JP3215380B2 - Switch structure - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a switch structure for performing a multi-directional operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, when moving a cursor or the like displayed on a display unit or selecting a part displayed on the display unit, the user may protrude from the operation unit and operate the same with one finger such as a thumb. A direction switch is employed.

Conventionally, as this type of switch structure, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, there is a substrate 101 on which a contact portion 103 is disposed, and an operation member 102 is disposed so as to cover the contact portion 103. ing. The operation member 102 is a flexible member made of a soft synthetic resin material or the like, and is a housing 1 of the device.
An operation unit 105 protruding outside of the control unit 12 is formed. The operation unit 105 has a central portion raised outside the housing 112 of the device, and is inclined downward in a mountain shape toward the periphery. In the switch structure shown in the figure, grooves 111 are formed on the surface of the operation unit 105 so as to intersect each operation direction for the purpose of operation in four directions (cross direction). Then, on the bottom side of the operation unit 105,
A contact 108 to be brought into contact with the contact portion 103 corresponding to each operation direction is protruded. Therefore, in the above-described switch structure, when the area divided by the groove 111 is pressed, the contact 108 comes into contact with the contact 103 to activate the current.

[0004]

However, in the above-described conventional switch structure, the central portion of the operating portion 105 protruding outside the housing 112 of the device is raised so that the operating portion 105 is inclined downward and downward toward the periphery. Due to the shape, the belly of the finger 120 is placed in the most prominent central part, and it is intended that the finger is shifted along the slope and pressed in each direction, but contrary to this intention, the user is In many cases, the part divided by the most protruded central groove 111 is pressed down, which makes the user feel that the operational feeling is bad. Also, when the part divided by the most protruded central groove 111 is pressed,
In some cases, the contact between the contact 108 and the contact portion 103 is not good, and there is a possibility that the contact 108 may be mistaken for a poor contact (a failure of the switch portion).

In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a switch structure capable of clarifying an operation part from an external appearance and improving an operation feeling in order to solve the above-mentioned problem.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a switch structure according to the present invention comprises a substrate 1 having contacts,
In a switch structure having an operation unit for opening and closing the contacts on the substrate, a predetermined center O on the substrate 1 is provided.
A plurality of contact portions 3 provided at predetermined angular positions with the center as a center, and an operation portion 5 provided on the substrate 1 so as to cover the contact portions 3 and capable of being pushed and operated in the direction of the contact portions 3
A contact 8 disposed on the bottom side of the operation unit 5 so as to oppose each of the contact portions 3 and contacting the contact point of the contact unit 3 during the pushing operation; And a groove portion 11 that separates, without intersecting, only a portion between the adjacent contacts 8 so as to separate operation positions corresponding to the arrangement of the plurality of contacts 8. Features.

Further, in a switch structure having a substrate 1 having contacts and an operation portion for opening and closing the contacts on the substrate, a switch is provided at a predetermined angular position with a predetermined center O on the substrate 1 as a center. A plurality of contact points 3
And an operation unit 5 provided on the substrate 1 so as to cover each of the contact portions 3 and capable of being pushed in the direction of the contact portion 3, and opposing each of the contact portions 3 on the bottom side of the operation portion 5. A contact 8 which is disposed at a position and which contacts the contact point of the contact portion 3 at the time of the pushing operation; And the adjacent contacts 8 provided on the surface side of the operation unit 5 to separate operation positions corresponding to the arrangement of the plurality of contacts 8, respectively. A groove portion for separating only a portion between the two without intersecting.

On the bottom side of the operation section 5, a flexible support section 9 having a predetermined height, which comes into contact with the substrate 1, is protruded at the position of the predetermined center O. When the push operation is performed, each contact 8 comes in contact with each of the opposing contact portions 3 with the support portion 9 as a fulcrum, and the operation portion 5
During the pushing operation of the portion directly above the supporting portion 9, the plurality of contacts 8 can simultaneously contact the opposing contact portions 3 by bending of the supporting portion 9.

[0009]

[0010]

[0011]

[0012]

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a switch structure according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an operation member of the switch structure, FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the operation member, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a usage form of the switch structure.

The switch structure in this embodiment is as follows.
It comprises a substrate 1 and an operation member 2. The substrate 1 has a plurality of (four in FIG. 1) contact portions 3 arranged on the plate surface at equal angular intervals via a predetermined center O. This contact 3
Is a part of a wiring pattern formed on the substrate 1 and is normally in a non-energized state.

The operating member 2 is made of a soft synthetic resin material or the like so as to have flexibility, and has an edge portion 4 covering the contact portions 3 on the substrate 1 and an operating portion 5. The edge part 4 is formed in a frame shape so as to surround each contact part 3.

The operation section 5 is provided with a gap 6 in the frame of the edge section 4, and is integrated with the edge section 4 via a thin flexible section 7 in the gap 6. The bottom surface of the operation unit 5 is configured to be higher than the bottom surface of the edge unit 4.
On the bottom surface side of the operation section 5, a contact 8 facing each contact section 3 is protruded. Also, at the tip of the contact 8,
A conductive member for energizing the contact portion 3 is applied. Further, at the center of the bottom surface side of the operation unit 5, a support unit 9 that comes into contact with the plate surface of the substrate 1 is integrally provided.

The center of the operation unit 5 on the front side has a raised shape so as to be located at a position protruding in the highest direction, and a concave portion 10 is formed in the center on the front side so as to eliminate the raised portion. . The recess 10 is formed so as to be curved and recessed from the vicinity of a portion on the surface side directly above the contact 8 toward the center. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the concave portion 10 has a substantially circular shape having a predetermined diameter such that a portion on the surface side directly above each contact 8 in plan view is connected by a concave opening edge, and the center thereof is the highest. It is formed in a substantially mortar-shaped cross section so as to be at a lower position in the vertical direction. As a result, the surface side of the operation unit 5 is formed such that the portion immediately above the contact 8 is at the highest position.

Further, a groove 11 is provided on the front side of the operation unit 5. The groove portion 11 is provided along the radial direction from the vicinity of the center of the operation portion 5, and in order to divide the operation position corresponding to the arrangement of each contact, a front surface side between each adjacent contact 8 is provided. It is formed so that only the region (four places) of the part is divided. That is, the grooves 11 are independent from each other without intersecting at the center of the operation unit 5.

As shown in FIG. 5, the switch structure having the above-mentioned structure is attached to a device so as to sandwich the edge 4 between the substrate 1 and a part of the housing 12 of the device.

In the switch structure configured as described above,
As shown in FIG. 5, the belly of a finger (for example, a thumb) is placed in the concave portion 10 of the operation portion 5, and from this state, the portion divided into four by the groove portion 11 is selectively pushed and operated, whereby the contact portion 3 is formed. Is opened and closed. By the pushing operation, only the selected portion of the operation portion 5 sinks downward with the support portion 9 as a fulcrum and the bending portion 7 and the groove portion 11, and the contact 8 in that region contacts the corresponding contact portion 3. To operate.

At this time, the portion directly above the contact 8 in the operation section 5, that is, the pressed portion on the front side to be pushed by the finger,
Since it is positioned at the highest position by the formation of the concave portion 10,
This prompts the user to push the highest part (directly above the contact 8).

Further, since the region to be operated is divided by the groove 11, the region to be pushed by the user is clarified. Further, since the grooves 11 are independent of each other in the vicinity of the center (recess 10) of the operation unit 5 without intersecting with each other, a non-pressed portion (the operation unit 5) remote from the contact 8
(The central part of the button) and the pressed part.

By the way, in the switch structure described above, each contact portion 3 has been described as being individually opened and closed.
As another operation, all (four) contact portions 3 can be opened and closed simultaneously. Specifically, the support portion 9 is provided integrally with the flexible operation portion 5 and has flexibility. Then, the supporting portion 9 is bent by pushing the center of the concave portion 10 corresponding to the portion directly above the supporting portion 9. Each contact 8 is caused by the bending of the support portion 9.
Can simultaneously contact each of the contact portions 3.

In the above-described embodiment, a switch structure for performing operations in four directions (cross direction) corresponding to the four contact portions 3 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The same effect can be obtained with a similar configuration in a switch structure that performs an operation on the switch.

The recess 10 provided at the center of the front surface of the operation unit 5 is not limited to a substantially mortar shape as long as the pressed portion directly above the contact 8 on the front surface of the operation unit 5 can be at a high position. Instead, for example, it may be formed so as to be recessed immediately below the vicinity of a portion directly above the contact 8 to form a flat bottom surface. The recess 10 is not limited to a substantially circular shape as shown in FIG.
It may be a polygonal shape that forms a corner so as to indicate each pressed part.

Further, the shape of the operation unit 5 may be formed in a substantially polygonal shape having a substantially corner portion where the contact 8 is disposed in plan view. With this configuration, it is possible to clarify the site of the contact 8 with each corner.

In the above-described embodiment, the configuration of the wiring pattern is described as the contact portion 3 provided on the substrate 1. However, the contact portion 3 itself constitutes a switch, such as a tact switch. It may be something.

[0028]

As described above, in the switch structure according to the present invention, the portion immediately above the contact in the operation portion, that is, the portion to be pushed by the finger is set at a high position by forming the concave portion. On the other hand, it is possible to urge the user to perform a push operation on a portion set at a high position, thereby improving the operational feeling.

Also, the operating portion is raised so that the center on the surface side above the predetermined center becomes the position most protruding in the height direction, and a concave portion is formed on the most protruding surface side of the operating portion. The position directly above the contact can be formed so as to protrude in the highest direction.

Further, since a groove is formed only on a portion between the adjacent contacts on the surface side of the operation portion,
The operation positions corresponding to the arrangements of the plurality of contacts can be separately classified, and the part to be pushed by the operation unit can be further urged to further clarify the region where the pushing operation is performed for the user.

The recess is formed as a circle having a predetermined diameter centered on a predetermined center in a plan view, and is formed as a mortar-shaped recess with a side center so that the predetermined center is located at the lowest position in the height direction. So put your finger in this recess,
The pushing operation can be performed as if the finger were shifted.

Further, the contact portions and the opposing contacts are arranged at equal angular intervals around the predetermined center, and the operating section 5 defines a position where the contacts are arranged in a plan view as a substantially corner portion. If it is formed in a substantially polygonal shape, the contact portion can be clarified by each corner.

By providing a support portion having a predetermined height in contact with the substrate at a position corresponding to a predetermined center on the bottom side of the operation portion, the support portion serves as a fulcrum at the time of pushing operation of the operation portion. It is possible to appropriately make contact only with each of the opposing contact portions.

Further, if the supporting portion has a flexible structure, a plurality of contacts can be made to be able to simultaneously contact the opposing contact portions by bending of the supporting portion.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a switch structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an operation member having the switch structure.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the operation member.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a usage mode of the switch structure.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a conventional switch structure.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a usage form of a conventional switch structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Board, 3 ... Contact part, 5 ... Operation part, 8 ... Contact, 9 ...
Supporting portion, 10: concave portion, 11: groove portion, O: center.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-6-260056 (JP, A) JP-A-7-73782 (JP, A) JP-A-9-147683 (JP, A) JP-A-11- 126126 (JP, A) JP-A 62-195938 (JP, U) JP-A 6-86124 (JP, U) JP-A 7-5235 (JP, U) Patent 2916842 (JP, B2) Utility model registration 2597476 (JP, Y2) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01H 25/04

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A switch structure having a substrate (1) having a contact and an operation unit for opening and closing the contact on the substrate, wherein a predetermined angle (O) is set at a predetermined center (O) on the substrate. A plurality of contact portions (3) respectively provided on the substrate; and an operation portion (5) provided on the substrate so as to cover the contact portions and capable of being pushed and operated in the direction of the contact portions; And a contact (8) disposed at a position facing each contact portion and contacting a contact of the contact portion at the time of the pushing operation, and a contact (8) provided on the front surface side of the operation portion,
Before dividing the operation position corresponding to the arrangement,
Make sure that only the area between adjacent contacts
Characterized by having a groove portion (11) for separating
Switch structure. 2. A substrate (1) having contacts, and on the substrate
A switch for operating the contacts.
In the first structure, a predetermined angle (O) on the substrate is set at a predetermined angular position.
A plurality of contact portions provided on the substrate so as to cover each of the contact portions;
An operation part (5) that can be pushed and operated in the direction of the dotted part, and a position facing each contact on the bottom side of the operation part;
A contact that contacts the contact of the contact portion during the pushing operation
(8) formed at the center on the front surface side of the operation unit on the predetermined center;
Opening edges so as to connect the positions directly above the contacts, respectively.
And a concave portion (10), which is provided on the surface side of the operation portion, and is provided for each of the plurality of contacts.
Before dividing the operation position corresponding to the arrangement,
Make sure that only the area between adjacent contacts
Characterized by having a groove portion (11) for separating
Switch structure. 3. The operation unit (5) has a bottom surface on the bottom side.
A predetermined center (O) position which is in contact with the substrate (1);
A flexible support portion (9) having a height is provided so as to protrude, and when the operation portion is pushed, the support portion is used as a fulcrum.
Each contact (8) contacts each of the contact points (3) facing each other.
And a pushing operation of a portion of the operation portion directly above the support portion.
At the time of operation, the plurality of contacts are bent by the bending of the support portion.
It is characterized in that it is possible to simultaneously contact each of the opposing contacts.
3. The switch structure according to claim 1 or claim 2,
Build.