Patent Publication Number: US-6037855-A

Title: Rotary electric component having a groove for adjustment with screw-driver

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a rotary electric component having a groove for adjustment with a screw-driver which is suitable for use, particularly, in a pre-set trimmer potentiometer. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In a conventional rotary electric component such as a trimmer potentiometer, as shown in FIG. 15, a contact piece 232, a support shaft 233, a terminal 234 mounted by the support shaft 233, and a metallic cover 235, are mounted to an insulating substrate 231 which is formed of a synthetic resin. 
     Further, a rotor 236 formed of a synthetic resin has a shaft portion 236a and a circular base portion 236c with a recess 236b formed therein. On the underside of the base portion 236c are formed a resistor 237 and a good conductor 238. 
     In constituting the rotor 236, the support shaft 233 is fitted into the recess 236b, the shaft portion 236a is projected from a hole 235a of the cover 235, and a plate spring 239 is disposed between the base portion 236c and the cover 235. 
     The rotor 236 when installed is held rotatably by both the support shaft 233 and the cover 235, and the contact piece 232 comes into contact with the resistor 237. Further, the rotor 236 is pushed by the plate spring 239 and the good conductor 238 is in contact with the support shaft 233. 
     In such a rotary electric component, as the shaft portion 236a of the rotor 236 is rotated, the rotor 236 rotates while being guided by both support shaft 233 and cover 235. At the same time, with the good conductor 238 in contact with the support shaft 233, the resistor 237 slides on the contact piece 232 to adjust the resistance value. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The conventional rotary electric component requires the support shaft 233, the cover 235 and the plate spring 239 for holding the rotor 236, thus resulting in an increase in the number of parts used giving rise to the problem that the rotary electric component is large-sized, high in cost and poor in productivity. 
     Moreover, the use of the cover 235 and the plate spring 239 involves the problem that it is difficult to automate the assembling work. 
     Further, since the rotor 236 is formed of a synthetic resin, it warps due to heat or secular change, which warp exerts an adverse effect on the resistor 237 and good conductor 238 both disposed on the underside of the rotor, with the result that an electric component of high accuracy is not obtained. 
     According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, there is provided a rotary electric component comprising a rotor having a screw-driver groove formed in the top surface thereof and a central through hole; an electrically conductive pattern formed on the underside of the rotor; a support shaft inserted into the through hole of the rotor to support the rotor rotatably; and a support member for supporting the support shaft and a slider piece which is in sliding contact with the electrically conductive pattern. 
     The rotor may be mounted onto the support shaft by caulking a front end portion of the support shaft to the bottom of the screw-driver groove. 
     The rotor may be mounted onto the support shaft by attaching a speed nut to the front end portion of the support shaft and bringing the support nut into abutment against the bottom of the screw-driver groove. 
     The rotor may be formed using a ceramic material. 
     The outer peripheral portion of an upper surface of the rotor may be formed as a flat surface. 
     The support member may be formed using an insulating material, the electrically conductive pattern may be formed of both a good conductor and a resistor, and the support shaft and the slider piece may be embedded in the support member. 
     The support member may be provided with a bottom portion for holding the support shaft, an extending portion having a flat upper surface may be formed by extension from the bottom portion up to near the support shaft, the flat surface may be brought into abutment against the underside of the rotor, and the slider piece maybe disposed in a cavity where the extending portion is not formed. Further, the support member may be formed in a box shape so that the extending portion, the support shaft and the slider piece are positioned in the interior of the box, and the side wall upper surface of the support member may be formed as a flat surface and brought into abutment against the underside of the rotor. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Rotary electric components such as, for example, preset type trimmer potentiometers, embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     FIGS. 1 to 5 illustrate a rotary electric component according to the first embodiment of the present invention, of which: 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of the rotary electric component; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view thereof; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view thereof; 
     FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams showing a support member of the rotary electric component, in which FIG. 4A is a bottom view and FIG. 4B is a plan view; and 
     FIGS. 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams showing how to manufacture the rotary electric component. 
     FIGS. 6 to 14 illustrate a rotary electric component according to the second embodiment of the present invention, of which: 
     FIG. 6 is a plan view thereof; 
     FIG. 7 is a side view thereof; 
     FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8--8 in FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9--9 in FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 10 is a plan view of a support member; 
     FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing in what manner contact members are mounted to the support member; 
     FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing in what manner the contact members are mounted to terminal portions; 
     FIG. 13 is a plan view of a rotor; and 
     FIG. 14 is a bottom view thereof. 
     FIG. 15 is a sectional view of a conventional rotary electric component. 
     FIG. 16 is a sectional view of the first embodiment including a speed nut. 
     FIG. 17 is an isolated top view of a speed nut. 
     FIG. 18 is an isolated side view of a speed nut. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A trimmer potentiometer as a rotary electric component according to the first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. A support member 1 formed of an insulating synthetic resin has a central recess 1a and a stopper portion 1b formed at a part of its outer periphery. In the support member 1 are integrally embedded a support shaft 2 formed of a metallic plate and a pair of contact members 3 and 4 each formed of a resilient metallic plate. 
     The support shaft 2, which is formed by drawing, comprises a shaft portion 2d and a terminal portion 2e, the shaft portion 2d comprising a large-diameter portion 2a, a small-diameter portion 2b and a shoulder portion 2c formed between the large and small-diameter portions. 
     The paired contact members 3 and 4 respectively comprise base portions 3a, 4a, contact portions 3b, 4b extending from one ends of the base portions 3a, 4a, and terminal portions 3c, 4c extending from the opposite ends of the base portions 3a, 4a. 
     The support shaft 2 and the paired contact members 3, 4 are mounted to the support member 1 in the following manner. The support shaft 2 and the contact members 3, 4 are arranged in such a state as shown in FIG. 5A and thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5B, the support member 1 is formed by molding of a synthetic resin so that the support shaft 2 and the contact members 3, 4 are embedded in the support member 1. 
     Subsequently, the support shaft 2 is bent at right angles along line S1 in FIG. 5A, the contact member 3 is bent at right angles along line S2 and bent at 180° along line S3, allowing the contact portion 3b to be positioned within the recess 1a of the support member 1, and the contact member 4 is bent at right angles along line S4 and bent at 180° along line S5, allowing the contact portion 4b to be positioned within the recess 1a of the support member 1. In this way the rotary electric component is manufactured. 
     A rotor 5, which is formed in an octagonal shape using a ceramic material, has a central through hole 5a, a crossed screw-driver groove 5b formed in an upper surface of the rotor, a flat surface 5c formed as part of the upper surface so as to surround the outer peripheral portion of the crossed screw-driver groove 5b, and a stopper portion 5d formed at a side position. 
     On the underside of the rotor 5 is formed an electrically conductive pattern 8 which comprises a resistor 6 and a good conductor 7 such as silver, as shown in FIG. 4. 
     The good conductor 7 comprises a good conductor 7a formed outside the resistor 6 and a good conductor 7b formed inside the resistor. The outside good conductor 7a is connected to one end of the resistor 6, while the inside good conductor 7b is connected to the opposite end of the resistor 6 and is formed in electric conduction with both interior and periphery of the through hole 5a. 
     The small-diameter portion 2b of the support shaft 2 is inserted through the through hole 5a of the rotor 5 and its front end is caulked to the periphery of the through hole 5a at the bottom of the screw-driver groove 5d. In this way the rotor 5 is mounted onto the support shaft 2. 
     Since the rotor 5 is held at the bottom of the screw-driver groove 5d, it is possible to ensure a sufficiently large space for the insertion of a screw-driver therein. For this holding, scarcely any height is needed, because the front end of the small-diameter part 2b is caulked in this embodiment. This is suitable particularly for the reduction of thickness. Instead of caulking, a speed nut (not shown) maybe press-fitted in the small-diameter portion 2b to mount the rotor 5 onto the support shaft 2. Also in this case a large space for the insertion of a screw-driver can be ensured because the rotor 5 is held at the bottom of the screw-driver groove 5d. 
     In this mounted state of the rotor 5, the good conductor 7b is brought into pressure contact with the shoulder portion 2c of the support shaft 2 and the portion of the good conductor 7b formed within the through hole 5a comes into contact with the small-diameter portion 2b. Further, the contact portion 3b of the contact member 3 comes into contact with the resistor 6 and the contact portion 4b of the contact member 4 is in contact with the good conductor 7a located outside. 
     In this rotary electric component, when a screw-driver is fitted in the groove 5b of the rotor 5 and is turned to rotate the rotor 5, the outside good conductor 7a and the resistor 6 come into sliding contact with the contact members 4 and 3, respectively, while the inside good conductor 7b is in contact with the support shaft 2, to adjust the resistance value between the terminal portions 3c and 4c and the resistance value between the terminal portions 3c and 2e. 
     The rotation of the rotor 5 stops upon abutment of the stopper portion 5d of the rotor 5 against the stopper portion 1b of the support member 1. 
     In this rotary electric component, the rotor 5 is assembled by the steps of sucking the flat surface 5c of the rotor 5 by virtue of vacuum (not shown), moving the rotor 5 up to the support member 1, fitting the through hole 5a of the rotor 5 on the support shaft 2 mounted to the support member 1, and then caulking the front end portion of the support shaft 2. The assembly is now completed and thus can be effected automatically. 
     A trimmer potentiometer as a rotary electric component according to the second embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 14. As shown particularly in FIGS. 10 and 11, a support member 101 is formed of an insulating synthetic resin generally in a box shape having a side wall 101f and a bottom 101g. Further, the support member 101 is provided with a recess or hole 101a formed centrally in the bottom 101g, a plurality of cavities 101b formed on one side of the support member, an outer flat surface 101c formed on one side of the support member and on top of the side wall 101f and positioned between the cavities 101b, an extending flat surface 101d contiguous to the outer flat surface 101c and extending the hole 101a, and a stopper portion 101e formed at part he outer periphery of the support member. 
     A support shaft 102 formed of a metallic plate is embedded in the support member 101. A shaft portion of the support shaft 102 is positioned within the hole 101a of the support member 101 and is projected to one side of the support member 101. 
     As shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, three terminal portions 103, 104 and 105 each formed of a relatively thick metallic plate are respectively provided with base portions 103a, 104a and 105a and U-shaped clamp portions 103b, 104b and 105b formed at one ends of the base portions 103a, 104a and 105a. The base portions 103a, 104a and 105a are embedded in the support member 101 or the clamp portions 103b, 104b and 105b are press-fittedinholes formed in the support member 101, whereby the terminal portions 103, 104 and 105 are mounted. In this state, the clamp portions 103b, 104b and 105b of the terminal portions 103, 104 and 105 are positioned in the cavities 101b of the support member 101. 
     In this embodiment, and the support shaft 102 and the terminal portion 106 are formed integrally with each other using a metallic plate to reduce the number of parts used and thereby attain the improvement of productivity and reduction of cost. 
     As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, three contact members 106, 107 and 108 each formed of a resilient metallic plate are respectively provided with base portions 106a, 107a, 108a and contact portions 106b, 107b, 108b. The contact members 106, 107 and 108 are positioned within the cavities 101b of the support member 101 and their base portions 106a,107a and 108a are respectively press-fitted in the U-shaped clamp portions 103b, 104b and 105b of the terminal portions 103, 104 and 105. In this way the contact members 106, 107 and 108 are mounted. 
     The terminal portions 103, 104, 105 and the contact members 106, 107, 108 are formed using materials different from each other, thereby improving the productivity and making the cost reasonable. 
     As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, a rotor 109, which is formed in an octagonal shape using a ceramic material, has a central through hole 109a, a crossed screw-driver groove 109b formed in an upper surface of the rotor, a flat surface 109c formed as part of the upper surface so as to surround the outer peripheral portion of the crossed screw-driver groove 109b, and a stopper portion 109d formed at a side position. 
     On the underside of the rotor 109 is formed an electrically conductive pattern 112 which comprises a resistor 110 and good conductors 111a and 111b, as shown in FIG. 14. For example, the good conductors 111a and 111b are formed of silver paste. 
     The good conductor 111a is formed outside the resistor 110, while the good conductor 111b is formed inside the resistor 110. The outside good conductor 111a is connected to one end of the resistor 110, while the inside good conductor 111b is connected to the opposite end of the resistor 110 and is in conduction with both the interior and outer periphery of the through hole 109a. 
     The surface of the rotor 109 with the electrically conductive pattern 112 formed thereon is put on both the outer flat surface 101c and extending flat surface 101d of the support member 101, then the support shaft 102 is inserted through the through hole 109a and its front end portion is caulked. In this way the rotor 109 is mounted rotatably onto the support shaft 102. 
     Instead of caulking the front end portion of the support shaft 102, a speed nut (not shown) may be press-fitted into the support shaft 102 to mount the rotor 109 onto the support shaft 2. 
     With the rotor 109 thus mounted, the outer peripheral portion of the rotor is supported by the outer flat surface 101c, while the inner peripheral portion thereof is supported by the extending flat surface 101d up to near the support shaft 102. Further, the support shaft 102 comes into contact with the portion of the good conductor 111b formed within the through hole 109a. 
     Once the rotor 109 is mounted as above, the contact portion 107b of the contact member 107 comes into contact with the resistor 110, the contact portion 106b of the contact member 106 comes into contact with the outside good conductor 111a, and the contact portion 108b of the contact member 108 is in contact with the inside good conductor 111b. 
     In this rotary electric component, when a screw-driver is fitted in the screw-driver groove 109b of the rotor 109 and is turned to rotate the rotor 109, the inside and outside good conductors 111b, 111a come into sliding contact with the contact members 108 and 106, respectively, and the resistor 110 comes into sliding contact with the contact member 107, to adjust the resistance value between the terminal portions 103 and 104 and the resistance value between the terminal portions 104 and 105. 
     Then, the rotation of the rotor 109 stops upon abutment of the stopper portion 109d of the rotor 109 against the stopper portion 101e of the support member 101. 
     In this rotary electric component, the rotor 109 is assembled by the steps of sucking the flat surface 109c of the rotor 109 by virtue of vacuum (not shown), moving the rotor 109 up to the support member 101, fitting the through hole 109a of the rotor 109 onto the support shaft 102 mounted to the support member 101, and then caulking the front end portion of the support shaft 102. The assembly is now completed and thus can be effected automatically. 
     In the rotary electric component of the present invention, as set forth above, since the rotor 5 (109) with the electrically conductive pattern 8 (112) formed on the underside thereof and having the screw-driver groove 5d (109b) and also having the through hole 5a (109a) is mounted rotatably by means of the support shaft 2 (102) which is inserted into the through hole 5a (109a), the number of parts used is reduced, the size and cost of the rotary electric component are also reduced and the productivity is improved. Besides, since the rotor 5 (109) is mounted to the support shaft 2 (102) by caulking the front end portion of the support shaft 2 (102) to the bottom of the screw-driver groove 5d (109b) or by attaching a speed nut to the front end portion of the support shaft 2 (102) and bringing it into abutment against the bottom of the screw-driver groove 5d (109b), there can be attained a reduction in both size and cost and mounting can be done in a simple manner. 
     If the rotor 5 (109) is formed using a ceramic material, the generation of heat and secular changes are diminished, with little influence on the electrically conductive pattern 8 (112), thus affording a highly accurate electric component. This is effective particularly in a trimmer potentiometer using the resistor 6 (110). 
     Moreover, by forming the flat surface 5c (109c) along the outer peripheral portion of the upper surface of the rotor 5 (109), it become possible to automate the assembling work and hence possible to improve the productivity. 
     Further, since the support member 1 (101) is formed using an insulating material, the support shaft 2 (102) and the contact members 3, 4 (106, 107, 108) are embedded in the support member 1 (101) and are contacted with the good conductor 7 (111a, 111b) and resistor 6 (110) formed on the rotor 5 (109), there can be provided a rotary electric component as a trimmer potentiometer using a reduced number of parts and superior in productivity. 
     Further, the support member 101 is provided with a bottom portion for holding the support shaft 102 and also provided with the extending flat surface 101d extending to the vicinity of the support shaft 102, the extending flat surface 101d being abutted against the underside of the rotor 109, and the contact members 106, 107 and 108 are disposed in the cavities 101b. Therefore, the inner peripheral portion of the rotor 109 is supported by the extending flat surface 101d up to the vicinity of the support shaft 102, whereby not only the reduction of size can be attained but also the central part of the rotor 109 can be supported firmly. Consequently, it is possible to prevent damage of the rotor 109 during adjustment of the screw-driver groove 109b. 
     Further, since the central warp of the rotor 109 can be diminished, the state of contact between the electrically conductive pattern 112 and the contact member 106 is improved, thus leading to an improvement of accuracy. Particularly, the rotary electric component being considered is extremely superior as a trimmer potentiometer using a resistor. 
     Additionally, if the outer flat surface 101c of the support member 101 is brought into abutment against the rotor 109, the rotor can be supported more firmly.