Abstract:
A switch device includes a cylindrical movable lever-portion that is operable in multiple directions, a unit case that supports the movable lever-portion, and a flexible printed circuit board routed from an inside of the movable lever-portion to an inside of the unit case. A routed portion of the flexible printed circuit board to be routed inside the unit case includes a stress absorber configured to absorb a stress applied to the flexible printed circuit board. The stress absorber includes a plurality of curved portions curved in opposite directions to each other.

Description:
[0001]    The present application is based on Japanese patent application No. 2015-035198 filed on Feb. 25, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates to a switch device and, in particular, to a switch device provided with an operating lever. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    One example of switch device provided with an operating lever is an onboard switch device provided with an operating lever which is composed of a long cylindrical case and plural rotating knobs coaxially arranged thereon to operate headlamps or fog lamps of vehicle and is arranged on a side of a steering column so as to be swingable (see e.g. JP-A-2003-45287). 
         [0006]    The onboard switch device disclosed in JP-A-2003-45287 has a flexible printed circuit board inside the operating lever. The switch is composed of moving contacts provided inside the rotating knobs and fixed contacts formed on the flexible printed circuit board and is turned on/off by rotating the rotating knobs. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The onboard switch device is typically constructed such that the flexible printed circuit board is routed from a moving contact of the rotating knob to a connector which is connected to an external wiring on the steering column. If the operating lever is multi-directionally swung back and forth and up and down, torsional stress may act on the flexible printed circuit board. 
         [0008]    The flexible printed circuit board repeatedly receiving the torsional stress cracks or is broken or so, which causes a decrease in durability of the flexible printed circuit board. Thus, it is necessary to ensure durability of the flexible printed circuit board so as to withstand long-term use. 
         [0009]    It is an object of the invention to provide a switch device that has the flexible printed circuit board improved in durability. 
         [0010]    (1) According to embodiment of the invention, a switch device comprises: 
         [0011]    a cylindrical movable lever-portion that is operable in multiple directions; 
         [0012]    a unit case that supports the movable lever-portion; and 
         [0013]    a flexible printed circuit board routed from an inside of the movable lever-portion to an inside of the unit case, 
         [0014]    wherein a routed portion of the flexible printed circuit board to be routed inside the unit case comprises a stress absorber configured to absorb a stress applied to the flexible printed circuit board, and 
         [0015]    wherein the stress absorber comprises a plurality of curved portions curved in opposite directions to each other. 
         [0016]    In the above embodiment (1) of the invention, the following modifications and changes can be made. 
         [0017]    (i) The curved portions comprise a part folded into a substantially S-shape. 
         [0018]    (ii) The flexible printed circuit board comprises a flexible insulating film and a wiring pattern formed on the insulating film. 
         [0019]    (iii) The flexible printed circuit board further comprises a rigid board attached thereto at one end thereof on a side of the movable lever-portion. 
       EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    According to an embodiment of the invention, a switch device can be provided that has the flexible printed circuit board improved in durability. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]    Next, the present invention will be explained in more detail in conjunction with appended drawings, wherein: 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view showing an outer appearance of a switch device in a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is an explanatory schematic cross sectional view showing the inside of a main portion of the switch device in the embodiment; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective view showing a flexible printed circuit board used in the switch device in the embodiment; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4A  is a schematic view showing a main portion of the flexible printed circuit board used in the switch device in the embodiment to explain the shape when installed; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 4B  is a schematic view showing the main portion of the flexible printed circuit board to explain an example of the shape when deformed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    A preferred embodiment of the invention will be specifically described below in conjunction with the appended drawings. 
         [0028]    General Configuration of Switch Device 
         [0029]      FIGS. 1 and 2  schematically show a typical switch device in the present embodiment which is indicated generally by the reference numeral  1 . 
         [0030]    A switch device  1  is provided with a unit case  2  as a switch main body to be supported on, e.g., a side of a vehicle steering column, and a cylindrical movable lever-portion  3  supported on the unit case  2  so as to be multi-directionally swingable back and forth and up and down. The movable lever-portion  3  is configured as a combination lever switch composed of a fog switch knob  4 , a fixed knob  5  and a light switch knob  6  which are arranged coaxially. 
         [0031]    A first contact unit (not shown) is incorporated in the movable lever-portion  3  so that the fixed contact and the moving contact are connected or disconnected by rotational operation of the fog switch knob  4  or the light switch knob  6 . 
         [0032]    The fog switch knob  4  is configured to be rotatable, relative to the fixed knob  5 , between the ON position to turn on fog lamps and the OFF position to turn off the fog lamps. The light switch knob  6  is configured to be rotatable, relative to the fixed knob  5 , between the OFF position to turn off tail lights and headlights, the tail position to turn on the tail lights and the head portion to turn on the headlights. 
         [0033]    The unit case  2  is provided with an upper case  7  and a lower case  8  which support the movable lever-portion  3 , and a protector cover  9  covering a space under the lower case  8 . A second contact unit, which is provided with an insulator  10  having a fixed contact (not shown) and a connector  11  having a connector terminal connected to the fixed contact of the insulator  10 , is arranged in a space below an opening formed at the middle portion of the lower case  8 . 
         [0034]    A cylindrical bracket  12  is supported on the upper case  7  and the lower case  8  via vertical supports  12   a  so as to be swingable back and forth. A cylinder portion of an operating lever  13  is supported inside a cylinder portion of the bracket  12  via a horizontal support  13   a  so as to be swingable up and down. The operating lever  13  is coupled and fixed to the movable lever-portion  3 . 
         [0035]    Inside the cylinder portion of the operating lever  13 , a lever operating member  15  is retractably supported via a compression coil spring  14 . The lever operating member  15  is positioned by a detent portion  12   b  which is formed on an inner surface of the bracket  12  and has a detent surface with peak and recess. 
         [0036]    An operating piece  13   b  is provided on an outer surface of the cylinder portion of the operating lever  13  so as to extend through the opening of the lower case  8  toward the insulator  10 , and the tip portion of the operating piece  13   b  is fitted to a movable holder  16  to which a moveable terminal  16   a  is attached. 
         [0037]    The operating piece  13   b  moves in accordance with an operation performed on the movable lever-portion  3 . The movable holder  16  follows the movement of the operating piece  13   b  and moves in the same direction. Passing and dimmer, etc., are switched by connecting/disconnecting the moveable terminal  16   a  of the movable holder  16  to/from the fixed contact of the insulator  10 . 
         [0038]    In the switch device  1 , a rigid substrate  21  attached to a flexible printed circuit board  20  (hereinafter, referred to as “FPC board  20 ”) at an end on the movable lever-portion  3  side is fixed to an inner surface of the operating lever  13  by a FPC cover  22 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The FPC board  20  is routed in an S-shape from the inside of the movable lever-portion  3  to the inside of the unit case  2 . 
         [0039]    The FPC board  20  is formed of a long stripe-shaped insulating film having flexibility and has a wiring pattern formed of a silver foil on one surface of the insulating film. On the FPC board  20 , the wiring pattern is connected to a fixed contact (not shown) formed at an end portion on the movable lever-portion  3  side and to a fixed contact  23  formed at another end portion on the unit case  2  side. 
         [0040]    The fixed contact of the FPC board  20  on the movable lever-portion  3  side is connected to a moving contact of the movable lever-portion  3 , and the first contact unit is thereby formed. The fixed contact  23  of the FPC board  20  on the unit case  2  side is connected to the connector  11  which is further connected to the fixed contact of the insulator  10 , and the second contact unit is thereby formed. Swinging operation of the movable lever-portion  3  in forward, backward, upward and downward directions electrically connects or disconnects between the first and second contact units. 
         [0041]    Configuration of Stress Absorber of FPC Board 
         [0042]    In the meantime, the switch device  1  described above is configured that the FPC board  20  is routed from the inside of the movable lever-portion  3  to the inside of the unit case  2 . Therefore, when the movable lever-portion  3  is multi-directionally swung back and forth and up and down, torsional stress repeatedly acts on the FPC board  20 . 
         [0043]    Without absorbing the torsional stress applied to the FPC board  20  due to the characteristic up-and-down or back-and-forth movement of the movable lever-portion  3 , it is difficult to ensure high durability of the FPC board  20  to withstand long-term use, or to maintain stable electrical connection of the FPC board  20 . 
         [0044]    Therefore, the main feature of the switch device  1  in the present embodiment is a configuration of a stress absorber  30  which absorbs the torsional stress applied to the FPC board  20  due to the characteristic up-and-down or back-and-forth movement of the movable lever-portion  3 . 
         [0045]    The stress absorber  30  is formed on a routed portion of the FPC board  20  to be routed in an internal space of the unit case  2  so that a convex curved portion(s)  31  protruding toward the movable lever-portion  3  and a convex curved portion(s)  32  protruding toward the connector  11  are alternately formed along a longitudinal direction. 
         [0046]    To form the stress absorber  30 , preferably, the routed portion of the FPC board  20  is curved in opposite directions at positions receiving torsional stress so that torsional stress on the FPC board  20  from the movable lever-portion  3  is effectively absorbed by the routed portion of the FPC board  20 . 
         [0047]    The stress absorber  30  in the illustrated example is formed to have an S-shaped structure in which the routed portion of the FPC board  20  is curved into a substantially S-shape in the longitudinal direction, as shown in  FIGS. 2 to 4A . 
         [0048]    The S-shaped structure of the stress absorber  30  deforms due to bend in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction of the FPC board  20  as shown in  FIG. 4B  at the time of operation of the movable lever-portion  3 , especially, turn operation or dimmer operation. The deformation of the S-shaped structure absorbs the torsional stress applied to the FPC board  20  when operating the movable lever-portion  3 . 
         [0049]    The number of folds of the stress absorber  30  is not limited to that shown in the illustrated example and is appropriately designed depending on, e.g., the swinging amount of the movable lever-portion  3 , etc. 
       Effects of the Embodiment 
       [0050]    The switch device  1  configured as described above exerts the following effects, in addition to the effects described above. 
         [0051]    Even when the movable lever-portion  3  is multi-directionally swung back and forth and up and down, torsional stress applied to the FPC board  20  is absorbed by the stress absorber  30  formed on the FPC board  2 . Therefore, it is possible to guarantee long-term use of the FPC board  20 . 
         [0052]    Forming the stress absorber  30  on the FPC board  2  eliminates the necessity of providing an internal space in the unit case  2  to arrange a special member for absorbing stress on the FPC board  20 , allowing thinning and weight reduction, etc., of the switch device  1 . 
         [0053]    Since it is not necessary to provide an internal space in the unit case  2  to arrange a member for absorbing stress on the FPC board  20 , the layout of components arranged in the unit case  2  is not limited. 
         [0054]    Since the stress absorber  30  is formed on the FPC board  20 , it is possible to effectively use a narrow space in the unit case  2 . 
         [0055]    By using the stress absorber  30  of the FPC board  2 , stress such as torsion, etc., applied to the FPC board  20  due to the characteristic up-and-down or back-and-forth movement of the movable lever-portion  3  can be absorbed, regardless of length, width or the routed state of the FPC board  20 . 
         [0056]    Although a combination lever switch provided with light switches to turn on/off headlamps or fog lamps of vehicle has been described in the embodiment and the illustrated example, it is not limited thereto. The invention is applicable to a combination lever switch for another intended use and provided with, e.g., a wiper switch to operate windshield wipers, or a switch device provided with various operating levers. 
         [0057]    In addition, although the switch device  1  is applied to a car in the embodiment and illustrated example, it is not limited thereto. It is obvious that the invention can be effectively applied to, e.g., various vehicles such as construction machineries and agricultural machineries. 
         [0058]    Although the typical embodiment and illustrated example of the invention have been described, it is obvious from the above description that the invention according to claims is not to be limited to the embodiment and illustrated example. Therefore, it should be noted that all combinations of the features described in the embodiment and illustrated example are not necessary to solve the problem of the invention.