Rotary operation type switch

A rotary operation type switch includes a holder, a rotary control, a shaft, a press-fitting portion, an outer wall part, and a stopper. The holder is provided in a state of immobility in the rotational direction. The rotary control rotates relatively with respect to the holder when a rotational force is imparted. The shaft transmits the rotational force imparted to the rotary control. The press-fitting portion is provided to The rotary control, and an end of the shaft is inserted into it. The outer wall part is provided along a direction perpendicular to the rotational direction of the rotary control. The stopper is provided to the holder, and comes into contact with the outer wall part and restricts the limit position of the rotation range when the rotary control and the shaft rotate relatively with respect to the holder.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a rotary operation type switch that is installed in any of various devices, such as in the remote operation panel of a shoulder-mounted camera, for example.

2. Description of the Related Art

In the past, with a structure in which the operation of a rotating body was transmitted through another structure to a detector switch, a mechanism was employed for fixing a shaft or other such structure whose purpose is to transmit an operation (hereinafter referred to as a transmission structure) on the rotating body side by press fitting.

For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a volume adjustment knob with which the operation of a rotating body is transmitted directly to a detector switch, and the operating range of the rotating body is limited by the rotating body and a stationary body, without having any transmission structure interposed.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application H8-330108

SUMMARY

However, the following problems were encountered with the configuration disclosed in the above-mentioned publication.

Specifically, with this conventional configuration, since the operating range is limited by contact between the rotating body and the stationary body, without having any transmission structure interposed, there is the risk that the rotating body and the stationary body will come into direct contact, damaging one of them.

Meanwhile, with a configuration in which a rotating body is rotated with respect to a stationary body via a shaft or other such transmission structure, if the rotation range is restricted by having the transmission structure come into contact with the stationary body, the press-fitting portion on the rotating body side where the end of the transmission structure is fixed ends up being subjected to a load every time the limit position is reached in the operating range.

This has to be dealt with, for example, by selecting a very stiff material for the rotating body, or increasing the volume of the structure to strengthen the press-fitting portion, so limitations are encountered in terms of price and aesthetics.

It is an object of the present disclosure to provide an inexpensive rotary operation type switch that is sufficiently strong and with which the rotation range can be restricted by a simple configuration, without compromising aesthetics.

The rotary operation type switch disclosed herein comprises a holder, a rotary control, a shaft, a fixing portion, an outer wall part, and a stopper. The holder is provided as a stationary-side member. The rotary control rotates relative to the holder when a rotational force is imparted. The shaft transmits the rotational force imparted to the rotary control. The fixing portion is provided to the rotary control, and a first end of the shaft is inserted into it. The outer wall part forms the outer peripheral face of the fixing portion and is provided in a direction that is perpendicular to the rotational direction of the rotary control. The stopper is provided to the holder and comes into contact with the outer wall part and restricts the limit position of the rotation range when the rotary control and the shaft are rotated relative to the holder.

Effects

With the rotary operation type switch disclosed herein, there is provided an inexpensive rotary operation type switch that is sufficiently strong and with which the rotation range can be restricted by a simple configuration, without compromising aesthetics.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The rotary operation type switch pertaining to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described through reference toFIGS. 1 to 10d.

Remote Operation Panel100

The rotary operation type switch in this embodiment is installed in a remote operation panel100for a shoulder-mounted camera, as a rotary operation type switch component102aof an iris control lever102.

As shown inFIG. 1, the remote operation panel100comprises a control panel101and the iris control lever102.

As shown inFIG. 1, the control panel101has a plurality of image quality adjustment knobs101aand a plurality of image quality adjustment buttons101b, and is used to adjust the image quality of a shoulder camera (not shown).

The iris control lever102rotates, pivots, and moves up and down in the three directions indicated by the one-dot chain line inFIG. 1, allowing the user to adjust the lens aperture of the shoulder camera, adjust the black level, switch the preview output on and off, and so forth.

Iris Control Lever102

As shown inFIG. 2, the iris control lever102has the rotary operation type switch component (rotary operation type switch)102aand a lever operation type switch component102b.

As shown inFIG. 2, the rotary operation type switch component102ahas a substantially cylindrical external shape, and allows various adjustments of the shoulder camera to be made by turning a rotary control6(seeFIG. 3, etc.) provided so as to protrude from the bottom, or pressing down on the top face portion. The configuration of the rotary operation type switch component102awill be discussed in detail at a later point.

As shown inFIG. 2, the lever operation type switch component102ballows various adjustments of the shoulder camera to be made by pivoting a substantially cylindrical case3portion in the Y direction the drawing.

Rotary Operation Type Switch Component102a

As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, the rotary operation type switch component102ahas a cap1, a VR (vibration reduction) switch2, the case3(cylinder), a shaft4, a holder5, the rotary control6, a cover7, and screws8to10.

As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, the cap1is enclosed in the case3, which constitutes the outer profile of the rotary operation type switch component102a, and is provided to the upper part in the space inside the case3. Also, the cap1has a marking1athat indicates the relative rotation position of the rotary control6with respect to the holder5, at the portion exposed from an opening3aformed in the top face of the case3.

As shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, the marking1ais provided to the exposed portion of the cap1disposed along the rotational axis of the rotary control6, and rotates around the common rotational axis with the rotary control6in conjunction with the rotation of the rotary control6. Therefore, the user can easily recognize the rotation position of the rotary control6by just looking at the position of this marking1a. That is, providing the marking1aallows the user to easily recognize how much further the rotary control6can be turned to the limit position in the directions of increasing and decreasing the black level. Thus, the user can adjust the black level more effectively.

As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, the VR switch2is used to switch the preview screen output on and off, and is provided between the holder5and the cap1in the interior of the case3.

As shown inFIG. 4, the case3is a cylindrical member that is fixed with the screw8to the holder5, and houses in its interior the cap1, the VR switch2, the shaft4, and the holder5. The case3has on its top face a substantially circular opening3afor exposing to the outside a marking1aformed on the cap1.

As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, the shaft4is a rod-shaped member provided for transmitting rotational force imparted from the outside to the rotary control6, and is provided in the interior of the case3.

One end4a(first end) of the shaft4is fixed by press-fitting to a press-fitting portion (fixing portion) formed on part of the rotary control6, as shown inFIGS. 4 and 5.

Furthermore, the other end4b(second end) of the shaft4is connected to the cap1(seeFIG. 8). Consequently, when the rotary control6is turned, the shaft4moves so that it revolves on the outer peripheral side of the holder5, and the rotational force imparted from the outside to the rotary control6can be reliably transmitted through the cap1to the VR switch2.

The holder5is fixed to the cover7, and as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, it is provided between the rotary control6and the VR switch2in the interior of the case3. The VR switch2is fixed by the screw10to the upper part of the holder5.

A stopper5a, which restricts the limit position of the rotation range of the rotary control6by coming into contact with the outer wall part6bon the rotary control6side (discussed in detail below), is provided on the rear face side (the −Z direction side shown inFIG. 4) of the holder5.

The stopper5ahas a face disposed in a direction that intersects the rotational direction of the rotary control6.

As shown inFIG. 2, the rotary control6is an annular member having a plurality of bumps all the way around its outer peripheral face exposed on the outside, and can rotate relatively with respect to the case3(the holder5) by grasping and turning the bumpy portion. That is, the user can grasp the outer peripheral portion of the rotary control6to transmit this rotational force through the shaft4to the VR switch2and thereby adjust the black level of the shoulder camera.

As shown inFIG. 5, the rotary control6has on its substantially annular inner peripheral portion a press-fitting portion (fixing portion)6ainto which the end4aof the shaft4is press-fitted, and the outer wall part6bthat forms the outer peripheral face of the press-fitting portion6a.

The press-fitting portion6ahas an inside diameter that is slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the shaft4, and holds the shaft4in a state in which the end4aof the shaft4is inserted.

The outer wall part6bforms the outer peripheral face of a thick-walled portion provided so as to surround the press-fitting portion6a, and is provided in a direction that intersects the rotational direction of the rotary control. The outer wall part6brestricts the limit position of the rotation range of the rotary control6by coming into contact with the stopper5aformed on part of the holder5when the rotary control6is turned.

The rotary control6is also able to rotate along a substantially annular guide portion7aformed on the cover7shown inFIG. 7.

The cover7constitutes a base portion of the rotary operation type switch component102a, and links the rotary operation type switch component102awith the lever operation type switch component102b. As shown inFIG. 7, the cover7has the substantially annular guide portion7aon its upper face.

The guide portion7aengages with the inner peripheral face of the rotary control6and guides the rotary control6in the rotational direction.

Furthermore, as shown inFIG. 8, the rotary control6, the holder5, the shaft4, the VR switch2, and the cap1are disposed in that order in the Z direction on the cover7to complete the assembly of the rotary operation type switch component102a.

Rotation Range of Rotary Operation Type Switch Component102a

As shown inFIG. 9, the rotary operation type switch component102ain this embodiment is such that when the user grasps and turns the outer peripheral part of the rotary control6, the constituent members interfere with each other inside the case3, which restricts the rotation range.

FIGS. 10ato10dare cross sections along the B-B line of the rotary operation type switch component102ashown inFIG. 9.

As shown inFIG. 10a, the rotary operation type switch component102arestricts the range over which the rotary control6is able to rotate to a range between the two positions at which the outer wall part6bthat turns within the case3and the stopper5aformed on part of the fixed holder5come into contact with each other.

Specifically, with the rotary operation type switch component102a, as shown inFIG. 10b, one limit position in the range over which the rotary control6can rotate (the first limit position) is set as the upper-right position in the drawing, that is, the position at which the outer wall part6bon the rotary control6side comes into contact with the side face of the stopper5aon the right side in the drawing.

Then, when the rotary control6is turned from the first limit position shown inFIG. 10bin the clockwise direction in the drawing, the outer wall part6bon the rotary control6side moves in the peripheral direction along the outer periphery of the holder5as shown inFIG. 10c. That is,FIG. 10cshows the middle position in the rotation range of the rotary control6.

As the rotary control6is turned further in the clockwise direction in the drawing, it reaches the other limit position (the second limit position) in the range over which the rotary control6can rotate. That is, as shown inFIG. 10d, the second limit position of the rotary control6is set as the upper-left position in the drawing, that is, the position at which the outer wall part6bon the rotary control6side comes into contact with the side face of the stopper5aon the left side in the drawing.

With the rotary operation type switch component102ain this embodiment, because of the above configuration, the range over which the rotary control6can rotate is restricted when the outer wall part6bon the rotary control6side and the stopper5aon the holder5side come into contact.

Consequently, the limit position of the rotation range is restricted by having the outer wall part6b, which constitutes the outer peripheral face of the press-fitting portion6ato which the end4aof the shaft4is press-fitted, and part of the holder5(the stopper5a) come into contact with each other. Therefore, the load that is produced upon each arrival at the two ends in the rotation range of the rotary control6can be borne by the outer wall part6bthat constitutes the outer peripheral face of the press-fitting portion6a.

The outer wall part6bhere is a portion that constitutes the outer peripheral face of the press-fitting portion6a, and is relatively stiff, so the problem of strength is solved. Furthermore, the shaft4itself can be prevented from bearing the load that is produced upon each arrival at the limit positions in the rotation range.

As a result, the problem of strength can be solved by a simple configuration that does not compromise aesthetics, and a rotary operation type switch component102athat can be manufactured inexpensively can be obtained.

The various members that make up of the above-mentioned rotary operation type switch component102amay be formed as resin molded articles, or some of them may be metal parts.

Consequently, those parts that have relatively complex shapes, such as the rotary control6with its outer wall part6b, for example, can be formed as molded articles using a resin with high stiffness, allowing a rotary operation type switch component102ato be formed that solves the problem of strength inexpensively.

Other Embodiments

An embodiment of this disclosure was described above, but this disclosure is not limited to or by the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the disclosure.

In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the end4aof the shaft4was fixed to the press-fitting portion6aof the rotary control6, but the present disclosure is not limited to this.

How the end of the shaft is fixed is not limited to press-fitting, and may instead be, for example, to fix the end of the shaft to a member on the rotating side by latching, adhesive bonding, or some other such fixing method.

Here again the same effect will be obtained as with the configuration in the above embodiment.

In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the rotary operation type switch pertaining to this disclosure was installed in the remote operation panel100for use in a shoulder camera, but the present disclosure is not limited to this.

That is, this rotary operation type switch may be used in a shoulder camera or in any of various other kinds of device besides a camera.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The effect of the rotary operation type switch of this disclosure is that an inexpensive rotary operation type switch can be provided without compromising aesthetics, and therefore this rotary operation type switch can be broadly applied, not just to a panel used for adjusting image quality in a camera, but also as a rotary operation type switch installed in various other kinds of device.