Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Multiple circuit control – Pivoted contact
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-01
2003-04-08
Friedhofer, Michael (Department: 2832)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Multiple circuit control
Pivoted contact
C200S0050EA
Reexamination Certificate
active
06545233
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a four-direction switch device suitably used for a vehicle keyless entry device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Drawings of a conventional four-direction switch device are described below.
FIG. 6
is a plan view showing a conventional four-direction switch device.
FIG. 7
is a sectional view taken along the line
7
—
7
of FIG.
6
.
A box-shaped upper case
51
made of a synthetic resin material has an upper wall
51
a
, a side wall
51
b
which is elongated almost vertically from an outer circumferential edge of the upper wall
51
a
and surrounds the switch device, and a through hole
51
c
provided at a nearly central portion of the upper wall
51
a.
A holding member
52
made of a synthetic resin material is formed into the shape of a nearly square flat plate and four rectangular through holes
52
a
are formed in positions of a cross shape toward four outer circumferential sides from the central position of the holding member
52
. The holding member
52
is fastened within the through hole
51
c
of the upper case by a proper means to block the through hole
51
c.
Plural (four) operation knobs
53
made of a synthetic resin material are in the shape of a nearly rectangular flat plate, and on the surfaces of the respective operation knobs
53
are drawn icons
53
a
indicating specific operations such as a door open indication symbol, a door lock indication symbol, a trunk open indication symbol, and a panic operation indication symbol. The four operation knobs
53
are disposed within the four through holes
52
a
. The respective icons
53
a
are drawn one for each of the operation knobs
53
. On the back of the operation knobs
53
is formed an engaging part
53
b
protruding outward.
An elastic cover
54
made of an elastic rubber material, which is similar to a dome in shape, has an upper wall
54
a
, a side wall
54
b
elongated curvedly from an outer circumferential edge of the upper wall
54
a
downward, flanges
54
c
protruded orthogonally to the side wall
54
b
from an open end thereof, four engaging parts
54
d
protruding from an outer surface of the upper wall
54
a
outward and provided in positions of a cross shape, and four pressing parts
54
e
protruding from an inner surface of the upper wall
54
a
inward and provided in positions respectively opposite to the four engaging parts
54
d.
To the engaging parts
54
d
of the elastic cover
54
, engaging parts
53
b
of the operation knobs
53
are coupled by such a proper means as snaps in a snap leg (not shown) provided on the engaging parts
54
d
in an indention (not shown) of the operation knobs
53
. By this coupling, the operation knobs
53
are attached to the elastic cover
54
.
A pushbutton switch
55
has a box-shaped housing
55
a
housing a movable contact (not shown), a fixed contact (not shown), and the like, and a pushbutton
55
b
provided protrusively from the upper surface of the housing
55
a
outward under pressure of the movable contact (not shown) and a spring member (not shown). Four of the pushbutton switches
55
are disposed, and the respective pushbuttons
55
b
of the pushbutton switches
55
have a nearly equal press operation power by dint of the movable contact (not shown) and the spring members (not shown).
The four pushbutton switches
55
are disposed opposite to the four pressing parts
54
e
of the elastic cover
54
.
A printed wiring board
56
is in the shape of a nearly rectangle flat plate, and on the surface of the printed wiring board
56
is formed a required circuit pattern (not shown). On the printed wiring board
56
are disposed in positions of a cross shape the four pushbutton switches
55
.
The printed wiring board
56
and the pushbutton switches
55
are housed within the elastic cover
54
.
A box-shaped lower case
57
made of a synthetic resin material has a nearly rectangular bottom wall
57
a
, a side wall
57
b
which is elongated almost vertically from an outer circumferential edge of the bottom
57
a
and surrounds the switch device, and steps
57
c
provided at open ends of the side wall
57
b
. The lower case
57
and the upper case
51
are integrally incorporated with the flanges
54
c
of the elastic cover
54
being interposed therebetween.
Next, the operation of the conventional four-direction switch device is described.
First, when a required press power is applied to one operation knob
53
on which an icon
53
a
indicating a specific operation is drawn, the operation knob
53
is moved downward by the press power, and the elastic cover
54
is distorted at one location by the movement. By the pressing parts
54
e
of the distorted elastic cover
54
, the pushbutton
55
b
of one pushbutton switch
55
is operated against a movable contact and a spring member and the pushbutton switch
55
goes on. During this operation, operation power by the moving contact and the spring member in one pushbutton switch
55
and operation power of the elastic cover
54
by distortion at one location together enable the operation knob
53
to be operated with a small press power.
When the press power to the operation knob
53
is removed, the operation knob
53
returns to its original position by the self-return force of the pushbutton
55
b
of the pushbutton switch
55
and the self-return force of the elastic cover
54
, and the pushbutton switch
55
is turned off when the operation knob
53
returns to its original position.
When the operation knobs
53
on which the other three icons
53
a
are drawn are respectively applied with press power, the same operation as the above described operation in one pushbutton switch
53
is performed. Even by press power to any operation knob
53
, the operation knob
53
can be operated with the same small press power by dint of operation power of one pushbutton switch
55
and operation power of the elastic cover
54
by distortion at one location. All press powers to the four operation knobs
53
are equalized.
In other words, in a normal condition, since press power of one pushbutton switch
55
operated by an operation knob
53
in which an icon
53
a
indicating the operation of a panic operation indication symbol is drawn is almost equal to press power of the pushbutton switches
55
respectively operated by the other three operation knobs
53
in which other icons
53
a
are drawn, the operation knob
53
in which the icon
53
a
indicating the operation of a panic operation indication symbol is drawn will be easily and carelessly operated.
As has been described above, in a conventional four-direction switch device, since press powers to the four operation knobs are almost equal, if an operation knob of panic operation is carelessly operated, such malfunctions that, for example, a horn is sounded or a light blinks are liable to occur.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a four-direction switch device that is almost free of careless operations on operation knobs thereof.
A four-direction switch device of the present invention comprises: a case; plural pushbutton switches housed in the case; and one operation member that is supported by the case to be tiltable in four directions and operates the pushbutton switches by tilt operations in the respective directions, wherein the operation member can tilt to first and second tilt positions that are opposite to each other with respect to a tilt center, and third and fourth tilt positions that are orthogonal to the first and second tilt positions and are opposite to each other with respect to the tilt center, and the operation member has an operation power increasing means for producing greater operation power for a tilt to the fourth tilt position than for tilts to the first, second, and third tilt positions during tilt operations on the operation member.
With the construction, since tilt operation power to one tilt position of the operation member is greater than tilt operation power to other three tilt positions, there is a difference in the magnitu
Alps Electric Co. ,Ltd.
Friedhofer Michael
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