JPH09259686A - Multiinput push button switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a multiinput push button switch which can constitute a switch inputtable in a multidirection by a small space, by providing a plurality of pressing switches, press operated by a protruded part of an operating button, in position opposed to the protruded part, in the periphery of a center axis of the operating button having a plurality of the protruded parts. SOLUTION: A center shaft of an operating button 1 is supported in a radial direction by a support part 5b of a cover 5, a conical surface part la of the operating button 1 is supported in a thrust direction by a tip end part of the support part 5b. Further, a shaft lock spring 6 is pressed in a shaft part 1b of the operating button 1, to be locked from coming off, a plurality of protruded parts 1c of the operating button 1 are inserted to a hole part 5c of the cover 5, to be turn locked. A plurality of rubber switches 4 are provided on a flexible printed board 7 mounting the cover 5, in a position opposed to the protruded part 1c of the operating button 1. In this way, a multidirectional inputtable switch can be constituted by a small space, a multiinput push button switch capable of performing reduction of a cost and miniaturization, further with a small number of part items, is obtained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-input push button switch most suitable for an operating member of a camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, FIG.
There is a seesaw switch shown in. The operation button 101 is
A lever shaft 102 rotatably supports a cover (not shown) or the like, and the cover is fixed to the camera body. When the left side of the operation button 101 is pushed in the upper left direction in FIG. 4, the switch 104 is turned on. When the finger is released from the operation button 101, the operation button 101 is returned to the neutral position by the restoring force of the switch 104.

FIG. 5 shows another conventional example. Operation member 11
1 is rotatably supported by a shaft 112. Axis 1
The shaft 12 is rotatably supported by a shaft 113.
The shaft 113 is rotatably supported by a cover (not shown) and the camera body. When the operation lever 111 is operated up, down, left and right, the switches 11 corresponding to the four directions are turned on by the foot 11a of the operation lever 111. When there is no input to the operating lever 111, the switch 114
The restoring force causes the operating lever 111 to return to the neutral position.

[0004]

However, the conventional example shown in FIG. 4 has a drawback that only two-direction input is possible. Further, in the conventional example shown in FIG. 5, two shafts are required to support the shaft, and there is a problem that a large space is required.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to construct a switch capable of inputting in multiple directions in a small space. Another object is to reduce the number of parts to reduce cost and size.

[0006]

In order to achieve this object, a multi-input push button switch of the present invention comprises an operation button (1),
A central axis (1b) formed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the operation surface of the operation button and supporting the operation button; and a plurality of contact portions (1c) integrally formed with the operation button around the central axis, A plurality of pressing switches (4) are provided around the central axis, and are turned on by being directly pressed by the contact portion in response to the pressing operation of the operation button.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of a multi-input push button switch according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of FIG. 1.

In FIGS. 1 and 3, a shaft stopper female spring 6 is fixed to a shaft portion 1b provided at the center of the operation button 1. The shaft stopper female spring 6 is pushed into the shaft portion 1b of the operation button 1 to prevent the operation button 1 from coming off due to its spring property, and further applies a force to pull the operation button 1 downward in FIG. There is. The operation button 1 is supported by the conical surface portion 1a in the thrust direction and is supported by the support portion 5b of the cover 5 in the radial direction. Operation button 1
Is pushed, the convex portion 1c pushes the rubber switch 4. A pattern of the flexible printed board 7 is arranged under the rubber switch 4, and the conductive portion provided on the bottom surface of the rubber switch 4 by a means such as printing comes into contact with the pattern of the board 7 to turn on the switch. . The rubber switch 4 is configured such that the rib 4a is inserted into the groove portion of the cover 5 to prevent water and dust from entering. When there is no input to the operation button 1, the operation button 1 is returned to the neutral position by the restoring force of the rubber switch 4 and the shaft stop female spring 6. Operation button 1
The convex portion 1c is regulated by the hole 5c of the cover and is configured not to rotate.

The diameter of the convex portion 1c of the operation button 1 is set to the rubber switch 4
By making it as thick as the diameter of the surface of, the entire rubber switch 4 is pushed, and the force and the click feeling are improved.

The bottom of the convex portion 1c of the operation button 1 has a switch 4
When the switch is turned on, the switch 4 that is turned on is inclined so that the entire switch 4 is pressed uniformly. That is, for example, when the switch 4 on the left side of FIG.
Since the bottom of the convex portion 1c pushes the switch 4 in the state of falling to the right, the entire switch 4 that is turned on (the full width)
Is diagonally (upward to the right) so that is pressed evenly. It should be noted that in FIG. 1, the convex portion 1C of the operation button and the rubber switch 4 are drawn so as to overlap each other so that the rubber switch 4 is returned to the neutral position so that the operation button 1 returns to the neutral position when there is no input to the operation button 1. This is to show that is configured to collapse a little.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of the multi-input push button switch according to the present invention. In the figure, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

The shaft portion 1b has a groove, and the ring 8 is provided in the groove.
Is fitted and the operation button 1 is stopped. Sponge 9
Is attached to the operation button 1 with a double-sided tape or the like, and it has the effect of preventing the operation button 1 from rattling and at the same time preventing the entry of water and dust.

When the convex portion 1c of the operating member 1 has a smaller diameter, the backlash with the hole 5c of the cover is reduced, but since the rubber switch 4 is pushed in a small area, the click feeling and the force are not sufficient. . Therefore, the surface of the rubber switch 4 is double-molded with a plastic mold to increase the surface hardness. As a result, the operating member 1 has the rubber switch 4
Is pressed in a wide area, and the click feeling and ability are improved.

According to the embodiment described above, there is an effect that the click feeling is improved by increasing the hardness of the surface of the rubber switch 4. Further, by fixing the shaft of the operation button with elasticity, there is also an effect that the operation button can be rattled, returned to the neutral position, and the button can be prevented from coming off.

According to the technical idea of the present invention, by providing a flexible shaft for supporting the operation button in a substantially vertical direction and a press switch around the flexible shaft, a switch capable of multidirectional input can be obtained. Can also be configured.

[0017]

As described above, according to the multi-input push button switch of the present invention, the operation button (1) and the central shaft (which is formed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the operation surface of the operation button and supports the operation button ( 1
b) and a plurality of pressing switches (4) provided around the central axis and pressed by the operation button, there is an effect that a switch capable of inputting in multiple directions can be configured in a small space. Further, according to the present invention, since the member (contact portion) for turning on / off the switch is integrally formed on the back surface of the button, it is possible to reduce the number of parts and reduce the cost and the size. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of a multi-input push button switch according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of a multi-input push button switch according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of FIG. 1 showing an embodiment of a multi-input push button switch according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional multi-input push button switch.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional multi-input push button switch.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Operation Button 4 Rubber Switch 5 Cover 6 Axis Stop Spring 7 Flexible Printed Circuit Board 8 Retaining Ring 9 Sponge 101 Operation Button 102 Axis 111 Operation Lever 112 Axis 113 Axis

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An operation button (1), a central axis (1b) formed in a direction substantially perpendicular to an operation surface of the operation button and supporting the operation button, and the operation button around the central axis. A plurality of integrally formed contact portions (1c) and a plurality of contact portions arranged around the central axis and turned on by being directly pressed by the contact portions in response to the pressing operation of the operation button. Multi-input push button switch equipped with the push switch (4). 2. The multi-input push button switch according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of push switches have elasticity, and the operation button is returned to an initial position by urging the operation button. .