JP2010218720A - Operation panel for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an operation panel superior in operability, and capable of restraining an entrance of water, with a simple constitution. <P>SOLUTION: The operation panel has a housing 11, an electric circuit board 24, a hole 23, an elastic body 25 installed on a housing surface of at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the hole 23 and compressing and repulsing in the direction crossing the surface of the housing 11, a sheet 26 installed on a surface of the elastic body 25 and covering the surface of the elastic body 25 and the hole 23, and a moving member 27 installed on a surface on the electric circuit board 24 side of the sheet 26 and freely moving in the hole along the direction crossing the surface of the housing 11. The elastic body 25 is compressed when pressing force is applied to the moving member 27, and repulses so as to return the moving member 27 to an original position when the pressing force is released. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a structure of an operation panel for a vehicle.

  A push button type switch is often used for an operation panel of an air conditioner or the like mounted on a vehicle. Such a push button type switch has a hole in a resin panel, a switch knob that slides in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the resin panel along the hole, and a contact that is turned on and off by the switch knob. In some cases, the switch knob is configured separately from the resin panel (for example, see Patent Document 1 and FIG. 4). In addition, the resin panel is provided with a hinge that rotatably supports the switch knob around the rotation axis on the panel surface. When the switch knob is pressed, the switch knob rotates around the hinge and the back of the switch knob is made of resin. In this case, the contacts are turned on and off by moving in the direction perpendicular to the panel surface. Also in this case, the switch knob is configured separately from the resin panel (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and FIG. 1). If the switch knob is configured separately from the resin panel in this way, the switch knob shape, surface display, lighting, etc. should be configured to match the interior of the vehicle and the design of the resin panel. Although there is a merit that it is possible to do water, the water increases from the gap between the outer surface of the switch knob and the hole of the resin panel for the operation of the switch knob and the operation of the switch knob. There is a problem that it may cause malfunction and malfunction.

  Therefore, the flat fixed sheet with the fixed electrode provided on the surface and the surface sheet molded convexly and provided with the movable electrode on the inner surface of the convex part are bonded so that the fixed electrode and the movable electrode face each other. A membrane switch is used (for example, see FIG. 2 of Patent Document 2). Such a membrane switch performs an on / off operation by bringing the fixed electrode and the movable electrode into contact with each other by pushing down the convex portion of the top sheet, and there is no need to provide a gap in the top sheet. Can be prevented. Moreover, the switch of the electric product which water takes like a rice cooker etc. used what covered the surface of the switch knob with the waterproof sheet (for example, refer FIG. 2 of patent document 3).

  However, the switches described in Patent Document 2 or Patent Document 3 both deform the convex portion of the sheet by pushing down the convex portion of the sheet with a finger during the on / off operation of the switch. There was a problem that the operation feeling of the switch was bad. In particular, when a high-class feeling is required for the interior of the passenger compartment, there is a problem that it is difficult to employ a switch as described in Patent Document 2 or Patent Document 3. Further, in the switch described in Patent Document 2, it is necessary to form a symbol mark display part avoiding the area where the fixed electrode and the movable electrode are arranged, and to illuminate the part. In addition to the need to make it transparent, there are problems that visibility and operability may deteriorate. Furthermore, since the switch as described in Patent Document 2 or Patent Document 3 is required to form the surface of the seat into a convex shape, the shape of the switch is limited, and the design design is adapted to the interior of the vehicle. There was a problem that it was difficult to do.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-278549 JP 2007-157384 A JP 2002-358851 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide an operation panel having a simple configuration, good operability, and capable of suppressing water entry.

  An operation panel for a vehicle according to the present invention is attached to a housing, an electric circuit board provided inside the housing, a hole provided in the surface of the housing, and at least a part of the housing surface at the periphery of the hole. An elastic body that compresses and repels in a direction that intersects the surface, a sheet that is attached to the surface of the elastic body, covers the surface of the elastic body and the hole, and is attached to a surface of the sheet on the electric circuit board side, and intersects the housing surface A movable member that is movable in the hole along the direction of movement, and the elastic member can move in the direction of the electric circuit board when the pressing force from the housing surface side is applied to the movable member. When the pressure is released and the pressing force is released, the moving member is repelled to return to the original position.

  In the operation panel for a vehicle according to the present invention, the housing includes a step portion provided to be recessed from the housing surface at least at a part of the periphery of the hole, and the elastic body has a surface on the housing surface side of the step portion. It is also preferable that the seat is attached to the surface of the housing and the surface of the elastic body.

  The present invention has an effect that it is possible to provide an operation panel that has a simple configuration, good operability, and can prevent water from entering.

It is explanatory drawing of the operation panel for vehicles in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the plane and cross section around a push button in the operation panel for vehicles in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows operation | movement of the push button of the operation panel for vehicles in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the plane and cross section around a push button in the operation panel for vehicles in other embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the plane and cross section around a push button in the operation panel for vehicles in other embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the plane and cross section around a push button in the operation panel for vehicles in other embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the plane and cross section around a push button in the operation panel for vehicles in other embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows operation | movement of the push button of the operation panel for vehicles in other embodiment of this invention.

  Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, an operation panel 10 of an air conditioner installed in a vehicle operates a display window 12 that displays time, temperature, and the like on the surface of a housing 11 and various devices. And push-buttons 13 for indicating the status of the devices operated by the push-buttons 13 are provided. Further, a symbol mark 15 indicating the function of each push button 13 is provided on the surface of each push button 13. At night, the symbol mark 15 is illuminated by a light source disposed inside the push button 13 so that the passenger can recognize the symbol mark 15.

  The passenger can recognize the operation state of the air conditioner by displaying the display window 12 or the indicator 14, and can operate the air conditioner by pressing the push button 13 having a necessary function. For example, when the push button 13 with the A / C symbol mark 15 is pressed down, the air conditioner is turned on, and when the push button 13 having the mountain symbol mark 15 in the upper direction above the TEMP display is pressed, the set temperature in the passenger compartment When the push button 13 having the downward mountain-shaped symbol mark 15 on the lower side is pressed, the set temperature in the passenger compartment decreases.

  As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the operation panel 10 is provided on the surface plate 21 of the resin housing 11, the electric circuit board 24 provided inside the housing 11, and the surface plate 21. The hole 23 provided, the step 22 provided to be recessed from the surface of the surface plate 21 at the periphery of the hole 23, and the surface of the step plate 22 on the surface side of the surface plate 21 are crossed with the surface of the housing 11. The elastic body 25 that compresses and repels in the vertical direction, the sheet 26 that is attached to the surface of the surface plate 21 and covers the surface of the elastic body 25 and the hole 23, and the surface of the sheet 26 on the side of the electric circuit board 24 As shown by the arrows in the figure along the vertical direction intersecting the surface of the housing 11, a movable member 27 that is movable in the hole 23 is provided. The elastic body 25 is compressed so that the moving member 27 can move in the direction of the electric circuit board 24 when the pressing force from the surface side of the housing 11 is applied to the moving member 27, and the pressing force is released. In this case, the moving member 27 is repelled so as to return to the original position. The sheet 26 and the moving member 27 constitute the push button 13.

  A click switch 28 for turning on / off the contact and an LED 29 for illuminating the symbol mark 15 of the push button 13 are attached at positions corresponding to the holes 23 provided in the surface plate 21 of the electric circuit board 24. A skirt 32 extending from the surface plate 21 toward the electric circuit board 24 is provided on the electric circuit board 24 side of the hole 23 provided in the surface board 21. The front end of the skirt 32 is in contact with the surface of the electric circuit board 24 so that the distance between the surface plate 21 and the electric circuit board 24 can be maintained.

  The elastic body 25 is softer than the surface plate 21 of the resin housing 11. For example, when the surface plate 21 is made of engineering plastic or the like, the elastic body 25 is made of a material that is softer and less rigid than engineering plastic such as rubber. It is configured. The elastic body 25 only needs to be softer than the surface plate 21 and may be a porous resin material or a porous rubber. The elastic body 25 is attached to a step portion 22 provided around the hole 23 of the surface plate 21 so as to be sandwiched between the sheet 26 and the surface plate 21, and the surface thereof is substantially the same as the surface of the surface plate 21. On the same surface, the end surface on the inner peripheral side is substantially the same as the inner peripheral surface of the hole 23 provided in the surface plate 21. Thus, since it is comprised so that the surface of the elastic body 25 and the surface of the surface board 21 may become substantially the same plane, the surface shape of the operation panel 10 can be hold | maintained and the designability is also improved.

  The sheet 26 is a light-transmitting thin plate made of resin such as PC or PET that is adhered to the surface of the surface plate 21, and a portion other than the symbol mark 15 is printed in a light-shielding manner such as black by printing. The light of the LED 29 attached to the electric circuit board 24 is configured not to leak from this portion. When the LED 29 is turned on, the symbol mark 15 is raised by the illumination so that the passenger can recognize the function of the push button 13.

  The moving member 27 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the hole 23 and is sized so that a slight gap is formed between the moving member 27 and the hole 23. The moving member 27 is a translucent resin member that is bonded to the inner surface of the housing 11 of the sheet 26 and is attached so that its surface slightly protrudes from the surface of the surface plate 21. It maintains its shape and has a hardness that hardly deforms, and can scatter light from the LED 29. The surface of the moving member 27 on the sheet 26 side is a flat surface, and has a thickness such that when the moving member 27 moves to the electric circuit board 24 side, the tip of the moving member 27 comes into contact with the click switch 28 attached to the electric circuit board 24. ing. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2C, the tip of the tip is formed into a tapered shape to reduce the volume of the moving member 27.

  The operation when the push button 13 of the operation panel 10 configured as described above is pressed will be described with reference to FIG. In a state where the push button 13 is not pushed, the surfaces of the sheet 26 and the moving member 27 protrude slightly from the surface of the surface plate 21 as indicated by a one-dot chain line in FIG. When the vehicle occupant pushes down the surface of the seat 26 as shown by an arrow shown in FIG. 3, the pressing force is transmitted from the seat 26 to the moving member 27. The moving member 27 is made of a material such as engineering plastic or ABS resin, and is hardly deformed by the pressing force. Therefore, the moving member 27 maintains its shape and starts moving in the direction of the electric circuit board 24 by the pressing force.

  When the moving member 27 moves in the direction of the electric circuit board 24, the sheet 26 to which the moving member 27 is bonded also moves in the direction of the electric circuit board 24 together. When the sheet 26 moves in the direction of the electric circuit board 24 together with the moving member, the sheet 26 pushes down the elastic body 25 provided around the hole 23 toward the electric circuit board 24. Since the elastic body 25 is sandwiched between the step portion 22 of the surface plate 21 and the sheet 26, when the sheet 26 moves in the direction of the electric circuit board 24, it is compressed by the step portion 22 and the sheet 26. The thickness becomes thinner. For this reason, the moving member 27 moves in the direction of the electric circuit board 24 along the depth direction of the hole 23. When the tip of the moving member 27 pushes down the click switch 28 by a predetermined depth, the contact of the click switch 28 is conducted and the contact is turned on.

  When the occupant releases his / her finger from the push button 13 and releases the pressing force applied to the surface of the seat 26, the compressed elastic body 25 repels and moves the moving member 27 and the seat 26 to the alternate long and short dash line in the figure. Return to the initial position indicated by.

  The operation panel 10 of the present embodiment described above has a simple configuration, and the design design of the operation panel 10 can be freely changed by attaching a sheet 26 on which the design of the operation panel 10 including the symbol mark 15 is printed. There is an effect that can be. Moreover, since the clearance gap between the moving member 27 and the hole 23 of the surface plate 21 of the housing 11 is covered with the sheet | seat 26, there exists an effect that the water entering the inside of the housing 11 can be suppressed. Furthermore, since the moving member 27 moves without being deformed when the push button 13 is pushed in, there is an effect that the feeling of operation when the passenger operates is improved.

  Another embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Parts similar to those of the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, an indicator 14 that indicates the operating state of the air conditioner that is turned on and off by the push button 13 is provided outside a hole 23 provided in the surface plate 21 of the housing 11. In the present embodiment, the indicator 14 is provided as a part that leaves the light-transmitting property on the sheet 26 by printing, and the light of the LED 29 attached to the electric circuit board 24 by the light guide lens 33 provided on the surface plate 21 of the housing 11. Is configured to be guided. Since the LED 29 that illuminates the indicator 14 is outside the skirt 32 provided around the hole 23 of the surface plate 21, the illumination of the symbol mark 15 of the push button 13 and the illumination of the indicator 14 do not interfere with each other, Each is configured so that it can be illuminated clearly.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the surfaces of the moving member 27 and the sheet 26 of the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 are the same as the surface of the surface plate 21. In the present embodiment, since the step on the surface of the push button 13 can be eliminated, the design design on the surface of the operation panel 10 can be a flat design.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the surfaces of the moving member 27 and the sheet 26 of the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 3 are the same as the surface of the surface plate 21, and the step portion 22 and the elastic body 25 are provided. It is arranged in a part of the hole 23. In the present embodiment, the step on the surface of the push button 13 can be eliminated, the design design on the surface of the operation panel 10 can be a flat design, and the overhang of the elastic body 25 in the width direction can be reduced. The panel can be made compact. Further, in the present embodiment, the side where the elastic body 25 is not provided, such as the right end in FIG. 6, is closer to the moving member 27 than the side where the elastic body 25 is provided, such as the left end in FIG. Since the sinking becomes small, when the occupant pushes the push button 13, it can be operated like a hinge knob provided with a hinge on the side where the elastic body 25 on the right side shown in FIG. 6 is not provided. it can. For this reason, this embodiment is suitable for a part where an operational feeling like a hinge knob is preferred depending on the shape of the symbol mark 15 of the bush button 13. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the sheet 26 can be shaped into the shape of the surface plate 21 at a portion where the elastic body 25 is not disposed around the hole of the surface plate 21.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the surfaces of the moving member 27 and the sheet 26 of the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 3 are the same as the surface of the surface plate 21, and as shown in FIG. A seesaw switch is obtained by engaging a recess 31 provided in a moving member 27 with a pin 30 provided in a housing 11. As shown in FIG. 7C, when the moving member 27 is not pushed in, the minute gap d is disposed between the recess 31 of the moving member 27 and the pin 30.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the moving member 27 has a shape that is long in the horizontal direction and short in the vertical direction, and a concave portion 31 is provided at the center in the horizontal direction of the moving member 27. A pin 30 of the housing 11 is provided at a corresponding position, and a recess 31 is engaged with the pin 30. Then, when the sheet 26 and the moving member 27 on the Hi symbol mark 15 side shown in FIG. 7A are pushed down, the entire moving member 27 sinks. At this time, the sheet 26 and the moving member 27 on the side indicated by Hi sink more than the sheet 26 and the moving member 27 on the side indicated by Lo. When the moving member 27 sinks until the concave portion 31 of the moving member 27 hits the pin 30, the moving member 27 starts to rotate around the pin 30. The Hi side shown in FIG. 7 pushed by the passenger further sinks toward the electric circuit board 24 and comes into contact with the Hi side touch switch 28 to operate the touch switch 28. On the other hand, the sheet 26 and the moving member 27 on the side indicated by Lo do not sink further because the concave portion 31 is engaged with the pin 30, and conversely, the moving member 27 rotates around the pin 30. The touch switch 28 on the Lo side does not operate because it is lifted up a little when starting. However, since the lift amount is smaller than the gap d between the concave portion 31 of the moving member 27 and the pin 30, the sheet 26 and the moving member 27 on the side displayed as Lo when the push switch 13 is operated are attached to the surface plate. It does not protrude beyond the surface of 21. When the side displayed as Lo is pushed by the occupant, the movement is reversed, the touch switch 28 on the Lo side operates, and the touch switch 28 on the side displayed Hi does not operate. In this embodiment, the fan speed can be switched between the high speed side and the low speed side in this way.

  In the present embodiment, the step design on the surface of the push button 13 can be eliminated, the design design on the surface of the operation panel 10 can be a flat design, and a seesaw switch having a simple structure and a flat design can be provided.

  Another embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Parts similar to those of the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the elastic body 25 is disposed on the entire surface plate 21 of the housing 11. This embodiment has the same effect as the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 and is similar to the hole 23 provided in the surface plate 21 of the housing 11 without providing a step portion in the surface plate 21. A sheet-like elastic body 25 having an opening 35 of the same shape is prepared at the position, and the sheet-like elastic body 25 is bonded onto the surface plate 21 so that the positions of the hole 23 and the opening 35 are matched, It can be formed by adhering a sheet 26 thereon. For this reason, since it can manufacture without mounting | wearing the elastic body 25 around each hole 23, it can manufacture easily.

  The operation when the push button 13 of the operation panel 10 configured as described above is pressed will be described with reference to FIG. The state in which the push button 13 is not pressed is the same as in the embodiment described with reference to FIG.

  When the moving member 27 moves in the direction of the electric circuit board 24, the sheet 26 to which the moving member 27 is bonded also moves in the direction of the electric circuit board 24 together. When the sheet 26 moves in the direction of the electric circuit board 24 together with the moving member, the sheet 26 pushes down the elastic body 25 provided around the hole 23 toward the electric circuit board 24. Since the elastic body 25 is sandwiched between the surface plate 21 and the sheet 26, the sheet 26 is compressed in the direction of the electric circuit board 24 by the surface plate 21 and the sheet 26, and the thickness thereof is reduced. The elastic body 25 is bonded to the entire surface of the surface plate 21, but a larger force is applied to the elastic body 25 around the hole 23 than the elastic body 25 located at a position away from the hole 23. The elastic body 25 is greatly compressed. For this reason, the moving member 27 moves in the direction of the electric circuit board 24 along the depth direction of the hole 23, but the portion away from the hole 23 is hardly deformed even when the moving member 27 moves, and the original shape Keep. When the tip of the moving member 27 pushes down the click switch 28 by a predetermined depth, the contact of the click switch 28 is conducted and the contact is turned on.

  When the occupant releases his / her finger from the push button 13 and releases the pressing force applied to the surface of the seat 26, the compressed elastic body 25 repels and moves the moving member 27 and the seat 26 to the alternate long and short dash line in the figure. Return to the initial position indicated by.

  In each of the embodiments described above, the present invention is applied to the operation panel 10 of the vehicle air conditioner. However, the present invention is not limited to the operation panel 10 of the air conditioner, and the operation panel of the center cluster or console of the vehicle. It can also be applied to lighting operation panels provided on the ceiling.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Operation panel, 11 Housing, 12 Display window, 13 Push button, 14 Indicator, 15 Symbol mark, 21 Surface board, 22 Step part, 23 Hole, 24 Electric circuit board, 25 Elastic body, 26 Sheet, 27 Moving member, 28 Click switch, 29 LED, 30 pin, 31 recess, 32 skirt, 33 light guide lens, 35 aperture.

Claims (2)

An operation panel for a vehicle,
A housing;
An electric circuit board provided inside the housing;
A hole provided in the surface of the housing;
An elastic body attached to at least a part of the housing surface at the periphery of the hole and compressing and repelling in a direction crossing the housing surface;
A sheet attached to the surface of the elastic body and covering the surface of the elastic body and the hole;
A movable member attached to the surface of the sheet on the electric circuit board side and movable in the hole along the direction intersecting the housing surface;
The elastic body is compressed so that the moving member can move in the direction of the electric circuit board when the pressing force from the housing surface side is applied to the moving member, and when the pressing force is released, the elastic member is restored to the original position. Repelling back to the position,
The operation panel for vehicles characterized by this. The operation panel according to claim 1,
The housing includes a step portion provided to be recessed from the housing surface on at least a part of the peripheral edge of the hole,
The elastic body is attached to the housing surface side of the step portion so that the surface thereof is substantially flush with the housing surface,
The seat is attached to the housing surface and the elastic surface;
The operation panel for vehicles characterized by this.

Images