Abstract:
A switch device, includes a device main body incorporating a fixed pressure contact portion and includes a fixed sliding contact portion that forms a circuit together with the fixed pressure contact portion, and at least one pair of switches supported on the device main body, each switch comprising an operating knob. One switch of the at least one pair of switches includes a pressure-operated switch includes a movable pressure contact portion corresponding to the fixed pressure contact portion, and another switch includes a slide-operated switch includes a movable sliding contact portion corresponding to the fixed sliding contact portion.

Description:
[0001]    The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-017511 filed on Jan. 29, 2008, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a switch device, in more particular, to a switch device provided with a pressure-operated switch and a slide-operated switch. 
         [0004]    2. Related Art 
         [0005]    As a conventional switch device, JP-A-10-197035 discloses a switch device provided with a case having a display panel and various types of switches having an operating knob exposed on the display panel of the case. 
         [0000]    Inside the case, the above-mentioned display panel is arranged on a switch operating side, and a circuit board mounting various types of switches as well as a control portion is housed.
 
The various types of switches are composed of a push switch and a rotary switch, etc., each operably supported on the circuit board and connected to a drive portion via a switch circuit and the control portion. The push switch is switched by a pressing operation of an operating knob thereof, and the rotary switch is switched by a pivotal operation of an operating knob thereof, respectively.
 
         [0006]    In the above-mentioned structure, the operating knob of the push switch or that of the rotary switch is push-operated or pivotally operated manually by an operator in order to implement a function of the desired drive portion. In this case, when the operating knob of the push switch or that of the rotary switch is push-operated or pivotally operated, the switching of the switches corresponding to each type of operating knob is carried out, and a switching signal is outputted from the switch to the control portion. The control portion outputs a driving signal to each type of drive portions based on the inputted switching signal. The drive portion inputs the driving signal from the control portion, thereby implementing the function thereof. 
         [0007]    In the meantime, in this type of switch device, the push switch and the rotary switch are each provided with a movable pressure contact portion and a movable sliding contact portion, in addition, a fixed pressure contact portion and a fixed sliding contact portion each corresponding to the movable pressure contact portion and the movable sliding contact portion are provided on a circuit board. Among the above contact portions, a fixed contact portion of the rotary switch corresponding to a movable contact portion is generally coated with grease in order to ensure good pivotal operability (a sliding movement of the movable contact portion) of the operating knob. 
         [0008]    However, according to the conventional switch device, since a fixed contact portion corresponding to the push switch (a movable pressure contact portion) and a fixed contact portion corresponding to the rotary switch (a movable sliding contact portion) are provided on a mutual circuit board, a portion of the grease moves on the circuit board due to an effect such as vibration, etc., after coating the grease, and reaches the fixed pressure contact portion from the fixed sliding contact portion, thus, the grease intervenes between the fixed pressure contact portion and the movable pressure contact portion, thereby causing a contact failure. 
       THE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a switch device, by which it is possible to prevent grease from reaching a fixed contact portion corresponding to a movable pressure contact portion, thereby preventing generation of a contact failure due to the grease between a fixed pressure contact portion and a movable pressure contact portion. According to a feature of the present invention, a switch device comprises: 
         [0010]    a device main body incorporating a fixed pressure contact portion and in a separate area comprising a fixed sliding contact portion that forms a circuit together with the fixed pressure contact portion; and 
         [0011]    at least one pair of switches supported on the device main body, each switch comprising an operating knob; 
         [0012]    wherein one switch of the at least one pair of switches comprises a pressure-operated switch comprising a movable pressure contact portion corresponding to the fixed pressure contact portion; and 
         [0013]    another switch comprises a slide-operated switch comprising a movable sliding contact portion corresponding to the fixed sliding contact portion. 
         [0014]    According to the invention, it is possible to prevent grease from reaching a fixed contact portion, thereby preventing generation of a contact failure due to the grease between a fixed pressure contact portion and a movable pressure contact portion. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    Next, the present invention will be explained in more detail in conjunction with appended drawings, wherein: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is an explanatory plane view showing a total structure of a switch device in a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is an explanatory cross sectional view showing a total structure of a switch device in the embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is an explanatory exploded perspective view showing a total structure of a switch device in the embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Embodiment 
       [0019]      FIG. 1  is an explanatory plane view showing a total structure of a switch device in a preferred embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 2  is an explanatory cross sectional view showing a total structure of a switch device in the embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 3  is an explanatory exploded perspective view showing a total structure of a switch device in the embodiment of the invention. 
       Total Structure of a Switch Device 
       [0020]    In  FIGS. 1 to 3 , a switch device  1  is composed of a device main body  2 , push switches  3 ,  4  and  5  as a pressure-operated switch, and rotary switches  6  and  7  (and a seesaw switch  8 ) as a slide-operated switch. 
       Structure of the Device Main Body  2   
       [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the device main body  2  is composed of a base  2 A forming a bottom portion of a case, a switch panel  2 B forming a ceiling portion of the case by facing the base  2 A and an intermediate cylinder  2 C interposed between the switch panel  2 B and the base  2 A. The device main body  2  is composed of, e.g., a sealed case totally formed of a plastic (insulating) material such as PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) resin, etc. 
         [0022]    The base  2 A has a connector  20 A for connecting to a vehicle ECU (electronic control unit), and is configured to allow a circuit board  9  to be supported on an inner surface of the base together with the rotary switches  6 ,  7  and the seesaw (slide operation type) switch  8 . Fixed contact portions  21 A,  22 A and  23 A for a sliding contact, which are connected to the connector  20 A via a switch circuit (not shown) of the circuit board  9 , are provided on the base  2 A. Alternatively, the fixed contact portions  21 A,  22 A and  23 A may be connected to the connector  20 A (a terminal) via a conductive part (not shown) on the base  2 A. 
         [0023]    The switch panel  2 B has knob insert holes  20 B to  25 B for letting each operating knob (described later) of the push switches  3 ,  4  and  5 , the rotary switches  6 ,  7  and the seesaw switch  8  penetrate through, and is mounted on the intermediate cylinder  2 C. The intermediate cylinder  2 C has an internal space  20 C for housing the circuit board  9 , and is mounted on the base  2 A. A retaining wall  21 C for retaining a circuit board  11  connected to the circuit board  9  via connectors  10 A and  10 B composed of a housing and a terminal is provided in the intermediate cylinder  2 C. A shaft insert hole  210 C opened on a base side and a switch panel side, a locking concave portion  211 C opened on the switch panel side and a concave hole  212 C opened on the base side are provided on the retaining wall  21 C. A pressure pin  12  for press-connecting knob holders (described later) of the rotary switches  6  and  7  with the base  2 A is movably supported by the concave hole  212 C. A snapping force to the base side is always imparted to the pressure pin  12  by a spring  13 . Fixed pressure contact portions  11 A,  11 B and  11 C are provided on the circuit board  11 . 
       Structure of the Push Switches  3 ,  4  and  5   
       [0024]    Since the configurations of the push switches  3 ,  4  and  5  are substantially same (a thickness of a coupling portion for coupling a rubber sheet and a switch functor is different), only the configuration of the push switch  3  will be explained as an example, and the explanation for the configurations of the push switches  4  and  5  will be omitted. 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the push switch  3  is composed of an operating knob  30  and a rubber sheet  31 , is movably supported on the device main body  2  (the intermediate cylinder  2 C) via the circuit board  11 , and is configured to switch into a first or second switching state. 
         [0026]    The operating knob  30  has a push-operation face  300  exposed to outside the device main body  2 , and a push-operation force transmitting face  301  for transmitting a push operation power to the rubber sheet  31  (including a switch functor  311  described later). The operating knob  30  is mounted on the switch functor  311  and inserted into the knob insert hole  20 B. Further, the operating knob  30  is construed to be dislocated in a push direction by a push operation or in a direction opposite to the push direction by releasing the push operation respectively. 
         [0027]    The rubber sheet  31  has a sheet main body  310  and the switch functor  311 . The rubber sheet  31  is arranged beneath the operating knob  30 . The rubber sheet  31  is totally formed of, e.g., a plastic material made of a flexible insulating rubber such as silicone. The sheet main body  310  has a through hole  312  having a plane and circular shape that is opened along a central axis of the knob insert hole  20 B. The sheet main body  310  is provided on an operating knob side surface (an upper surface) of the circuit board  11 . The switch functor  311  has a push-operation force receiving face  313  which corresponds to the push-operation force transmitting face  301 . The switch functor  311  is provided integrally with an upper opening periphery of the through hole  312  in the sheet main body  310  via a skirt-like coupling portion (thin wall part)  314 . The switch functor  311  is construed to be dislocated to a position of the second switching state by the elastic deformation of the coupling portion  314  by the push operation of the operating knob  30 , and to be returned to a position of the first switching state (an initial position) by the elastic deformation of the coupling portion  314  by releasing the push operation. At a lower end surface (a surface opposite to the push-operation force receiving face  313 ) of the switch functor  311 , a movable pressure contact portion  315 , which corresponds to the fixed pressure contact portion  11 A and is formed of a conductive rubber, is provided. 
       Structure of the Rotary Switches  6  and  7   
       [0028]    Since the configurations of the rotary switches  6  and  7  are substantially same, only the configuration of the rotary switch  6  will be explained as an example, and the explanation for the configuration of the rotary switch  7  will be omitted. 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the rotary switch  6  is composed of an operating knob  60  and a knob holder  61 , is rotatably (slidably) supported on the device main body  2  (the base  2 A and the intermediate cylinder  2 C), and is configured to switch into a first, second or third switching state. 
         [0030]    The operating knob  60  has a rotation operating portion  600  exposed to outside the device main body  2  and a rotational operation force transmitting portion  601  for transmitting a rotational operation force to the knob holder  61 , is rotatably inserted into the knob insert hole  23 B and is positioned at the knob holder  61 . The operating knob  60  is configured to pivot in forward and reverse directions (clockwise and counterclockwise) by a rotational operation. A sealing member  14  having a locking convex portion  140  inserted into the locking concave portion  211 C by penetrating through the circuit board  11  is placed between an outer peripheral surface of the operating knob  60  (the rotation operating portion  600 ) and an inner peripheral surface of the knob insert hole  23 B. 
         [0031]    The knob holder  61  is slidably inserted into the shaft insert hole  210 C and is slidably supported on an inner surface of the base  2 A (a side surface of the fixed contact portion). A rotational operation force receiving portion  610  for receiving a rotational operation force from the rotational operation force transmitting portion  601  of the operating knob  60  is provided at an end portion of the knob holder  61  on the operating knob side. A pressing force receiving portion  150  for receiving a pressing force by the pressure pin  12  and a hook-shaped projection  15  having a movement-restricting portion  151  allowing the contact portion  23 A to slide among the fixed contact portions  21 A,  22 A and  23 A, are integrally provided at an end portion of the knob holder  61  opposite to the end portion on the operating knob side. Movable sliding contact portions  150 A,  150 B and  150 C, which are composed of a conductive contact piece and each correspond to the fixed contact portions  21 A,  22 A and  23 A for a sliding contact, are provided in the pressing force receiving portion  150 . The movement-restricting portion  151  is integrally formed with the pressing force receiving portion  150  and is slidably supported on the fixed contact portion  21 A. 
       Operation of the Switch Device  1   
       [0032]    Since the operation of the switch device in the embodiment consists of “a push operation” and “a sliding (rotational) operation”, “the push operation” will be explained in conjunction with the push switch  3  and “the sliding (rotational) operation” will be explained in conjunction with the rotary switch  6  respectively. 
       Push Operation 
       [0033]    Firstly, when the push-operation face  300  (one side) of the operating knob  30  is push-operated by a finger of the operator in the first switching state of the push switch  3 , the operating knob  30  is moved downwards to press the switch functor  311  (a direction that the movable contact portion  315  of the switch functor  311  approach the fixed contact portion  11 A of the circuit board  11 ), and the coupling portion  314  is elastically deformed to be bent. Then, the switch functor  311  is moved downwards, so that the movable contact portion  315  contacts with the fixed contact portion  11 A. Therefore, the movable contact portion  315  and the fixed contact portion  11 A are electrically conducted, and the push switch  3  turns into the second switching state. 
         [0034]    Next, when the push operation by the finger of the operator to the push-operation face  300  of the operating knob  30  is released in the second switching state of the push switch  3 , the pressing state to the switch functor  311  by the operating knob  30  is released, and the coupling portion  314  is elastically deformed (returned) to an elongated state (the initial state). Then, the switch functor  311  is moved upwards (a direction that the movable contact portion  315  of the switch functor  311  is separated and distant from the fixed contact portion  11 A of the circuit board  11 ), thereby separating from the fixed contact portion  11 A. Therefore, the electrical conduction between the movable contact portion  315  and the fixed contact portion  11 A is disconnected, and the push switch  3  turns into the first switching state. 
       Sliding (Rotational) Operation 
       [0035]    Firstly, when the operating knob  60  (the rotation operating portion  600 ) is slidingly (rotationally) operated in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction by a finger of the operator in the first switching (neutral) state of the rotary switch  6 , a rotational force of the operating knob  60  is transmitted to the knob holder  61 , accordingly, the movable contact portions  150 A,  150 B and  150 C contact with the fixed contact portions (fixed contact portions which correspond to a second or third switching state)  21 A,  22 A and  23 A by sliding on the base  2 A in an elastically deformed state. As a result, the movable contact portions  150 A,  150 B and  150 C are electrically conducted to the fixed contact portions  21 A,  22 A and  23 A, and the rotary switch  6  turns into the second or third switching state. 
         [0036]    Next, when the operating knob  60  (the rotation operating portion  600 ) is slidingly (rotationally) operated in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction by a finger of the operator in the second or third switching state of the rotary switch  6 , a rotational force of the operating knob  60  is transmitted to the knob holder  61 , accordingly, the movable contact portions  150 A,  150 B and  150 C are separated and distant from the fixed contact portions (fixed contact portions which correspond to a second or third switching state)  21 A,  22 A and  23 A by sliding on the base  2 A in an elastically deformed state, and contact with the fixed contact portions which correspond to the first switching state. As a result, the electrical conduction between the movable contact portions  150 A,  150 B and  150 C and the fixed contact portions (fixed contact portions corresponding to the second or third switching state)  21 A,  22 A and  23 A is disconnected, the movable contact portions  150 A,  150 B and  150 C are electrically conducted to the fixed contact portions which correspond to the first switching state, and the rotary switch  6  turns into the first switching (neutral) state. 
         [0037]    As described above, the push switch  3  and the rotary switch  6  corresponding to each type of operating knobs  30  and  60  are switched, and a switching signal is outputted from the push switch  3  and the rotary switch  6  to the vehicle ECU via the switch circuit (the connector  20 A). The vehicle ECU outputs a driving signal to each type of drive portion based on the inputted switching signal. The drive portion inputs the driving signal from the control portion, thereby implementing the function thereof. 
       Effect of the Embodiment 
       [0038]    In the embodiment according to the invention explained above, following effects can be obtained. 
         [0000]    (1) Since the fixed pressure contact portion  11 A is provided on the circuit board  11  and the fixed contact portions  21 A,  22 A and  23 A are each provided on the base  2 A, it is possible to prevent grease from reaching the fixed pressure contact portion  11 A from the fixed contact portions  21 A,  22 A and  23 A for a sliding contact due to an effect such as vibration after coating the grease, thereby preventing generation of a contact failure due to the grease between the fixed contact portion  11 A and the movable pressure contact portion  315 .
 
(2) Since the base  2 A has the connector  20 A, a dedicated connector for connecting to a vehicle ECU is not necessary, thus, it is possible to lower costs.
 
         [0039]    Although the switch device according to the present invention has been described based on the above preferred embodiment, the invention is not to be limited by the above embodiment and it is possible to implement in various features without going beyond a scope of the concept. For example, following variations can be made. 
         [0000]    (1) In the embodiment, although it is explained that the rotary switches  6 ,  7  and the seesaw switch  8  are used as a slide-operated switch, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a slide switch also achieves the same effect as the embodiment.
 
(2) In the embodiment, although it is explained that the circuit boards  9  and  11  are connected each other by the connectors  10 A and  10 B composed of a housing and a terminal, the present invention is not limited thereto. Hence, circuit boards may be connected each other by a connector with a flexible substrate.
 
(3) In the embodiment, although the connection to the vehicle ECU is explained, the present invention is not limited thereto. Hence, similarly to the embodiment, it is possible to connect to an ECU other than the vehicle ECU.
 
(4) In the embodiment, although three pressure-operated switches and three slide-operated switches (the push switches  3 ,  4  and  5  as a pressure-operated switch and the rotary switches  6 ,  7  and the seesaw switch  8  as a slide-operated switch) are explained, the number of the pressure-operated switch and the slide-operated switch in the invention is, of course, not particularly limited.
 
         [0040]    Although the invention has been described with respect to the specific embodiments for complete and clear disclosure, the appended claims are not to be therefore limited but are to be construed as embodying all modifications and alternative constructions that may occur to one skilled in the art which fairly fall within the basic teaching herein set forth.