Abstract:
An operation unit includes: a plurality of operation members provided in an air conditioning system for conditioning air inside a passenger compartment of a vehicle in such a manner as to be operated to control the air conditioning system; a first rear-side member provided on a rear side of one of the plurality of operation members; at least one second rear-side member provided on a rear side of the operation members on which the first rear-side member is not provided; and an electrical functioning portion which is provided on the first rear-side member and has electrical functions for the operation member on which the rear-side member is provided and the operation members on which the second rear-side member is provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an operation unit for controlling an air conditioning system by operation members being operated. 
         [0002]    As an operation unit, there is an operation unit in which a plurality of operation members such as an air amount adjustment knob, a temperature control knob and key tops are on an operation panel (for example, refer to Japanese Patent No. 3317848). 
         [0003]    In this operation unit, rear sides of the plurality of operation members are covered by a case, and a printed circuit board is attached to a rear side of the case. Lamps and light emitting diodes are provided on the printed circuit board, and the lamps and light emitting diodes are inserted into an interior of the case for illuminating the plurality of operation members. 
         [0004]    In this operation unit, however, the rear sides of the plurality of operation members are covered by only the single case. Because of this, when the design of the operation unit is changed by changing the arrangement of the plurality of operation members on the operation panel, the case cannot cover the rear sides of the plurality of operation members so changed in their arrangement, whereby there is caused a problem that the design of the operation unit is difficult to be changed and hence, the degree of freedom in changing the design of the operation unit is reduced. 
         [0005]    Here, when the case is divided into a plurality of cases, even in the event that the arrangement of the plurality of operation members on the operation panel is changed so as to change the design of the operation unit, the rear sides of the plurality of operation members can be covered by the plurality of cases. Because of this, the degree of freedom in design of the operation unit can be increased. 
         [0006]    In this case, however, in the event that a printed circuit board is provided for each case, the necessity is caused of providing a lamp or a light emitting diode for each printed circuit board and this then causes the necessity of connecting a wiring harness to each printed circuit board, leading to a problem that the production costs are increased. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The invention has been made in view of the situations and an object thereof is to provide an operation unit which can reduce the production costs. 
         [0008]    According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an operation unit comprising: 
         [0009]    a plurality of operation members provided in an air conditioning system for conditioning air inside a passenger compartment of a vehicle in such a manner as to be operated to control the air conditioning system; 
         [0010]    a first rear-side member provided on a rear side of one of the plurality of operation members; 
         [0011]    at least one second rear-side member provided on a rear side of the operation members on which the first rear-side member is not provided; and 
         [0012]    an electrical functioning portion which is provided on the first rear-side member and has electrical functions for the operation member on which the rear-side member is provided and the operation members on which the second rear-side member is provided. 
         [0013]    According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an operation unit as set forth in the first aspect of the invention, wherein the electrical functioning portions illuminate the operation member on which the first rear-side member is provided and the operation member on the second rear-side member is provided. 
         [0014]    In the operation unit set forth in the first aspect of the invention, the plurality of operation members are provided in the air conditioning system for conditioning air inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and the air conditioning system is controlled by the operation members being operated. In addition, the first and second rear-side members are provided on the rear sides of the plurality of operation members. 
         [0015]    Here, the electrical functioning portion provided on the rear-side member has not only the electrical function for the operation member on which the first rear-side member having the electrical functioning portion is provided but also the electrical function for the operation member on which the second rear-side member is provided. Because of this, the necessity of providing an electrical functioning portion for each rear-side member can be obviated, thereby making it possible to reduce the production costs. 
         [0016]    In the operation unit set forth in the second aspect of the invention, the electrical functioning portion has not only the electrical function for the operation member on which the first rear-side member having the electrical functioning portion is provided but also the electrical function for the operation member on which the second rear-side members having no electrical functioning portion is provided. Because of this, the production costs can effectively be reduced. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view showing a heater operation unit according to an embodiment of the invention as viewed obliquely from the right of a front side thereof. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a front view showing the heater operation unit according to the embodiment of the invention as viewed from the front side thereof. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view showing a central body and a left body of the heater operation unit according to the embodiment of the invention as viewed from the front side of the heater operation unit. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view showing another example of a central body and a left body of the heater operation unit according to the embodiment of the invention as viewed from the front side of the heater unit. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a heater operation unit  10  according to an embodiment which is configured by applying an operation unit of the invention thereto which shows the operation unit  10  as viewed obliquely from the right of a front side thereof, and  FIG. 2  shows is a front view of the heater operation unit  10  as viewed from the front side thereof. Note that in the drawings, the front side (the side facing the rear of the vehicle) of the heater operation unit  10  is indicated by an arrow FR, a left-hand side of the heater operation unit (a left-hand side of the vehicle) is indicated by an arrow LH, and an upper side of the heater operation unit  10  (an upper side of the vehicle) is indicated by an arrow UP. 
         [0022]    The heater operation unit  10  according to the embodiment is provided on an instrument panel (whose illustration is omitted) of the vehicle, and the front side of the heater operation unit  10  is oriented towards the rear of the vehicle and is exposed to an inside of a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The heater operation unit  10  makes up part of an air conditioning system  12  (a heater) of the vehicle, and the air conditioning system  12  is made to condition air inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle. 
         [0023]    A substantially plate-shaped cluster panel  14  is provided on the heater operation unit  10  as a front-side member, and the cluster panel  14  makes up part of the instrument panel. A circular central hole  16  is formed in a horizontal center of the cluster panel  14  in such a manner as to penetrate the same panel. In addition, a right-hand side hole  18  and a left-hand side hole  20 , which are both circular in shape, are formed in a right-hand side portion and a left-hand side portion of the cluster panel  14 , respectively, in such a manner as to penetrate the same panel. 
         [0024]    A circularly tubular container-like central body  22  (a main body) is provided within the central hole  16 . The central body  22  is made up as a rear-side member by combining a front-side substantially bottomed circularly tubular front body  24  with a rear-side substantially bottomed circularly tubular rear body  26 , and a circumferential wall of the rear body  26  is fitted in the inside of a circumferential wall of the front body  24 . 
         [0025]    A central operation part  28  is provided on a front side of the central body  22  (the front body  24 ). 
         [0026]    A blower dial  30  (a rotary knob) is rotatably supported as an operation member at an upper portion on the front side of the central body  22  (the front body  24 ), and by the blower dial  30  being operated to rotate, the blowing of air into the passenger compartment by the air conditioning system  12  is switched on/off, and the volume of air sent into the passenger compartment by the air conditioning system  12  is controlled. A light guiding path  32  as an illuminating portion is provided within the blower dial  30 , and the light guiding path  32  is made to transmit light therethrough. A front surface of the light guiding path  32  is exposed to the passenger compartment, and the light guiding path  32  is made to communicate with the inside of the central body  22  on a rear side thereof. 
         [0027]    An F/R lever  34  (a fresh outside air/recirculated air knob) is supported as an operation member at a lower portion on the front side of the central body  22  (the front body  24 ) in such a manner as to rotate about an upper portion thereof, and by the F/R lever being operated to rotate, the mode of the air conditioning system  12  in which air is sent into the passenger compartment is switched (between a mode of introducing fresh outside air to send it into the passenger compartment and a mode of circulating air inside the passenger compartment to recirculate it inside the passenger compartment). A light guiding path  32 , which is the same as the aforesaid light guiding path  32 , is provided inside the F/R lever  34 , and a front surface of the light guiding path  32  is exposed to the passenger compartment, while the light guiding path  32  is made to communicate with the interior of the central body  22  on a rear side thereof. 
         [0028]    A flat plate-shaped central indicator panel  36  is provided as a display member at an upper portion on the front side of the central body  22  (the front body  24 ), and a front surface of the central display panel  36  is exposed to the passenger compartment. 
         [0029]    Air current volume indications  38  indicating volumes of air to be sent into the passenger compartment by the air conditioning system  12  and an air current creating symbol are provided at an upper end portion of the central indicator panel  36  which confronts the front surface of the light guiding path  32  of the blower dial  30 , and the central indicator panel  36  has a light transmission property at the portion where the air current volume indications  38  are provided and is made to communicate with the interior of the central body  22  on a rear side of the same portion. 
         [0030]    Mode indications  40  indicating the modes of the air conditioning system  12  in which air is sent into the passenger compartment by the air conditioning system  12  are provided at a lower end portion of the central indicator panel  36  which confronts the front surface of the light guiding path  32  of the F/R lever  34 , and the central indicator panel  36  has a light transmission property at the portion where the mode indications  40  are provided and is made to communicate with the interior of the central body  22  on a rear side of the same portion. 
         [0031]    An A/X switch  42  (an A/C knob) is supported at a left end portion on the front side of the central body  22  (the front body  24 ) in such a manner as to be depressed, and by the A/C switch  42  being operated to be depressed, the air conditioning system  12  is switched on or off in such a manner that the air conditioning system switches on an air temperature controlling function to send air whose temperature is controlled into the passenger compartment or the air conditioning system switches off the air temperature controlling function to send air whose temperature is not controlled into the passenger compartment. A light guiding path  32 , which is the same as the aforesaid light guiding path  32 , is provided inside the A/C switch  42 , and a front surface of the light guiding path  32  is exposed to the passenger compartment and is made to communicate with the interior of the central body  22  on a rear side thereof. 
         [0032]    Inside the central body  22 , an electric circuit  46  is provided on a bottom wall of the rear body  26 , and the electric circuit  46  is made as an insert molded part (an insulator) in the rear body  26  and is electrically connected to the blower dial  30 , the A/C switch  42  and a rear defogger switch  44 . A wiring harness (whose illustration is omitted) is electrically connected to the electric circuit  46 , and the wiring harness is electrically connected to a operation part (whose illustration is omitted) of the air conditioning system  12 . 
         [0033]    An F/R cable  48  is provided as a connecting mechanism on a rear side of the central body  22  (the rear body  26 ), and the F/R cable  48  is connected to the F/R lever  34  via the bottom wall of the rear body  26  and is also connected to the operation part of the air conditioning system  12 . The F/R cable  48  is made to operate by the F/R lever  34  being operated to rotate, and the bottom wall of the rear body  26  permits the operation of the F/R cable  48  by the F/R lever  34  being operated to rotate. 
         [0034]    Lamps  50  are provided as electrical functioning portions (illuminating means) at a right-hand side portion and a left-hand side portion on the rear side of the central body  22  (the rear body  26 ), and the lamps  50  are inserted into the interior of the central body  22  and are electrically connected to the electric circuit  46 . The lamps  50  are made to illuminate the interior of the central body  22 , and the air current volume indications  38  and the mode indications  40  of the central indicator panel  36  and the light guiding paths  32  of the blower dial  30 , the F/R lever  34 , the A/C switch  42  and the rear defogger switch  44  are made to be illuminated by light from the lamps  50 . 
         [0035]    Four pillar-like projections  52  each having a T-shaped cross section and making up an attaching means are provided integrally at each of a right-hand side portion and a left-hand side portion on a circumferential surface of the central body  22  (the front body  24 ), and eight projections  52  in total are disposed circumferentially at equal intervals on the central body  22 . 
         [0036]    Three rectangular communication holes  54  each making up a communication means are formed in each of a right-hand side portion and a left-hand side portion of a circumferential wall of the central body  22  (the front body  24  and the rear body  26 ) in such a manner as to penetrate the circumferential wall, and the projections  52  are disposed on both sides of the communication hole  54  in the circumferential direction of the central body  22 . 
         [0037]    As is shown in detail in  FIG. 3 , a substantially bottomed circularly tubular right body  56  (a sub-body) is attached to the right-hand side portion of the circumferential wall of the central body  22  as a rear-reside member, and a substantially bottomed circularly tubular left body  58  (a sub-body) is attached to the left-hand side portion of the circumferential wall of the central body  22 . Proximal end portions of a pair of curved plate-shaped attaching legs  60  which make up an attaching means are provided integrally on each of a circumferential wall of the right body  56  at a portion lying to face the central body  22  (at a right-hand side portion) and a circumferential wall of the left body  58  at a portion lying to face the central body  22  (at a left-hand side portion), and in each pair, the attaching legs  60  extend upwards and downwards. 
         [0038]    A plate-shaped engagement portion  62  having a U-shaped cross section is provided at a proximal end portion and a distal end portion of the attaching leg  60 , and by the respective engagement portions  62  of the pair of attaching legs  60  of the right body  56  being brought into engagement with the respective projections  52  on the right-hand side portion of the central body  22 , the right body  56  is attached to the right of (just beside) the central body  22 , while by the respective engagement portions  62  of the pair of attaching legs  60  of the left body  58  being brought into engagement with the respective projections  52  on the left-hand side portion of the central body  22 , the left body  58  is attached to the left of (just beside) the central body  22 . In addition, by the projections  52  on the central body  22  being changed with which the respective engagement portions  62  of the pair of attaching legs  60  of the right body  56  are brought into engagement, the right body  56  is made to be attached to a portion of the central body  22  which lies obliquely upwards to the right or obliquely downwards to the right, while by the projections  52  on the central body  22  being changed with which the respective engagement portions  62  of the pair of attaching legs  60  of the left body  58  are brought into engagement, the left body  58  is made to be attached to a portion of the central body  22  which lies obliquely upwards to the left or obliquely downwards to the left. 
         [0039]    A substantially rectangular through hole  64  making up a communication means is formed between the pair of attaching legs  60  on each of the circumferential wall of the right body  56  and the circumferential wall of the left body  58  in such a manner as to penetrate the circumferential wall, and an interior of the right body  56  and an interior of the left body  58  are each made to communicate with the interior of the central body  22  via the through hole  64  and the communication hole  54 , whereby the lamps  50  are allowed to illuminate the interior of the right body  56  and the interior of the left body  58  via the interior of the central body  22 , the communication holes  54  and the through holes  64 . 
         [0040]    The right body  56  and the left body  58  cover rear sides of the right-hand side hole  18  portion and the left-hand side hole  20  portion of the cluster panel  14 , respectively. 
         [0041]    An A/M dial  66  (a rotary knob) is rotatably supported as an operation member within the right-hand side hole  18  in the cluster panel  14 , and by the A/M dial  66  being operated to rotate, the temperature of air is controlled which is sent into the passenger compartment when the air conditioning system  12  switches on the air conditioning function. A light guiding path  32 , which is the same as the one described above, is provided in the A/M dial  66 , and a front surface of the light guiding path  32  is exposed to the passenger compartment, while a rear side of the light guiding path  32  is made to communicate with the interior of the right body  56 . 
         [0042]    An annular disc-shaped temperature indication panel  68  is provided as an indication member on the front side of the cluster panel  14  in such a manner as to surround a circumference of the A/M dial  66 , and a front surface of the temperature indication panel  68  is exposed to the passenger compartment. Temperature indications  70  which indicate temperatures of air that is sent into the passenger compartment by the air conditioning system  12  are provided on the temperature indication panel  68  in such a manner as to be associated with the front surface of the light guiding path  32  of the A/M dial  66 . The temperature indication panel  68  has a light transmission property at the portion where the temperature indications  70  are provided and is made to communicate with the interior of the right body  56  on a rear side thereof. 
         [0043]    An A/M cable  72  is provided as a connecting mechanism on a rear side of the right body  56 , and the A/M cable  72  is connected to the A/M dial  66  via a bottom wall of the right body  56 . The A/M cable  72  is made to operate by the A/M dial  66  being operated to rotate, and the A/M cable  72  is connected to the operation part of the air conditioning system  12 . 
         [0044]    A mode dial  74  (a rotary knob) is supported rotatably as an operation member within the right-hand side hole  20  in the cluster panel  14 , and by the mode dial  74  being operated to rotate, the mode of the air conditioning system  12  in which air is sent into the passenger compartment is switched (between a mode in which air is sent to an upper body of an occupant, a mode in which air is sent to the upper body and feet of the occupant, a mode in which air is sent to the feet of the occupant and a passenger compartment side surface of a windshield of the vehicle, and a mode in which air is sent to the passenger compartment side surface of the windshield of the vehicle). A light guiding path  32 , which is the same as the one described above, is provided within the mode dial  74 , and a front surface of the light guiding path  32  is exposed to the passenger compartment, while a rear side of the light guiding path  32  is made to communicate with the interior of the left body  58 . 
         [0045]    An annular disc-shaped mode indication panel  76  is provided as an indication member on the front side of the cluster panel  14  in such a manner as to surround a circumference of the mode dial  74 , and a front surface of the mode indication panel  76  is exposed to the passenger compartment. Mode indications  78  which indicate modes of air that is sent into the passenger compartment by the air conditioning system  12  are provided on the mode indication panel  76  in such a manner as to be associated with the front surface of the light guiding path  32  of the mode dial  74 . The mode indication panel  76  has a light transmission property at the portion where the mode indications  78  are provided and is made to communicate with the interior of the left body  58  on a rear side thereof. 
         [0046]    A mode cable  80  is provided as a connecting mechanism on a rear side of the left body  58 , and the mode cable  80  is connected to the mode dial  74  via a bottom wall of the left body  58 . The mode cable  80  is made to operate by the mode dial  74  being operated to rotate, and the mode cable  80  is connected to the operation part of the air conditioning system  12 . 
         [0047]    As has been described heretofore, the laps  50  are made to illuminate the interior of the right body  56  and the interior of the left body  58  via the interior of the central body  22 , the communication holes  54  and the through holes  64 , whereby the temperature indications  70  of the temperature indication panel  68  and the mode indications  78  of the mode indication panel  76  and the light guiding paths  32  of the A/M dial  66  and the mode dial  74  are made to be illuminated by light from the lamps  50 . 
         [0048]    Next, the function of the embodiment will be described. 
         [0049]    In the heater operation unit  10  that is configured as has been described heretofore, in the cluster panel  14 , the A/M dial  66  is disposed to the right of (just beside) of the central operation part  28  (the blower dial  30 , the F/R lever  34 , the A/C switch  42  and the rear defogger switch  44 ), while the mode dial  74  is disposed to the left of (just beside) the central operation part  28 . Furthermore, the central body  22  is provided on a rear side of the central operation part  28 , and the right body  56  is provided on a rear side of the A/M dial  66 , the left body  58  being provided on a rear side of the mode dial  74 . Then, the right body  56  is attached to a right-hand side of (just beside) the central operation part  28  and the left body  58  is attached to a left-hand side of (just beside) the central operation part  28 . 
         [0050]    Here, the right body  56  is made to be attached to the portion of the central body  22  which lies obliquely upwards to the right or obliquely downwards to the right, while the left body  58  is made to be attached to the portion of the central body  22  which lies obliquely upwards to the left or obliquely downwards to the left. Because of this, in the event that the cluster pane  114  is modified (in particular, the external shape of the cluster panel  14  and the positions of the right-hand side hole  18  and the left-hand side hole  20  are changed), the A/M dial  66  can easily be disposed at the portion which lies obliquely upwards to the right or obliquely downwards to the right of the central operation part  28 , and the mode dial  74  can easily be disposed at the portion which lies obliquely upwards to the left or obliquely downwards to the left of the central operation part  28 . This can facilitate a change in design of the heater operation unit  10 , thereby making it possible to increase the degree of freedom in design of the heater operation unit  10 . 
         [0051]    Furthermore, the blower dial  30 , the A/C switch  42  and the rear defogger switch  44 , which need to be electrically connected to the electric circuit  46 , are all provided on the front side of the central body  22  where the electric circuit  46  is provided. Moreover, the interior of the right body  56  is made to communicate with the interior of the central body  22  via the through hole  64  in the light body  56  and the communication hole  54  in the central body  22 , while the interior of the left body  58  is made to communicate with the interior of the central body  22  via the through hole  64  in the left body  58  and the communication hole  54  in the central body  22 , whereby the lamps  50  provided on the central body  22  are allowed to illuminate not only the central operation part  28  (including the central indication panel  36 ) but also the A/M dial  66  (including the temperature indication panel  68 ) and the mode dial  74  (including the mode indication panel  76 ). Because of this, the necessity of providing an electric circuit  46  and a lamp  50  in each of the right body  56  and the left body  58  is obviated, and the necessity of laying out a wiring harness in each of the right body  56  and the left body  58  is obviated, thereby making it possible to reduce effectively the production costs. 
         [0052]    Note that while in the embodiment, the F/R lever  34  is configured as a lever which can be operated to move (slide) in a circle, the F/R lever  34  may be changed to adopt a configuration in which the F/R lever  34  is made as a dial which is operated to rotate or a switch which is operated to be depressed. 
         [0053]    Furthermore, while in the embodiment, the configuration is adopted in which the A/M dial  66  and the mode dial  70  are made as the dials which can be operated to rotate, a configuration may be adopted in which the A/M dial  66  and the mode dial  74  are each made as a lever which can be operated to move or slide in a circle. 
         [0054]    In addition, while in the embodiment, the configuration is adopted in which the four projections  52  are provided at each of the right-hand side portion and the left-hand side portion of the circumferential surface of the central body  22 , a configuration as shown in  FIG. 4  may be adopted in which six projections  52  are provided at each of the right-hand side portion and the left-hand side portion of the circumferential surface of the central body  22 . 
         [0055]    As this occurs, the six projections  52  are disposed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the central body at each of the right-hand side portion and the left-hand side portion of the circumferential surface of the central body. Furthermore, communication holes  54  are formed in the circumferential wall of the central body  22  at each of the right-hand side portion and the left-hand side portion between second and third, third and fourth and fourth and fifth projections  52  from the top. 
         [0056]    By this configuration, the right body  56  can be attached to the portion lying obliquely upwards to the right of the central body  22 , and at the same time, the left body  58  can be attached to the portion lying obliquely downwards to the left of the central body  22 , while the right body  56  can be attached to the portion lying obliquely downwards to the right of the central body  22 , and at the same time, the left body  58  can be attached to the portion lying obliquely upwards to the left of the central body  22 . Because of this, the A/M dial  66  can be disposed at the portion lying obliquely upwards to the right of the central operation part  28 , and at the same time, the mode dial  74  can be disposed at the portion lying obliquely downwards to the left of the central operation part  28 , while the A/M dial  66  can be disposed at the portion lying obliquely downwards to the right of the central operation part  28 , and at the same time, the mode dial  74  can be disposed at the portion lying obliquely upwards to the left of the central operation part  28 . 
         [0057]    In addition, while in the embodiment, the configuration is adopted in which the electric circuit  46  is made into the insert molded part (the insulator) in the central body  22  (the bottom wall of the rear body  26 ), a configuration may be adopted in which a printed circuit board to which the electric circuit  46  is provided is attached to the central body  22  (the bottom wall of the rear body  26 ).