Multiple switch apparatus

Abstract

 A multiple switch apparatus is provided with an operation mechanism part including a casing and plural operating bodies held in the casing to be freely movable upward and downward, and a switch mechanism part including plural switch elements each performing a switching operation by the upward and downward movements of each of the operating bodies, plural terminals for connecting the plural switch elements to an external equipment, and a base supporting the plural switch elements and the plural terminals, the operation mechanism part and the switch mechanism part are constructed by separate bodies, the base is fixed in the casing, and the operation mechanism part and the switch mechanism part are united.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a multiple switch apparatus, and particularly to a multiple switch apparatus suitable for use in an operation part of a range hood.

2. Description of the Related Art

[0002] Fig. 15 is a side view of a conventional multiple switch apparatus, viewed from its one side. As shown in the drawing, in this multiple switch apparatus, plural operating bodies 42 and a reset operating body 43 are held to be freely moved upward and downward in a box-shaped casing 41 with one side open in such a manner that upper ends of them are respectively projected by the urging force of return springs 50 through openings 41a provided at constant intervals on the upper surface of the casing 41, and a partition wall 45 having a support projection 44 and a fixed contact 46 made of a metal piece are provided between adjacent ones of the plural operating bodies 42 and the reset operating body 43 in the casing 41.

[0003] Besides, in the casing 41, one engagement plate 47 to engage with an engagement projection (not shown) formed at each of the plural operating bodies 42 and the reset operating body 43 is disposed to extend toward the array direction of the operating bodies 42, a common terminal 48 made of a metal flat plate is attached substantially parallel with the engagement plate 47, and a movable contact 49 made by bending a metal spring plate is supported while its bent part is fitted between the partition wall 45 and the support projection 44. Each of the movable contacts 49 is electrically connected to the common terminal 48 by causing its lower end to be subjected to pressure welding to the common terminal 48 by its own elastic force, and a portion higher than the bent part is engaged with a projection 42a formed at a side of each of the operating bodies 42 to constitute a switch element in combination with the fixed contact 46 opposed to an upper end with a predetermined interval.

[0004] When the upper end of any one of the operating bodies 42 is depressed, the engagement projection is engaged with the engagement plate 47, and the operating body 42 is held in a pressed state, and in accordance with the downward movement of the operating body 42, the engagement with the projection 42a is released, the movable contact 49 comes in contact with the fixed contact 46 by its own elastic force, and the switch element corresponding to the depressed operating body 42 is turned on.

[0005] Besides, when the upper end of the reset operating body 43 is depressed, the engagement of the engagement plate 47 with the above engagement projection is released, the operating body 42 held in the pressed state is returned upward by the urging force of the return spring 50, and in conjunction with the upward movement of the operating body 42, the movable contact 49 is separated from the fixed contact 46 by the projection 42a, and the switch element corresponding to the operating body 42 is put into the off state.

[0006] This multiple switch apparatus is assembled in such a manner that the engagement plate 47, the common terminal 48, and the plural fixed contacts 46 are attached and housed in the casing 41, and the plural operating bodies 42 and the reset operating body 43 are held in the casing 41 so that the respective upper ends are projected from the openings 41a by the return springs 50, and then, each of the plural movable contacts 49 is fitted into a place between the partition wall 45 and the support projection 44.

[0007] However, in the foregoing conventional multiple switch apparatus, there has been a problem that work is troublesome in which the bent part of each of the movable contacts 49 is fitted into the place between the partition wall 45 and the support projection 44, and the movable contacts 49 are respectively inserted into narrow spaces between the plural operating bodies 42 and the partition walls 45 in the casing 41, and it takes a lot of trouble over the assemblage.

[0008] Besides, there has been a problem that at the time of the assembling work, the bending angle of the movable contact 49 is changed by such a factor that the upper and lower ends of the movable contact 49 collide with the fixed contact 46 or the common terminal 48, and the switching operation of the switch element becomes unstable by the change of the spring characteristic of the movable contact 49.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances of the related art, and its object is to provide a multiple switch apparatus in which assembling work efficiency is excellent and a stable switching operation can be obtained.

[0010] In order to attain the above object, a multiple switch apparatus of the present invention comprises an operation mechanism part including a casing and plural operating bodies held in the casing to be freely movable upward and downward, and a switch mechanism part including plural switch elements each performing a switching operation by upward and downward movement of each of the operating bodies, plural terminals for connecting the plural switch elements to an external equipment, and a base supporting the plural switch elements and the plural terminals, and its most principal feature is that the operation mechanism part and the switch mechanism part are constructed by separate bodies, the base is fixed in the casing, and the operation mechanism part and the switch mechanism part are united.

[0011] Besides, in the above structure, each of the plural switch elements includes a fixed contact fixed to the base and a movable contact to come in contact with/to be separated from the fixed contact, and the movable contact is caulked and attached to the base.

[0012] Besides, in the above structure, the movable contact is made of a plate spring material having conductivity, the movable contact is brought into elastic contact with the fixed contact by its own elastic force in conjunction with a downward movement of the operating body, and the movable contact is separated from the fixed contact against its own elastic force in conjunction with an upward movement of the operating body.

[0013] Further, in the above structure, the base is disposed below the plural operating bodies, the plural switch elements are disposed on the base to be aligned along an array direction of the plural operating bodies, the movable contact is fixedly provided on the base in a cantilever state, and a free end side of the movable contact is extended in a same direction as the array direction of the operating bodies.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] 

Fig. 1 is a side view of a multiple switch apparatus of an embodiment of the invention in which a cover is removed, viewed from one side.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the multiple switch apparatus along a short hand direction.

Fig. 3 is a side view of an operation mechanism part constituting the multiple switch apparatus, viewed from one side.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a switch mechanism part constituting the multiple switch apparatus.

Fig. 5 is a side view viewed from its one side.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a base provided in the switch mechanism part.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view along 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view along 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view along 9-9 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a movable contact provided in the switch mechanism part.

Fig. 11 is a side view viewed from its one side.

Fig. 12 is a plan view showing a modified example of the movable contact.

Fig. 13 is a plan view showing a modified example of the switch mechanism part.

Fig. 14 is a side view viewed from its one side.

Fig. 15 is a side view of a conventional multiple switch apparatus viewed from one side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a multiple switch apparatus of the invention will be described on the basis of the drawings. Figs. 1 to 11 are for describing the embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a side view of a multiple switch apparatus of the embodiment of the invention in which a cover is removed, viewed from one side, and Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the multiple switch apparatus, along a short hand direction.

[0016] As shown in both the drawings, the multiple switch apparatus is mainly constituted by an operation mechanism part 1 including a long box-shaped casing 2 with one side open and plural operating bodies 3, 4, 5 and 6 held in the casing 2 to be freely movable upward and downward, and a switch mechanism part 14 provided with plural switch elements 29, 30, 31 and 32 respectively performing switching operations by upward and downward movements of the respective operating bodies 3, 4, 5 and 6, the casing 2 includes a cover 13 for closing the opened side, and a tube part 2c for connecting the inside and the outside of the casing 2 is integrally formed at the other side opposite to the cover 13.

[0017] Fig. 3 is a side view of the operation mechanism part, viewed from its one side, and as shown in the drawing, in the operation mechanism part 1, the plural operating bodies 3, 4, 5 and 6 and the reset operating body 7 are held in the casing 2 to be freely movable upward and downward while upper end parts are projected by urging force of return springs 8 from openings 2a provided on an upper surface of the casing 2 at constant intervals, a lift projection 9 including an arm part 9a is provided at each of the operating bodies 3 to 6, and a heart cam groove 6a for holding, when an upper end is depressed, a pressed state of the operating body 6 against elastic force of the return spring 8 in conjunction with a driving pin 10 swingably supported in the casing 2 is formed in the operating body 6.

[0018] Besides, in the casing 2, one engagement plate 11 including plural notches to engage with engagement projections (not shown) formed at the respective operating bodies 3, 4 and 5 and the reset operating body 7 is disposed to be freely reciprocated along the array direction of the operating bodies 3, 4 and 5, a compression spring 12 for urging the engagement plate 11 in a returning direction (direction of an arrow B) is interposed between the inner wall of the casing 2 and the engagement plate 11, and a fixing part 2b made of a pair of convex parts, for fixing a base 15 described later is formed to extend in a short hand direction of the casing 2.

[0019] When one of the operating bodies 3, 4 and 5, for example, the operating body 3 is depressed, the engagement projection of the operating body 3 is engaged with the notch of the engagement plate 11 corresponding to this, and by a component force generated from the engagement force, the engagement plate 11 is moved in a going direction (direction of an arrow A) against the urging force of the compression spring 12, and when the engagement projection passes the notch, the engagement plate 11 is returned in the returning direction (direction of the arrow B) by the urging force of the compression spring 12 to press the upper surface of the engagement projection of the operating body 3 to lock the operating body 3, and holds the operating body 3 in the pressed state against the urging force of the return spring 8.

[0020] As stated above, since the operating bodies 3, 4 and 5 move the engagement plate 11 once in the going direction (direction of the arrow A) by the engagement between the engagement projection and the notch in the middle of the depressing operation, when one of the operating bodies 3, 4 and 5 is depressed, the lock of the different operating body 3, 4 or 5 held already in the pressed state before that is released and it is returned upward by the return spring 8, and the depressed one of the operating bodies 3, 4 and 5 is kept in the pressed state by the engagement plate 11 returning in the returning direction (direction of the arrow B).

[0021] When all of the operating bodies 3, 4 and 5 are to be returned upward, the reset operating body 7 is depressed, and the engagement projection of the reset operating body 7 is engaged with the notch of the engagement plate 11 corresponding to this so that the engagement plate 11 is moved in the going direction (direction of the arrow A) against the urging force of the compression spring 12, and during this, the operating bodies 3, 4 and 5 are returned upward by the return springs 8. Even in the state where the reset operating body 7 is in the pressed state, the engagement projection of the reset operating body 7 does not pass the notch of the engagement plate 11 and the engagement state is kept, and therefore, when the depressing operation is stopped, the reset operating body 7 is returned upward by the urging force of the return spring 8.

[0022] Fig. 4 is a plan view of the switch mechanism part, Fig. 5 is a side view thereof viewed from its one side, Fig. 6 is a plan view of a base provided in the switch mechanism part, Fig. 7 is a sectional view along 7-7 of Fig. 6, Fig. 8 is a sectional view along 8-8 of Fig. 6, Fig. 9 is a sectional view along 9-9 of Fig. 6, Fig. 10 is a plan view of a movable contact provided in the switch mechanism part, and Fig. 11 is a side view thereof viewed from its one side.

[0023] As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the switch mechanism part 14 has such a structure that plural terminals 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 and plural movable contacts 22, 23, 24 and 25 are supported on a base 15 of a rectangular flat plate shape.

[0024] The base 15 is molded of an insulating synthetic resin material, and as shown in Fig. 6, plural square holes 15a and plural circular holes 15b and 15c are bored.

[0025] The terminal 16 is formed of a conductive metal flat plate, and is supported on the base 15 by insert molding while a tip is projected, a rear end branches and is exposed in the square hole 15a, a locking pawl 16c including a thin width rising part 16a and a locking pawl part 16b, and a positioning pawl 16d of a fork shape are integrally formed in the respective exposed parts by cutting and raising (Figs. 7 to 9).

[0026] The terminal 17 is formed of a conductive metal flat plate, and is supported on the base 15 by insert molding while a tip is projected, a rear end branches and is exposed in the circular hole 15b, and fixed contacts 17a, 17b and 17c like eyelet metal fittings are respectively fixed to the respective exposed portions of the terminal 17.

[0027] The terminals 18 to 21 are formed of conductive metal flat plates similarly to the terminals 16 and 17, and are supported on the base 15 by insert molding while the tips are projected, the respective rear ends are exposed in the circular holes 15c, and fixed contacts 18a, 19a, 20a and 21a like eyelet metal fittings are fixed to the respective exposed portions of the terminals 18 to 21.

[0028] The movable contacts 22 to 24 are formed of conductive thin plates, and as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, includes a flat plate support part 26, and a pair of spring pieces 27 and 28 rising from one edge of the support part 26 and folded back to the other edge side, a positioning hole 26a and a locking hole 26b are bored in the support part 26, and contact parts 27a and 28a like eyelet metal fittings are respectively fixed to free end sides of the pair of spring pieces 27 and 28.

[0029] Besides, as shown in Fig. 4, the movable contact 25 is different from the movable contacts 22 to 24 only in that the one spring piece 28 is removed from the movable contacts 22 to 24 so that a portion near a rising base point remains, and the other structure is the same as the movable contacts 22 to 24.

[0030] The positioning pawls 16d projecting from the respective square holes 15a of the base 15 are inserted through the positioning holes 26a, and the support parts 26 are caulked by the engagement pawls 16c inserted in the engagement holes 26b and pushed down in the direction of the arrow B, so that these movable contacts 22 to 25 are supported on the upper surface of the base 15 in a cantilever state. A switch element 29 is constituted by the movable contact 22 and the fixed contacts 17a and 18a, a switch element 30 is constituted by the movable contact 23 and the fixed contacts 17b and 19a, a switch element 31 is constituted by the movable contact 24 and the fixed contacts 17c and 20a, and a switch element 32 is constituted by the movable contact 25 and the fixed contact 21a.

[0031] Then, the base 15 of the switch mechanism part 14 is fitted in between the fixing parts 2b of the casing 2 so that it is united with the operation mechanism part 1, and when the switch mechanism part 14 is united with the operation mechanism part 1, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the respective ends of the plural terminals 16 to 21 are disposed in the tube parts 2c of the casing 2, the plural switch elements 29 to 32 are disposed on the base 15 to be aligned along the array direction of the plural operating bodies 3 to 6, and the free end sides of the movable contacts 22 to 25 are in the state where they are extended in the same direction as the array direction of the plural operating bodies 3 to 6.

[0032] Next, an assembling method of the multiple switch apparatus constructed as stated above will be described. First, the positioning pawls 16d and the locking pawls 16c projecting from the respective square holes 15a of the base 15 to which the plural terminals 16 to 21 are attached by the insert molding, and the fixed contacts 17a to 17c and the fixed contacts 18a, 19a, 20a and 21a are fixed, are respectively inserted to the positioning holes 26a and the locking holes 26b of the support part 26, the locking pawls 16c are pushed down in the direction of the arrow B, and the support part 26 is caulked by the locking pawls 16c, so that the movable contacts 22 to 25 are supported on the base 15, and the switch mechanism part 14 is assembled.

[0033] Next, the engagement plate 11 and the compression spring 12 are housed in the casing 2, and next, the lift projections 9 of the plural operating bodies 3, 4 and 5 are inserted through places between the pair of spring pieces 27 and 28 of the movable contacts 22, 23 and 24, the base 15 is fitted to the fixing parts 2b of the casing 2 to fix the switch mechanism part 14 to the casing 2 in the state where the arm parts 9a of the plural operating bodies 3, 4 and 5 are respectively brought into contact with the lower surfaces of the pair of spring pieces 27 and 28 of the movable contacts 22, 23 and 24, and the plural operating bodies 3, 4 and 5 are respectively disposed in the openings 2a of the casing 2.

[0034] Next, the operating body 6 and the reset operating body 7 are respectively disposed in the openings 2a of the casing 2, and the arm part 9a of the operating body 6 is brought into contact with the lower surface of the spring piece 27 of the movable contact 25, and next, the return springs 8 are attached to the upper surface of the casing 2, and the plural operating bodies 3 to 6 and the reset operating body 7 are returned upward by the urging force of the return springs 8. Then, the driving pin 10 is supported in the casing 2, and is engaged with the heart cam groove 6a of the operating body 6, and then, the cover 13 is fitted to the casing 2 and is attached.

[0035] Although the assemblage of the multiple switch apparatus is completed in this way, after the assemblage, the free end sides of the movable contacts 22 to 26 are engaged with the arm parts 9a of the lift projections of the plural operating bodies 3 to 6 and are raised upward, the contact parts 27a and 28a of the switch element 29 are respectively opposed to the fixed contacts 18a and 17a with intervals, the contact parts 27a and 28a of the switch element 30 are respectively opposed to the fixed contacts 19a and 17b with intervals, the contact parts 27a and 28a of the switch element 31 are respectively opposed to the fixed contacts 20a and 17c with intervals, and the contact part 27a of the switch element 32 is opposed to the fixed contact 21a with an interval.

[0036] The multiple switch apparatus of this embodiment is constructed and assembled as mentioned above, and its operation will next be described.

[0037] This multiple switch apparatus is incorporated in an external equipment such as a range hood installed on a room wall of a kitchen, and is used in a state where the external equipment and the plural terminals 16 to 21 are electrically connected through the connectors inserted in the tube parts 2c and electric supply to the terminal 16 is performed, and in the case where it is used in the range hood, a shutter apparatus of an air passage for performing air supply from the outdoors is connected to the terminal 17, a ventilation fan apparatus equipped in the range hood and for performing exhaustion from the interior of a room is connected to the terminals 18 to 20, an illuminator provided in the range hood is connected to the terminal 21, the switch elements 29 to 31 are assigned the operation control of the ventilation fan apparatus and the switching control of the shutter apparatus, and the switch element 32 is used as a lighting switch of the illuminator.

[0038] Then, for example, when the operating body 3 is depressed, the operating body 3 is held in the pressed state by the reciprocal movement of the foregoing engagement plate 11, and in conjunction with the downward movement of the operating body 3, the contact parts 27a and 28a of the movable contact 22 of the switch element 29 are brought into elastic contact with the fixed contacts 18a and 17a by its own elastic force and the switch element 29 is put into the on state, and by this, electrical continuity is obtained between the terminals 16 and 18, and between the terminals 16 and 17, electric supply is performed to the ventilation fan apparatus and the shutter apparatus through the connectors, the ventilation fan apparatus is operated, and the shutter apparatus puts the air passage into the open state.

[0039] Besides, when the operating body 4 or 5 is depressed in this state, the operating body 3 is returned upward by the reciprocating movement of the engagement plate 11 and by the return spring 8, and in conjunction with the upward movement of the operating body 3, the free end side of the movable contact 22 of the switch element 29 is raised by the arm part 9a, the contact parts 27a and 28a are separated from the fixed contacts 18a and 17a, and the switch element 3 is put into the off state, and instead of this, the operating body 4 or 5 is held in the pressed state, and in conjunction with the downward movement of the operating body 4 or 5, the contact parts 27a and 28a of the movable contact 23 or 24 of the switch element 30 or 31 are brought into elastic contact with the fixed contacts 19a and 17b or the fixed contact 20a and 17c, and the switch element 30 or 31 is put into the on state, and by this, electrical continuity is obtained between the terminals 16 and 19 or between the terminals 16 and 20, electric supply to the ventilation fan apparatus is performed through the connector, and the amount of exhaustion by the ventilation fan apparatus is changed.

[0040] At this time, since the electrical continuity between the terminals 16 and 17 is continued by the elastic contact between the contact part 28a of the movable contact 23 of the switch element 30 and the fixed contact 17b, or the elastic contact between the contact part 28a of the movable contact 24 of the switch element 31 and the fixed contact 17c, the open state of the air passage by the shutter apparatus is held and the air supply is continued, and therefore, smooth exhaustion by the ventilation fan apparatus is maintained.

[0041] When the exhaustion becomes unnecessary, the reset operating body 7 is depressed, so that the operating bodies 3, 4 and 5 are returned upward, the free end sides of the movable contacts 22, 23 and 24 of all the switch elements 29 to 31 are raised by the respective arm parts 9a and they are put into the off state, the operation of the ventilation fan apparatus is stopped, and the state of the air passage by the shutter apparatus is returned from the open state to the close state.

[0042] Besides, no matter whether the operating bodies 3 to 5 are in the pressed state or in the state returned upward, when the operating body 6 is depressed, the driving pin 10 holds the operating body 6 in the pressed state in cooperation with the heart cam groove 6a, and in conjunction with the downward movement of the operating body 6, the contact part 27a of the movable contact 25 of the switch element 32 is brought into elastic contact with the fixed contact 21a by its own elastic force and the switch element 32 is put into the on state, and electrical continuity is obtained between the terminals 16 and 21 by this to switch on the illuminator through the connector, and when the lighting becomes unnecessary, the operating body 6 in the pressed state is again depressed so that the operating body 6 is returned upward by the urging force of the return spring 8, and in conjunction with this, the movable contact 25 of the switch element 32 is raised by the arm part 9a, the contact part 27a is separated from the fixed contact 21a, the switch element 32 is returned to the off state, and the illuminator is switched off.

[0043] Then, in this multiple switch apparatus, the plural switch elements 29 to 32 and the plural terminals 16 to 21 are supported on the base 15 to form the switch mechanism part 14, the base 15 is fixed to the casing 2 and the switch mechanism part 14 is united with the operation mechanism part 1, so that the switch elements 29 to 32 can be housed in the casing 2 after they are assembled in a wide working space outside the casing 2, and therefore, the multiple switch apparatus can be obtained in which the trouble of assembling work of the switch elements 29 to 32 is settled and the switching operation is stable.

[0044] Besides, since the movable contacts 22 to 25 of the switch elements 29 to 32 are caulked and attached to the base 15, the attachment work can be simplified, and especially as in this embodiment, when the pair of spring pieces 27 and 28 are coupled by the one support part 26, the support part 26 is caulked, and the pair of spring pieces 27 and 28 are attached to the base 15 at the same time, the reduction in the assembling steps can be further promoted.

[0045] Besides, the movable contacts 22 to 25 of the switch elements 29 to 32 are made of the plate spring material having conductivity, and in conjunction with the downward movement of the operating bodies 3 to 6, they are respectively brought into elastic contact with the fixed contacts 17a, 17b and 17c and the fixed contacts 18a, 19a, 20a and 21a by their own elastic force, and in conjunction with the upward movement of the operating bodies 29 to 32, they are respectively separated from the fixed contacts 17a, 17b, and 17c and the fixed contacts 18a, 19a, 20a and 21a, so that the switch operation of the switch elements 29 to 32 can be performed in compliance with the upward and downward movements of the operating bodies 3 to 6.

[0046] Further, the switch elements 29 to 30 are disposed below the operating bodies 3 to 6 to be aligned along the array direction, the movable contacts 22 to 25 of the switch elements 29 to 32 are supported on the base 15 in the cantilever state, and the free end sides are respectively extended in the same direction as the array direction of the operating bodies 3 to 6, so that the switching operations of the switch elements 29 to 32 can be performed by slightly raising the free end sides of the respective movable contacts 22 to 25, and the stroke of the upward and downward movements of the operating bodies 3 to 6 can be made short as compared with the related art, and therefore, the size of the multiple switch apparatus in the up and down direction is made small and flattening and miniaturization thereof can be realized.

[0047] Incidentally, in this embodiment, although the description has been given of the case where the locking pawl 16c is pushed down and the movable contacts 22 to 25 are supported on the base 15, as shown in Fig. 12, the shapes of the locking holes 26b of the movable contacts 22 to 24 are slightly changed, and the shapes of the locking holes 26b of the movable contacts 25 are also changed similarly to this, and as shown in Figs. 13 and 14, the movable contacts 22 to 25 can also be supported on the base 15 by twisting the locking pawl part 16b of the locking pawl 16c inserted in the locking hole 26b, and in this case, since the support part 26 can be caulked by a taper portion of the lower end of the locking pawl part 16b, the movable contacts 22 to 25 can be simply and more firmly supported.

[0048] The present invention is carried out in the mode as described above, and has effects as set forth below.

[0049] The multiple switch apparatus of the invention is constituted by the operation mechanism part and the switch mechanism part, and the assemblage of the switch mechanism part can be completed by causing the plural switch elements and the plural terminals to be supported on the base at the outside of the casing of the operation mechanism portion to which this is to be fixed, the assembling work efficiency can be improved and the stable switching operations of the plural switch elements can be obtained.

[0050] Besides, since the plural switch elements respectively include fixed contacts fixed to the base and movable contacts to come in contact with/to be separated from the fixed contacts, and the movable contacts are caulked and attached to the base, the simplification of the attachment work can be realized.

[0051] Besides, the movable contact is made of a plate spring material having conductivity, the movable contact is brought into elastic contact with the fixed contact by its own elastic force in conjunction with the downward movement of the operating body, and the movable contact is separated from the fixed contact against its own elastic force in conjunction with the upward movement of the operating body, so that the switching operations of the plural switch elements can be performed in accordance with the upward and downward movements of plural operating bodies by the simple structure.

[0052] Moreover, the base is disposed below the plural operating bodies, the plural switch elements are disposed on the base to be aligned along the array direction of the plural operating bodies, the movable contacts are fixedly provided on the base in the cantilever state, and the free end sides of the movable contacts are extended in the same direction as the array direction of the plural operating bodies, so that the strokes of the plural operating bodies in the upward and downward movements can be made short, the size of the multiple switch apparatus in the up and down direction can be made small, and the flattening and miniaturization can be realized.

Claims

1. A multiple switch apparatus comprising:

an operation mechanism part including a casing and plural operating bodies held in the casing to be freely movable upward and downward; and

a switch mechanism part including plural switch elements each performing a switching operation by upward and downward movements of each of the operating bodies, plural terminals for connecting the plural switch elements to an external equipment, and a base supporting the plural switch elements and the plural terminals, characterized in that

the operation mechanism part and the switch mechanism part are constructed by separate bodies, and

the base is fixed in the casing, and the operation mechanism part and the switch mechanism part are united.

2. A multiple switch apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that
   each of the plural switch elements includes a fixed contact fixed to the base and a movable contact to come in contact with/to be separated from the fixed contact, and
   the movable contact is caulked and attached to the base.

3. A multiple switch apparatus as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that
   the movable contact is made of a plate spring material having conductivity, and
   the movable contact is brought into elastic contact with the fixed contact by its own elastic force in conjunction with a downward movement of the operating body, and the movable contact is separated from the fixed contact against its own elastic force in conjunction with an upward movement of the operating body.

4. A multiple switch apparatus as set forth in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that
   the base is disposed below the plural operating bodies,
   the plural switch elements are disposed on the base to be aligned along an array direction of the plural operating bodies,
   the movable contact is fixedly provided on the base in a cantilever state, and
   a free end side of the movable contact is extended in a same direction as the array direction of the operating bodies.

Drawing