JP2016224941A - Push button box - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a push button box improving operability of a push button to improve usability and also having excellent durability and strength when operated.SOLUTION: A push button box 10 for indicating operations of pedestrian traffic lights includes a housing 11 for housing various components that is composed of: a base body 20 located on its back side and having an open front side; and a front case 30 that is combined so as to cover the opening of the base body 20 from the front and is arranged with a push button 40. The push button 40 has: an operation surface part 41 extending on an outer surface side of a front surface part 31 of the front case 30; and a capacitance sensor 45 arranged in its inside. A metal thin plate is applied to a surface of an operation surface part 41.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a pedestrian signal lamp installed at an intersection or the like of a general road, and relates to a pushbutton box for instructing the operation (for example, lighting color change) of the pedestrian signal lamp.

  Conventionally, for pedestrian signal lamps installed at intersections of general roads, a push button box for instructing a change in lighting color is often installed for the convenience of pedestrians. The pushbutton box is fixed to an appropriate support such as a telephone pole near the intersection. When the lighting color of the signal light for pedestrians is red, the pushbutton box is instructed to change to blue. There was a push button for.

  As shown in FIG. 20, a conventional pushbutton box 1 includes a box-shaped housing 2 having a large front side opening and a flat lid 3 that closes the front opening of the housing 2 from the inside. It is configured as. The housing 2 has a cubic shape as a whole, and a push button 4 is arranged on the lid 3. Further, the upper surface and the bottom surface of the housing 2 are fixed to a telephone pole or the like in a state where the upper surface and the bottom surface of the housing 2 are horizontal, and the back surface, both side surfaces, and the lid 3 of the housing 2 are vertical. Mounting brackets, piping, and the like that are fixed to a telephone pole or the like were provided on the back and bottom of the housing 2. Moreover, the upper surface of the housing | casing 2 was provided with the bowl-shaped edge part 5 in which the upper surface front end side extended ahead from the front surface of the lid | cover 3 as a waterproof measure.

  Such a conventional pushbutton box 1 has the following problems. That is, since the edge part 5 protrudes in the front, there exists a possibility of injury when a pedestrian contacts. In addition, when the edge portion 5 is exposed to pedestrian contact or wind and rain, the paint is particularly easy to peel off and rust is generated. Moreover, since the upper surface of the housing | casing 2 is a flat horizontal surface, many foreign objects, such as garbage, were left unattended. Furthermore, when a visually handicapped person tries to operate the pushbutton box 1 by groping, it is difficult to find the position of the pushbutton 4 by groping, which is not easy to use and may cause the hand to become dirty or injured. There was also.

  Therefore, the present applicant has already proposed a push button box having a new design disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, for example, in view of the problems of the conventional push button box 1 described above. These are registered designs, and the front case is combined with the base body so as to cover the base body obliquely from above, so that rainwater or the like from above does not easily enter the interior from these joints. Further, all the edges of the opening periphery of the base body are covered with a front cover, and consideration has been given to prevent injury and rust.

Design Registration No. 1514909 Design Registration No. 1518469

  However, the conventional techniques described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 described above are only related to design applications, and from the description of the application and drawings alone, even if it is considered by those skilled in the art, the above-mentioned problem may occur. It may be difficult to clearly grasp the technical features of this design to solve the problem.

  In addition, the prior arts described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not specifically disclose the operation of the push button, and in particular, like the push button 4 in the conventional push button box 1, particularly the visual impairment. When users tried to operate by groping, there was a problem that the usability was not good, and the structure was also fragile and easy to break.

  The present invention has been made by paying attention to the problems of the conventional techniques as described above, is easy to use by improving the operability of the push button, is excellent in durability and strength in operation, and has a housing. It is possible to improve the waterproofness and safety in the structure of the product, and it is possible to prevent foreign objects from being left on the housing, and to provide a pushbutton box that excels not only in design but also in technical value. Objective.

The gist of the present invention for achieving the object described above resides in the inventions of the following items.
[1] In the pushbutton box (10) for instructing the operation of the pedestrian signal lamp,
A push button (40) is arranged on the front surface part (31) of the housing (11) for storing various components,
The push button (40) includes an operation surface portion (41) that extends to the outer surface side of the front surface portion (31), and a capacitance sensor (45) that is disposed inside the operation surface portion (41). Consisting of
A pushbutton box (10), wherein a thin metal plate is attached to the surface of the operation surface portion (41).

[2] The operation surface portion (41) protrudes in a stepped manner in parallel with a reference surface of a portion disposed on the outer surface side of the front surface portion (31) and extends in parallel, and a metal spacer (43) is disposed inside the operation surface portion (41). Is arranged,
The capacitance sensor (45) is arranged on the inner surface side of the front surface portion (31) in a state of being in contact with a part of the spacer (43), according to the above [1]. Pushbutton box (10).

  [3] The push button box (10) according to [1] or [2], wherein a pictogram (41a) is displayed on a surface of the metal thin plate.

[4] The housing (11) is composed of a base body (20) having a back side and opening on the front side, and a front case (30) combined so as to cover the opening of the base body (20) from the front. ,
The front part (31) of the front case (30) is the front part of the housing (11),
[1], [30], wherein the front case (30) has a back side opened downward obliquely to the rear of the housing (11) in a state of covering the opening of the base body (20) from the front. The pushbutton box (10) according to [2] or [3].

[5] The base body (20) includes a vertical back surface portion (21), a bottom surface portion (22) horizontally extending forward from a lower end edge of the back surface portion (21), and the back surface portion (21). A top surface portion (23) that extends obliquely upward and shorter than the bottom surface portion (22), and side portions (24, 24) that surround each side, and the front side opens obliquely forward upward. And
The front case (30) is shaped so as to cover the opening of the base body (20) obliquely rearward and downward.
The pushbutton box (10) according to [4], wherein piping can be attached to the bottom surface portion (22) of the base body (20).

[6] The front surface portion (31) of the front case (30) is formed with a front inclined surface (31a) inclined obliquely forward and downward on the upper half side, and on the lower half side of the front inclined surface (31a). A front vertical surface (31b) that hangs down from the lower end is formed,
[4] or [5], wherein the push buttons (40A, 40B) are arranged on the outer surface sides of the front inclined surface (31a) and the front vertical surface (31b), respectively. Pushbutton box (10).

  [7] The pushbutton box (10) according to [6], wherein the pushbutton (40A) arranged on the front inclined surface (31a) is set for a visually impaired person.

  [8] The upper surface portion (23) of the housing (11) is a rear inclined surface (23a) inclined obliquely downward to the rear side, [4], [5], [6] or The pushbutton box (10) according to [7].

  [9] The seam of the opening periphery extending over the upper end side of the base body (20) and the opening periphery extending over the upper end side of the front case (30) covering the opening periphery from the front is the casing (11). The push button box (10) according to [8], which is disposed on the rear inclined surface (23a) of the device.

  [10] A protrusion (20a) extending as a ridge or a recess (30a) extending in a groove shape is formed along the periphery of the opening of the base body (20), and the opening of the front case (30) is formed. One of the convex part (20a) and the concave part (30a) is formed along the periphery, and the convex part (20a) is engaged with the concave part (30a) and combined with each other. The pushbutton box (10) according to [9].

  [11] A flange (30c) is formed on an opening peripheral edge over the upper end side of the front case (30) so as to overlap the opening peripheral edge over the upper end side of the base body (20) from above. The pushbutton box (10) according to the above [9] or [10].

Next, the operation based on the above solution will be described.
According to the pushbutton box (10) described in [1], the pushbutton (40) is arranged on the front surface portion (31) of the housing (11), and the pushbutton (40) is arranged on the front surface portion (31). And an electrostatic capacity sensor (45) arranged on the inner side of the operation surface part (41).

  Thereby, the push button (40) does not need to be pushed at the time of operation, and can be operated simply by touching. In particular, since a thin metal plate is attached to the surface of the operation surface portion (41), the sensitivity of the capacitance sensor (45) can be further increased. Further, according to the electrostatic capacity sensor (45), there is no possibility that the sensor freezes in a cold region and becomes inoperable unlike a mechanical button structure.

  According to the pushbutton box (10) described in the above [2], the operation surface portion (41) protrudes in a stepped manner in parallel with the reference surface of the portion arranged on the outer surface side of the front surface portion (31). The metal spacer (43) is arranged on the inside. The capacitance sensor (45) is disposed on the inner surface side of the front surface portion (31) in a state of being in contact with a part of the spacer (43).

  According to the push button (40) having such a configuration, compared with a conventional mechanical button structure by a general push-in operation, it is easy for a visually handicapped person or the like to operate by hand and improve durability and strength. Can do. The spacer (43) may be disposed on the outer surface side of the front surface portion (31) inside the operation surface portion (41), and with respect to the capacitance sensor (45) disposed on the inner surface side of the front surface portion (31). It is sufficient that even a part of the contact is made through the hole (33) provided in the front case (30).

  According to the pushbutton box (10) described in [3], the thin metal plate affixed to the surface of the operation surface portion (41) displays a pictogram (41a) that suggests an operation guidance or a next action. It shall be assumed. Thereby, it becomes possible for anyone to intuitively understand the function at the time of operation of the push button (40) instead of the character by the pictogram (41a).

  According to the pushbutton box (10) described in [4], the housing (11) covers the base body (20) which is the back side and is open on the front side, and covers the opening of the base body (20) from the front. And a front case (30) in which the push buttons (40) are arranged. In this manner, the front side and the back side of the front opening type in the case (2) of the conventional pushbutton box (1) are reversed, and the front side case (30) on the front side where the pushbutton (40) is arranged is used to A shape (back opening type) that covers the opening of the base body (20) on the side from the front is a basic structure.

  Thus, the opening periphery of the base body (20) is concealed by the front case (30), and the opening periphery (edge) of the front case (30) is also arranged on the back side, which is not normally touched by a human hand. (11) On the entire front side, projections appearing on the outer surface can be minimized. Therefore, while being able to prevent a pedestrian's injury, the conventional edge part does not exist and the peeling of the coating from the said part and rusting can also be prevented.

  In particular, the front case (30) covers the opening of the base body (20) from the front, and the back side opens downward and obliquely rearward of the housing (11). This makes it difficult for rainwater and dust to enter the front case (30) from the seam where the opening periphery of the base body (20) overlaps with the opening periphery of the base body (20). Can be prevented.

  According to the pushbutton box (10) described in [5], the base body (20) extends horizontally forward from the vertical back surface portion (21) and the lower edge of the back surface portion (21). A bottom surface portion (22), a top surface portion (23) that extends obliquely upward from the upper end edge of the back surface portion (21) and is shorter than the bottom surface portion (22), and side surface portions (24, 24) that respectively surround the sides. And the front side is opened obliquely upward.

  On the other hand, the front case (30) has a shape that covers the opening of the base main body (20) obliquely downward and obliquely downward, and the bottom surface portion (22) of the base main body (20) has a space where a pipe can be attached. Can be secured.

  According to the pushbutton box (10) described in [6], in the front case (30), the front inclined surface (31a) is formed on the upper half side, and the front inclined surface (31a) is formed on the lower half side. A front vertical surface (31b) that is continuous with the lower end and hangs down is formed. Here, push buttons (40A, 40B) are provided on the outer surface sides of both the front inclined surface (31a) and the front vertical surface (31b).

  Since the front inclined surface (31a) is in a position or direction that is easy to touch for visually impaired people, the push button (40A) on the front inclined surface (31a) is used for visually impaired people on the front vertical surface (31b). The button (40B) can be used to distinguish between the two buttons, for example, for a healthy person or an elderly person.

  According to the pushbutton box (10) described in [7], the pushbutton (40A) disposed on the front inclined surface (31a) is set for a visually impaired person. Thereby, the operativity with respect to a visually handicapped person can be improved especially.

  According to the pushbutton box (10) described in [8] above, the upper surface portion (23) of the housing (11) is the rear inclined surface (23a) inclined downward obliquely rearward. Therefore, foreign matter or the like cannot be left on the rear inclined surface (23a) due to the inclination.

  According to the pushbutton box (10) described in [9] above, the opening periphery over the upper end side of the base body (20) and the opening periphery over the upper end side of the front case (30) covering the opening periphery from the front. The joint line is arranged on the rear inclined surface (23a) of the housing (11). Thereby, even if a joint exists in the upper surface part (23) of a housing | casing (11), rainwater and dust do not stay along a joint by the inclination of a back inclined surface (23a).

  According to the pushbutton box (10) described in [10], either the convex portion (20a) extending as a ridge or the concave portion (30a) extending in a groove shape along the opening peripheral edge of the base body (20). One is formed, and the other of the convex part (20a) and the concave part (30a) is formed along the opening periphery of the front case (30), and the convex part (20a) is engaged in the concave part (30a). Combined with each other.

  According to the pushbutton box (10) described in [11] above, the opening periphery over the upper end side of the base body (20) is covered from above on the opening periphery over the upper end side of the front case (30). Overlapping flanges (30c) are formed. Thereby, waterproofness can be improved further.

  According to the pushbutton box according to the present invention, the operability and sensitivity of the pushbutton can be improved to improve usability, the operational durability and strength are excellent, and the waterproofness and safety in the structure of the housing. It is also possible to prevent the foreign matter from being left on the housing, and the technical value as well as the design can be increased.

It is a perspective view which shows the pushbutton box which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the pushbutton box which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a right view which shows the pushbutton box which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a rear view which shows the pushbutton box which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the pushbutton box which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a bottom view which shows the pushbutton box which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the VII-VII sectional view taken on the line in FIG. It is a fragmentary sectional view which expands and shows the upper end part in FIG. It is the IX-IX sectional view taken on the line in FIG. It is a fragmentary sectional view which expands and shows the right end part in FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view which decomposes | disassembles and shows the pushbutton attached to the front case of the pushbutton box which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional view which expands and shows the lower pushbutton vicinity in FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view which decomposes | disassembles and shows the speaker attached to the front case of the pushbutton box which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional view which expands and shows the speaker vicinity in FIG. It is the XV-XV sectional view taken on the line in FIG. It is the XVI-XVI sectional view taken on the line in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the background by which the pushbutton box which concerns on the past and this invention came to the said design. It is explanatory drawing which shows the intention which provides an inclination in the joint of the front case and base main body of the pushbutton box which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the variation of the design of the pushbutton box which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the conventional general pushbutton box.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment that represents the present invention will be described based on the drawings.
1 to 19 show an embodiment of the present invention.
The pushbutton box 10 according to the present embodiment instructs the operation of the pedestrian signal lamp. Here, although not shown, the pedestrian signal lamps are installed at both ends of the pedestrian crossing so as to be attached to the respective vehicle signal lamps installed at intersections of general roads.

  The pushbutton box 10 is used by being fixed to a nearby support such as a telephone pole for each pedestrian signal lamp. Specific operations such as lighting color change and timing in the vehicle signal lamp and the pedestrian signal lamp are controlled according to a predetermined program of a traffic signal control device (not shown). Some of the functions in the pushbutton box 10 are also controlled according to a predetermined program of the traffic signal control device. The vehicle signal lamp, the pedestrian signal lamp, and the pushbutton box 10 are each connected to a traffic signal control device via a signal line.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the pushbutton box 10 has a main body which is a box-shaped housing 11 that houses various components such as electronic components and these units. The casing 11 includes a base main body 20 that is the back side thereof and has an opening on the front side, and a front case 30 that is combined so as to cover the opening of the base main body 20 from the front and provided with a push button 40. In the present embodiment, two push buttons 40A and 40B are provided above and below the front case 30, and are collectively referred to as push buttons 40 when collectively referred to.

  In the pushbutton box 10, the operation of the pedestrian signal lamp is instructed by touching the pushbutton 40, but the operation here is not limited to changing the lighting color (starting blue lighting), but also voice guidance, etc. Is also included. As will be described in detail later, the push button 40 is configured by a capacitance sensor 45 that does not need to be pressed during operation and can be operated simply by touching. Hereinafter, for the sake of convenience, it is simply expressed as “operation” including “push” or “touch”.

  The base body 20 is a shallow case-shaped member having an open front surface, and is integrally formed from an arbitrary material having excellent strength, such as a metal material such as aluminum or a resin material such as AAS resin. More specifically, the base body 20 has a vertically long rectangular back surface 21, a horizontally long rectangular bottom surface portion 22 that extends forward from the lower end edge of the back surface portion 21, and slightly extends obliquely upward from the upper end edge of the back surface portion 21. The upper surface portion 23 and the side portions 24 and 24 of substantially right triangles surrounding these sides are provided, and the front surface side is open. Here, the upper surface portion 23 mainly constitutes the upper surface portion of the entire pushbutton box 10, and the outer surface thereof is a rear inclined surface 23 a that is inclined downward and obliquely rearward from the horizontal plane.

  The outer surface of each surface portion of the base body 20 is a smooth flat surface without projections, and the corners where two or three surfaces are joined are rounded for safety. Further, the pushbutton box 10 is fixed to a support body such as a telephone pole, but is attached to the back surface portion 21 of the base main body 20 at an appropriate height position of the support body, for example, to be held. A mounting bracket is provided. The back surface portion 21 is previously provided with a screw hole for fastening the mounting bracket. However, the specific attachment method of the pushbutton box 10 is not specifically limited. In addition, the attachment position of the pushbutton box 10 is good to set to the range of the height which a wheelchair or a child can operate easily.

  The front case 30 is a shallow lid-like member that is aligned so that the back side is open and covers the periphery of the opening of the base body 20, and is integrally formed from the same material as the base body 20. Specifically, the front case 30 includes a front surface portion 31 that forms the front surface of the entire pushbutton box 10, and side surfaces 32 and 32 that are substantially isosceles triangles that surround the sides of the front surface portion 31, and the back surface side is open. . Here, the front surface portion 31 is formed as a front inclined surface 31a, at least a portion of which is inclined downward and obliquely forward from the horizontal plane.

  More specifically, the front surface portion 31 is formed as a front inclined surface 31a whose upper half side is inclined downward and obliquely forward from the horizontal plane, and the lower half side is formed as a front vertical surface 31b that hangs down from the lower end of the front inclined surface 31a. ing. In addition to the gently curved boundary between the front inclined surface 31a and the front vertical surface 31b, the outer surface of each surface portion of the front case 30 is smooth with no protrusions, and the corners where two or three surfaces are joined are rounded. Safety is taken into consideration.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the housing 11 has a basic structure in which the front case 30 on the front side covers the opening of the base body 20 on the back side from the front (back opening type). In other words, the front case 30 is attached to the base body 20 so as to be fitted obliquely from above. Here, the joint between the opening periphery along the upper surface portion 23 of the base body 20 and the upper edge of the front surface portion 31 of the front case 30 that covers the opening periphery from the front is at least part of the upper surface portion of the entire housing 11. It is arranged on a certain above-mentioned rear inclined surface 23a.

  Thus, the opening on the back side of the front case 30 is aligned with the opening on the front side of the base body 20. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 10, a convex portion 20 a extending as a ridge is formed along the peripheral edge of the opening of the base body 20, while the concave portion extending in a groove shape along the peripheral edge of the opening of the front case 30. 30a is formed. Here, the convex portion 20a is engaged with the concave portion 30a and combined with each other. An annular packing 30b made of an elastic body is inserted in the bottom of the concave portion 30a so that the convex portion 20a is in pressure contact to improve waterproofness. In addition, as a reverse form, while providing a recessed part in the base main body 20 side, you may comprise so that a convex part may be provided in the front case 30 side.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 to 10, of the opening periphery of the front case 30, the opening periphery of the base body 20 is provided on the upper end edge of the front surface portion 31 (the front inclined surface 31 a) and the rear end edge of each side surface portion 32. A flange 30c is formed so as to cover the opening periphery of the base body 20 from above. The edge of the flange 30c actually becomes the joint of the front case 30 with respect to the base body 20, and in particular, the flange 30c (joint) along the upper end edge of the front portion 31 of the front case 30 is as described above. It arrange | positions on the back inclined surface 23a. In addition, the flange 30c is not provided in the lower end edge of the front surface part 31 (front vertical surface 31b). That is, there is no step or edge at the joint between the lower edges of the opening periphery of the base body 20 and the front case 30.

  In this way, the base body 20 and the front case 30 are combined and screwed to form a so-called rear opening type housing 11. Various components such as electronic components and these units are housed in the internal space of the housing 11 although a part of them is not shown. A screw 30 d for fixing the front case 30 to the base body 20 is provided not on the upper surface side of the base body 20 but on the front surface side of the front case 30. More specifically, screw holes are provided at the four corners of the front surface portion 31 of the front case 30, and screw holes are similarly provided at positions that coincide with the peripheral edge of the opening of the base body 20. As the screw 30d to be screwed into these screw holes, for example, a special screw that is difficult to remove unless a dedicated tool is used may be used to prevent mischief.

  The front side of the front case 30 on which the screw 30d is disposed has a tilt angle closer to the vertical than the upper surface, so that water droplets do not stagnate and water entry from the screw hole can be more reliably prevented. Moreover, since it can be tightened or removed from the front of the pushbutton box 10 with a tool, the support body to which the pushbutton box 10 is fixed does not interfere with the work, and the front case 30 can be easily removed to remove the casing 11. Can be checked and maintained. In addition, as shown in FIG. 11, the recessed part 30a which fits packing 30b along the opening periphery of the front case 30 is distribute | arranged so that it may be located inside the said screw hole in the four corners, and waterproofness is improved.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the front case 30 is provided with two push buttons 40A and 40B in the present embodiment. One push button 40 </ b> A is formed on the front inclined surface 31 a that is the upper half side of the front surface portion 31, and the other push button 40 </ b> B is formed on the front vertical surface 31 b that is the lower half side of the front surface portion 31. Here, since the front inclined surface 31a is in a position or a direction that is easy for a visually handicapped person to touch, the push button 40A on the front inclined surface 31a is specifically set for a visually handicapped person. The push button 40B on the front vertical surface 31b is set for a healthy person or an elderly person. Note that the number of the push buttons 40 is not particularly limited, and only one or three or more may be provided at any arbitrary position regardless of the inclination of the front surface portion 31.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the push button 40 includes an operation surface portion 41 that protrudes stepwise and extends in parallel to a reference surface of a portion disposed on the outer surface side of the front surface portion 31. The operation surface portion 41 extends in a rectangular shape, and the periphery has a rounded step. The operation surface portion 41 is arranged so as to cover the circular holes 33 provided on the front inclined surface 31 a and the front vertical surface 31 b of the front surface portion 31 from the outer surface side, and the back side of the operation surface portion 41 is the inner surface side of the front surface portion 31. It is screwed from. The operation surface portion 41 is not mechanically movable and is fixed so as not to move to the outer surface side of the front surface portion 31. In addition, an annular packing 42 made of an elastic body is attached along the peripheral edge on the back side of the operation surface portion 41 so as to be in pressure contact with the outer surface of the front surface portion 31 to improve waterproofness.

  A rectangular spacer 43 that is slightly smaller is provided inside the operation surface portion 41. The spacer 43 is made of a thin metal plate made of metal such as stainless steel or iron, and a step-like contact portion 43 a that protrudes to the inner surface side of the front surface portion 31 through the hole portion 33 is provided on the back surface side thereof. . In addition, a capacitance sensor 45 is attached to the inside of the front surface portion 31 via a support case 44 that is screwed so as to surround the hole portion 33.

  The capacitance sensor 45 detects the change in capacitance of the electrode when an object approaches the detection electrode, and is turned on. The configuration of the capacitance sensor 45 is general, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. The contact portion 43 a of the spacer 43 is in contact with the detection electrode of the capacitance sensor 45. That is, the metal spacer 43 widens the sensing area of the capacitance sensor 45. The contact portion 43a of the spacer 43 passes through the hole portion 33 of the front surface portion 31 and the hole portion 44a having a smaller diameter provided in the support case 44. The hole portion 44a is larger than the entire size of the capacitance sensor 45. Because of the small diameter, there is no possibility that the sensor is taken out through the hole.

  On the planar surface of the operation surface portion 41, a pictogram 41a suggesting an operation and suggesting the next action is displayed. As a specific design of the pictogram 41a, as shown in FIG. 1, in the upper push button 40A, a visually impaired person listens to a guidance sound emitted from a speaker 60, which will be described later, mainly as a design for a visually impaired person. However, the scene of crossing the pedestrian crossing is expressed. In the lower push button 40B, a pedestrian crossing is simply represented mainly for healthy persons.

  A side seal 24 a on which a pictogram is displayed is attached to the outer surface of each side surface 24 exposed to the outside in the base body 20 as necessary. Further, a Braille nameplate 38 for a visually impaired person may be disposed above the push button 40A in the front surface portion 31 of the front case 30.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the front case 30 is provided with a display unit 50 that displays various information related to the operation of the pedestrian signal lamp. The display unit 50 is arranged along the curved boundary between the front inclined surface 31a and the front vertical surface 31b in the front unit 31, and the display unit 50 is horizontally long to expose the display surface of the display unit 50 to the outside. A rectangular opening 34 is provided. The display unit 50 is fixed from the inner surface side of the front surface portion 31 in a state where the display surface matches the opening 34. Here, the specific type of the display unit 50 is not particularly limited. For example, in any form such as a liquid crystal unit or an LED display, characters, figures, and the like are displayed as various information on the display surface. Anything is possible.

  The display unit 50 corresponds to the lower push button 40B of the two push buttons 40, and is arranged not only on the upper side (side) of the push button 40B but also on the outer surface of the front part 31. And are more clearly associated with each other. Further, the inside of the frame 35 may be painted in a color different from that of the front case 30 to further strengthen the association. Note that the angle of the display surface in the display unit 50 is inclined in parallel with the joint of the front case 30 with respect to the base body 20 (the rear end edge of the side surface portion 32).

  Various functions of the pushbutton box 10 including the display of the display unit 50 are controlled by a predetermined program of a control board housed in the housing 11 in addition to the traffic signal control device described above. The control board is composed of a microcomputer composed of a normal CPU, RAM, ROM, interface, etc. In addition to the display unit 50, the control board is used for electronic components such as the capacitance sensor 45 of the push button 40 and a speaker 60 described later. Connected via wiring.

  In the present embodiment, the display unit 50 corresponds to the lower push button 40B, and is controlled to display only when the push button 40B is operated. As described above, the display unit 50 is preferably set to be displayable in conjunction with the operation of one or a plurality of push buttons 40. The specific display contents of the display unit 50 include, for example, a character “Please wait” to indicate that the pushbutton box 10 is in a sensitive state based on the operation of the pushbutton 40B. Various information related to operation is applicable.

  The display unit 50 is normally turned off or not displayed. However, when the push button 40B is operated, the display unit 50 is lit until the lighting color of the pedestrian signal lamp changes from red to blue. , “Please wait” is displayed. As various information, for example, “waiting time” of a pedestrian signal lamp may be displayed. That is, when the pedestrian signal lamp is red, it is conceivable that the display unit 50 displays the waiting time from when the push button 40 is operated until the color changes to blue by subtracting digital numbers. In addition, the display unit 50 may display the name of the current location, the current time, the weather forecast for the near future, road guidance (main building names in the traveling direction, etc.), and the like.

  Moreover, the pushbutton box 10 is provided with the speaker 60 which outputs the audio | voice regarding the action | operation of the signal lamp for pedestrians. The speaker 60 is conventionally arranged on the control board, but in the pushbutton box 10 according to the present embodiment, it is arranged on the front case 30 instead of the control board. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, an attachment portion 36 that protrudes so as to surround the outer periphery of the speaker 60 from both sides is provided on the inner surface side of the location where the speaker 60 is disposed in the front surface portion 31 of the front case 30. . Here, the attachment portion 36 may be integrally formed when the front case 30 itself is formed.

  As shown in FIGS. 13 to 16, the speaker 60 is fixed to the mounting portion 36 via a plate-shaped bracket 61 that covers the speaker 60 from the back side in a state where the speaker 60 is positioned on the inner surface side of the front surface portion 31. Has been. That is, the speaker 60 is screwed while being sandwiched between the mounting portion 36 and the bracket 61 on the inner surface side of the front surface portion 31. The bracket 61 is also screwed separately to the inner surface side of the front surface portion 31.

  The speaker 60 is supported in such a manner that the front cone paper is inclined and separated from the inner surface of the front face 31 by the mounting portion 36, and the front face 31 facing the cone paper has a sound output to the outside. A small hole 37 for sound passage is provided. The small hole 37 is disposed at a location hidden inside the operation surface portion 41 of the push button 40B. The cone paper of the speaker 60 may be water-resistant. The bracket 61 is made of a metal plate such as stainless steel or iron processed into a rectangular shape having an area that can cover the entire speaker 60 when viewed from the back.

  From such a speaker 60, when the push button 40 is operated, a predetermined sound for notifying that the push button 40 is operated or a voice message “Please wait” is output, and the push button box 10 is for the visually impaired. Alternatively, a predetermined sound for notifying the location of the pushbutton box 10 may be constantly output. The sound and sound from the speaker 60 are also controlled by a predetermined program on a control board housed in the housing 11 in addition to the traffic signal control device described above.

  FIG. 17 schematically shows how the pushbutton box 10 according to the present invention has reached the design. FIG. 17 (a) schematically shows the conventional pushbutton box 1 shown in FIG. 20, which has already been described, but has a box-shaped housing whose front side is greatly opened, and a front opening of the housing. It is comprised as what is called a front opening type | mold by the flat cover which covers from inside. FIG. 17B shows the front side opening and the rear side of the front opening type structure shown in FIG. A basic structure of a so-called back opening type that covers from above is shown.

  The basic structure of the rear opening type shown in FIG. 17 (b) is the same as that shown in FIG. 17 (a), and a vertically-long rectangular box shape is the basic shape. Thus, by reversing the overlap between the front side and the back side of the casing, all the edges that are the peripheral edges of the opening are arranged on the back side. Therefore, the pedestrian's injury due to the front exposure of the edge can be prevented, the conventional saddle-shaped edge portion 5 (see FIG. 20) does not exist, and the peeling or rusting of the paint from the part can also be prevented. .

  FIG. 17C shows the structure of the rear opening type of FIG. 17B in order to make the structure in which foreign matter cannot be placed on the upper surface of the case and to improve the operability for the visually impaired. By inclining, the button installation surface (operation surface) is inclined downward and obliquely forward from the horizontal plane. According to such a structure or arrangement posture, the front case is opened downward on the rear side obliquely rearward of the housing while covering the opening of the base body from the front.

  In FIG. 17 (d), a back surface and a bottom surface are added to the base main body side in consideration of the attachment to a telephone pole and the attachment of piping to the structure of the back opening type of (c). As shown in the figure, the back side of the base body side is a vertical plane in consideration of installation to the power pole, and the bottom surface of the base body side is horizontal plane in consideration of the installation of piping. . Further, the front case is bent up and down and the push buttons for visually impaired persons are installed on the inclined upper surface, so that the convenience of visually impaired persons is not impaired even if a plurality of buttons are installed.

  In the pushbutton box 10 according to the present embodiment, the entire casing 11 can be thinned by inclining the joint of the base body 20 and the front case 30. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 18, when the front case is provided with an inclined upper surface, FIG. 18 (a) shows a structure in which the joint between the base body and the front case is inclined, and FIG. A structure in which the seam is vertical is shown.

  As can be seen from the comparison between FIGS. 18A and 18B, when the same inclined surface and the same bottom surface are secured, it is possible to make the whole thinner when the joint is inclined. That is, as shown in the figure, the inclined surfaces of (a) and (b) have the same length and the same angle, and the bottom surfaces of (a) and (b) also have the same length. ) Is smaller than the thickness b of (b). Further, in (a), there is no plane portion on the upper surface.

The reference matter of the pushbutton box 10 has been supplemented as described above. Next, a specific operation of the pushbutton box 10 according to the present embodiment will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, according to the pushbutton box 10, the housing 11 is combined with a base body 20 which is the back side and is open on the front side so as to cover the opening of the base body 20 from the front side. And a front case 30 on which the push button 40 is arranged.

  According to such a back-opening structure, the outline has already been explained, but the opening periphery of the base body 20 is concealed by the front case 30 and the opening periphery (edge) of the front case 30 is also usually a human hand. It is arranged on the back side that is not touched, and on the front side of the entire housing 11, projections appearing on the outer surface can be minimized. Therefore, while being able to prevent a pedestrian's injury, the conventional saddle-shaped edge part 5 (refer FIG. 20) does not exist, and the peeling from the said part and rusting can also be prevented.

  In particular, the front case 30 opens downward on the back side obliquely rearward of the housing 11 while covering the opening of the base body 20 from the front. As a result, it is difficult for rainwater and dust to enter from the joint where the opening periphery of the front case 30 overlaps the opening periphery of the base body 20 and the outside thereof, and it is possible to more reliably prevent paint peeling and rusting. it can.

  Moreover, among the opening periphery of the front case 30, the upper end edge of the front surface portion 31 and the rear end edge of each side surface portion 32 are simply aligned with the opening periphery of the base body 20, as shown in FIGS. There is a flange 30c that overlaps the peripheral edge of the opening of the base body 20 from above. Thereby, waterproofness can be improved further and the mischief which can be pry open using tools, such as a minus driver, can also be prevented.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the flange 30 c serving as a joint of the front case 30 with respect to the base body 20 is inclined downward and obliquely rearward from the horizontal plane as at least a part of the upper surface portion of the housing 11. It arrange | positions on the back inclined surface 23a. Thereby, even if the joint is arranged on the upper surface portion of the housing 11, rainwater and dust do not stay along the joint by being positioned on the rear inclined surface 23 a. Moreover, foreign matter or the like cannot be left on the rear inclined surface 23a due to the inclination.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the front case 30 has a front inclined surface 31 a formed on the upper half side, and a front vertical surface 31 b that extends downward from the lower end of the front inclined surface 31 a. Here, since the front inclined surface 31a is in a position or a direction that is easy to operate for a visually impaired person, a push button 40A for the visually impaired person is provided on the front inclined surface 31a. Thereby, the visually handicapped person can touch the push button 40A naturally at the position where the hand is extended, and the operability is improved.

  On the other hand, a push button 40B for a healthy person is provided on the front vertical surface 31b. Since the push button 40B on the front vertical surface 31b is at a particularly low position, even a child or an elderly person can easily operate it. In this way, the two push buttons 40A and 40B can be used separately for each user. In addition, since the joint of the base body 20 and the front case 30 is inclined, the entire casing 11 can be thinned, and the degree of freedom in designing the front case 30 is improved.

  As shown in FIG. 7, each of the push buttons 40A and 40B has an operation surface portion 41 that protrudes in a step-like manner and extends in parallel with a reference surface of a portion disposed on the outer surface side of the front case 30, and the operation surface portion 41. It has a metal spacer 43 arranged on the inner side, and a capacitance sensor 45 arranged on the inner side of the front case 30 in contact with a part of the spacer 43. According to the push button 40 having such a configuration, a visually impaired person or the like can easily operate by groping, and durability and strength can be improved as compared with a conventional button structure. In addition, the conventional push button is generally configured by covering the sensor itself, but since the capacitance sensor 45 is provided inside the housing 11 and is not exposed to the outside, damage due to mischief is prevented. be able to.

  Even if the capacitance sensor 45 is inside the housing 11, the detection electrode of the capacitance sensor 45 is in contact with the contact portion 43 a of the metal spacer 43 through the hole portion 33 of the front surface portion 31. Here, the spacer 43 is covered with the operation surface portion 41 but is developed in a thin plate shape on the outer surface of the front surface portion 31, so that the sensor can be sensed in a wider area than the detection electrode of the capacitance sensor 45. .

  According to such a capacitive sensor, there is no possibility that the sensor freezes in a cold region and becomes inoperable unlike a mechanical button structure. Further, since the inner diameters of the front surface portion 31 through which the contact portion 43a of the spacer 43 is inserted and the holes 33 and 44a of the support case 44 are smaller than the overall size of the capacitance sensor 45, the operation surface portion 41 is detached. However, there is no possibility that the capacitance sensor 45 is taken out through the holes 33 and 44a.

  Further, on the surface of the operation surface portion 41, a pictogram 41a that suggests an operation guidance or a next action is displayed. According to such a pictogram 41a, the function at the time of the operation of the push button 40 is not a symbol mark representing only the “person” but a unique pictogram representing “person” and “function” instead of characters. Anyone can understand intuitively.

  The pictogram 41a may be printed directly on the surface of the operation surface portion 41. However, if the pictogram 41a is configured to be pasted on a thin metal plate such as aluminum, the sensitivity in the capacitance sensor 45 can be further enhanced. . In addition, the specific shape of the operation surface part 41 is not limited to the rectangular shape as illustrated, and can be easily designed in various shapes. Further, although the operation surface portion 41 is a molded product of synthetic resin, each push button 40 may be molded or painted with a resin of a different color.

  When the push button 40 is actually operated, the capacitance sensor 45 senses and outputs an ON signal to the traffic signal control device. When the traffic signal control device receives this ON signal, the traffic signal control device switches the lighting color of the pedestrian signal lamp from red to blue after a predetermined time has elapsed. Further, the control board inside the housing 11 controls the display of the display unit 50 based on the ON signal from the capacitance sensor 45 of the lower push button 40B. When the lighting color change of the pedestrian signal lamp is completed, the display unit 50 is turned off or returned to a non-display state.

  As described above, the display unit 50 includes various information related to the operation of the pedestrian signal lamp, such as “Omachi Please” that informs that the pushbutton box 10 is in a sensitive state based on the operation of the pushbutton 40B. Is displayed. Here, the corresponding language related to the character information is not limited to Japanese, and character information in a plurality of languages such as English and Chinese may be set in the ROM of the control board in advance. Further, as described above, the display unit 50 can be displayed in conjunction with the operation of one or a plurality of push buttons 40, and the display by the display unit 50 can be associated with the operation of a specific push button 40. An unnecessary display can be omitted.

  Moreover, the pushbutton box 10 is provided with the speaker 60 which outputs the sound and audio | voice regarding the action | operation of the signal light device for pedestrians. The arrangement of the speaker 60 in the housing 11 is attached to the inner surface side of the front case 30 without being arranged on the control board as in the prior art. That is, as shown in FIG. 13, a mounting portion 36 is provided at a position where the speaker 60 is arranged on the inner surface side of the front case 30, and the speaker 60 is positioned on the mounting portion 36 and covers the speaker 60 from the back side. The speaker 60 is screwed to the mounting portion 36 via the bracket 61.

  According to such a mounting structure of the speaker 60, the dead space on the inner surface side of the front case 30 can be utilized as the arrangement space, and the mounting work is facilitated. In addition, when the speaker 60 is fixed on the control board via the bracket, it is difficult to secure the arrangement space. However, by effectively utilizing the dead space, it is possible to attach speakers of various sizes and shapes. Become.

  The back side of the speaker 60 is covered with a plate-like bracket 61 over the entire area. Therefore, for example, when a part of the back side of the speaker 60 is simply supported by a T-shaped sheet metal, sound does not escape from the sheet metal gap to the back side (inside the casing 11), and sufficient sound pressure is obtained. Can also be secured. A small hole 37 for sound transmission is provided in the front surface portion 31 facing the cone paper on the front surface side of the speaker 60. The small hole 37 is hidden inside the operation surface portion 41 of the push button 40B. Therefore, there is no possibility that rainwater or the like enters the housing 11 from the small hole 37.

  From the speaker 60, as described above, a voice message such as “Please wait” is output to notify that the pushbutton box 10 is in a sensitive state based on the operation of the pushbutton 40. A predetermined sound or the like for outputting the fact that it is the button box 10 or the location of the push button box 10 is output. The sound and sound from the speaker 60 are also controlled by a predetermined program on a control board housed in the housing 11 in addition to the traffic signal control device described above. Note that the audio information is not limited to Japanese and may be prepared in a plurality of languages such as English and Chinese.

  By the way, not only the sound output by the speaker 60 and the display by the display unit 50, but there are a plurality of variations corresponding to the visually impaired person, the healthy person, the elderly person, etc. It is preferable that the function is designed so that it can be realized by one control board, and can be appropriately selected by a switch operation on the control board. Furthermore, for example, a function that automatically operates by receiving radio waves from a predetermined transmitter possessed by an elderly person or a disabled person may be appropriately added to the control board.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and there are changes and additions within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention. Are also included in the present invention. For example, the specific shapes of the entire housing 11, the base body 20, the front case 30, and the like are not limited to the illustrated example, and various shapes are conceivable. In addition, the number, shape, and specific type of the push buttons 40 can be appropriately changed.

FIG. 19 schematically shows a modification of the design of the pushbutton box 10.
In any of the pushbutton boxes shown in FIGS. 4A to 4E, the front case covers the opening of the base body from the front, and the back side is opened downward obliquely to the rear of the housing. Here, the inclination angle of the joint of the front case and the base body, the inclination angle of the upper surface portion of the housing, and the number and inclination angles of the front surface portion of the front case are not particularly limited, and various It can be formed into a shape. Further, as shown in FIG. 5E, the inclined surface may be formed as a curved surface instead of a flat surface as necessary.

  The pushbutton box according to the present invention is an ancillary facility for a pedestrian signal lamp installed at an intersection of a general road, for instructing the operation of the pedestrian signal lamp (for example, changing the lighting color). It can be widely used as a pushbutton box.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Pushbutton box 11 ... Housing 20 ... Base main body 21 ... Back surface part 22 ... Bottom surface part 23 ... Upper surface part 23a ... Back inclined surface 24 ... Side surface part 30 ... Front case 30a ... Recessed part 31 ... Front surface part 31a ... Front inclined surface 31b ... vertical front surface 32 ... side part 33 ... hole 34 ... opening 35 ... frame 36 ... mounting part 37 ... small hole 40 ... push button 40A ... push button 40B ... push button 41 ... operation surface part 41a ... pictogram 42 ... packing 43 ... Spacer 43a ... Contact part 44 ... Support case 45 ... Capacitance sensor 50 ... Display part 60 ... Speaker 61 ... Bracket

Claims (11)

In the pushbutton box for instructing the operation of the pedestrian signal lamp,
Push buttons are arranged on the front of the housing that houses various components.
The push button includes an operation surface portion that extends to the outer surface side of the front surface portion, and a capacitance sensor that is disposed inside the operation surface portion.
A pushbutton box, wherein a thin metal plate is affixed to the surface of the operation surface portion. The operation surface portion protrudes in parallel with the reference surface of the place disposed on the outer surface side of the front surface portion and extends in parallel, and a metal spacer is disposed on the inside thereof.
2. The pushbutton box according to claim 1, wherein the capacitance sensor is disposed on an inner surface side of the front surface portion in a state of being in contact with a part of the spacer.   The pushbutton box according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a pictogram is displayed on a surface of the thin metal plate. The housing is composed of a base body that is the back side and the front side is open, and a front case that is combined so as to cover the opening of the base body from the front,
The front part of the front case is the front part of the housing,
4. The pushbutton box according to claim 1, wherein the front case has a back side opened obliquely downward to the rear in a state in which the opening of the base body is covered from the front. 5. The base body includes a vertical back surface, a bottom surface extending horizontally forward from a lower edge of the back surface, and an upper surface extending obliquely upward from the upper edge of the back surface shorter than the bottom surface. , Each of which has a side portion surrounding each side, and the front side is opened obliquely forward upward,
The front case is shaped to cover the opening of the base body downward and obliquely downward,
The pushbutton box according to claim 4, wherein a pipe can be attached to the bottom surface of the base body. The front portion of the front case is formed with a front inclined surface inclined obliquely downward to the front side on the upper half side, and a front vertical surface is formed on the lower half side to hang down from the lower end of the front inclined surface,
The pushbutton box according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the pushbuttons are arranged on the outer surface sides of the front inclined surface and the front vertical surface.   The pushbutton box according to claim 6, wherein the pushbutton arranged on the front inclined surface is set for a visually impaired person.   8. The pushbutton box according to claim 4, wherein the upper surface portion of the housing is a rear inclined surface that is inclined obliquely downward downward.   The joint of the opening rim over the upper end side of the base body and the opening rim over the upper end side of the front case that covers the opening rim from the front is arranged on the rear inclined surface of the housing. The pushbutton box according to claim 8.   One of a convex portion extending as a ridge and a concave portion extending in a groove shape is formed along the opening periphery of the base body, and one of the convex portion and the concave portion is formed along the opening periphery of the front case. The pushbutton box according to claim 9, wherein the convex portions engage with each other in the concave portions and are combined with each other.   11. The pushbutton box according to claim 9, wherein a flange that overlaps the opening periphery of the front end of the front case so as to cover the opening periphery of the upper end of the base body from above is formed. .

Images