Switch Device Guide Structure for Narrow Space Attachment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional switch devices lack a guide structure between the housing and the mounting member, making attachment complex, especially in narrow spaces.

Innovation Solution

The switch device features a housing with guide concave parts or protrusions that guide external terminals into the housing, along with a positioning structure to ensure precise alignment and attachment to an external base material, facilitating easy installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If no guide structure is provided between the housing and mounting member, then the switch device can be attached to mounting members with wide spaces, but attachment becomes complex when the mounting member has narrow spaces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment easeVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces guide concave parts and guide protrusions as intermediary structures between the housing and mounting member. These guide structures act as mediators that facilitate the insertion and alignment of external terminals into the housing, enabling easy attachment even in narrow spaces without requiring complex adjustment procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Area of stationary object

If the mounting area is narrow, then space utilization is improved, but attachment work becomes complex without guide structures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting areaVSAvoidattachment work
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The guide concave parts and guide protrusions are pre-formed on the housing before attachment. These preliminary guide structures prepare the housing in advance to receive external terminals, ensuring that even when mounted in narrow areas, the attachment process remains simple and straightforward without requiring complex on-site adjustments

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3282463B1Switch device and detecting apparatus equipped with it
Publication Date: 2021.03.24 ALPS ALPINE CO LTD
  • EP3282463B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3282463B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3282463B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A first guide support (13) and a second guide support (14) are integrally formed on an external base material (10) to which external terminals (11a) are fixed. Guide protrusions (25) and guide concave parts (26), which extend vertically, are formed on the housing (20a) of a switch device (20). When each guide protrusion (25) and its corresponding guide concave part (26) are guided by a first guide support (13) and a second guide support (14) during the attachment of the switch device (20) to the external base material (10), the switch device (20) can be easily attached.