Switch device

Abstract

A switch device according to the present invention is provided with a snap action mechanism, and is able to achieve life prolongation while being miniaturized by optimizing a space for arranging members. The snap action mechanism has: a movable member which oscillates with one end side as a first turning fulcrum in a first direction with respect to a fixation base fixed to a housing and changes relative positions of a detecting unit and a detected unit, one of which is provided to the other end side of the movable member; a fixation member which is provided with the other of the detecting unit and the detected unit; a driving member which has one end side locked in the other end side of the movable member at a second turning fulcrum; and a pressure contact spring which has one end side locked in the other end side of the driving member at a third turning fulcrum positioned on the first turning fulcrum side, and which also has the other side locked in the fixation base at a fourth turning fulcrum positioned on the second turning fulcrum side. A bent part which crosses the driving member is provided between the one end and the other end of the pressure contact spring.

Description

Switching device

[0001] The present invention relates to a switch device, and more particularly to a switch device having a snap action mechanism.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a push-type switch device that aims to miniaturize the device while extending the life of the pressure spring. This push-type switch device includes a housing with a storage section, an operating member that accepts a pressing operation, a fixed contact terminal having a common contact terminal and a changeover contact terminal provided in the storage section, a movable contact that engages and disengages with the changeover contact terminal, and a snap action mechanism that drives the movable contact when the operating member is pressed to a predetermined position. This snap action mechanism has a conductor plate, a drive plate, and a pressure spring, and the pressure spring and the drive plate are formed into an annular shape, with the common contact terminal passing through an opening in the spring and drive plate.

[0003] JP 2013-239372 A

[0004] Switch devices equipped with such snap-action mechanisms tend to become larger due to the increased number of components, and miniaturizing switch devices requires efficient use of the space available for each component. Furthermore, snap-action mechanisms are designed to instantly operate the movable member by releasing the stored spring energy, regardless of the operation speed of the operating member (such as an operating button). Therefore, measures are needed to reduce the impact noise with the stopper and ensure the mechanism is durable enough for repeated use.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a switch device having a snap action mechanism that efficiently utilizes the space for arranging components to reduce the size and extend the life of the switch.

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is a switch device comprising an operating member, a snap action mechanism that operates when the operating member is operated, and a housing that accommodates the snap action mechanism, wherein the snap action mechanism comprises a movable member that has one of a detecting portion and a detectable portion provided at its other end, and that swings in a first direction relative to a fixed base fixed to the housing with one end serving as a first pivot point, thereby changing the relative position of the detecting portion and the detectable portion, a fixed member that has the other of the detecting portion and the detectable portion provided, a drive member that has one end engaged with a second pivot point at the other end of the movable member, and a pressure spring consisting of a leaf spring that has one end engaged with a third pivot point located on the first pivot point side at the other end of the drive member, and the other end engaged with the fixed base at a fourth pivot point located on the second pivot point side, and wherein a bent portion that intersects with the drive member is provided between one end and the other end of the pressure spring.

[0007] With this configuration, the space for arranging each component of the switch device equipped with a snap action mechanism is made more efficient, and by providing a bent portion in the pressure spring, sufficient spring length is ensured even in a small space, thereby extending the life of the switch device.

[0008] In the above switch device, the pressure spring preferably has a second bent portion between one end and the other end, the second bent portion being bent in the opposite direction to the bent portion, which makes it easier to ensure the spring length of the pressure spring.

[0009] In the above switch device, it is preferable that the pressure spring is provided in an annular shape when viewed in the first direction, and the drive member is disposed within the opening of the pressure spring. In this case, it is preferable that the drive member has a bent portion on its outer periphery facing the inner edge of the opening of the pressure spring. By disposing the drive member within the opening of the pressure spring, the configuration of the drive member and the bent portion is simplified. Furthermore, the width of the drive member can be narrowed while ensuring the strength of the drive member, thereby reducing the size of the switch device in the width direction. Furthermore, it is possible to ensure freedom in designing the shape of the pressure spring.

[0010] In the above switch device, the housing may be provided with a stopper that extends so as to be able to come into contact with at least one of the movable member and the drive member, and the bent portion of the pressure spring may be formed so as to intersect with the stopper. By forming the bent portion of the pressure spring so as to intersect with the stopper within the housing, the bent portion of the pressure spring is disposed in the dead space within the housing caused by the stopper. In other words, the stopper and the pressure spring are disposed in parallel within the housing, and the spring length of the pressure spring is also secured.

[0011] In the above switch device, it is preferable that the end of the stopper has an extending portion that extends through the opening of the pressure spring and can abut against the movable member, whereby the stopper and the pressure spring are arranged in parallel within the housing, and the dead space within the housing caused by the stopper is utilized to form a large bent portion of the pressure spring, thereby ensuring a sufficient spring length of the pressure spring.

[0012] In the above switch device, the housing may be provided with a stopper that extends so as to be able to come into contact with the movable member, and an end of the stopper may have an extending portion that extends so as to be able to come into contact between the first pivot point of the movable member and the other end side of the movable member. This causes the portion of the movable member in the snap action mechanism that is brought into contact with the stopper to approach the first pivot point, thereby reducing the speed of collision between the movable member and the stopper and thereby suppressing impact noise.

[0013] In the above switch device, a second stopper may be provided between the first pivot point and the other end of the movable member so as to be able to abut on the side opposite to the abutted portion of the stopper. This brings the abutted portion of the movable member that abuts against the second stopper in the snap action mechanism closer to the first pivot point, reducing the speed of collision between the movable member and the second stopper and thereby suppressing impact noise.

[0014] In the switch device, an elastic receiving portion may be provided on the portion of at least one of the movable member and the drive member that is brought into contact with the stopper. By providing the elastic receiving portion on the portion that is brought into contact with the stopper in this manner, impact noise is effectively suppressed.

[0015] In the above switch device, one of the detecting part and the detected part may be a movable contact having electrical conductivity, and the movable member and the movable contact may be made of a common plate material having spring properties, thereby forming the movable member and the movable contact integrally from the common plate material and reducing the number of parts.

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a switch device equipped with a snap action mechanism that can be made smaller by efficiently using the space for arranging components, while also achieving a longer life.

[0017] 1 is an external perspective view illustrating a switch device according to the present embodiment; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a switch device according to the present embodiment; FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a snap action mechanism; FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an assembled state of each part of the snap action mechanism; FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a pressure spring; FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a switch device according to the present embodiment; FIG. 7 is a side view illustrating an initial position in a switching operation of the switch device according to the present embodiment; FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating a state before push-in reversal in a switching operation of the switch device according to the present embodiment; FIG. 9 is a side view illustrating a state after push-in reversal in a switching operation of the switch device according to the present embodiment; FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating a state at a maximum push-in position in a switching operation of the switch device according to the present embodiment; FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating a state before return reversal in a switching operation of the switch device according to the present embodiment; FIG. 12 is a side view illustrating a state after return reversal in a switching operation of the switch device according to the present embodiment.

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the same components will be designated by the same reference numerals, and the description of components that have already been described will be omitted as appropriate.

[0019] (Switch Device) FIG. 1 is an external perspective view illustrating a switch device according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a switch device according to this embodiment. In the switch device 1 according to this embodiment, a portion of an operating member 6 protrudes from a portion of the top surface of a box-shaped housing 2, and the operating member 6 receives a pressing operation from an operator or the like to switch the conductive state. In the description of this embodiment, the forward / backward direction of the operation of the operating member 6 is referred to as the Z1-Z2 direction, one of the directions perpendicular to the Z1-Z2 direction is referred to as the X1-X2 direction, and a direction perpendicular to the Z1-Z2 direction and the X1-X2 direction is referred to as the Y1-Y2 direction. The Z1-Z2 direction is an example of a first direction. The X1-X2 direction is an example of a second direction. The Y1-Y2 direction is an example of a third direction. For convenience of explanation, the Z1-Z2 direction will also be referred to as the up-down direction, and the Z1 side will also be referred to as the upper side (top) and the Z2 side as the lower side (bottom).

[0020] The switch device 1 includes a housing 2 formed, for example, by molding an insulating resin material. The housing 2 has, for example, a box shape with an opening on the lower side, and a fixed base 22 is provided to close the opening, thereby forming a storage section within the housing 2. An operating member 6 is provided on the upper side of the housing 2 so as to protrude upward.

[0021] The operating member 6 has a shaft 61 that can move up and down, and a guide portion 62 that guides the movement of the shaft 61. The upper end of the shaft 61 protrudes above the housing 2 through a through-hole 21 provided in the housing 2. The guide portion 62 is fitted inside the accommodating portion of the housing 2 and regulates the movement of the shaft 61 up and down. A cover 3 is attached between the shaft 61 and the through-hole 21 to prevent foreign matter such as dust and water from entering the housing 2.

[0022] A snap action mechanism 10 is provided on a fixed base 22 attached to close the opening on the lower side of the housing 2. The snap action mechanism 10 mounted on the fixed base 22 is housed inside the housing 2 and is a quick-acting mechanism that switches the state of the switch device 1 by the forward and backward movement of the shaft 61 of the operating member 6. The snap action mechanism 10 has a movable member 11, a fixed member 12, a drive member 13, and a pressure spring 14.

[0023] (Snap action mechanism) Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an example of a snap action mechanism. Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an assembled state of each part of the snap action mechanism. Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a pressure spring. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a switch device according to this embodiment. Fig. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the switch device 1 according to this embodiment cut along the YZ plane. In this embodiment, a sliding type switching mechanism in which contacts are switched by sliding of a movable member 11 relative to a fixed member 12 will be described as an example of the snap action mechanism 10.

[0024] The movable member 11 of the snap action mechanism 10 is configured to swing in the Z1-Z2 direction (first direction) with one end 11a serving as a first pivot point A (see FIG. 7 ) relative to a fixed base 22 fixed to the housing 2. A movable contact P0 is provided on the other end 11b of the movable member 11. In this embodiment, the movable contact P0 is provided at the tip of an arm 112 that extends downward in a generally L-shape from the middle of the main body 111 of the movable member 11. Two arms 112 extend from the main body 111. The two arms 112 are arranged side by side at a predetermined interval in the X1-X2 direction, and a movable contact P0 is provided at the tip of each arm. As a result, the fixed member 12 is sandwiched between the two arms 112, and the movable contacts P0 of the two arms 112 are in sliding contact with both sides of the fixed member 12. The movable member 11 is formed by, for example, processing a conductive and springy plate material using sheet metal processing. That is, the movable member 11 and the movable contact P0 are made of a common conductive and springy plate material.

[0025] The fixed member 12 is provided with a first contact P1 and a second contact P2, which are fixed contacts. The fixed member 12 is made of an insulating material, and the first contact P1 and the second contact P2 are insulated from each other. The fixed member 12 is also provided with a common contact terminal 121. The common contact terminal 121 is made of a conductive material. The first contact P1, the second contact P2, and the common contact terminal 121 are each electrically connected to an external connection terminal 5 provided on the fixed base 22 through the fixed member 12.

[0026] More specifically, the common contact terminal 121 is formed by exposing a notch 121a (described later) that is part of the external connection terminal 5 at the left end in FIG. 6 (the Y1 side in the Y1-Y2 direction) from the fixed member 12, thereby providing electrical continuity between the common contact terminal 121 and the external connection terminal 5 at the left end. The first contact P1 is formed by exposing a part of the central external connection terminal 5 at FIG. 6 on both sides of the fixed member 12 in the X1-X2 direction, thereby providing electrical continuity between the first contact P1 and the central external connection terminal 5. The second contact P2 is formed by exposing a part of the external connection terminal 5 at the right end in FIG. 6 (the Y2 side in the Y1-Y2 direction) on both sides of the fixed member 12 in the X1-X2 direction, thereby providing electrical continuity between the second contact P2 and the external connection terminal 5 at the right end. The common contact terminal 121, the first contact P1 and the second contact P2 are embedded in the fixing member 12 and insulated from each other.

[0027] The common contact terminal 121 is provided with a notch 121a, and one end 11a of the movable member 11 engages with this notch 121a to establish electrical continuity. The one end 11a of the movable member 11 engaged with the notch 121a serves as a first pivot point A (see FIG. 7), causing the other end 11b of the movable member 11 to swing. The swinging of the other end 11b of the movable member 11 switches the electrical connection state between the movable contact P0 and the first and second contacts P1 and P2. In other words, either the first and second contacts P1 and P2, which are fixed contacts, or the movable contact P0 is the detecting part, and the other is the detected part.

[0028] The driving member 13 is made of, for example, a metal plate and is a member extending in the Y1-Y2 direction. One end 13a of the driving member 13 is engaged with the other end 11b of the main body 111 of the movable member 11. The one end 13a of the driving member 13 serves as a second rotation fulcrum B (see FIG. 7) for the swinging motion of the driving member 13.

[0029] The pressure spring 14 is made of a leaf spring, and one end 14a thereof is engaged with the other end 13b of the drive member 13. The one end 14a of the pressure spring 14 serves as a third pivot point C (see FIG. 7) located on the first pivot point A side. The other end 14b of the pressure spring 14 is engaged with the fixed base 22. The other end 14b of the pressure spring 14 serves as a fourth pivot point D (see FIG. 7) located on the second pivot point B side.

[0030] In such a pressure spring 14, a bent portion 141 that intersects with the drive member 13 is provided between one end 14a and the other end 14b of the pressure spring 14. It is also preferable that the pressure spring 14 has a second bent portion 142 that bends in the opposite direction to the bent portion 141 between the one end 14a and the other end 14b of the pressure spring 14.

[0031] That is, the pressure spring 14 is formed in a substantially S-shape when viewed in the X1-X2 direction, and when the various parts are assembled into the snap action mechanism 10, the bent portion 141 is arranged so as to intersect with the drive member 13. Even when the second bent portion 142 is included, the second bent portion 142 is arranged so as to intersect with the drive member 13 from the opposite side of the bent portion 141. In this way, by providing the bent portion 141 in the pressure spring 14, a sufficient spring length can be ensured even in a small space. Furthermore, by providing the second bent portion 142 in addition to the bent portion 141, an even greater spring length can be ensured for the pressure spring 14.

[0032] The pressure spring 14 is provided in an annular shape when viewed in the Z1-Z2 direction (first direction). When the components of the snap action mechanism 10 are assembled, the drive member 13 is preferably disposed within the opening 14h of the pressure spring 14, i.e., inside the annular shape of the pressure spring 14 when viewed in the Z1-Z2 direction (first direction). This arrangement allows the drive member 13 to operate inside the annular shape of the pressure spring 14, simplifying the configuration of the drive member 13 and the pressure spring 14 and enabling more efficient use of the space for arranging the drive member 13 and the pressure spring 14. Furthermore, design freedom for the shape of the pressure spring 14 is ensured.

[0033] Furthermore, the drive member 13 extending in the Y1-Y2 direction preferably has bent portions 131 on the outer periphery facing the inner edge of the opening 14h of the pressure spring 14. The bent portions 131 are provided on both sides of the drive member 13 in the X1-X2 direction, and are bent toward the Z2 side in the Z1-Z2 direction, for example. This allows the width (length in the X1-X2 direction) of the drive member 13 to be narrowed while ensuring the strength of the drive member 13, and allows the switch device 1 to be made smaller in the width direction.

[0034] The drive member 13 may also be provided in an annular shape when viewed in the Z1-Z2 direction (first direction). With the components of the snap action mechanism 10 assembled, the movable member 11 is preferably disposed within the opening 13h of the drive member 13, i.e., inside the annular shape of the drive member 13 when viewed in the Z1-Z2 direction (first direction). This arrangement allows the movable member 11 to operate inside the annular shape of the drive member 13, thereby enabling more efficient use of the space for disposing the movable member 11 and the drive member 13.

[0035] 6 , in the switch device 1, the housing 2 is provided with a stopper 25 that extends so as to be able to come into contact with at least one of the movable member 11 and the drive member 13. In this embodiment, the stopper 25 is provided inside the housing 2, extending toward the Z2 side (downward) in the Z1-Z2 direction, so as to be able to come into contact with the movable member 11. When the movable member 11 swings in the Z1-Z2 direction, the position on the Z1 side (upper side) in the Z1-Z2 direction is restricted by the stopper 25. In other words, when the movable member 11 moves toward the Z1 side (upper side) in the Z1-Z2 direction and comes into contact with the stopper 25, further upward movement of the movable member 11 is restricted.

[0036] In the switch device 1 equipped with such a stopper 25, the bent portion 141 of the pressure spring 14 is formed so as to intersect with the stopper 25. It is preferable that the end of this stopper 25 has an extending portion 251 that extends through the opening 14h (see FIG. 5) of the pressure spring 14 and is capable of contacting the movable member 11. This results in the bent portion 141 of the pressure spring 14 being disposed in the dead space within the housing 2 caused by the stopper 25. Therefore, the stopper 25 and the pressure spring 14 are disposed in parallel in the X1-X2 direction within the housing 2, and the spring length of the pressure spring 14 is also sufficiently ensured.

[0037] Furthermore, it is preferable that the extension portion 251 of the stopper 25 be provided at a position capable of coming into contact with the movable member 11 between the first pivot point A (see FIG. 7) of the movable member 11 and the other end 11b of the movable member 11. This brings the portion of the movable member 11 in the snap action mechanism 10 that is in contact with the stopper 25 closer to the first pivot point A, and the speed of collision between the movable member 11 and the stopper 25 is reduced, thereby suppressing the impact noise.

[0038] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of effectively suppressing collision noise when the movable member 11 and the stopper 25 come into contact with each other, an elastic receiving portion 115 (see FIG. 3 ) may be provided on the portion of the movable member 11 that is in contact with the stopper 25. The elastic receiving portion 115 may be configured by providing an elastic member (e.g., rubber) (not shown) on the portion of the movable member 11 that is in contact with the stopper 25, or by providing an opening 115h (see FIG. 3 ) in a portion of the movable member 11 to reduce the rigidity of the portion that is in contact with the stopper 25. In this embodiment, the opening 115h is provided in a portion between the main body 111 and the arm portion 112 of the movable member 11, thereby forming the elastic receiving portion 115 on the main body 111 of the movable member 11. This makes it possible to more effectively suppress collision noise when the stopper 25 comes into contact with the portion that is in contact with the stopper 25.

[0039] Furthermore, a second stopper 26 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) may be provided between the first rotation fulcrum A (see FIG. 7) and the other end 11b of the movable member 11 so as to be able to abut on the side opposite to the abutted portion of the stopper 25. The second stopper 26 is provided on the Z1 side (upper side) in the Z1-Z2 direction of the insulating portion of the fixed member 12. The second stopper 26 is formed, for example, in a convex shape that protrudes upward. By providing the second stopper 26 in addition to the stopper 25, the position of the movable member 11 is restricted both vertically and horizontally during swing.

[0040] In the above example, the stopper 25 and the second stopper 26 are configured to abut against the movable member 11, but the stopper 25 and the second stopper 26 may also be configured to abut against the drive member 13.

[0041] (Switching Operation of Switch Device) Next, the switching operation of the switch device 1 according to this embodiment will be described. Figures 7 to 12 are side views illustrating the switching operation of the switch device according to this embodiment. For convenience of explanation, the housing 2 and the operating member 6 are indicated by two-dot chain lines in Figures 7 to 12.

[0042] First, in the initial position shown in FIG. 7 , the operating member 6 is pressed toward the Z1 side (upward) in the Z1-Z2 direction by the biasing force of the pressure spring 14, and the shaft portion 61 of the operating member 6 protrudes upward from the through-hole 21 (see FIG. 1 ) of the housing 2. In this state, the one end 14a of the pressure spring 14 rotates upward around the fourth rotation fulcrum D on the other end 14b. As a result, the other end 13b of the drive member 13 rotates upward around the second rotation fulcrum B on the one end 13a. The other end 11b of the movable member 11 rotates upward around the first rotation fulcrum A on the one end 11a. As a result, the movable contact P0 provided on the other end 11b of the movable member 11 comes into contact with the first contact P1 of the fixed member 12. The common contact terminal 121 and the first contact P1 are electrically connected via the movable member 11, and a circuit is formed in which the external connection terminal 5 at the left end (Y1 side in the Y1-Y2 direction) in FIG. 7 is electrically connected to the central external connection terminal 5.

[0043] Next, as shown in Figure 8, when the operating member 6 is pushed toward the Z2 side (downward) in the Z1-Z2 direction, the state before the pushing reversal is restored. In this state, the pushing of the operating member 6 pushes one end 14a of the pressure spring 14 and the other end 13b of the drive member 13 downward, causing the pressure spring 14 to rotate downward about the fourth rotation fulcrum D, and the drive member 13 to rotate downward about the second rotation fulcrum B. However, in this state, the movable member 11 does not rotate, and the contact state between the movable contact P0 and the first contact P1 is maintained.

[0044] Next, by slightly depressing the operating member 6 beyond the pre-push-and-reverse state shown in FIG. 8 , the operating member 6 enters the post-push-and-reverse state shown in FIG. 9 . That is, in this state, the biasing force of the pressure spring 14 causes one end 13a of the driving member 13 to rotate downward around the third rotation fulcrum C at the other end 13b. As a result, the other end 11b of the movable member 11, which is engaged with the one end 13a of the driving member 13, rotates downward in an instant, and the connection of the movable contact P0 is instantly switched from the first contact P1 to the second contact P2. As a result, electrical continuity is instantly established between the common contact terminal 121 and the second contact P2 via the movable member 11, establishing an electrical circuit between the external connection terminal 5 at the left end (Y1 side in the Y1-Y2 direction) and the external connection terminal 5 at the right end (Y2 side in the Y1-Y2 direction) in FIG. 8 . After this switching, the movable member 11 collides with the second stopper 26 (see FIG. 7), and the downward movement position of the movable member 11 is restricted.

[0045] Next, when the operating member 6 is further pressed from the reversed position shown in Fig. 9, it reaches the maximum pressed position shown in Fig. 10. In this state, the movable member 11 remains in the same position, and one end 14a of the pressure spring 14 and the other end 13b of the drive member 13 are pressed in. As a result, the other end 13b of the drive member 13 rotates downward around the second rotation fulcrum B on the one end 13a side.

[0046] Next, when the pressing force on the operating member 6 is released from the maximum pressed-in position shown in Fig. 10, it returns to the state before the return inversion, as shown in Fig. 11. In this state, the biasing force of the pressure spring 14 causes one end 14a of the pressure spring 14 and the other end 13b of the drive member 13 to rotate upward, pushing up the operating member 6. However, the movable member 11 does not rotate, and the contact state between the movable contact P0 and the second contact P2 is maintained.

[0047] Next, after the state before the return rotation shown in FIG. 11 is exceeded, the state after the return rotation is reached as shown in FIG. 12 . That is, in this state, the biasing force of the pressure spring 14 causes one end 13a of the drive member 13 to rotate upward around the third rotation fulcrum C at the other end 13b. As a result, the other end 11b of the movable member 11, which is engaged with the one end 13a of the drive member 13, rotates upward in an instant, and the connection of the movable contact P0 is instantly switched from the second contact P2 to the first contact P1. As a result, electrical continuity between the common contact terminal 121 and the first contact P1 is instantly established via the movable member 11, and an electrical circuit is established between the external connection terminal 5 at the left end (Y1 side in the Y1-Y2 direction) in FIG. 12 and the central external connection terminal 5. After this switching, the movable member 11 collides with the stopper 25, restricting the upward movement of the movable member 11.

[0048] The snap action mechanism 10 allows the switch device 1 to instantly switch between conductive states by switching between the movable contact P0 and the fixed contacts (first contact P1 and second contact P2). In the snap action mechanism 10, the pressure spring 14 is provided with the bent portion 141 and the second bent portion 142 so as to intersect with the drive member 13, thereby ensuring a sufficient spring length even in a space-saving configuration, thereby enabling the switch device 1 to be miniaturized and have a long life. In addition, the elastic receiving portion 115 (see FIG. 3 ) is provided on the movable member 11 that abuts against the stopper 25 and the second stopper 26, thereby suppressing collision noise when the movable member 11 abuts against the stopper 25 and the second stopper 26, thereby enabling quieter instantaneous switching in the snap action mechanism 10.

[0049] Although the present embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to these examples. For example, the contact between the movable contact P0, the first contact P1, and the second contact P2 may be sliding contact or butting contact. Furthermore, while the detecting unit and the detected unit are shown as being contact-type contacts using the movable contact P0, the first contact P1, and the second contact P2, other types of detecting unit and detected unit may be used, such as optical types (light-receiving and emitting unit and shielding plate) or magnetic types (magnetic sensor and magnetic generating means). In this case, one of the detecting unit and the detected unit is provided on the movable member 11, and the other of the detecting unit and the detected unit is provided on the fixed member 12. The relative positions of the detecting unit and the detected unit change as the movable member 11 swings. Alternatively, the conductive state may be switched between on and off by providing only one of the first contact P1 or the second contact P2 and making the other non-conductive. Furthermore, although the fixed base 22 is shown as a separate member that closes the opening on the lower side of the housing 2, it may be integrally molded in advance with the bottom of the lower side of the housing 2 to cover the opening formed on the upper side of the housing 2. Furthermore, those in the art who have appropriately added or deleted components to or modified the design of the above-described embodiments, as well as those who appropriately combined the features of the configuration examples of the embodiments, are also included within the scope of the present invention as long as they include the gist of the present invention.

[0050] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Switch device 2...Housing 3...Cover 5...External connection terminal 6...Operation member 10...Snap action mechanism 11...Movable member 11a, 13a, 14a...One end 11b, 13b, 14b...Other end 12...Fixed member 13...Drive member 13h...Opening 14...Pressure spring 14h...Opening 21...Through hole 22...Fixed base 25...Stopper 26...Second stopper 61...Shaft portion 62...Guide portion 111...Main body portion 112...Arm portion 115...Elastic receiving portion 115h...Opening 121...Common contact terminal 121a...Notch portion 131...Bent portion 141...Bent portion 142...Second bent portion 251...Extended portion A...First pivot point B...Second pivot point C: Third pivot point D: Fourth pivot point P0: Movable contact P1: First contact P2: Second contact

Claims

1. A switch device comprising an operating member, a snap action mechanism operated by operation of the operating member, and a housing for accommodating the snap action mechanism, wherein the snap action mechanism comprises: a movable member having one of a detecting part and a detectable part provided at the other end thereof, which swings in a first direction relative to a fixed base fixed to the housing with one end thereof serving as a first pivot point, thereby changing the relative position between the detecting part and the detectable part; a fixed member having the other of the detecting part and the detectable part provided; a driving member having one end thereof engaged with a second pivot point at the other end thereof; and a pressure spring consisting of a leaf spring having one end thereof engaged with a third pivot point located on the first pivot point side at the other end thereof, and the other end thereof engaged with the fixed base at a fourth pivot point located on the second pivot point side. A switch device, comprising: a bent portion provided between one end and the other end of the pressure spring, the bent portion intersecting with the drive member.

2. The switch device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure spring has a second bent portion between one end and the other end, the second bent portion being bent in a direction opposite to the bent portion.

3. The switch device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure spring is provided in an annular shape when viewed in the first direction, and the drive member is disposed within an opening of the pressure spring.

4. The switch device according to claim 3, wherein said drive member has a bent portion on its outer periphery that faces the inner edge of said opening of said pressure contact spring.

5. The switch device according to claim 1, wherein the housing is provided with a stopper extending so as to be able to come into contact with at least one of the movable member and the drive member, and the bent portion of the pressure spring is formed so as to intersect with the stopper.

6. A switch device as set forth in claim 5, wherein an end of said stopper has an extending portion that extends through an opening of said pressure spring and is capable of abutting against said movable member.

7. A switch device as described in claim 1, wherein the housing is provided with a stopper extending so as to be able to come into contact with the movable member, and an end of the stopper has an extending portion extending so as to be able to come into contact with the first pivot point of the movable member and the other end side of the movable member.

8. A switch device as set forth in claim 7, wherein a second stopper is provided between the first pivot point and the other end of the movable member so as to be able to abut on the side opposite to the abutted portion of the stopper.

9. The switch device according to claim 7, wherein an elastic receiving portion is provided on a portion of at least one of said movable member and said driving member that is brought into contact with said stopper.

10. A switch device as described in claim 1, wherein one of said detecting part and said detected part is a movable contact having conductivity, and said movable member and said movable contact are constructed from a common plate material having spring properties.

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