Operation member, input device, and method for producing resin molded article

Abstract

This operation member comprises a plate-like first resin member composed of a material that transmits laser light and a cylindrical second resin member composed of a material that absorbs laser light. The first resin member and the second resin member are laser-welded in an opening of the second resin member. The second resin member has a joining projection part that is provided so as to protrude from the inner circumferential surface of the opening toward the inner diameter side, that has placed thereon the outer peripheral part of the first resin member, and that is laser-welded with the outer peripheral part of the first resin member. The joining projection part has a thick-wall portion provided on the outer diameter side, and a thin-wall portion provided so as to protrude from the thick-wall portion toward the inner diameter side.

Description

Operation member, input device, and method for manufacturing resin molded product

[0001] The present invention relates to an operating member, an input device, and a method for manufacturing a resin molded product.

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for laser welding a lid member to an opening in a housing by placing the lid member on the joint surface of the housing, irradiating the lid member with laser light from above, and melting the resin on the joint surface with the laser light.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-045849

[0004] However, in the operating device of Patent Document 1, some of the molten resin flows out onto the inner diameter side of the opening (i.e., the back side of the lid member) and forms burrs, which may cause a problem if a transparent lid member is used, in that the burrs may be visible through the lid member from the outside.

[0005] An operating member according to one embodiment comprises a plate-shaped first resin member made of a material that transmits laser light, and a cylindrical second resin member made of a material that absorbs laser light, and the first resin member and the second resin member are laser welded together at an opening in the second resin member, and the second resin member protrudes from the inner peripheral surface of the opening toward the inner diameter side, and has a joining protrusion on which the outer periphery of the first resin member is placed and to which the outer periphery of the first resin member is laser welded, and the joining protrusion has a thin portion on the inner diameter side and a thick portion on the outer diameter side.

[0006] According to the operating member of one embodiment, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of burrs that are visible from the outside.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the appearance of a switch panel according to one embodiment; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an operation member according to one embodiment; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an operation member according to one embodiment;

[0008] An embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. For convenience, in the following description, the X-axis direction in the drawings will be referred to as the front-to-rear direction, the Y-axis direction in the drawings will be referred to as the left-to-right direction, and the Z-axis direction in the drawings will be referred to as the up-to-down direction. The positive X-axis direction will be referred to as the forward direction, the positive Y-axis direction will be referred to as the rightward direction, and the positive Z-axis direction will be referred to as the upward direction. These directions indicate relative positional relationships within the device and do not limit the installation direction or operation direction of the device. Any devices that have the same relative positional relationships within the device, even if they have different installation directions or operation directions, are all within the scope of the present invention.

[0009] (Configuration of Switch Panel 10) Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of a switch panel 10 according to one embodiment. The switch panel 10 shown in Fig. 1 is a device mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile. As shown in Fig. 1, the switch panel 10 includes a rotary operation switch 100 at the center in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) that protrudes toward the operator (positive side of the Z-axis).

[0010] The rotary switch 100 is an example of an "input device." The rotary switch 100 has an operating member 110. The operating member 110 is an example of a "molded resin product." The operating member 110 has a generally cylindrical outer shape and can be rotated and pushed by an operator.

[0011] When the operator rotates or pushes the operating member 110, the rotary operation switch 100 can output a control signal corresponding to the rotation or push operation to a controlled device (e.g., audio, car navigation device, air conditioner, electronic shifter, etc.) equipped in the vehicle.

[0012] Furthermore, rotary operation switch 100 has a transparent plate 113 on the top surface of operation member 110, and an LCD (not shown), which is an example of a "display device," inside operation member 110. This allows rotary operation switch 100 to view the content displayed on the LCD from the outside through transparent plate 113.

[0013] (Configuration of operation member 110) Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the operation member 110 according to one embodiment. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the operation member 110 according to one embodiment. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the operation member 110 has a case 111 and a transparent plate 113.

[0014] The case 111 is an example of a "second resin member." The case 111 is a generally cylindrical member having a center on the imaginary rotation axis AZ and made of a resin material that absorbs laser light. However, the case 111 is not limited to a cylindrical shape and may have a tubular shape having other external shapes (e.g., polygonal, elliptical, etc.). The case 111 has a generally cylindrical outer peripheral wall portion 111A that extends in the up-down direction (Z-axis direction). The case 111 also has a circular upper opening 111B at the upper end (the end on the positive side of the Z-axis) inside the outer peripheral wall portion 111A (i.e., inside the cylinder).

[0015] Case 111 also has a grip 111C at the upper end of the outer circumferential surface of outer circumferential wall 111A that is gripped by an operator during rotation. Grip 111C has a constant width in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction), and may have a partially enlarged outer diameter and a non-slip surface.

[0016] The case 111 also has a joint protrusion 111D that protrudes from the inner peripheral surface of the upper opening 111B toward the inner diameter side (i.e., the imaginary rotation axis AZ side). The joint protrusion 111D is a portion on which the outer peripheral portion 113A of the transparent plate 113 is placed and to which the outer peripheral portion 113A of the transparent plate 113 is laser welded.

[0017] In the rotary switch 100, the case 111 is provided so as to be rotatable around an imaginary rotation axis AZ and movable in the up and down direction (Z-axis direction).

[0018] The transparent plate 113 is an example of a "first resin member." The transparent plate 113 is a disk-shaped member made of a resin material that transmits laser light. The transparent plate 113 is disposed within the circular upper opening 111B of the case 111 and closes the upper opening 111B.

[0019] The transparent plate 113 is placed in the upper opening 111B and is laser welded to the case 111. Specifically, the outer peripheral portion 113A of the transparent plate 113 is placed over the entire circumference on the joining protrusion 111D of the case 111. The outer peripheral portion 113A of the transparent plate 113 is then laser welded over the entire circumference to the joining protrusion 111D of the case 111. In this way, the transparent plate 113 is fixed to the case 111 and is provided so as to be rotatable together with the case 111 around the imaginary rotation axis AZ and movable in the up-and-down direction (Z-axis direction).

[0020] In this embodiment, the transparent plate 113 is made of a transparent resin material, which allows the user to view the content displayed on a display device (not shown) such as an LCD provided inside the case 111 from above the transparent plate 113 (positive direction of the Z axis).

[0021] In rotary switch 100, when an operator rotates case 111 while gripping gripping portion 111C of case 111, operating member 110 rotates case 111 and transparent plate 113 together (clockwise or counterclockwise) about virtual rotation axis AZ. Rotary switch 100 detects this rotation using rotation detection means (not shown) provided in rotary switch 100, and outputs a detection signal of the rotation from the rotation detection means to the outside, thereby controlling an external device to be controlled.

[0022] Furthermore, when the operator pushes the top surface of the transparent plate 113 downward (in the negative direction of the Z axis), the case 111 and the transparent plate 113 move downward (in the negative direction of the Z axis) as a unit. The rotary switch 100 detects this movement using a push detection means (not shown) provided in the rotary switch 100, and outputs a detection signal of the movement from the push detection means to the outside, thereby enabling the rotary switch 100 to control an external device to be controlled.

[0023] (Procedure of Manufacturing Method of Operating Member 110) FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of a method of manufacturing the operating member 110 according to one embodiment.

[0024] First, the transparent plate 113 is placed in the upper opening 111B of the case 111 so that the outer periphery 113A of the transparent plate 113 is placed on the joint protrusion 111D of the case 111 (step S401: cover member placement step).

[0025] Next, by irradiating laser light through the outer peripheral portion 113A of the transparent plate 113 around the entire circumference of the joining protrusion portion 111D of the case 111, the outer peripheral portion 113A of the transparent plate 113 is laser welded to the entire circumference of the joining protrusion portion 111D of the case 111 (step S402: laser welding process).

[0026] Specifically, in step S402, the laser light irradiated onto outer periphery 113A of transparent plate 113 passes through outer periphery 113A and is irradiated onto joint protrusion 111D of case 111. As a result, joint protrusion 111D of case 111 absorbs the laser light over the entire circumference, generating heat and melting. As a result, outer periphery 113A of transparent plate 113 is laser welded to joint protrusion 111D of case 111 over the entire circumference.

[0027] (Detailed Configuration of Laser Joining Portion) FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the laser joining portion provided in the operation member 110 according to one embodiment.

[0028] 5, in an operating member 110 according to one embodiment, an outer periphery 113A of a transparent plate 113 is placed on a joining surface 111Da of a joining protrusion 111D of the case 111 within an upper opening 111B of the case 111. Then, as shown in Fig. 5, by irradiating the outer periphery 113A of the transparent plate 113 from above, the laser light L that has passed through the outer periphery 113A melts the joining surface 111Da of the joining protrusion 111D of the case 111, and the outer periphery 113A of the transparent plate 113 is laser-welded to the joining surface 111Da.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 5, the joint protrusion 111D of the case 111 has a thick portion 111D1 provided on the outer diameter side and a thin portion 111D2 provided to protrude from the thick portion 111D1 to the inner diameter side.

[0030] Specifically, the thin portion 111D2 protrudes radially inward from the upper end of the inner circumferential surface of the thick portion 111D1. The vertical thickness of the thin portion 111D2 is smaller than the vertical thickness of the thick portion 111D1.

[0031] As a result, inside the joining protrusion portion 111D in the case 111, there is formed a small diameter space portion 111E formed by the inner surface of the thin portion 111D2, and a large diameter space portion 111F formed below the small diameter space portion 111E (negative side of the Z axis) by the inner surface of the thick portion 111D1, and having a larger diameter than the small diameter space portion 111E.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 5, the transparent plate 113 has a large diameter portion 113B having an outer peripheral portion 113A that is placed on the joining protrusion 111D, and a small diameter portion 113C that is formed below the large diameter portion 113B (negative side of the Z axis) and has a smaller diameter than the large diameter portion 113B because it does not have a portion that is placed on the joining protrusion 111D.

[0033] 5, the large diameter portion 113B of the transparent plate 113 is larger than the inner diameter of the thin portion 111D2 of the joining protrusion 111D, and is therefore placed on the joining surface 111Da on the thin portion 111D2 and the thick portion 111D1 of the joining protrusion 111D. As a result, the operating member 110 according to one embodiment can support the transparent plate 113 by the thin portion 111D2 and the thick portion 111D1 of the joining protrusion 111D, and the joining protrusion 111D can withstand the pressing force when the transparent plate 113 is pressed.

[0034] On the other hand, the small diameter portion 113C of the transparent plate 113 has a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the thin portion 111D2 of the joining protrusion 111D, and therefore fits into the space inside the joining protrusion 111D.

[0035] In particular, since the outer diameter of the small diameter portion 113C of the transparent plate 113 is smaller than the inner diameter of the thin portion 111D2 of the joining protrusion portion 111D, a first gap D1 is created between the outer surface of the small diameter portion 113C of the transparent plate 113 and the inner surface of the thin portion 111D2 of the joining protrusion portion 111D.

[0036] Furthermore, the small diameter portion 113C of the transparent plate 113 is thicker than the thin portion 111D2 of the joining protrusion 111D. A portion of the lower side of the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 113C of the transparent plate 113 is located lower (toward the negative side of the Z axis) than the thin portion 111D2 of the joining protrusion 111D, and thus faces the inner peripheral surface of the thick portion 111D1.

[0037] A second gap D2 larger than the first gap D1 is formed between a lower part of the outer circumferential surface of the small diameter portion 113C of the transparent plate 113 and the inner circumferential surface of the thick portion 111D1.

[0038] Here, in one embodiment of the operating member 110, when a laser is irradiated onto the joining protrusion 111D, some of the molten resin of the joining protrusion 111D may flow downward (in the negative Z-axis direction) from the first gap D1.

[0039] If the molten resin that flows downward from the first gap D1 flows toward the inner diameter side of the first gap D1, there is a risk that the molten resin will become a burr that can be seen from the outside through the transparent plate 113.

[0040] However, in one embodiment, the operating member 110 has a second gap D2 below the first gap D1 that is wider on the outer diameter side than the first gap, so that the molten resin that has flowed below the first gap D1 flows into the second gap D2 (see dotted arrow A in the figure), thereby preventing it from flowing out further inward than the first gap D1.

[0041] Therefore, according to the operation member 110 according to one embodiment, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of burrs that are visible from the outside through the transparent plate 113 .

[0042] (One Modification of the Operating Member 110) FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of a laser welding portion provided in an operating member 110-2 according to one modification of the embodiment.

[0043] In the operating member 110 shown in Figure 5, a notch portion 111Db is formed on the inner surface of the joining protrusion portion 111D in the lower part in the thickness direction (Z-axis direction), cutting out toward the outer diameter side, and a thin portion 111D2 is formed on the upper side (positive side of the Z-axis) of the notch portion 111Db.

[0044] On the other hand, in the operating member 110-2 shown in Figure 6, a notch portion 111Db is formed on the inner surface of the joining protrusion portion 111D in the middle part in the thickness direction (Z-axis direction), cutting out toward the outer diameter side, and thin portions 111D2 are formed on each of the upper side (positive side of the Z-axis) and lower side (negative side of the Z-axis) of the notch portion 111Db.

[0045] As such, the position at which the second gap D2 is formed in the operating member 110-2 shown in Fig. 6 differs from that of the operating member 110 shown in Fig. 5. However, the operating member 110-2 shown in Fig. 6 is similar to the operating member 110 shown in Fig. 5 in that it has a second gap D2 below the first gap D1 that is wider on the outer diameter side than the first gap.

[0046] Therefore, the operating member 110-2 shown in Figure 6, like the operating member 110 shown in Figure 5, can prevent molten resin that has flowed below the first gap D1 from flowing into the second gap D2 (see dotted arrow A in the figure) and flowing further inward than the first gap D1.

[0047] (Jig 200) Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the appearance of the jig 200 according to one embodiment. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the jig 200 according to one embodiment.

[0048] 7 and 8 can be used to manufacture the operating member 110 according to one embodiment. The jig 200 can laser-weld the outer periphery 113A of the transparent plate 113 around the entire periphery of the joining protrusion 111D of the case 111 while pressing the outer periphery 113A of the transparent plate 113 against the joining protrusion 111D of the case 111.

[0049] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the jig 200 includes a cover member 210 , four support columns 220 , a holding member 225 , and a substrate 230 .

[0050] The substrate 230 is a flat plate-like member that supports the multiple support columns 220 from below (the negative side of the Z axis). A holding member 225 is provided in the center of the top surface of the substrate 230. The holding member 225 is a cylindrical member. As shown in FIG. 8 , the holding member 225 is fitted into the interior of the case 111 from below (the negative side of the Z axis), thereby holding the case 111 at a predetermined height within the space 200A surrounded by the multiple support columns 220.

[0051] Each of the four support columns 220 is a columnar member erected on the substrate 230. Each of the four support columns 220 supports the cover member 210 from below (the negative side of the Z axis). Each of the four support columns 220 is fixed to the substrate 230 by a screw 240 that penetrates the substrate 230.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 8, in the jig 200, the case 111 and the transparent plate 113 to be laser welded are placed in a space 200A surrounded by four support columns 220.

[0053] Lid member 210 is a flat plate-like member that is provided on a plurality of support columns 220 and closes the top of space 200A surrounded by four support columns 220. Lid member 210 can be fixed to each of the four support columns 220 by four screws 241 that pass through lid member 210.

[0054] Lid member 210 has a layered structure in which, from the top (positive side of the Z axis), a substrate 210A, a transparent glass plate 210B, and a reinforcing plate 210C, all of which are flat, are stacked. Lid member 210 is secured to substrate 210A, glass plate 210B, and reinforcing plate 210C in a stacked state by four screws 242 that penetrate substrate 210A, glass plate 210B, and reinforcing plate 210C.

[0055] 8, a cylindrical pressing portion 211 that protrudes downward (in the negative direction of the Z axis) is formed in the center of the back surface of glass plate 210B of lid member 210. As shown in Fig. 8, when lid member 210 is fixed to each of the multiple supports 220 with screws, pressing portion 211 presses the top surface of transparent plate 113, thereby pressing outer periphery 113A of transparent plate 113 against joining protrusion 111D of case 111.

[0056] Furthermore, a circular opening 213 is formed in the center of the substrate 210A of the cover member 210.

[0057] As a result, the jig 200 can easily and accurately laser weld the outer periphery 113A of the transparent plate 113 around the entire circumference of the joining protrusion 111D of the case 111 by irradiating laser light from above the opening 213 toward the joining protrusion 111D located approximately below the outer periphery of the opening 213.

[0058] 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.

[0059] For example, the case 111 is not limited to being cylindrical, but may be of another cylindrical shape. The transparent plate 113 is not limited to being disk-shaped, but may be of another plate shape. The operating member 110 is not limited to being used in the rotary operation switch 100, but may also be used in other input devices.

[0060] This international application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-105261, filed on June 27, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0061] 10 Switch panel 100 Rotary operation switch (input device) 110 Operation member (resin molded product) 111 Case (second resin member) 111A Outer peripheral wall portion 111B Upper opening 111C Grip portion 111D Joining protrusion portion 111Da Joining surface 111Db Notch portion 111D1 Thick portion 111D2 Thin portion 111E Small diameter space portion 111F Large diameter space portion 113 Transparent plate (first resin member) 113A Outer peripheral portion 113B Large diameter portion 113C Small diameter portion 200 Jig 200A Space 210 Lid member 210A Substrate 210B Glass plate 210C Reinforcing plate 211 Pressing portion 213 Opening 220 Support 225 Holding member 230: Substrate 240: Screw 241: Screw 242: Screw AZ: Virtual rotation axis D1: First gap D2: Second gap L: Laser light

Claims

1. An operating member comprising: a plate-shaped first resin member made of a material that transmits laser light; and a cylindrical second resin member made of a material that absorbs the laser light, wherein the first resin member and the second resin member are laser welded to each other at an opening in the second resin member, wherein the second resin member has a joining protrusion that protrudes from an inner peripheral surface of the opening to the inner diameter side, on which an outer periphery of the first resin member is placed and to which the outer periphery of the first resin member is laser welded, and the joining protrusion has a thick portion on the outer diameter side and a thin portion that protrudes from the thick portion to the inner diameter side.

2. The operating member according to claim 1, characterized in that the first resin member is a transparent plate.

3. The operating member according to claim 2, characterized in that the second resin member is a case.

4. The operating member described in claim 1, characterized in that the first resin member has a large diameter portion placed on the joining protrusion, and a small diameter portion that is smaller in diameter than the large diameter portion and fits inside the joining protrusion, the small diameter portion is thicker than the thin portion of the joining protrusion, and a part of the outer circumferential surface of the small diameter portion faces the inner circumferential surface of the thin portion of the joining protrusion with a first gap, and another part faces the inner circumferential surface of the thick portion of the joining protrusion with a second gap larger than the first gap.

5. An operating member as described in claim 4, characterized in that the large diameter portion of the first resin member has a larger diameter than the thin portion of the joining protrusion.

6. The operating member described in claim 4, characterized in that the second resin member has a notch cut out toward the outer diameter side on the inner surface of the joining protrusion, thereby forming the thin portion and the thick portion.

7. An input device comprising: an operating member according to any one of claims 1 to 6; and a display device arranged inside the second resin member, wherein the display content of the display device can be viewed from the outside through the first resin member.

8. The input device according to claim 7, characterized in that the operating member is provided so as to be rotatable.

9. A method for manufacturing a resin molded product comprising a plate-shaped first resin member made of a material that transmits laser light, and a cylindrical second resin member made of a material that absorbs the laser light, comprising: a cover member arrangement process for arranging the first resin member within an opening of the second resin member such that an outer periphery of the first resin member is placed on a joining protrusion provided so as to protrude from an inner peripheral surface of the opening to an inner diameter side; and a laser welding process for laser welding the outer periphery of the first resin member to the joining protrusion of the second resin member by irradiating laser light to the joining protrusion of the second resin member through the outer periphery of the first resin member, wherein the joining protrusion has a thick portion provided on the outer diameter side, and a thin portion provided so as to protrude from the thick portion to the inner diameter side.