Switch device having structure for minimizing vibration of an operating knob

A switch device has an operating knob held at a neutral position by a slider. The operating knob includes an articular recess swingably provided over a base body. A spring and the slider are set in a rectangular pipe which is a part of the base body. Guide pins at the outer end portion of the slider are loosely engaged with slide grooves formed in guide-pin guiding portions. When the slider, being urged by the spring, is in engagement with the articular recess, it holds the operating knob at the neutral position so that the operating knob is allowed to swing about the guide pins.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a switch device which is so designed that its 
operating knob is held at the neutral position with a slider. 
The arrangement of a conventional switch device of this type will be 
described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. 
As shown in FIG. 3, an operating knob 3 with an articular recess 2 is 
mounted over a base body 1 in such a manner that it is swingable about a 
shaft 1a. The base body 1 has a cylindrical portion 1b, in which a 
compression spring 4 is accommodated. A slider 5 is mounted on the top of 
the compression spring 4. More specifically, the slider 5 is set as 
follows: The base end portion of the slider 5 is fitted in the cylindrical 
portion 1b of the base body 1 with a suitable clearance therebetween, and 
the upper end portion is engaged with the articular recess 2. The slider 5 
is urged by the compression spring 4 to hold the operating knob 3 at the 
neutral position as shown in FIG. 3. 
When the operating knob 3 is swung, the slider 5 is pushed by the sloped 
surface 2a of the articular recess 2, so that the slider 5 is moved 
downwardly along the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 1b while the 
outer cylindrical surface of the base end portion of the slider 5 is being 
guided by the inner cylindrical surface of the cylindrical portion 1b. As 
a result, an operating piece 6 is depressed by a depressing piece 3a of 
the operating knob 3, so that contact means (not shown) is turned on. 
In the above-described switch device, the base end portion of the slider 5 
is loosely fitted in the cylindrical portion 1a of the base body. 
Therefore, when the slider 5 is vibrated about its base end portion as 
shown in FIG. 4, the operating knob 3 engaged with the upper end portion 
of the slider 5 is greatly vibrated. 
If the operating knob 3 is greatly vibrated in the above-described manner, 
then the vibration impedes its smooth operation. Moreover, in the case 
where the switch device is employed as a power window regulator switch in 
an automobile, it will produce abnormal noises as the automobile travels. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing, an object of this invention is to provide a 
switch device with its operating knob held at the neutral position by a 
slider, in which the vibration of the operating knob is minimized. 
The foregoing object of the invention has been achieved by the provision of 
a switch device comprising: a base body; an operating knob which is 
swingably provided over the base body and has an articular recess made up 
of opposed sloped surfaces; and a slider which is slidably provided on the 
base body, and energized to engage with the articular recess, to hold the 
operating knob at the neutral position, the slider being slid while being 
pushed by the sloped surface of the articular recess when the operating 
knob is swung, in which, according to the invention, the slider has guide 
pins protruded from the end portion thereof, and the base body has 
guide-pin guiding portions with slide grooves which guide the guide pins 
when the slider is slid. 
In the switch device of the invention, the slider is vibrated about the 
guide pins provided at its end portion. Therefore, the amount of vibration 
of the slider is smaller than in the conventional switch device in which 
the slider vibrates about its base end.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
A switch device according to this invention, which is applied to a power 
window regulator in an automobile, will be described with reference to 
FIGS. 1 and 2. 
A pipe 12, rectangular in section, (hereinafter referred to as "a 
rectangular pipe 12", when applicable) is extended upwardly from a base 
body 11. Two opposed walls of the rectangular pipe 12 are extended 
upwardly, and formed into guide-pin guiding portions 13 and 13 which are 
each in the form 10 of a plate. The guide-pin guiding portions 13 have 
slot-shaped slide grooves 13a and 13a, respectively, which are extended 
vertically. Two engaging protrusions 12a and 12a (only one shown) are 
formed on the outer surfaces of the two opposed walls of the rectangular 
pipe 12, respectively. 
The base body 11 is provided with operating-piece accommodating protrusions 
14 and 15 on both sides of the rectangular tube 12. Operating pieces 14a 
and 15a are provided in the operating-piece accommodating protrusions 14 
and 15, respectively, in such a manner that they are vertically movable. 
For instance, when the operating piece 14a is moved downwardly, first 
contact means (not shown) is turned on to output a "DOWN" signal to move 
the window glass downwardly; and when the operating piece 15a is moved 
downwardly, second contact means is turned on to output an "UP" signal to 
move the window glass upwardly. 
A coiled compression spring 16 is accommodated in the rectangular pipe 12. 
A slider 17 is placed on the top of the spring 16, so that the slider 17 
is moved up and down with expansion and contraction of the spring 16. More 
specifically, the base end portion of the slider 17 is fitted in the 
rectangular pipe 12 in such a manner that it is located between the 
guide-pin guiding portions 13 and 13. 
Guide pins 17a and 17a are protruded from the upper end portion of the 
slider 17, and they are loosely engaged with the slide grooves 13a and 13a 
of the guide-pin guiding portions 13 and 13, respectively. When the slider 
17 is moved vertically, the guide pins 17a and 17a are guided by the slide 
grooves 13a and 13a; that is, the guide pins 17a, being guided by the 
slide grooves, cause the slider 17 to move vertically along the slide 
grooves 13a and 13a. 
The switch device has an operating knob 18, which has engaging holes (not 
shown) in correspondence to the above-described engaging protrusions 12a 
and 12a. With the engaging holes engaged with the engaging protrusions 
12a, the operating knob 18 is swingably mounted on the base body 11. 
The operating knob 18 has an articular recess 19 which is made up of two 
opposed sloped surfaces 19a and 19b. The upper end of the slider 17 is 
engaged with the articular recess 19; that is, it is abutted against the 
latter 19. Normally, the engagement is maintained by the elastic force of 
the spring 16, so that the operating knob 18 is held at the neutral 
position as shown in FIG. 1. When, under this condition, the operating 
knob 18 is swung about the engaging protrusions 12a, the upper end of the 
slider 17 is pushed by the sloped surface 19a or 19b of the articular 
recess 19, so that the slider 17 is slid downwardly against the elastic 
force of the spring 16. 
Elongated depressing portions 18a and 18b are protruded from the inner 
surface of the operating knob 18. When the operating knob 18 is swung in 
the direction of the arrow A, the depressing portion 18a depresses the 
operating piece 14a; and when the operating knob 18 is swung in the 
direction opposite to the direction of the arrow A, the depressing portion 
18b depresses the operating piece 15a. 
The operation of the switch device thus constructed will be described. 
When, with the operating knob 18 set at the neutral position as shown in 
FIG. 1, the operator pushes the top right part of the operating knob 18 
with the finger; that is, the operating knob 18 is swung in the direction 
of the arrow A, the upper end of the slider 17 is depressed by the sloped 
surface 19b of the articular recess 19. As a result, the guide pins 17a 
and 17a of the slider 17 being guided by the slide grooves 13a and 13a, 
the slider 17 is moved downwardly along the slide grooves 13a and 13a 
against the elastic force of the spring 16. 
At the same time, the operating piece 14a is moved downwardly being 
depressed by the depressing portion 18a, so that the first contact means 
is turned on to output the "DOWN" signal to move the window glass 
downwardly. 
Thereafter, when the operating knob 18 is released, the slider 17 is moved 
upwardly by the elastic force of the spring 16, thus pushing the operating 
knob 18 upwardly along the sloped surface 19a of the articular recess 19. 
As a result, the operating knob 18 is swung in the direction opposite to 
the direction of the arrow A, so that the slider 17 is engaged with the 
articular recess 19, thus being set at the neutral position automatically. 
When the operating knob 18 is turned in the direction of the arrow A, the 
switch device operates as described above. In the case where the operating 
knob 18 is turned in the direction opposite to the direction of the arrow 
A, similarly the operating piece 15a is moved downwardly by the depressing 
portion 18b of the operating knob 18, so that the second contact means 
(not shown) is turned on to output the "UP" signal to move the window 
glass upwardly. 
The switch device thus designed has the following effects or merits: 
In the switch device, the guide pins 17a and 17a are formed on the end 
portion of the slider 17, and engaged with the slide grooves 13a and 13a, 
respectively. Hence, the slider 17 is allowed to vibrate about the guide 
pins 17a and 17a formed on its end portion. 
Therefore, the amount of vibration of the operating knob 18 engaged with 
the upper end portion of the slider 17 is small when compared with that in 
the conventional switch device in which the slider is vibrated about its 
base end. Hence, the operating knob 18 can be operated more smoothly, and 
the difficulty is eliminated that the switch knob produces abnormal sounds 
being vibrated during traveling of the automobile. 
The base end portions of the guide-pin guiding portions 13 and 13 form the 
rectangular pipe 12. Therefore, the spring 16 and the slider 17 can be 
positioned with respect to the base body 11 merely by setting them 16 and 
17 in the rectangular pipe 12. 
One preferred embodiment of the invention has been described with reference 
to the accompanying drawings; however, it should be noted that the 
invention is not limited thereto or thereby. For instance, the slide 
grooves 13a and 13a may be modified into elongated holes. That is, it will 
be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and 
modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention. 
As was described above, in the switch device of the invention, the slider 
has the guide pins at its outer end portion, and the guide pins are 
engaged with the slide grooves in the guide-pin guiding portions. 
Therefore, in the switch device, when compared with the conventional one, 
the amount of vibration of the operating knob is reduced, although the 
slider is adapted to hold the operating knob at the neutral position.