Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Special application – Turn indicator type switches
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-14
2001-12-25
Friedhofer, Michael (Department: 2832)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Special application
Turn indicator type switches
C200S061300, C200S061350
Reexamination Certificate
active
06333475
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a lever switch, and more particularly to a lever switch for a vehicle disposed near the steering wheel of an automobile, a compound switch having such lever, and a vehicle using such lever switch.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A lever switch for vehicle is generally disposed near the steering wheel of an automobile. The lever switch is used for the purpose of changing over the function of headlights, turn signal for direction indication, wiper motor for operating wipers of windshield and rear window, and washer motor for ejecting washer liquid to the windowpane.
A conventional lever switch is explained by referring to
FIG. 9
to FIG.
12
.
FIG. 9
is a plan sectional view of a conventional lever switch.
FIG. 10
is a perspective exploded view of the lever switch shown in FIG.
9
.
FIG. 11
is a side sectional view of the lever switch shown in FIG.
9
. In
FIG. 9
to
FIG. 11
, the lever switch has a case
1
and a lever switch
2
. The case
1
is a box, with an opening formed at the right side, and is made of polyacetal or other resin. An operation lever
2
protrudes from the opening of the case
1
. A coil spring
3
and a ball
4
are contained in a hole
2
A at the leading end of the root side of the operation lever
2
. A through-hole
2
B is formed at both sides of the lever switch
2
. A through-hole
5
A is formed at the side of a sliding element
5
. A shaft
6
is inserted in the through-hole
2
B and through-hole
5
A, and the operation lever
2
is rotatably provided at the right end of the sliding element
5
.
A shaft portion
5
B of the sliding element
5
is inserted into a support hole
1
A, and is rotatably accommodated in the case
1
. A moderator pin
8
being thrust to a coil spring
7
in a relatively deflected state is put in a hole
5
C at the left end of the sliding element
5
.
A moderator plate
9
is formed of a resin of low hardness such as elastomer. This moderator plate
9
comprises a moderation ditch
9
A in a concave shape formed in the center, moderation protrusions
9
B formed at both ends, and a sliding surface
9
C linking them in an inclination. The moderator plate
9
is held and fixed at the left inner side wall of the case
1
. The leading end of the moderator pin
8
elastically contacts with the moderation ditch
9
A.
A cover
10
covers the lower side opening of the case
1
. Beneath the cover
10
, there is a switch contact point (not shown) for electrically opening and closing by the rotation of the sliding element
5
. The lever switch is composed in this structure.
In this structure, in
FIG. 9
, the operation lever
2
is located at the neutral position. When the operation lever
2
is manipulated in the lower direction from the neutral position, as shown in
FIG. 12
, the sliding element
5
rotates in the upper direction from the fulcrum of the shaft portion
5
B supported on the case
1
. Accordingly, the moderator pin
8
being thrust to the coil spring
7
departs from the moderation ditch
9
A of the moderator plate
9
, and elastically slides on the sliding surface
9
C.
Where the sliding element
5
contacts with the upper inner side wall of the case
1
, the moderator pin
8
elastically slides from the sliding surface
9
C to the moderation protrusion
9
B. At this time, the deflection amount of the coil spring
7
changes. As a result, the operator feels a moderate sensation of manipulation from the operator lever
2
. By such rotation of the sliding element
5
, the switch contact point at the lower position is opened and closed electrically.
When the operation lever
2
is returned from the lower position to the neutral position, or when the operation lever
2
is manipulated in the upper direction from the neutral position, similarly, the moderator pin
8
slides elastically on the moderation ditch
9
A, sliding surface
9
C, and moderation protrusions
9
B of the moderator plate
9
. As the deflection amount of the coil spring
7
changes at these positions, a moderate sensation at each position is obtained.
From the fulcrum of the through-hole
2
B in which the shaft
6
is inserted, the operation lever
2
can be manipulated in both forward and backward directions. In this case, the ball
4
being thrust to the coil spring
3
contained in the hole
2
A of the operation lever
2
elastically contacts with the sliding element
5
. As a result, a moderate sensation of manipulation is obtained, and by rotation of the operation lever
2
, the switch contact point at the lower position is opened and closed electrically.
In the conventional lever switch, however, when the sliding element
5
is rotated by manipulation of the operation lever
2
, in particular, the operation lever
2
returns from the upper or lower direction to the neutral position, and the moderator pin
8
departs from the sliding surface
9
C of the moderator plate
9
and elastically contacts with the moderation ditch
9
A, and at this time, as the moderator pin
8
hits against the moderation ditch
9
A, a collision sound is generated due to inertia of the coil spring
7
inclined to elongate, or rattling of moderator pin
8
or coil spring
7
in the hole
5
C of the sliding element
5
.
It is hence an object of the invention to present a lever switch operating silently, with a favorable sensation of manipulation, by lowering the collision sound occurring when manipulating the lever switch, and a compound switch using the same.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A lever switch of the invention comprises:
a case having an opening and an inner wall,
a sliding element rotatably provided in the case,
an operation lever coupled to the sliding element, and protruding from the opening,
a moderator pin disposed in the hole of the sliding element,
a moderator plate disposed in the case, and
a switch contact point,
in which the moderator plate is disposed at a position where the leading end of the moderator pin elastically contacts with the moderator plate,
the moderator plate has a moderation ditch in a concave shape, moderation protrusions positioned at both ends of the moderation ditch, and a sliding surface linking the moderation ditch and moderation protrusions,
the sliding surface has a thin portion so as to be deflected by pressure of the moderator pin,
when the operation lever is manipulated, while the sliding element is rotating, the moderator pin slides on the surface of the moderation protrusions, sliding surface, and moderation ditch,
the sliding surface is deflected by the pressure of the moderator pin, and
at the same time, the switch contact point opens or closes electrically depending on the rotation of the sliding element.
A compound switch of the invention has a plurality of lever switches, and each lever switch of the plurality of lever switches has the above lever switch.
A vehicle of the invention comprises:
a steering wheel having a shaft,
a housing disposed at the outer side of the shaft, and
a plurality of lever switches disposed protruding from the housing,
in which each lever switch of the plurality of lever switches has the above lever switch.
In this structure, the lever switch manipulation is silent. Further, a lever switch of an excellent manipulation sensation is obtained.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4281232 (1981-07-01), Hirai et al.
patent: 4767895 (1988-08-01), Parrish
patent: 5120914 (1992-06-01), Kerner et al.
patent: 5196662 (1993-03-01), Hofmann
patent: 5652417 (1997-07-01), Tsai et al.
patent: 5760355 (1998-06-01), Glowczewski et al.
patent: 5900601 (1999-05-01), Uchiyama
patent: 5949040 (1999-09-01), Hayakawa et al.
patent: 6194676 (2001-02-01), Takahashi et al.
Friedhofer Michael
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
McDermott & Will & Emery
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