Patent Description:
The present disclosure relates to a multi-directional operation switch structure and, more particularly, to a multi-directional operation switch structure seeking to improve the reliability of a product by minimizing tolerances that need to be managed by making two regions guiding the sliding movement of a slider to be formed by one holder in a switch structure in which a knob is configured on the outside of a casing, and the slider and a holder connected to the knob are inside the casing.

Especially, the present disclosure relates to a multi-directional operation switch structure capable of improving structural stability due to a double support structure and ensuring reliability of slider movement by allowing the holder as well as the casing to withstand pressure resulting from external forces.

As the functions of electronic products are diversified and an area occupied by a control panel for operating those functions increases, technologies are being developed that allow the use of a single switch to perform various functions.

In the case of a vehicle, as a large number of electronic control systems are mounted, switches are applied for the convenience of a driver's operation. One example of switches of various structures that have been used so far is shown in <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, a holder <NUM> that protects components including a PCB board on which electronic elements such as switching elements are mounted, a slider <NUM> coupled to a knob <NUM>, and a casing <NUM> are sequentially stacked.

Accordingly, when the knob <NUM> is operated (moved in the left and right direction in <FIG>), the slider <NUM> reciprocates between the holder <NUM> and the casing <NUM> in a sliding manner.

Yet, this type of switch has the following problems.

First, since it is a structure in which three components are sequentially stacked, tolerance accumulation by three parts (d1 to d3) is significant as shown in <FIG>, and this not only lowers product reliability, but also causes difficulties in tolerance management in manufacturing.

In other words, since the slider <NUM> is interposed between the holder <NUM> and the casing <NUM>, there exists a tolerance between the slider <NUM> and the holder <NUM> and a tolerance between the slider <NUM> and the casing <NUM>.

Second, as shown in <FIG>, when an external force is applied to the outside of part 'a' and a pressing phenomenon occurs in the casing <NUM>, the casing <NUM> of 'a' part presses the slider <NUM>, and as a result, the slider <NUM> is pressed by the holder <NUM> and the casing <NUM>.

Due to this, an undesired restriction occurs in the movement of the slider <NUM>, and even if a user operates the knob <NUM>, a desired function may not be selected or adjusted.

As another example of the conventional switches, there is a "SLIDE SWITCH MODULE" (hereinafter referred to as "related art") in <CIT>, which is the following related art document.

In the related art, a structure is applied in which a slider guide configured in a slider is inserted into a slider guide entry groove formed in the upper direction and then moved in the horizontal direction along a slider guide accommodation groove to be coupled.

However, in this case of the related art, there is a problem in that, in the process of using a switch, when the slider <NUM> moves irregularly due to external vibration, etc., and the slider guide moves to the position of the slider guide entry groove, the slider is separated. <CIT> discloses a switch arrangement comprising, amongst other parts, a casing, a slider, and four holders. The four holders are configured to guide a movement of the slider. The slider is formed in a bar-shaped form having a central axis along the lengthwise direction of the bar-shaped slider. The holders guide a longitudinal or translatory movement. <CIT> discloses a switch arrangement comprising, amongst other parts, a slider and holders. The central axis of the bar shaped slider extends in the longitudinal direction of the slider, and the holders are configured to guide a longitudinal or translatory movement of the slider. <CIT> discloses a switch arrangement comprising, amongst other parts, a slider and holders. The slider is formed in a substantially double bar-shaped form. Here again, the holders are configured to guide a longitudinal or translatory movement of slider.

Accordingly, the present disclosure has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the related art, and the present disclosure is intended to provide a multi-directional operation switch structure that improves the reliability of a product by minimizing tolerances that need to be managed by making two regions guiding the sliding movement of a slider to be formed by one holder in a switch structure in which a knob is configured on the outside of a casing, and the slider and a holder connected to the knob are inside the casing.

Especially, an objective of the present disclosure is to provide a multi-directional operation switch structure capable of improving structural stability due to a double support structure and ensuring reliability of slider movement by allowing the holder as well as the casing to withstand pressure resulting from external forces.

In addition, an objective of the present disclosure is to provide a multi-directional operation switch structure capable of improving the ease of a manufacturing process and productivity of a product by simplifying a coupling structure and a support structure by configuring the slider to be coupled to the holder in a rotational manner, and the coupled slider to be limited in rotation by the casing.

In order to achieve the above objective, according to independent claim <NUM>, there is provided a multi-directional operation switch structure, including: a casing; a slider at least a portion of which penetrates through the casing and is exposed to an outside to be coupled to a knob; and a holder configured to protect an internal component including at least another portion of the slider, wherein the holder is configured to guide a movement of the slider. The holder is configured to guide a movement of the slider on a plane based on a virtual central axis formed in the vertical direction.

The holder includes : a lower movement limitation part for restricting a movement in a downward direction of the slider; and an upper movement limitation part for restricting a movement in an upward direction of the slider.

The lower movement limitation part and the upper movement limitation part are arranged to be staggered in a top view.

The lower movement limitation part is provided in a center of the holder, while the upper movement limitation part is provided around the lower movement limitation part at an outside thereof.

The upper movement limitation part is configured as two in a symmetrical structure with the lower movement limitation part as the center.

The two upper movement limitation parts is formed with an opening that opens in a first rotational direction on the plane.

At least one of the two upper movement limitation parts may be formed with a rotation limitation part in a second rotational direction.

The casing may be formed with a through hole through which at least the portion of the slider passes, and the slider may be limited in rotation by the through hole.

The slider may include: a body part disposed in the lower movement limitation part; and a wing part disposed in the upper movement limitation part.

The body part may be configured to pivot about a center of the lower movement limitation part, and the wing part may rotate to the upper movement limitation part through the opening while rotating by a pivoting of the body part.

As described above, a multi-directional operation switch structure of the present disclosure has an effect of improving the reliability of a product by minimizing tolerances that need to be managed by making two regions guiding the sliding movement of a slider to be formed by one holder in a switch structure in which a knob is configured on the outside of a casing, and the slider and a holder connected to the knob are inside the casing.

In other words, the present disclosure has an effect of improving the ease and efficiency of tolerance management and reducing the part management costs by reducing the number of parts that require tolerance management from three to two.

Especially, the present disclosure has an advantage of improving structural stability due to a double support structure and ensuring reliability of slider movement by allowing the holder as well as the casing to withstand pressure resulting from external forces.

Through this, the present disclosure has an advantage of not only semi-permanently extending the life of a product, but also sufficiently ensuring the operability and functionality of a switch even in long-term use.

In addition, the present disclosure has an advantage of simplifying a coupling structure and a support structure by configuring the slider to be coupled to the holder in a rotational manner, and the coupled slider to be limited in rotation by the casing.

Through this, the present disclosure has an advantage of improving the ease of operation and productivity of a product in the manufacturing process.

Accordingly, reliability and competitiveness can be improved in the field of electronic switches, particularly multi-function switches and multi-directional switches, and automotive switches, as well as similar or related fields.

Examples of a multi-directional operation switch structure according to the present disclosure may be applied in various ways, and the most preferred embodiment will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<FIG> is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a multi-directional operation switch structure according to the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, a multi-directional operation switch includes a casing <NUM>, a slider <NUM>, a holder <NUM>, and a knob <NUM>.

The casing <NUM> forms the outer shape of a portion where the knob <NUM> is installed, and in the case of a vehicle, the casing <NUM> may include interior materials.

The slider <NUM> is configured such that at least a portion thereof penetrates through the casing <NUM> and is exposed to the outside, and is coupled with the knob <NUM> at the exposed portion. The slider <NUM> may slide in various directions in response to the knob <NUM> being manipulated by a user.

The holder <NUM> is configured to protect internal components including at least another portion of the slider, and may serve to protect a switching element turned on and off by the movement of the slider <NUM>, a sensor element sensing the movement of the slider <NUM>, and a PCB substrate on which various elements are mounted.

As for the internal components including the switching element, the sensor element, and the PCB substrate and electrical coupling relationships, various types may be applied according to the function and structure of the multi-directional operation switch of the present disclosure, it is not limited to a specific one.

As previously described, in the conventional multi-directional switch, the slider is guided by the holder at the lower part and is guided by the casing at the upper part. In contrast, a technical feature of the present disclosure is that it is configured to guide the movement of the slider <NUM> only by the holder <NUM>.

In other words, as shown in <FIG>, both the lower part b1 and the upper part b2 of the slider <NUM> may be guided by the holder <NUM>, which will be described in more detail below.

<FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a holder shown in <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, the holder <NUM> may include: a lower movement limitation part <NUM> for restricting a movement in a downward direction of the slider <NUM>; and an upper movement limitation part <NUM> for restricting a movement in an upward direction of the slider <NUM>.

To be specific, the downward movement of the slider <NUM> may be restricted by the upper surface of the lower movement limitation part <NUM>, while the upward movement of the slider <NUM> may be restricted by the lower surface of the upper movement limitation part <NUM>.

Meanwhile, as shown in <FIG>, in the conventional art, it can be seen that the slider is unable move smoothly as the lower and upper surfaces of the slider are simultaneously pressed by the holder and the casing at point 'a', respectively.

Accordingly, in the present disclosure, in order to prevent the lower movement limitation part <NUM> and the upper movement limitation part <NUM> from simultaneously pressing the slider <NUM> in the upward and downward directions, it is preferable that the lower movement limitation part <NUM> and the upper movement limitation part <NUM> are arranged to be staggered as shown in <FIG> when viewed from a top view.

For example, the lower movement limitation part <NUM> may be formed in the center of the holder <NUM>, while the upper movement limitation part <NUM> may be formed around the lower movement limitation part <NUM> at the outside thereof.

At this time, it is desirable that in the holder <NUM>, two upper movement limitation parts <NUM> are formed in a symmetrical structure with the lower movement limitation part <NUM> as the center in order to prevent the coupled slider <NUM> from inclining in a certain direction.

In addition, the two upper movement limitation parts <NUM> may be formed with an opening <NUM> that is opened in one rotational direction (counterclockwise in <FIG>) on the plane.

Moreover, at least one of the two upper movement limitation parts <NUM> may be formed with a rotation limitation part <NUM> in the other one rotational direction (clockwise in <FIG>).

<FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a slider is coupled to the holder shown in <FIG>, and <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a process in which the slider is coupled to the holder shown in <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, the slider <NUM> may include a body part <NUM> and a wing part <NUM>.

The body part <NUM> is disposed on the lower movement limitation part <NUM> of the holder <NUM>, and may be formed in a disk shape and be configured to be axially rotatable on the plane based on a virtual central axis formed in the vertical direction.

The wing part <NUM> is disposed on the upper movement limitation part <NUM>, and may be formed on each side of the body part <NUM>.

Accordingly, as shown in <FIG>, in the slider <NUM>, the body part <NUM> may pivot about the center of the lower movement limitation part, and the wing part rotates to the upper movement limitation part through the opening while rotating by a pivoting of the body part.

At this time, the opening <NUM> is preferably formed in both upper movement limitation parts <NUM> so that both wing parts <NUM> pass through the opening <NUM>, and the rotation limitation part <NUM> may be formed in at least one of the two upper movement limitation parts <NUM> because the rotation limitation part <NUM> may limit only the movement of any one of the two wing parts <NUM>.

Meanwhile, in <FIG>, unexplained reference numerals '<NUM>' and '<NUM>' are guide protrusions and guide grooves, respectively, and are for guiding the coupled slider <NUM> when it moves in one direction (from the lower left to the upper right in <FIG>).

<FIG> is a view illustrating a process in which each component shown in <FIG> is combined.

Referring to <FIG>, at least one through hole <NUM> may be formed in the casing <NUM> to correspond to the shape and structure of the slider <NUM>.

As previously described in <FIG>, when the slider <NUM> is rotated and coupled to the holder <NUM>, the casing <NUM> may be coupled to the slider <NUM> and the holder <NUM> such that at least a portion of the slider <NUM> is exposed to the outside through the through hole <NUM>.

In addition, as shown in <FIG>, a knob <NUM> may be coupled to the slider <NUM> exposed through the through hole <NUM>.

Meanwhile, since the slider <NUM> is rotated and coupled to the holder <NUM>, if the slider rotates in the opposite direction to the coupling direction after coupling, a situation in which the slider <NUM> is separated from the holder <NUM> may occur.

Accordingly, in the present disclosure, by restricting the rotation of the slider <NUM> by the through hole <NUM>, it is possible to prevent the slider <NUM> from being separated after coupling.

<FIG> is a view illustrating the technical features of the present disclosure in comparison with the structure in <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, in the present disclosure, since the configuration involved in the movement of the slider <NUM> is the holder <NUM> and the casing <NUM> is irrelevant, tolerance management may also be sufficient by managing only two parts (d4, d5) of the slider <NUM> and the holder <NUM>.

In addition, when an external force is applied from the outside of the casing <NUM>, the casing <NUM> primarily withstands the pressure and the holder <NUM> withstands the pressure secondarily as shown in the enlarged part of <FIG>, so that the slider <NUM> may be operated stably.

Thus, the multi-directional operation switch structure of the present disclosure may improve the reliability of a product by minimizing tolerances that need to be managed, improve structural stability due to a double support structure, and ensure reliability of the movement of the slider <NUM>.

In the above, the multi-directional operation switch structure of the present disclosure has been described. Those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains will understand that the technical configuration of the present disclosure may be implemented in other specific forms without changing the technical essential characteristics within the frame of the appended claims.

Claim 1:
A multi-directional operation switch structure, comprising:
a casing (<NUM>);
a slider (<NUM>) at least a portion of which penetrates through the casing (<NUM>) and is exposed to an outside to be coupled to a knob (<NUM>); and
a holder (<NUM>) configured to protect an internal component including at least another portion of the slider (<NUM>),
wherein the holder (<NUM>) is configured to guide a movement of the slider (<NUM>) on a plane based on a virtual central axis formed in the vertical direction,
wherein the holder (<NUM>) comprises a lower movement limitation part (<NUM>) for restricting a movement in a downward direction of the slider (<NUM>); and an upper movement limitation part (<NUM>) for restricting a movement in an upward direction of the slider (<NUM>),
wherein the lower movement limitation part (<NUM>) and the upper movement limitation part (<NUM>) are arranged to be staggered in a top view,
wherein the lower movement limitation part (<NUM>) is provided in a center of the holder (<NUM>), while the upper movement limitation part (<NUM>) is provided around the lower movement limitation part (<NUM>) at an outside thereof,
charcterized in that the upper movement limitation part (<NUM>) is configured as two in a symmetrical structure with the lower movement limitation part (<NUM>) as the center, and
in that the two upper movement limitation parts (<NUM>) are formed with an opening (<NUM>) that opens in a first rotational direction on the plane.