Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electrical power distribution systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-16
2002-04-16
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electrical power distribution systems and devices
C361S605000, C361S608000, C361S609000, C200S050060, C200S051060, C211S026000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06373686
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a key protection structure for an electronic apparatus including an electronic control device such as a timer or a temperature controller.
2. Conventional Art
In a conventional electronic apparatus, as shown in
FIG. 15
, an operation section
200
is disposed in the front face. The operation section
200
is configured by a switch unit (not shown) and a front cover
209
. The switch unit comprises first, second, and third switches
210
,
211
, and
212
, and a printed circuit board (not shown) on which electronic parts are mounted and a conductor pattern (not shown) is formed.
In a face
209
a
of the front cover
209
, a first switch operation hole
213
and an arcuate display window
213
A, a second switch operation hole
214
, and a third switch operation hole
215
are formed. The second and third switch operation holes
214
and
215
have rectangular display windows
214
A and
215
A, respectively.
In the first switch operation hole
213
, a setting knob member
216
disposed on an operation shaft (not shown) of the first switch
210
is placed so as to forward protrude from the face
209
a
of the front cover
209
. In the second switch operation hole
214
, a setting knob member
217
disposed on an operation shaft (not shown) of the second switch
211
is placed so as to forward protrude from the face
209
a
of the front cover
209
. In the third switch operation hole
215
, a setting knob member
218
disposed on an operation shaft (not shown) of the third switch
212
is placed so as to forward protrude from the face
209
a
of the front cover
209
.
When setting is to be performed through the first, second, or third switch
210
,
211
, or
212
, therefore, the worker rotates or operates the setting knob member
216
,
217
, or
218
.
In the operation section
200
used in another conventional electronic apparatus, as shown in
FIG. 16
, the setting knob members
216
,
217
, and
218
are not disposed in the first, second, and third switches
210
,
211
, and
212
, and cross grooves
219
,
220
, and
221
may be disposed in the centers of knobs (not shown) of the first, second, and third switches
210
,
211
, and
212
, respectively. The cross groove
219
of the first switch
210
is operably positioned in the first switch operation hole
213
of the front cover
209
. The cross groove
220
of the second switch
211
is operably positioned in the second switch operation hole
214
. The cross groove
221
of the third switch
212
is operably positioned in the third switch operation hole
215
.
When setting is to be performed through the first, second, or third switch
210
,
211
, or
212
, therefore, a tool (not shown) having an operation portion (not shown) in which an engaging projection (not shown) of a cross shape is formed at the tip end is used. Specifically, the operation portion of the tool is inserted into the first switch operation hole
213
(the second switch operation hole
214
or the third switch operation hole
215
) of the front cover
209
. The cross engaging projection of the operation portion is engaged with the cross groove
219
(
220
or
221
) of the first switch
210
(the second switch
211
or the third switch
212
). Thereafter, the tool is rotated, so that the first switch
210
(the second switch
211
or the third switch
212
) is rotated to change the setting.
In the former one of the conventional electronic apparatuses described above, for example, the setting knob member
216
of the first switch
210
is placed in the first switch operation hole
213
so as to forward protrude from the face
209
a
of the front cover
209
. Also the setting knob member
217
of the second switch
211
relating to the second switch operation hole
214
, and the setting knob member
218
of the third switch
212
relating to the third switch operation hole
215
are placed in a similar manner as the setting knob member
216
. Therefore, any one can rotate the setting knob member
216
,
217
, or
218
to change preset value, irrespective of whether the contents of the work are those allowed to only a specific worker or not. Consequently, such an apparatus has a problem in that it is impossible to prevent a preset value from being intentionally changed.
In the latter one of the conventional electronic apparatuses, the cross groove
219
of the first switch
210
is positioned in the first switch operation hole
213
of the front cover
209
, the cross groove
220
of the second switch
211
is positioned in the second switch operation hole
214
, and the cross groove
221
of the third switch
212
is positioned in the third switch operation hole
215
. Therefore, the cross grooves
219
,
220
, and
221
can be easily visually recognized from the outside. When a tool having an operation portion the tip end of which has a cross shape is used, therefore, any one (the user or the like) can rotate the setting knob member
216
,
217
, or
218
to change preset value, irrespective of whether the contents of the work are those allowed to only a specific worker or not. Consequently, also such an apparatus has a problem in that it is impossible to prevent a preset value from being intentionally changed.
The invention has been conducted in view of the above-discussed problems. It is an object of the invention to provide a key protection structure for an electronic apparatus which can prevent a preset value of a switch from being intentionally changed by the user or the like, and which, even when no software exists, can ensure a key protection function by a simple structure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to attain the object, according to a key protection structure for an electronic apparatus of a first aspect of the invention, in an electronic apparatus in which a switch operation hole corresponding to a switch operation portion of each of switches that are incorporated in a main unit of the apparatus is disposed in the apparatus main unit, and the switch is activated by operating the switch operation portion through the switch operation hole, the switch operation portion is covered by covering means in which covering is cancelled only by a special tool.
According to this configuration, when setting of the switch is once ended, the switch operation portion is covered by the covering means in which the covering is cancelled only by a special tool, whereby the switch can be locked (key-protected) so as not to be externally operated.
Therefore, the preset value can be prevented from being intentionally changed by a person who do not have the special tool, such as the user. Even an electronic apparatus in which software for key protection is not prepared can be provided with a key protection function by a simple structure.
Conventionally, some apparatuses have an input terminal or a switch for activating key protection, and realize a key protection function on the basis of an input operation performed on the terminal or the switch. In this case, such an apparatus requires a dedicated input terminal or switch. According to the invention, such an input terminal or a switch can be eliminated. In some electronic apparatuses; key protection is performed by covering the whole of a front portion by a cover. In this case, there arises a disadvantage that the cover may no t be removed away. According to the invention, it is possible to obtain a structure which can eliminate such a disadvantage and realize also space saving. Furthermore, the key protection level can be changed depending on the kind of the special tool, i.e., a dedicated key.
In order to attain the object, a key protection structure for an electronic apparatus of a second aspect of the invention is configured so that, in the key protection structure for an is electronic apparatus of the first aspect of the invention, the covering of the switch operation portion by the covering means is performed on one or more of the switches which is required to be covered.
According to this configuration, the same effect
Ogawa Tadahiko
Takakuwa Hajime
Tomioka Kiyotaka
Yamamoto Hiroyuki
Datskovsky Michael
Morrison & Foerster / LLP
Omron Corporation
Picard Leo P.
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