Multi-Function Switch with Segmented Detection Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing switches for detecting tilting, depressing, and rotational operations in small devices face challenges such as difficult assembly, potential for false detection due to operational resistance, and durability issues, particularly when subjected to strong forces, and lack of clear feedback for tilting limits.
Innovation Solution
A switch design featuring a rotor made of resin, a gear-shaped engaging piece, and a tilt detecting section with a slit-shaped engageable portion, allowing independent detection of tilting, depressing, and rotational operations without transmitting these movements to the rotor, and utilizing spring plate elements and electrodes for conductive states, along with shock absorbing elements for durability and feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the tilt detecting section, depression detecting section, and rotation detecting section are arranged in a single space within the casing, then assembly facility is improved, but the complexity of confirming conductive states increases and assembly difficulty arises
Solution Approach 1:
The detecting sections are divided into three separate functional modules (tilt detecting section with oscillating contact plate, depression detecting section with movable contact, and rotation detecting section with sliding element), each with its own contact arrangement. This segmentation allows independent confirmation of conductive states for each detecting section while maintaining compact overall arrangement within the casing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the control rod is made rotatable and tiltable to enable multiple operations, then functionality is improved, but operational resistance increases causing false detections
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor is extracted as a separate rotatable component that can rotate independently from the control rod's tilting and depressing operations. The gear-shaped engaging piece engages with the rotor only during rotation operations, preventing the rotor from participating in tilting operations and eliminating operational resistance between the rotor and control rod during non-rotation operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The gear-shaped engaging piece acts as an intermediary mechanism that selectively transmits rotational motion from the control rod to the rotor only when rotation is intended. During tilting and depressing operations, this engaging piece prevents the rotor from moving, thereby eliminating operational resistance and preventing false detections while maintaining versatility of operations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the rotor is made rotatable for rotation detection, then rotation detection functionality is improved, but durability decreases when subjected to strong forces
Solution Approach 1:
The gear-shaped engaging piece serves as a protective intermediary that disengages the rotor from the control rod during strong force applications such as depressing operations. By preventing direct force transmission to the rotor during operations other than rotation, the engaging piece protects the rotor from damage while maintaining rotation detection functionality.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the control rod transmits all movements to the rotor, then operational coupling is improved, but clear feedback for tilting limits is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor is extracted as a separate component that rotates only during rotation operations, independent of the control rod's tilting and depressing movements. This extraction allows the control rod to provide clear tactile feedback during tilting operations without the rotor interfering, while the rotor independently provides rotation detection feedback through its own rotational movement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables proper detection of multiple operations with reduced false detections and increased durability, providing clear feedback for tilting operations and maintaining assembly simplicity, even with complex structures.
Implementation Method 1
a movable contact having a dome-shaped bulging portion contacting the common fixed contact at peripheries thereof and spaced from the central fixed contact. Further, a depressing member is arranged above the bulging portion of the fixed contact so that an upper end thereof may contact the lower end of the control rod. When the control rod is depressed, the bulging portion of the movable contact is elastically deformed to the extent of contacting the central contact by an operational force from the control rod to establish a conductive state
Implementation Method 2
The oscillating contact plate is in contact with a compression spring formed of a conductor such as a metal wire material or the like. The compression spring has a lower end in contact with a common fixed contact
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(c)
Figure 3
AI summary
We propose a switch comprising a tilt detecting section (A) for electrically detecting a tilting operation of a control rod (20) supported by a casing (10), the switch further comprising: a depression detecting section (B) for electrically detecting a depressing operation of the control rod (20) in a direction along a rod axis (Y) of the control rod (20), and a rotation detecting section (C) for electrically detecting a rotational operation of the control rod (20), and an operative member (38) fitted on and supported by the control rod (20) to be rotatable about the rod axis (Y) relative to the control rod (20) and relatively movable along the rod axis (Y), and to be tilted together with the control rod (20) tilted, the tilt detecting section (A) executing a detecting operation with tilting movement of the operative member (38), wherein the depression detecting section (B) is provided in a bottom wall portion (13B) of the casing (10) adjacent an inner surface thereof to execute a detecting operation by pressure received from the control rod (20) when the control rod (20) is depressed, and wherein the switch further comprises a rotor (56) rotatable in unison with the control rod (20) rotated and maintaining a predetermined position relative to the casing (10) when the control rod (20) is depressed or tilted, the rotation detecting section (C) detecting a rotational operation of the rotor (56).