Illuminated switch unit

Details Illuminated switch unit Illuminated switch unit

2000-06-28

2001-10-09

O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)

Illumination

Illuminated scale or dial

C362S029000, C362S085000, C362S095000, C200S310000, C200S315000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06299320

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Detailed Description of the Invention
The present invention relates to an illuminated switch unit, and more particularly to an illuminated switch unit placed side by side on a steering wheel in an automobile, used for setting speed in cruise control and for controlling volume for a radio receiver or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, the electronization of automobiles has advanced, and various controls brought about by the electronization are constructed such that various functions placed side by side on an automotive steering wheel can be performed by various switches. This steering wheel is, as shown in
FIG. 5
, provided with: a center pad
20
in which, for example, an air bag of the air bag system is housed; an illuminated switch unit section
21
; a supporting section
24
for supporting the illuminated switch unit section
21
; and a steering wheel
29
supported by the illuminated switch unit section
21
and the supporting section
24
.
This illuminated switch unit section
21
has a first illuminated switch unit section
22
for switching, for example, the cruise control (speed control mechanism) to ON or OFF or the like and a second illuminated switch unit section
23
for switching, for example, between a radio receiver and an automotive telephone.
The first illuminated switch unit section
22
is provided with: a first illuminated rocking switch unit
25
having a first rocking knob
25
a
of a rocking and depression type; and a first illuminated switch unit
26
having a plurality of (for example, two) first push-button sections
26
a
of a vertical depression type.
The structure is arranged such that by means of these two first push-button sections
26
a
, for example, the cruise control is turned ON or OFF, and speed set in the cruise control is ascertained and controlled, and that by means of the first rocking knob
25
a
, speed to be set is adjusted (speed-up or slowdown).
The second illuminated switch unit section
23
is provided with: a second illuminated rocking switch unit
27
having a second rocking knob
27
a
of the rocking and depression type; and a second illuminated switch unit
28
having a plurality of (for example, four) second push-button sections
28
a
of the vertical depression type.
The structure is arranged such that by means of these four second push-button sections
28
a
, for example, switching between the radio receiver and the automotive telephone, and increase or decrease in a receive frequency to adjust the receive frequency of the radio receiver are performed, and that by means of the second rocking knob
27
a
, for example, the volume of the radio receiver is increased or decreased.
Next, with reference to the drawings, a detailed description will be made of the above-described conventional first illuminated rocking switch unit.
FIG. 6
is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional illuminated rocking switch unit section;
FIG. 7
is a partial perspective view showing a conventional case for the illuminated rocking switch unit;
FIG. 8
is an exploded perspective showing a conventional movable contact, elastic member, printed circuit board, and light source of the illuminated rocking switch unit; and
FIG. 9
is a partial sectional view for explaining the conventional illuminated rocking switch unit.
As shown in
FIGS. 6
to
9
, the conventional case
1
of the first illuminated rocking switch unit is made of synthetic resin material such as phenol resin and epoxy resin, is obtained by fabrication, and has: a top wall
1
a
; and a substantially rectangular recess
1
d
provided on the top wall
1
a
at a predetermined position, having openings
1
b
and
1
c
(see
FIG. 7
) in an up-and-down direction. Also, the recess
1
d
is provided with: side walls
1
i
and
1
j
for surrounding on all sides; bottom walls
1
e
for surrounding all around an opening
1
c
at the lower part; a pair of holes
1
g
provided in the bottom walls
1
e
; and a pair of cylindrical column-shaped protrusions
1
h
provided above the respective holes
1
g
. Each of the protrusions
1
h
protrudes from the side wall
1
i
of the recess
1
d
toward the inside (toward the substantially central portion of the recess
1
d
).
The pair of holes
1
g
have structure to be necessarily formed from the structure of a forming mold for forming the case
1
in order to form the pair of protrusions
1
h
within the recess
1
d
, and is formed for so-called rapping.
This case
1
is the same as the case for the illuminated switch unit section
21
shown in
FIG. 5
, is provided side by side on, for example, an automotive steering wheel
29
, and is made integral with a center pad
20
each other in such a manner that the case
1
is rotated together with the rotation of the steering wheel
29
.
As shown in
FIG. 6
, a rocking knob
2
as a movable knob is a substantially box-shaped one, made of synthetic resin material such as phenol resin and epoxy resin, and obtained by fabrication, and has a substantially rectangular top surface
2
c
; sides
2
d
extendedly provided from the outer periphery of the top surface
2
c
downward, for surrounding on all sides; a pair of circular holes
2
e
provided on the first opposed sides
2
d
; and a pair of drive sections (not shown) protruding from the rear surface side of the top surface
2
c
outwardly. This top surface
2
c
is formed with a first depression section
2
a
and a second depression section
2
b
. The pair of drive sections (not shown) protrude from the rear surface sides of the first depression section
2
a
and the second depression section
2
b
outwardly (toward the inside of the substantially box-like shape) respectively.
On the surfaces of the first depression section
2
a
and the second depression section
2
b
, picture symbol indicating sections
2
g
such as+(plus) and−(minus) symbols are formed translucently, or using synthetic resin material (such as so-called two-color fabrication) through which light is transmitted (transparent) The picture symbol indicating sections
2
g
such as these+(plus) and−(minus) symbols are constructed so as to be brightly indicated by illumination from a light source
6
to be described later.
This rocking knob
2
is disposed within the recess
1
d
of the case
1
, and the protrusions
1
h
of the case
1
are inserted into the holes
2
e
in the rocking knob
2
so that the rocking knob
2
is rockably supported and disposed. In this state, the first depression section
2
a
or the second depression section
2
b
of the top surface
2
c
is depressed, whereby the rocking knob
2
is rocked to thereby move the drive section (not shown) in an up-and-down direction.
Also, in this state, the lower end surface of the side
2
d
of the rocking knob
2
and the hole
1
g
in the case
1
are disposed to oppose to each other, and there is formed a slight gap
11
(see
FIG. 9
) between the side
2
d
and the side wall
1
i.
A slider
3
is made of synthetic resin material such as phenol resin and epoxy resin, is obtained by fabrication, and is provided with a substantially box-shaped body section
3
a
and a pair of drive sections
3
b
protruding from the body section
3
a
outwardly. This slider
3
is mounted to the case
1
by appropriate means in a state in which each body section
3
a
abuts upon each drive section (not shown) of the rocking knob
2
.
In each of the sliders
3
, the rocking of the rocking knob
2
depresses the body section
3
a
to thereby drive each drive section
3
b
in a direction indicated by an arrow B (see FIG.
6
).
There are provided a plurality of (for example, four) movable contacts
4
. Each of the movable contacts
4
is made of elastic material such as rubber, is obtained by fabrication, and has: a cylindrical column-shaped movable section
4
a
; a contact section
4
b
provided on the under surface of the movable section
4
a
; and a substantially dome-shaped supporting section
4
c
for outwardly protruding from the outer periphery of the lower end o

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