Switch Device Linear Flexible Substrate Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional switch devices require complex assembly processes such as routing harnesses and bending flexible substrates, making them unsuitable for automatic assembly.
Innovation Solution
A switch device configuration featuring rotatable rotor and knob members with movable contact members and a flexible substrate linearly disposed along the longitudinal axis, allowing for assembly in one direction without bending, enabling automatic assembly and cost reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional switch device assembly methods are used (routing harnesses through operation lever, inserting operation elements into cam grooves, bending flexible substrates), then the switch device can be assembled, but the assembly process becomes complex and unsuitable for automatic assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The switch device is divided into separate modules: a lever assembly with lever body and lever shaft, and a base assembly with base body and flexible substrate. These modules are manufactured and assembled independently, then combined through a simple mounting process where the lever shaft is inserted into the base body's shaft hole. This segmentation eliminates complex routing operations and enables automatic assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible substrate is pre-installed on the base body before final assembly, with its conductive patterns already positioned to contact the signal contacts. The lever shaft is pre-formed with a head portion that will engage the operation element. These preliminary preparations eliminate the need for complex routing and bending operations during final assembly.
2Reliability
If flexible substrate is bent and adhered to surface orthogonal to lever shaft, then electrical connections can be made, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of bending the flexible substrate to achieve contact, the invention inverts the approach: the flexible substrate is mounted flat on the base body surface, and the lever shaft with its head portion is designed to move vertically to make contact with the signal contacts. This eliminates bending operations while maintaining reliable electrical connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact mechanism transitions from a planar bending approach to a vertical dimensional approach. The flexible substrate remains in a flat plane on the base body, while the lever shaft moves in the vertical dimension (orthogonal to the base body surface) to establish and break electrical contacts. This dimensional change eliminates complex bending and adhesion processes.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3~4B
AI summary
Provided is a switch device including rotor members 20, 60 mounted so as to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis CL of a lever main body 10, knob members 30, 50 mounted so as to be integrally rotatable with the rotor members, the knob members including cam surfaces 30b, 50f that face the cam surfaces 20b, 60c of the rotor members with a gap therebetween, a movable contact member 130, 140 being movable in the longitudinal axis direction by a rotational operation of the rotor members and the knob members about the longitudinal axis, and a flexible substrate 70 linearly disposed in the longitudinal axis direction in at least a movable range of the movable contact member, the flexible substrate including a contact portion (71a, 71b), a contact terminal 133, 143 of the movable contact member being brought into contact with and separated from the contact portion in association with the movement in the longitudinal axis direction of the movable contact member.