (the left side in FIG. 3) of the terminal part main body 17 that has a protrusion 17ba (see FIG. 2) facing in the Y direction.

[0040] The first part 42 is mainly a part for housing the first substrate 56 described later, and is a box shape that is thin in the Y direction to the extent that the first substrate 56 can be housed. In the present embodiment, the ratio of the width in the Y direction to the width in the X direction is approximately 1:3. The dimension of the first part 42 in the Z direction is slightly shorter than the total length of the terminal part main body 17 and the lamp terminal 34. The end face positions of the first part 42 and the terminal part main body 17 in the Z2 direction are substantially the same. A pair of input terminals 46 protrude in the Z1 direction from the end face of the first part 42 in the Z1 direction. The second part 44 is disposed at a position facing the terminal surface 17c, protrudes more in the Z1 direction than the first part 42, and the input terminals 46 protrude within the range of this difference. In this way, the protruding amounts of the input terminals 46 and the second part 44 in the Z direction are the same, resulting in a reasonable structure. The above external power supply is connected to the input terminals 46. What is connected to the pair of input terminals 46 is AC, and basically there is no distinction of polarity. The pair of input terminals 46 are flat and thin in the Y direction and are arranged at an appropriate interval in the X direction.

[0041] The first part 42 has two engaging holes 42a each on both end faces in the X direction. Inside the first part 42, there are three support protrusions 42b, 42c, and 42d for supporting a first substrate 56 described later. The support protrusions 42b and 42c support both ends of one surface of the first substrate 56. The support protrusion 42d supports the center of the other surface of the first substrate. On the end face of the first part 42 in the Z1 direction, a pair of terminal holes 42e through which input terminals 46 protrude are formed.

[0042] The first part 42 is formed by a storage case 48 and a cover 50. The storage case 48 forms a part of the walls of both end faces in the X direction, the end face in the Z1 direction, the outer end face in the Y direction, and the inner end face in the Y direction.

[0043] The cover 50 covers the end of the storage case 48 in the Z2 direction (the side facing the panel) and forms a part of the wall of the inner end face of the first part 42 in the Y direction. The cover 50 has two engaging claws 50a each protruding in the Z1 direction from both ends in the X direction. By engaging the engaging claws 50a with the above-mentioned engaging holes 42a, the cover 50 is fixed to the storage case 48 and the first part 42 is constituted. The cover 50 has a first engaging piece 50b on the inner side in the Y direction. The first engaging piece 50b is slightly longer in the X direction, and the side face in the Z2 direction is an inclined surface. The first engaging piece 50b is configured to be elastically slightly displaceable in the Y direction. The first engaging piece 50b may be provided on the first part 42, or may be provided on the storage case 48 instead of the cover 50 depending on the design conditions.

[0044] The second part 44 is a part mainly for housing the second substrate 58 described later. It has a thin box shape in the X direction to be able to house the second substrate 58. In this embodiment, the ratio of the width in the X direction to the width in the Y direction is approximately 1:3. The second part 44 is arranged to protrude in the Z1 direction from the terminal surface 17c of the terminal part body 17. The end positions in the Z1 direction of the second part 44 and the input terminal 46 are substantially the same. The left end 44a of the second part 44 in FIG. 3 overlaps with the central part in the X direction of the first part 42 and the end part and its vicinity in the Z1 direction, and the left side surfaces of each in FIG. 3 form the same plane. The right end surfaces of the second part 44 and the terminal part body 17 in FIG. 3 are substantially the same. The second part 44 partitions between two sets of three contact terminals 32 each. The end 44a of the second part 44 partitions between a pair of input terminals 46.

[0045] The second part 44 forms the walls of both end surfaces in the X direction, the end surface in the Z1 direction, and both end surfaces in the Y direction, and has an opening 44b in a range that does not overlap with the first part 42 in the Z2 direction. Inside the opening 44b, a pair of output terminals 52 protruding in the Z2 direction are provided. The pair of output terminals 52 output the stepped-down and rectified power, and are arranged to be connected to the above-mentioned lamp terminals 34. What the pair of output terminals 52 output is rectified direct current with a distinction in polarity. The output terminals 52 are arranged so that the polarities are aligned with the lamp terminals 34. When the step-down unit 11 is used, it is possible to prevent the connection to the lamp terminals 34 with reverse polarity. The pair of output terminals 52 are flat and thin in the X direction and are arranged at an appropriate interval in the Y direction.

[0046] Inside the second part 44, there are three support protrusions 44c, 44d, 44e for supporting the second substrate 58 described later. The support protrusions 44c, 44d support one surface of the second substrate 58 at a slightly separated position. The support protrusion 44e is provided at a position facing the support protrusion 44c, and sandwiches and supports the second substrate 58 together with the support protrusion 44c.

[0047] A pair of engaging piece support protrusions 54a protruding in the Z2 direction from the end portion on the side opposite to the first portion 42 (the right side in FIG. 3) in the second portion 44, and a second engaging piece 54b connecting the tips of the engaging piece support protrusions 54a are provided. The second engaging piece 54b is disposed at a position facing the side surface 17b of the terminal portion main body 17. The second engaging piece 54b is slightly longer in the X direction, and the surface in the Z2 direction is an inclined surface. The second engaging piece 54b is configured to be elastically displaceable slightly in the Y direction when the engaging piece support protrusion 54a bends.

[0048] When the step-down unit 11 is brought close to the terminal portion main body 17 along the Z direction, the first engaging piece 50b and the second engaging piece 54b come into contact with the protrusion 17ba on the side surface 17b and are elastically displaced slightly, and both climb over the inclined surface, so that they engage in a so-called snap-fit manner. Thereby, the terminal portion main body 17 and the step-down unit 11 are fixed, and the lamp terminal 34 and the output terminal 52 are connected. The first engaging piece 50b and the second engaging piece 54b can be released from the protrusion 17ba by performing a predetermined operation with a tool or the like, and the step-down unit 11 and the terminal portion main body 17 can be separated. That is, the step-down unit 11 and the terminal portion main body 17 are detachably configured.

[0049] FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of the illumination type switch 10. In FIG. 7, the contact terminal 32 and the circuit related to the opening and closing of the contact are omitted.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 7, the input AC power supply is stepped down by resistors R1, R2, R3 from one input terminal 46 via the junction J5, and is stepped down by resistors R4, R5, R6 from the other input terminal 46 via the junction J6. The junctions J5 and J6 are connection portions between the first substrate 56 and the input terminal 46. In this embodiment, resistors R2 and R3 are in parallel and further resistor R1 is in series, and resistors R5 and R6 are in parallel and further resistor R4 is in series. In the present embodiment, six resistors R1 to R6 are used, but at least one or more with an appropriate resistance value may be provided depending on the design conditions.

[0051] The stepped-down alternating current is supplied to the bridge element DB via the junctions J3 and J4, and is rectified by the diode bridge circuit of the bridge element DB. The junctions J3 and J4 are the connection parts between the first substrate 56 and the second substrate 58. The power supply rectified to direct current by the bridge element DB is applied to the output terminal 52 from the junctions J1 and J2. The junctions J1 and J2 are the connection parts between the second substrate 58 and the output terminal 52. The junction J1 is the positive electrode and the junction J2 is the negative electrode. Since the output terminal 52 is connected to the lamp terminal 34 of the terminal part 16, a direct current flows through the lamp 14 and it lights up. The resistors R1 to R6 are provided on the first substrate 56, and the bridge element DB is provided on the second substrate 58. When the lamp 14 is an alternating current type (including the AC / DC compatible type), it is sufficient to apply the low-voltage alternating current stepped down by the resistors R1 to R6, so the bridge element DB may be omitted.

[0052] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the combined first substrate 56 and second substrate 58. FIG. 8 is a perspective view seen from the side opposite to FIG. 4.

[0053] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 8, the first substrate 56 includes a rectangular substrate main body 56a and a substrate protruding portion 56b that protrudes from the center of the substrate main body 56a in the same direction (Z1 direction) as the input terminal 46. A thin slit hole 56c extending in the Z direction is formed in the substrate protruding portion 56b. The substrate main body 56a is housed in the first portion 42, and the substrate protruding portion 56b is housed in the end portion 44a (see FIG. 5) of the second portion 44. The substrate main body 56a is arranged along the X-Z plane within the first portion 42 and is supported by the above-mentioned support protrusions 42b to 42d (see FIG. 6).

[0054] Resistors R1 to R3 are provided on one surface of the main part 56a of the substrate. Although not shown, resistors R4 to R6 are provided on the other surface of the main part 56a of the substrate in the same arrangement as resistors R1 to R3. Thus, since resistors R1 to R6 are dispersedly provided on both surfaces of the first substrate 56, the first substrate 56 can be suppressed to an area corresponding to the side surface 17b of the terminal part main body 17. Resistors R1 to R6 are surface mount type and are sufficiently thin and lightweight. Junctions J5 and J6 are through holes, and a bent part of the input terminal 46 is inserted and soldered.

[0055] The second substrate 58 has a low fitting projection 58a at one end in the Y direction, and the fitting projection 58a is fixed to the first substrate 56 by fitting into the slit hole 56c. That is, the second substrate 58 is connected at a right angle so as to be in a T shape with respect to the surface of the first substrate 56 in plan view (see FIG. 6). A junction J3 is formed by soldering the printed patterns of an end portion of one surface of the second substrate 58 and a part of the surface of the first substrate 56. A junction J4 is formed by soldering the printed patterns of an end portion of the other surface of the second substrate 58 and a part of the surface of the first substrate 56.

[0056] A bridge element DB and a pair of output terminals 52 are provided on one surface of the second substrate 58. The bridge element DB is of surface mount type. Junctions J1 and J2 are through holes, and a bent part of the output terminal 52 is inserted and soldered.

[0057] The output terminal 52 has a slit-shaped notch 52a in its central part. This notch opens in the Z2 direction. On the second substrate 58, a pair of slit notches 58b are formed. These slit notches 58b are located at positions corresponding to the notch 52a of the output terminal 52 and open in the Z2 direction. The lamp terminal 34 is inserted between the slit notch 58b and the notch 52a and is electrically connected to the output terminal 52. The second substrate 58 is arranged along the Y-Z plane within the second portion 44 and is supported by the above-mentioned support protrusions 44c to 44e (see FIG. 6). The support protrusions 44c and 44e support the second substrate 58 at a portion between the pair of output terminals 52. Since the support protrusions 44c and 44e support the second substrate 58 over substantially the entire length in the Z direction, the second substrate 58 is sufficiently stable.

[0058] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the second substrate 60 and the first substrate 56 according to a modified example. This second substrate 60 is a modified example of the above-mentioned second substrate 58. On the second substrate 60, a pair of output terminals 62 are provided instead of the above-mentioned pair of output terminals 52. A rectangular notch 60a is formed on the Z2 side of the second substrate 60. The pair of output terminals 62 are arranged side by side in the Y direction.

[0059] The output terminal 62 has a first clip 62a that sandwiches the second substrate 60 and a second clip 62b that opens in the Z2 direction. The first clip 62a and the second clip 62b each have a shape such that the width in the X direction narrows toward the Z1 direction. The tip of the first clip 62a is connected so as to be electrically connected to a predetermined pattern portion on the second substrate 60.

[0060] The first clip 62a and the second clip 62b are arranged side by side in the Y direction, but the second clip 62b is shorter than the first clip 62a and is arranged within the rectangular notch 60a. Such an output terminal 62 is applicable when the flat lamp terminal 34 is in a direction rotated 90 degrees from the above-mentioned direction (the thin direction in the Y direction as shown in FIG. 8) (the thin direction in the X direction).

[0061] As described above, in the illumination switch 10 and the step-down unit 11, the first portion 42 is arranged along the side surface 17b of the terminal unit body 17, and the second portion 44 is arranged so as to protrude from the terminal surface 17c. That is, the two main portions are distributed in a well-balanced manner. Further, since at least the resistors R1 to R6 are provided in the first portion 42, the volume of the second portion 44 is suppressed, and the amount of protrusion in the Z1 direction can be suppressed, so that it can be applied to a narrow space. Since the amount of protrusion in the Z1 direction (depth direction) is suppressed, the load applied to the lamp terminal 34 is reduced.

[0062] Among the components of the electric circuit, the resistors R1 to R6 are provided on the first substrate 56 of the first portion 42, while the bridge element DB is provided on the second substrate 58 of the second portion 44, and the balance of component arrangement is good. However, depending on the design conditions, the bridge element DB may be provided in the first portion 42.

[0063] In the illumination switch 10 according to the present embodiment, since all of the plurality of resistors (six of R1 to R6 in this embodiment) are provided in the first portion 42, the volume of the second portion 44 is suppressed, and the amount of protrusion in the depth direction can be considerably suppressed. However, depending on the design conditions, if at least a part of the plurality of resistors is provided in the first portion 42, even if the others are provided in the second portion 44, the volume of the second portion 44 can be correspondingly suppressed.

[0064] In the present embodiment, the resistors R1 to R6 are used as the step-down means for the AC power supply, and are smaller, lighter and cheaper compared to other means such as a transformer. Further, since the surface mount type is used for the resistors R1 to R6, they are sufficiently thin. Therefore, the first portion 42 where the resistors R1 to R6 are provided can be formed to be considerably small and thin.

[0065] The illuminated switch 10 to which the voltage reduction unit 11 is attached is slightly larger in the Y direction due to the presence of the first portion 42, but since the first portion 42 is thin, it hardly causes any problems in mounting. In particular, since the illuminated switch 10 presses the light projecting portion 22a that also serves as an operation button manually as a function of the switch, it is preferable that a certain amount of spare space is secured in the peripheral portion from the viewpoint of operability. Since other components are provided separately, the somewhat thickness of the first portion 42 does not cause any problems.

[0066] There is no concern about mechanical vibration or electromagnetic noise generation based on an alternating magnetic field such as that of a transformer in resistors R1 to R6. In resistors R1 to R6, by appropriately selecting the resistance value, they can be easily applied to external power supplies with different voltages (for example, 110V and 220V). Also, in the electric circuit (see FIG. 7) of the illuminated switch 10, resistors R1 and R3, and resistors R5 and R6 form a parallel connection pattern. Although the power consumption varies depending on the applied voltage, it is possible to remove a part of this parallel resistance and apply it to different voltages. Therefore, the same substrate can be used even when the number of resistors to be mounted varies depending on the applied voltage. This parallel connection portion may be a parallel connection by three or more resistors.

[0067] In the voltage reduction unit 11, a first substrate 56 having input terminals 46 and resistors R1 to R6 is provided in the first portion 42, and a second substrate 58 having output terminals 52 and a bridge element DB is provided in the second portion 44, and the elements are distributed in a well-balanced manner. Also, the second substrate 58 is connected at a right angle to the surface of the first substrate 56, and is arranged from the side surface 17b to the terminal surface 17c of the terminal portion main body 17, and the voltage reduction unit 11 can be configured compactly.

[0068] The first substrate 56 is composed of a substrate main body 56a and a substrate protruding portion 56b protruding from the substrate main body. Since the second substrate 58 is connected to the substrate protruding portion 56b, the first substrate 56 and the second substrate 58 can be connected at a right angle. In addition, the area of the substrate main body 56a on which the resistors R1 to R6 are mounted is suppressed, and further, the input terminals 46 can be arranged on both sides of the substrate protruding portion 56b, resulting in a reasonable configuration without wasted space.

[0069] The step-down unit 11 is snap-fitted to the terminal portion main body 17 by the first engaging piece 50b and the second engaging piece 54b. The first engaging piece 50b is provided on the side facing the side surface 17c of the terminal portion main body 17 in the first portion 42, and the second engaging piece 54b is provided at a position protruding in the Z2 direction from the end portion on the side opposite to the first portion 42 in the second portion. In this way, the first engaging piece 50b and the second engaging piece 54b are provided by utilizing the mutual arrangement relationship between the first portion 42 arranged along the side surface 17b and the second portion 44 protruding from the terminal surface 17c. Although the configuration is simple, the step-down unit 11 can be stably fixed to the terminal portion main body 17.

[0070] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that it can be freely changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0071] 10 Illuminated switch 11 Step-down unit 12 Panel mounting body 14 Lamp 16 Terminal portion 17 Terminal portion main body 17b Side surface 17c Terminal surface 22 Panel front portion 22a Light projecting portion 32 Contact terminal 34 Lamp terminal 40 Case 42 First portion 44 Second portion 46 Input terminal 48 Storage case 50 Cover 50b First engaging piece 52, 62 Output terminal 54a Engaging piece support protrusion 54b Second engaging piece 56 First substrate 56a Main substrate part 56b Substrate protrusion 58, 60 Second substrate DB bridge element (bridge circuit) P panel R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 Resistor

Claims

1. A panel front portion provided on the front side of the panel and including a light projecting portion, A terminal portion provided on the back side of the panel and including a lamp terminal, A lamp that emits light when power is supplied from the lamp terminal and projects light from the light projecting portion, A step-down unit that steps down the voltage of an AC external power source and supplies it to the lamp terminal, and the terminal portion includes a terminal portion body having a terminal surface on the side opposite to the panel front portion and a side surface intersecting with the terminal surface, the lamp terminal is provided so as to protrude from the terminal surface, the step-down unit has an input terminal to which the external power source is connected, a first portion arranged along the side surface, a second portion arranged at a position facing the terminal surface and connecting an output terminal that outputs stepped-down power to the lamp terminal, and an electric circuit including one or more resistors that step down the external power source input from the input terminal, and at least a part of the resistor is provided in the first portion. An electrical component characterized by this.

2. The input terminal protrudes in a range of the difference in the amount of protrusion between the first portion and the second portion from the first portion toward the side opposite to the panel front portion. The electrical component according to Claim 1, characterized by this.

3. A first substrate including the input terminal and the resistor is provided in the first portion, a second substrate including the output terminal is provided in the second portion, and the second substrate is connected at a right angle to the surface of the first substrate. The electrical component according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized by this.

4. The first substrate includes a substrate main portion on which the resistor is provided, and a substrate protruding portion that protrudes from the substrate main portion in the same direction as the input terminal, and the second substrate is connected to the substrate protruding portion. The electrical component according to Claim 3, characterized by this.

5. The resistor is composed of a plurality and is provided dispersedly on both surfaces of the first substrate. The electrical component according to Claim 3 or 4, characterized by this.

6. The first portion includes a first engaging piece on the side facing the terminal portion body, the second portion includes an engaging piece support protrusion that protrudes from the end on the side opposite to the first portion toward the panel front portion side, and a second engaging piece provided at a position supported by the engaging piece support protrusion and facing the terminal portion body, and the step-down unit is connected to the terminal portion in a snap fit manner by the first engaging piece and the second engaging piece. The electrical component according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that...

7. The first part is a storage case for storing the resistor, a cover fixed to the storage case and covering the end on the side facing the panel and having the first engaging piece, The electrical component according to claim 6, characterized by comprising...

8. The front surface of the panel is provided with an operation button, The terminal part is provided with a plurality of contact terminals whose connection state to each other is switched by the operation of the operation button The electrical component according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that...

9. The resistor is composed of a plurality, and includes a parallel connection part in which two or more are connected in parallel The electrical component according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that...

10. The electric circuit includes a bridge circuit that rectifies the alternating current stepped down by the resistor into direct current, and the bridge circuit is provided in the second part The electrical component according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that...

11. It includes a light projecting part, a panel front part provided on the front side of the panel, It includes a lamp terminal, a terminal part provided on the back side of the panel, A lamp that emits light when power is supplied from the lamp terminal and projects light from the light projecting part, A step-down unit that is attached to an electrical component having... and steps down the voltage of an alternating current external power supply and supplies it to the lamp terminal, The terminal part includes a terminal part body having a terminal surface on the side opposite to the panel front part and a side surface intersecting with the terminal surface, The lamp terminal is provided so as to protrude from the terminal surface, It has an input terminal to which the external power supply is connected, a first part arranged along the side surface, A second part arranged at a position facing the terminal surface and connecting an output terminal for outputting the stepped-down power to the lamp terminal, An electric circuit including one or more resistors for stepping down the external power supply input from the input terminal, Comprising The step-down unit, characterized in that at least a part of the resistor is provided in the first part.

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