[0001] The present invention relates to an operating mechanism of a rotary electric component
which operates by rotating a rotation knob employed in rotary electric components
such as a rotary switch or a rotary volume control.
[0002] A rotary electric component is mounted on a printed circuit board when it is incorporated
in an apparatus. Conventionally, such a rotary electric component has a rotation shaft
carrying an operation knob. For example, an air-conditioner mounted in a vehicle adopts
the following mechanism: a rotary electric component inside the apparatus is manually
operated by a user turning an operation knob, which is exposed on a housing (an exterior
panel) covering the printed circuit board; the operation knob rotates in a circular
opening provided in the housing, and the torque is transmitted to the rotation shaft
of the rotary electric component through a connecting shaft arranged at the center
of the operation knob.
[0003] A conventional rotary electric component is disclosed in DE-A-1951640.
[0004] Recently, there has been a tendency to minimize the clearance defined between the
opening of the housing and the operation knob in order to improve the appearance of
the housing, which users are concerned about. However, such minimization causes the
movement of the operation knob in the radial direction to be restricted by the inner
peripheral surface of the opening. As a result, it leads to a problem: if the relative
positions between the rotary electric component mounted on the printed circuit board
and the operation knob positionally restricted by the hosing are deviated due to an
occurrence of errors between their mounted positions when the printed circuit board
is fixed to the housing, the operation knob is leaned in the deviating direction to
come into press contact with the inner peripheral surface of the opening; eventually,
this causes the operational feel to seem much worse to the user when the operation
knob is used. Thus, there has been adopted a conventional method, in which the printed
circuit board is fixed to the housing with the terminal of the rotary electric component
being inserted into the terminal insertion hole of the printed circuit board; the
connecting shaft of the operation knob is attached to the rotation shaft of the rotary
electric component by utilizing the clearance between the terminal insertion hole
and the terminal; and, then, the terminal protruding from the terminal insertion hole
is manually soldered on a land on the back of the printed circuit board. Consequently,
this becomes a significant factor which degrades efficiency in assembly work.
[0005] Accordingly, in order to solve this problem, the present invention provides a structure
in which there is arranged a connecting shaft at the center of an operation knob through
the intermediation of a plurality of flexible members, the free end of the connecting
shaft being engaged with a rotation shaft of the rotary electric component mounted
on the printed circuit board. This arrangement offers the following advantages. For
example, even if deviation occurs in the relative positions between the operation
knob, the radial movement of which is restricted by the housing, and the rotary electric
component mounted on the printed circuit board, this deviation is absorbed by swinging
of the connecting shaft on the part where the shaft is joined to the flexible members.
Accordingly, not only can this prevent the operational feel for the user from worsening
when the operation knob is used, but also can contribute to the assembly work being
allowed to be such that the rotary electric component is mounted on the printed circuit
board in advance.
[0006] According to the present invention there is provided a rotary electrict device according
to claim 1.
[0007] The operation knob may be an integrally formed unit. However, it is also possible
for the operation knob to include a first operation member which is rotatably supported
by the housing by means of a snap action or the like, and a second operation member
which encloses the first operation member; provision of the flexible members and the
connecting shaft on the first operation member side allows both the first and second
operation members to be formed simply without using a slide core. Furthermore, the
printed circuit board can be integrated with the housing in a state in which the first
operation member is combined with the housing, resulting in an improvement in efficiency
of assembly work.
[0008] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of an operating mechanism of a rotary electric
component according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a main component which is to be provided
in the operating mechanism; and
Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a main component, which is to be provided
in the operating mechanism of a rotary electric component according to another embodiment.
[0009] A description will be given of an embodiment of the present invention referring to
the drawings. Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of the operating mechanism
of a rotary electric component employed in the embodiment. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective
view of a main component, which is to be provided in the operating mechanism.
[0010] In these Figs. 1 and 2, numeral 1 indicates a printed circuit board, on which a flat
type of rotary switch 2, or any other rotary electric component, which is not shown
here, is mounted by soldering. The inner mechanism of the rotary switch 2 is not illustrated.
The rotary switch 2 is a well-known type, and has a rotation shaft 3 being exposed
on the top surface of a casing; operation by rotating the rotation shaft 3 allows
a contact to be switched on and off. A housing 4 is positioned on an upper part of
a printed circuit board 1, and the printed circuit board 1 are fixed to the housing
4 by means of screws or the like, directly or through the intermediation of an arbitrary
member. In the housing 4 there is formed a cylindrical recess 5, in the bottom of
which is formed a circular opening 6; and a cosmetic panel 7 is attached to the housing
4, in which there is formed a hole 8 which has an equivalent diameter to that of the
opening 6.
[0011] Numeral 9 indicates a first operation member formed of synthetic resin, in which
there is integrally formed a cam 10 having a plurality of click grooves 10a on the
periphery thereof, a cylindrical part 11 extending in the upward direction from the
cam 10, four flexible members 12 extending crosswise toward the center from the inner
peripheral surface of the cylindrical part 11, and a connecting shaft 13 extending
vertically in the downward direction from the intersection of the flexible members
12; the top end of the connecting shaft 13 is linked to the inner peripheral surface
of the cylindrical part 11 through the intermediation of the flexible members 12.
On the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical part 11 there are formed a plurality
of snap claws 11a; insertion of the cylindrical part 11 into the opening 6 through
the back of the housing 4 and engagement of each of the snap claws 11a on the periphery
of the opening 6 permits the first operation member 9 to be disposed rotatably in
the housing 4 by using the opening 6 as a guiding portion. In this state, a click
spring (not shown) is in elastic contact with the click grooves 10a of the cam 10,
so that a clicking feel can be generated as the first operation member 9 rotates.
On the other hand, at the lower end of the connecting shaft 13 there is formed an
engaging portion 13a, which has a semi-circular formed section; the engaging portion
13a is inserted into an engaging hole 3a with a semi-circular formed section, which
is formed on the rotation shaft 3 of the rotary switch 2.
[0012] Numeral 14 indicates a second operation member formed of synthetic resin, in which
a cylindrical coupling part 15 and a knob 16 extending upwardly from the top surface
of the coupling part 15 are integrally formed with each other; fixing the coupling
part 15 to the cylindrical part 11 by means of press fitting, snap action, or the
like, permits the first operation member 9 and the second operation member 14 to be
formed integrally so as to make an operation knob.
[0013] The following description refers to an assembly work of the above embodiment. In
this case, the rotary switch 2 is beforehand soldered in a predetermined position
on the printed circuit board 1, while the first operation member 9 is rotatably disposed
in the opening 6 of the housing 4. Then, in this state, the printed circuit board
1 is fixed to the housing 4 by using an appropriate means so as to insert the engaging
portion 13a of the first operation member 9 into the engaging hole 3a of the rotary
switch 2. At this time, even if the center of the rotation shaft 3 deviates from the
center of the connecting shaft 13 due to mounting errors or the like, the connecting
shaft 13 joined to the flexible members 12 with little rigidity is formed in such
a manner that it can swing using the top end side thereof as a fulcrum, so that the
deviation between the centers can be absorbed by the swinging of the connecting shaft
13. Then, the coupling part 15 is fitted onto the cylindrical part 11 exposed in the
opening 6 so as to integrate the first operation member 9 with the second operation
member 14; and the cosmetic panel 7 is attached to the housing 4 to complete the assembly
as shown in Fig. 1.
[0014] In the use of the mechanism, when a user manipulates the knob 16 of the second operation
member 14 by a rotating operation, the first operation member 9 which is integrated
with the second operation member 14 rotates by using the opening 6 of the housing
4 as a guiding portion; the torque is transmitted to the rotation shaft 13 through
the flexible members 12 and the connecting shaft 13, so that the contact of the rotary
switch 2 is switched on and off as the rotation shaft 3 rotates. In this case, as
mentioned above, since the deviation between the center of the connecting shaft 13
and that of the rotation shaft 3 is absorbed by deformation of the flexible members
12, the first operation member 9 smoothly rotates in the opening 6, with the result
that a satisfactory operational feel (of the first operation member 9 and the second
operation member 14) is maintained for the user who manipulates the operation knob.
[0015] In an embodiment of Fig. 3, the top end of the connecting shaft 13 is linked to the
inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical part 11 through the intermediation of
flexible members 12, which are formed in a corrugated configuration, wherein the substantial
spring span of each of the flexible members 12 is made long enough to permit an easy
deformation.
[0016] The above embodiment employs a flat type rotary switch as an example of a rotary
electric component. This invention, however, is applicable to other types of rotary
electric components such as a rotary volume control, a rotary encoder, and even to
a type of rotary electric component with a rotation shaft protruding from the top
surface of a casing.
[0017] Furthermore, while in the above embodiment the cylindrical part 11 of the first operation
member 9 and the connecting shaft 13 are linked to the four flexible members 12, the
number and shape of the flexible members 12, however, are not to be limited to those
of the case described above, and can be changed as required.
[0018] The present invention is implemented as described above and gives the following advantages.
[0019] The present invention provides an operating mechanism, comprising a rotary electric
component mounted on a printed circuit board, an operation knob for rotating a rotation
shaft of the rotary electric component, and a housing for housing the operation knob
in the rotating direction, wherein a connecting shaft is arranged at the center of
the operation knob through the intermediation of a plurality of flexible members,
the free-end side of the connecting shaft being engaged in the rotation shaft of the
rotary electric component, whereby, even if a deviation is produced in the relative
positions between the operation knob, whose radial movement is restricted by the housing,
and the rotary electric component mounted on the printed circuit board, the deviation
is absorbed by such means that the connecting shaft swings by using a contact of the
shaft with the flexible members as a fulcrum. Accordingly, this enables the operational
feel for the user who rotates the knob to be prevented from worsening. Furthermore,
an assembly can be performed in a state in which the rotary electric component is
mounted beforehand on the printed circuit board.
[0020] Also, by an arrangement in which the operation knob is composed of a first operation
member rotatably supported by the housing by means of snap action or the like, and
a second operation member enclosing the first operation member, the flexible members
and the connecting shaft being disposed on the first operation member side, a simple
formation of the first operation member and the second operation member without using
a slide core is feasible. Moreover, since the printed circuit board is formed integrally
with the housing in a state in which the first operation member is combined with the
housing, more enhanced assembly efficiency is obtainable.
1. A rotary electric device comprising an operating mechanism and a rotary electric component
(2); the operating mechanism comprising an operation knob (16) for rotatably operating
a rotation shaft (3) of the rotary electric component (2), and a housing (4) for guiding
the operation knob in the rotating direction, characterized in that the rotary electric component is mounted on a printed circuit board (1) and in that a connecting shaft (13) arranged at the operation knob, so as to be connected to
the rotation shaft (3) of the rotary electric component (2), is connected to the operation
knob via a plurality of flexible members (12) which are adapted to deform to allow
the connecting shaft to tilt against the rotation shaft (3) of the rotary electric
component (2) to compensate for misalignment between the rotation shaft and the connection
shaft.
2. A rotary electric device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the operation knob includes a first operation member (9) which is rotatably supported
by the housing (4), and a second operation member (14) which encloses the first operation
member (9), the flexible members (12) and the connecting shaft (13) being disposed
in the first operation member (9).
3. A rotary electric device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the flexible members (12) are formed in a straight-line configuration to link the
connecting shaft (13) with the operation knob.
4. A rotary electric device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the flexible members (12) are formed in a corrugated configuration to link the connecting
shaft (13) with the operation knob.
5. A rotary electric device according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, characterized in that the flexible members (12) include four pieces.
6. A rotary electric device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the first operation member (9) has snap claws (11a) for rotatably fixing by snapping
it to the housing (4).
7. A rotary electric device according to Claim 2, characterized in that click grooves (10a), which are in elastic contact with a click spring, are arranged
around the peripheral edge of the first operation member (9).
1. Drehbare elektrische Vorrichtung, die einen Betätigungsmechanismus und ein drehbares
elektrisches Bauteil (2) umfasst, das auf einer Leiterplatte (1) montiert ist; der
Betätigungsmechanismus einen Betätigungsknopf (16) zur drehbaren Betätigung einer
Rotationswelle (3) des drehbaren elektrischen Bauteils (2) , und ein Gehäuse (4) zur
Führung des Betätigungsknopfs in der Drehrichtung umfasst, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das drehbare elektrische Bauteil auf einer Leiterplatte (1) montiert ist und dadurch,
dass ein Verbindungsschaft (13), der am Betätigungsknopf angeordnet ist, damit er
mit der Rotationswelle (3) des drehbaren elektrischen Bauteils (2) verbunden ist,
mit dem Betätigungsknopf über eine Vielheit von flexiblen Elementen (12) verbunden
ist, die adaptiert sind sich zu deformieren, um zu erlauben, dass sich der Verbindungsschaft
gegen die Rorationswelle (3) des drehbaren elektrischen Bauteils (2) neigt, um für
Ausrichtungsfehler zwischen der Welle und dem Verbindungsschaft zu kompensieren.
2. Drehbare elektrische Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Betätigungsknopf ein erstes Betätigungselement (9), das vom Gehäuse (4) drehbar
gestützt wird und ein zweites Betätigungselement (14) einschließt, das das erste Betätigungselement
(9) umgibt, wobei die flexiblen Elemente (12) und der Verbindungsschaft (13) im ersten
Betätigungselement (9) angeordnet sind.
3. Drehbare elektrische Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die flexiblen Elemente (12) in einer geradlinigen Konfiguration geformt sind, um
den Verbindungsschaft (13) mit dem Betätigungsknopf zu verbinden.
4. Drehbare elektrische Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die flexiblen Elemente (12) in einer Wellkonfiguration geformt sind, um den Verbindungsschaft
(13) mit dem Betätigungsknopf zu verbinden.
5. Drehbare elektrische Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 3 oder Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die flexiblen Elemente (12) vier Stücke einschließen.
6. Drehbare elektrische Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das erste Betätigungselement (9) Schnappklauen (11a) für drehbares Befestigen durch
Einschnappen in das Gehäuse (4) aufweist.
7. Drehbare elektrische Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass Einschnappnuten (10a), die mit einer Einschnappfeder in federndem Kontakt stehen,
um die periphere Kante des ersten Betätigungselements (9) angeordnet sind.
1. Un dispositif électrique rotatif comprenant un mécanisme de mise en marche et une
pièce électrique rotative (2); le mécanisme de mise en marche comprenant un bouton
de mise en marche (16) pour déclencher et faire tourner un arbre rotatif (3) de la
pièce électrique rotative (2) et un logement (4) pour guider le bouton de déclenchement
dans la direction de rotation, caractérisé en ce que la pièce électrique rotative est montée sur une carte imprimée (1) et en ce qu'un arbre de connexion (13), prévu près du bouton de déclenchement de façon à être
connecté à l'arbre de rotation (3) de la pièce électrique rotative (2), est connecté
au bouton de déclenchement par un nombre de membres flexibles (12) adaptés pour subir
une déformation afin de permettre à l'arbre de connexion de basculer contre l'arbre
de rotation (3) de la pièce électrique rotative (2) pour compenser le désalignement
entre l'arbre de rotation et l'arbre de connexion.
2. Un dispositif électrique rotatif selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que le bouton de déclenchement comprend un premier membre de fonctionnement (9) soutenu,
de façon à pouvoir tourner, par le logement (4), et un deuxième membre de fonctionnement
(14) englobant le premier membre de fonctionnement (9), les membres flexibles (12)
et l'arbre de connexion (13) étant disposés dans le premier membre de fonctionnement
(9).
3. Un dispositif électrique rotatif selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que les membres flexibles (12) sont formés en une configuration de ligne droite pour
relier l'arbre de connexion (13) avec le bouton de déclenchement.
4. Un dispositif électrique rotatif selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que les membres flexibles (12) sont formés en une configuration ondulée pour relier l'arbre
de connexion (13) au bouton de déclenchement.
5. Un dispositif électrique rotatif selon la revendication 3 ou 4, caractérisé en ce que les membres flexibles (12) comprennent quatre pièces.
6. Un dispositif électrique rotatif selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que le premier membre de fonctionnement (9) a des griffes (11a) à enclenchement pour
fixation rotative par enclenchement au logement (4).
7. Un dispositif électrique rotatif selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que des rainures d'encliquetage (10a) qui sont en contact élastique avec un ressort d'encliquetage,
sont disposées autour du rebord périphérique du premier membre fonctionnel (9).