Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Special application – Steering wheel – shaft or column mounted
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-28
2001-07-31
Friedhofer, Michael (Department: 2832)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Special application
Steering wheel, shaft or column mounted
Reexamination Certificate
active
06268576
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Detailed Description of the Invention
The present invention relates to a switch apparatus for a steering wheel, and more particularly to a switch apparatus for a steering wheel for switching an electrical apparatus or the like to be used for an automobile.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With reference to the drawings, the description will be made of a conventional switch apparatus for a steering wheel.
FIG. 5
is a plan view showing the conventional switch apparatus for the steering wheel, and
FIG. 6
is a partial enlarged sectional view taken on line
6
—
6
of FIG.
5
.
As shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
, a steering wheel
10
is generally constructed of: a substantially annular ring section
1
; a pad section
3
disposed in the central portion of the ring section
1
; and a spoke section
2
for connecting the ring section
1
to the pad section
3
.
This steering wheel
10
is rotatively connected to a vehicle body through a steering shaft (not shown).
In other words, the vehicle body is capable of being turned to the right or the left by operating the steering wheel
10
.
On the surface of the pad section
3
, a plurality of (for example, two) recesses
3
a
are provided near the ring section
1
. On the bottom wall of the recess
3
a,
there is provided a rectangular hole
3
b
respectively. These holes
3
b
are provided at positions respectively where they are axial symmetrical about the center line of the steering wheel
10
.
Within the pad section
3
, a switch apparatus
4
having an operating section
4
a
is disposed by appropriate means in a state connected to a printed circuit board
5
. At this time, the operating section
4
a
of the switch apparatus
4
is disposed such that it protrudes from the hole
3
b
of the recess
3
a
outwardly and that the top surface of the operating section
4
a
is substantially flush with that of the pad section
3
.
This switch apparatus
4
is constructed such that when the operating section
4
a
is depressed (in a direction indicated by an arrow G), the switch apparatus
4
is turned ON, and when the depression of the operating section
4
a
is stopped, the operating section
4
a
automatically returns to the original position to turn OFF.
Next, the description will be made of an operation of the switch apparatus for the steering wheel.
First, when an operator (for example, driver of the vehicle) depresses the operating section
4
a
of the switch apparatus
4
with, for example, his or her thumb with the ring section
1
of the steering wheel
10
grasped by hands, the switch apparatus
4
is turned ON, and when the depression of the operating section
4
a
with the thumb is stopped, it is turned OFF.
By such an operation, the switch apparatus
4
is turned ON or OFF, and for example, selected station for a radio receiver, setting of auto-cruising, muting of an acoustic apparatus and the like can be switched.
In the conventional switch apparatus for the steering wheel, however, since the ON-OFF operation of the switch apparatus
4
is performed only by depressing the operating section
4
a,
the switch apparatus
4
is to be operated by the thumb in a state in which the ring section
1
is grasped by hands, and accordingly, there is no degree of freedom, but there arises demand to increase the degree of freedom in view of operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a switch apparatus for the steering wheel having a degree of freedom in view of operation of the switch apparatus and easy to operate.
The switch apparatus for the steering wheel according to the present invention is constructed such that a switch body section is mounted onto a steering wheel having a ring section, a pad section and a spoke section, an operating section for driving the switch body section is caused to protrude into space surrounded by the ring section, the pad section and the spoke section of the steering wheel, and it is made possible to operate the operating section from two directions, in such a manner that the same switch signal can be outputted in the operation from either direction.
The switch apparatus for the steering wheel according to the present invention is constructed such that a first end section of the operating section is caused to protrude into a space section between the ring section and the pad section of the steering wheel in such a manner that the first end section can be operated by fingers with the ring section grasped by hands.
The switch apparatus for the steering wheel according to the present invention is constructed such that a switch body section is mounted within the pad section of the steering wheel, an operating section for driving the switch body section is caused to protrude outwardly of the pad section, and it is made possible to operate the operating section from two directions in such a manner that the same switch signal can be outputted in the operation from either direction.
The switch apparatus for the steering wheel according to the present invention is constructed such that a switch body section is mounted within the spoke section of the steering wheel, an operating section for driving the switch body section is caused to protrude outwardly of the spoke section, and it is made possible to operate the operating section from two directions in such a manner that the same switch signal can be outputted in the operation from either direction.
The switch apparatus for the steering wheel according to the present invention is constructed such that a first end section of the operating section is caused to protrude into a space section between the ring section and the spoke section of the steering wheel in such a manner that the first end section can be operated by fingers with the ring section grasped by hands.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4518836 (1985-05-01), Wooldridge
patent: 5365803 (1994-11-01), Kelley et al.
patent: 5520066 (1996-05-01), Tueri
patent: 5569893 (1996-10-01), Seymour
patent: 5756950 (1998-05-01), De Filippo
patent: 5855144 (1999-01-01), Parada
patent: 5949149 (1999-09-01), Shitanaka et al.
Alps Electric Co. ,Ltd.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Friedhofer Michael
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