JP4330705B2 - Multi-directional switch - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a multidirectional switch for operation of a mobile phone, a video camera, an in-vehicle audio system, a bootable stereo, or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The multi-directional switch has a plurality of switch contacts, and is configured to select and operate the desired switch contact according to the point of action of the force applied to the operation unit and the direction of action of the force. Output. As a prior art of such a multidirectional switch, the outline thereof will be described with reference to FIG.
[0003]
4A is a plan view of the multidirectional switch, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 4A. In FIG. 4, the multidirectional switch 11 includes a mold frame 12, a lid member 13 that covers the upper surface side of the mold frame 12, and a fixed contact portion 15 in which a lead frame 14 is insert-molded on the lower surface side of the mold frame 12. And a circuit board 17 constituting a circuit of a switch provided with movable contact portions 16 at four positions, respectively, and a case main body 18 is formed, and dome-shaped metal springs 19 are mounted in the case main body 18 at four positions. A push button 20 having a protrusion 20a on the lower surface is disposed at a position corresponding to the dome-shaped metal spring 19, and four switches are shown in FIG. 4 corresponding to the position at which the push button 20 is pressed. Any one of these is selectively operated.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, although the multi-directional switch described above has four dome-shaped metal springs and the switch can be operated in four directions, it can be commercialized even if a dome-shaped metal spring is placed by pressing the center of the switch. Is difficult. This is because the dome-shaped metal spring has a short stroke, and there is a structural problem that the dome-shaped metal springs in four directions are simultaneously pressed when the substantially center portion of the push button is pressed. In addition, even if a dome-shaped metal spring having a different stroke is disposed, the size of the spring increases and a compact product cannot be produced.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a small multi-directional switch that uses a dome-shaped metal spring having the same shape and the same stroke and has an increased operation direction.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
To achieve the above object, the multidirectional switch of the present invention, a dome-type metal disposed a circuit board having a plurality of switch contacts, at positions corresponding to the plurality of switch contacts of the circuit board a spring, the shoulder portion is formed near the center has a projecting end portion and the central protrusion formed on the central portion is formed in the vicinity of a leading end portion of the operating arm of the operating arm has an operation arm ten A metal plunger having a letter-shaped main plunger, a contact end contacting the tip protrusion of the cross-shaped main plunger on the upper surface, and an end on the opposite side, and a protrusion formed on the lower surface side at a position different from the tip protrusion And an opening into which the cruciform main plunger is inserted, a pressing part for pressing the shoulder of the cruciform main plunger, and a mold frame formed with an abutting part with which the end of the metal plunger abuts. Formation The plurality of switch contacts are provided at a position facing the central protrusion of the cruciform main plunger and a position facing the protrusion of the metal plunger, and each switch contact Is provided with the dome-shaped metal spring, the central protrusion is disposed to face the dome-shaped metal spring, the tip protrusion is in contact with the contact end of the metal plunger, and The protrusion of the metal plunger is formed between the end that contacts the contact portion of the mold frame and the contact end that contacts the tip protrusion of the cross-shaped main plunger, and the tip protrusion The downwardly acting force of the metal plunger pushes down the contact end with the end of the metal plunger as a fulcrum, and the protrusion of the metal plunger acts on the dome-shaped metal spring. It is characterized in that is configured to contact the protrusion opposite switch contact above.
Further, the protrusion of the metal plunger is between the end contacting the contact portion of the mold frame and the contact end contacting the tip protrusion of the cross-shaped main plunger, and is opposite to the contact surface. And a base sheet having mounting holes for mounting the plurality of dome-shaped metal springs. The base sheet is formed on the circuit board. It is characterized by being arranged .
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The multidirectional switch according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1A and 1B relate to a multidirectional switch according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a plan view of the multidirectional switch, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. FIG.1 (c) is CC sectional view taken on the line of Fig.1 (a).
[0008]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a multidirectional switch, and its configuration is made of a mold frame 3 made of a polyimide material, a polyimide material, etc. on an upper surface of a circuit board 2 made of a glass epoxy material having a plurality of switch contacts. In the structure in which the base sheets 4 are laminated, the mold frame 3 is provided with a cross-shaped opening 3a into which a cross-shaped main plunger described later is inserted. Reference numeral 5 denotes a cross-shaped main plunger made of a polyimide material or the like, which has four orthogonal operation arms, and has a projection portion 5a (center portion) and 5b (tip portion) on the lower surface side in the vicinity of the center portion and the tip portion of the operation arm, respectively. Part) is formed. Since the pressing portion 3b of the mold frame 3 holds the shoulder portion 5c near the center of the cruciform main plunger 5, the cruciform main plunger 5 does not come out of the opening 3a of the mold frame 3.
[0009]
The base sheet 4 is provided with a spring mounting hole 4a, and a dome-shaped metal spring 6 made of stainless steel having a curved portion is positioned in the spring mounting hole 4a and placed on the circuit board 2. Yes. In the present embodiment, the number of the dome-shaped metal springs 6 is five, that is, four locations adjacent to the central portion of the multidirectional switch 1 and the tip portion of the cross-shaped main plunger 5. Here, as shown in FIG. 1B, in a non-operating state, the dome apex of the dome-shaped metal spring 6 disposed in the center of the switch is in contact with the protrusion 5a on the center lower surface of the cross-shaped main plunger 5. However, in the four dome-shaped metal springs 6 in the periphery, a metal plunger 7 made of stainless steel or the like is interposed between the cruciform main plunger 5 and, as shown in FIG. A protrusion 5 b formed on the lower surface of the front end of the main plunger 5 is in contact with the metal plunger 7, and a protrusion 7 a formed on the lower surface of the metal plunger 7 is in contact with the dome apex of the dome-shaped metal spring 6.
[0010]
The operation will be described with the configuration described above. 2 shows a state during operation when the substantially central portion of the cross-shaped main plunger of the multi-directional switch of FIG. 1 is pressed, FIG. 2 (a) is a plan view of the multi-directional switch, and FIG. 2 (b). FIG. 2A is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 2A, and FIG. 2C is a sectional view taken along line CC in FIG.
[0011]
First, in FIG. 2 (b), when the acting force F is applied to the substantially central portion of the cruciform main plunger 5 in the direction of the arrow, the cruciform main plunger 5 moves substantially in parallel, and the projection 5a on the lower surface of the center is arranged in the center. The dome apex of the provided dome-shaped metal spring 6 is pushed down, the curved shape is reversed and the circuit pattern (not shown) formed on the circuit board 2 is contacted to close the switch.
[0012]
As described above, when the cruciform main plunger 5 is pushed down, the protrusions 5b formed on the lower surfaces of the tip ends of the four operating arms push down the end of the metal plunger 7, as shown in FIG. 2 (c). The end (right end in the figure) of the metal plunger 7 abuts on the lower surface side of the mold body 3 and turns counterclockwise, and the protrusion 7a formed on the lower surface of the metal plunger 7 is a dome-shaped metal spring. The dome apex 6 is pushed downward, but the movement of the protrusion 7 a of the metal plunger 7 is reduced more than the movement of the tip of the operating arm of the cross-shaped main plunger 5 due to the lever ratio from the fulcrum. For this reason, even if the central dome-shaped metal spring 6 is in contact with the circuit board 2 as shown in FIG. 2B, the dome-shaped metal spring 6 disposed in the periphery is slightly deformed as shown in FIG. However, it does not come into contact with the circuit board 2. Accordingly, when the substantially central portion of the cross-shaped main plunger 5 is pressed, only the dome-shaped metal spring 6 at the center of the multi-directional switch 1 operates to close the circuit.
[0013]
Next, FIG. 3 shows a state during operation when one of the operation arms of the cruciform main plunger of the multidirectional switch of FIG. 1 is pressed, and FIG. 3 (a) shows the multidirectional switch. FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 3A, and FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG.
[0014]
First, in FIG. 3, when the pressing force F is applied to the substantially end of one operating arm of the cross-shaped main plunger 5 in the direction of the arrow, the tip of the operating arm is displaced as shown in FIG. Inclined, and the protrusion 5b on the lower surface of the tip pushes down the end of the metal plunger 7. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), the protrusion 7a on the lower surface of the metal plunger 7 pushes down the dome apex of the dome-shaped metal spring 6 so that the curved shape is reversed and comes into contact with the circuit pattern formed on the circuit board 2. The lever switch is closed. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3B, even if the tip of the operating arm of the cross-shaped main plunger 5 is lowered, the central protrusion 5a does not move much, and the dome-shaped metal spring in the center of the circuit board 2 The deformation of 6 is slight and does not contact the circuit board 2. Therefore, when the tip of the operating arm of the cross-shaped main plunger 5 is pressed, only the switch of the pressed portion operates.
[0015]
As described above, in the present embodiment, the dome-shaped metal springs having the same shape and the same stroke are disposed in a total of five locations in the four directions and the central portion of the switch body having the switch circuit, and the cross-shaped main plunger and the metal plunger are arranged. The double mechanism plunger system allows the center of the switch and the four directions to be pressed independently, thereby enabling a multi-directional switch having a five-point contact function.
[0016]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the multi-directional switch according to the present invention can be realized as a 5-point multi-directional switch using a conventional inexpensive dome-shaped metal spring. For this reason, a switch with a high touch characteristic peculiar to a dome shape metal spring can be made. Further, since the switch structure is simplified, the manufacturing cost is reduced and the product can be made thinner.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 shows a non-operating state of a multidirectional switch according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 (a) is a plan view of the multidirectional switch, and FIG. 1 (b) is B in FIG. 1 (a). -B sectional view, FIG.1 (c) is CC sectional view taken on the line of Fig.1 (a).
2 shows a state during operation when the substantially central portion of the cross-shaped main plunger of the multi-directional switch of FIG. 1 is pressed, FIG. 2 (a) is a plan view of the multi-directional switch, and FIG. 2 (b). FIG. 2A is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 2A, and FIG. 2C is a sectional view taken along line CC in FIG.
3 shows a state during operation when one of the operation arms of the cross-shaped main plunger of the multi-directional switch of FIG. 1 is pressed, and FIG. 3 (a) is a plan view of the multi-directional switch. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 3A, and FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG.
4A is a plan view of a conventional multidirectional switch, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 4A.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multidirectional switch 2 Circuit board 3 Mold body 3a Opening part 3b Holding | maintenance part 4 Base sheet 4a Spring mounting hole part 5 Cross-shaped main plunger 5a Protrusion part (center part)
5b Protruding part (lower surface of the tip of the operating arm)
5c Shoulder 6 Dome-shaped metal spring 7 Metal plunger 7a Protrusion (metal plunger lower surface)
F acting force

Claims (2)

A circuit board having a plurality of switch contacts, the dome-shaped metal spring disposed at positions corresponding to the plurality of switch contacts of the circuit board, formed in a central portion of the operating arm has an operation arm A cross-shaped main plunger having a central projection portion and a tip projection portion formed in the vicinity of the distal end portion of the operating arm and having a shoulder portion formed in the vicinity of the central portion, and a tip projection portion of the cross-shaped main plunger on the upper surface A metal plunger having an end on the opposite side thereof in contact with the metal and having a protrusion formed on the lower surface side at a position different from the tip protrusion, an opening into which the cross-shaped main plunger is inserted, and A multi-directional switch formed by a pressing part that holds the shoulder of the cross-shaped main plunger and a mold frame formed with an abutting part with which the end of the metal plunger abuts,
The plurality of switch contacts are provided at a position facing the central protrusion of the cruciform main plunger and a position facing the protrusion of the metal plunger, and the dome-shaped metal spring is arranged at each switch contact. The central protrusion is disposed opposite to the dome-shaped metal spring, the tip protrusion is in contact with the contact end of the metal plunger, and the protrusion of the metal plunger is It is formed between the end portion that contacts the contact portion of the mold frame and the contact end portion that contacts the tip protrusion portion of the cruciform main plunger, and the downward acting force of the tip protrusion portion is With the end of the metal plunger as a fulcrum, the contact end is pushed down, and the protrusion of the metal plunger acts on the dome-shaped metal spring to act as a protrusion-facing switch contact on the circuit board. Multidirectional switch, characterized in that it is configured to touch. 2. The base sheet according to claim 1, further comprising a base sheet in which mounting holes for mounting the plurality of dome-shaped metal springs are formed, and the base sheet is disposed on the circuit board. Multi-directional switch.

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