Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Electric switch details – Cases and bases
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-02
2003-06-10
Scott, J. R. (Department: 2832)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Electric switch details
Cases and bases
C200S306000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06576854
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waterproof switch used in an door such as a tail gate, a backdoor, a trunk lid and the like of a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a mechanism for opening and closing the tail gate, the backdoor or the like, for example, there has been conventionally a structure shown in
FIG. 1
which corresponds to a structure described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
2000-177397.
FIG. 1
is a cross sectional view showing an opening and closing mechanism of a tail gate for opening and closing a rear opening of a motor vehicle.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, a tail gate
101
forms a closed sectional structure by combining an outer panel OP and an inner panel IP, and has a lock apparatus
103
in a lower portion thereof. The lock apparatus
103
is structured such that a latch is engaged with and disengaged from a striker
107
provided in a rear opening
105
of a vehicle body, whereby the lock apparatus
103
can lock the tail gate
101
and cancel the lock of the tail gate
101
with respect to a side of the vehicle body. An operation handle
109
is supported to the tail gate
101
. The operation handle
109
and the lock apparatus
103
are interlocked by a connecting rod
111
.
Accordingly, by operating the operation handle
109
, it is possible to interlock the lock apparatus
103
via the connecting rod
111
, cancel an engagement of the latch with respect to the striker
107
and cancel the lock of the tail gate
101
.
However, as mentioned above, in the structure that the lock is canceled by the operation handle
109
formed by the link connection, a play is easily generated and an operating load of the operation handle
109
becomes great. Further, a weight is increased due to a weight of the operation handle
109
and the connection rod
111
.
On the contrary, when the lock apparatus
103
is structured such as to be driven by a solenoid, a waterproof switch is provided in place of the operation handle
109
and the lock and the lock cancellation of the lock apparatus
103
are executed by the waterproof switch, it is possible to restrict the play, reduce the operation load and further reduce the weight as a whole, as is different from the link connection.
However, in the case of the structure in which the lock apparatus
103
is electrically operated by the waterproof switch, a waterproof property of the waterproof switch comes into problem.
That is, with respect to a penetration from an outer side of the outer panel OP, not only is it necessary to waterproof between the waterproof switch and the outer panel OP, but also it is necessary to achieve a waterproof function when the water penetrating between the outer panel OP and the inner panel IP from other portions is applied to the waterproof switch therewithin.
Accordingly, a seal member such as an O-ring or the like is required within and out of the outer panel OP, so that a number of the parts is increased, and it becomes troublesome to assemble and control the parts, whereby a cost is increased.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a waterproof switch which can electrically open and close an opening and closing body of a vehicle body, for example, in the manner mentioned above, having a seal member for proofing water hold in a side of the waterproof switch, and can sufficiently proof water within and out of a panel without increasing a number of parts.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a waterproof switch comprising:
a base mounted to a panel constituting an door of a vehicle body and provided with a seal surface;
a push rod supported to the base and having a head portion facing from a hole of the panel, the head portion being pressed, thereby moving against an urging force so as to open or close a contact point;
a seal member provided with a head cover portion covering a head portion of the push rod, a panel seal portion opposing to the panel around the hole of the panel, and a base seal portion disposed in the panel seal portion with an interval and opposing to a seal surface of the base around the push rod; and
a case provided with a mounting and engaging portion mounted to the base in such a manner as to freely engage with and disengage from the base, and a seal assist portion interposed between a panel seal portion and a base seal portion in the seal member, pressing the base seal portion to a seal surface of the base in a mounting state of the mounting and engaging portion and closely attaching the panel seal portion to the panel at a time of supporting the panel seal portion so as to mount the base to a side of the panel.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a waterproof switch as recited in the first aspect, further comprising an engagement hole provided in one of the mounting and engaging portion of the case and the base and an engagement convex portion provided in the other, wherein the case is slid with respect to the base so as to engage the engagement hole with the engagement convex portion, and the seal assist portion presses the base seal portion to the seal surface of the base.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a waterproof switch as recited in the second aspect, wherein the seal assist portion of the case is constituted by a flange-shaped panel seal assist portion closely in contact with the panel seal portion, and an orbital-shaped base seal assist portion protruding from the panel seal assist portion and having a front end pressing the base seal portion.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a waterproof switch as recited in the third aspect, wherein the case has a drain hole communicating with an outer peripheral side of the base seal assist portion.
In accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a waterproof switch as recited in any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the panel seal portion of the seal member has a crushed margin in an outer peripheral side of a surface opposing to the panel.
In accordance with the first aspect of the invention, the seal member is provided with the head cover portion covering the head portion of the push rod of the waterproof switch, the panel seal portion opposing to the panel around the hole of the panel to which the waterproof switch is mounted, and the base seal portion disposed in the panel seal portion with an interval and opposing to the seal surface of the base around the push rod, the seal assist portion of the case is interposed between the panel seal portion of the seal member and the base seal portion, the mounting and engaging portion of the case is mounted to the base in such a manner as to freely engage with and disengage from the base. The seal assist portion presses the base seal portion to the seal surface of the base in this mounting state, supports the panel seal portion and closely attaches the panel seal portion to the panel at a time of mounting the base to the side of the panel so as to establish a seal.
In the manner mentioned above, since the head portion of the push rod is covered by the head cover portion, the panel seal portion is closely in contact with the panel in the periphery of the hole of the panel so as to establish the seal. The base seal portion is pressed to the seal surface of the base so as to establish the seal. The water which is going to penetrate from an external portion of the hole of the panel facing to the head portion of the push rod can be waterproofed by the head cover portion and the panel seal portion. Further, with respect to the water penetrating to an inner portion of the panel from the other portions, it is possible to waterproof by the base seal portion. Accordingly, it is possible to sufficiently achieve a waterproof inside and outside the panel.
Further, since the head cover portion, the panel seal portion and the base seal portion can be integrally formed a
Sekino Yutaka
Yamanaka Makoto
Jordan and Hamburg LLP
Niles Parts Co., Ltd.
Scott J. R.
LandOfFree
Waterproof switch does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Waterproof switch, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Waterproof switch will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3090936