[0001] The present invention relates to a switch adapted to be used as a remote controlling
switch for motor-driven rear view mirrors of a motor vehicle.
[0002] Each of a pair of motor-driven rear view mirrors mounted on a door, a fender or the
like, of a motor vehicle has two electric motors or the like, in its driving section,
said electric motors or the like being controlled by means of a switch inside the
vehicle so as to adjust the direction of inclination, horizontal or vertical, of each
mirror. The switch for controlling the motor-driven rear view mirrors is required
to have the functions of actuating each of said two electric motors of each mirror
independently, and changing the polarity of electric power supply thereto. Also, the
switch must be easy to fix in the instrument panel or the like.
[0003] To meet such requirements, the inventors have already invented a switch which, as
disclosed in JP-U-56-71428, comprises a housing, an operation member disposed within
said housing at a predetermined clearance from the inner walls of said housing, said
operation member being adapted to rock from its neutral position in the directions
meeting at right angles with one another, two switch elements disposed between a pair
of electrodes via a pressure-sensitive electrically conductive rubber sheet and arranged
by two at the four interval positions, and a switch for changing the polarity of a
power supply is formed of said switch elements.
[0004] However, the prior art switch has a deep shape and cannot be made small because the
operation member is rockably disposed within the housing and the switch elements are
disposed between the operation member and the four inner walls of the housing. Also
the switch is not very easy to fix in the instrument panel.
[0005] Furthermore, it does not provide sufficient assembling property and a good feeling
of use because the operation member has almost no stroke and does not click at all.
[0006] The known prior art comprises JP-U-54-169,775 which relates to an operation button
provided with projecting push buttons and JP-U-56-17 635 disclosing contact elements
in the form of crest shape.
[0007] It also comprises US-A-3 399 287 which relates to a switch comprising a base member,
an operation button mounted for rocking movement relative to the base member, a plurality
of contacts provided on the base member and operation button in confronting cooperation
relation, and interlock means for preventing simultaneous operation of more than an
intended number of contacts, said interlock means comprising a plurality of spaced
barriers of predetermined height located between and in alignment with the contacts
on the base member to engage the operation button during a rocking movement thereof
in a manner to prevent engagement of more than an intended number of contacts.
[0008] The present invention relates to a switch comprising means for preventing the simultaneous
operation of contacts, which are quite different from the interlock means disclosed
in US-A-3 399 287 and constitute a concept quite different from the known prior art.
[0009] Indeed, the switch according to the present invention comprises a housing, an insulating
board arranged in said housing, a plurality of stationary contact elements, each formed
of a pair of film electrodes and arranged around a specific central position on said
insulating board, an insulating sheet arranged on said insulating board, formed with
cushions of crest shape in section extending in the direction of said stationary contact
elements at positions corresponding to the positions of said elements, movable contacts
inside the top of said cushions, and forming switch elements with said stationary
contact elements, and an operation button provided at its bottom with four pressing
surfaces so divided by two diagonal lines that they respectively lie on top of two
of said cushions ; said operation button being square shaped and provided in the center
and the four corners of its bottom with projections respectively for preventing the
simultaneous operation of more than one pressing surface thereof.
[0010] The present invention will now be described in detail, with reference to the embodiment
illustrated in the enclosed drawings showing a switch for controlling motor driven
rear view mirrors of a motor vehicle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011]
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a multi-position electrically switch according to the present
invention,
Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line II-II in Fig. 1,
Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the insulating sheet,
Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the operation button,
Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view showing the insulating board,
Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the relative disposition of the switch elements on the
board, and
Fig. 7 is a circuit diagram showing the connecting relation of the switch elements.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0012] The constitution will be described, and numeral (1) in the drawings represents a
housing, (2) a printed board (an insulating board) which operates also as the bottom
plate of the housing (1). Disposed within the housing (1) are a switch S₁ forming
a switch for changing the polarity of a power supply and another switch S₂ for changing
a motor driven mirror.
[0013] First, the switch S₁ will be described in detail. The switch S₁ comprises, for example,
eight switch elements illustrated by A to Fʹ as shown in Fig. 6. Each pair of printed
circuit electrodes (3)
a and (4)
a to (3)
fʹ and (4)
fʹ, serving as stationary contact elements of the switch elements A to Fʹ, are printed
around a specific central position on the printed board (2) in a pectinated shape.
The film electrodes (3)
a and (4)
a to (3)
fʹ and (4)
fʹ are disposed to occupy the substantially upper and lower, right and left areas of
the printed board (2) as a whole (Fig. 5).
[0014] An insulating sheet (31) is laminated on said stational contact elements. This sheet
(31) has cushions (32)
a to (32)
h of crest shaped in section corresponding to the plurality of stationary contact elements.
The cushions are made of rubber integrally with the sheet (31), or they may be made
of a different insulating material separately from the sheet (31). Movable contacts
(33)
a to (33)
h are fixed inside the top of the cushions (32)
a to (32)
h. The movable contacts may be made of a composite material having pressure conductive
rubber consisting of silicone rubber and metal particles or they may be metal plates,
etc.
[0015] Thus, according to the present invention, the eight switch elements A to Fʹ are disposed
planely on the printed board (2) and these switch elements A to Fʹ are connected by
printed conductors (6) so as to form two sets of power supply polarity changing switch
as connected as required. That is, in Fig. 7, the four switch elements A, B, E and
F form one switch means for vertical adjustment to be described later and the four
switch elements C, D, Eʹ and Fʹ form the other switch means for horizontal adjustment
. The arrangement of the switch elements A to Fʹ on the printed board (2) is illustrated
in Fig. 6.
[0016] Driving mechanism are disposed over said switch elements A to Fʹ formed as described
above.
[0017] More particularly, an operation button (34) is disposed over the eight cushions (32)
a to (32)
h of the insulating sheet (31). The operation button (34) is square in its plan view,
and the outside of its top is engaged with the corners between the inner walls of
the housing (1) and the top plate (1a). Projecting push buttons (34)
a to (34)
d provided on the top of the operation button (34) protrude upward from openings (1f)
provided in the top of the housing (1). As shown in Fig. 4, the operation button (34)
is provided at its bottom with four pressing surfaces (34)
e to (34)
h so divided by two diagonal lines, said pressing surfaces respectively lying on top
of two cushions (32)
a and (32)
b, (32)
c and (32)
d, (32)
e and (32)
f, (32)
g and (32)
g and (32)
h. Therefore, the pressing surface (34)
e corresponds to the switch elements A and F, the pressing surface (34)
f corresponding to the switch elements B and E, the pressing surface (34)
g corresponding to the switch elements C and Fʹ, the pressing surface (34)
h corresponding to the switch elements D and Eʹ. Thus, the pressing surface (34)
e to (34)
h of the operation button (34) corresponds to two switch elements.
[0018] The operation button (34) is provided in the center and four corners of its bottom
with projections (34)
i and (34)
j to (34)
m for preventing the simultaneous operation of more than one pressing surface thereof.
If two push buttons, for example, (34)
a and (34)
c or (34)
a and (34)
d, are pushed with the same force at the same time, the projection (34)
i passes through an opening (31)
a in the center of the insulating sheet (31) and contacts the board (2) while one of
the projections (34)
j to (34)
m passes through one of notches (31)
b and contacts the board (2), so that the switch elements corresponding to two pressing
surfaces, for example, F and Fʹ, A and D or F and Eʹ, are not closed at the same time,
thus the possibility of the oblique movement of the mirror or short circuit being
eliminated. Therefore, the lengths of the projections (34)
i and (34)
j to (34)
m are such that the projections are out of contact with the board (2) when one of the
push buttons (34)
a to (34)
d is properly pushed and corresponding switch elements are closed while the projections
come into contact with the board (2) so as to prevent any switch elements from being
closed when a plurality of push buttons are pushed at the same time.
[0019] Reference will now be made to the switch S₂. The switch S₂ is for selectively connecting
the above-mentioned switch S₁ with either the right-hand mirror R or the left-hand
mirror L and is constructed as follows: The switch S₂ comprises two circuits and six
contacts. Contact patterns
ℓ,
m and 14
a to 14
d, corresponding to the six contacts, are printed near one end (upper portion in Fig.
7 ) of the board (2). A slide block (15), slidable right and left in Fig. 1, is disposed
over the contact patterns
ℓ,
m and
a and
d. The slide block (15) is provided with movable contacts (16)
a and (16)
b corresponding to the contact patterns
ℓ,
m and 14
a to 14
d. A pair of push buttons (17)
a to (17)
b respectively corresponding to the right-hand mirror R and the left-hand mirror L
are disposed on both sides of the slide block (15) in the direction of its slide.
The driving end of each push button is engaged with each of taper portions (not shown)
formed on both ends of the slide block (15). Thus, the embodiment illustrated in Figs.
1 to 7 is a hybrid switch comprising said switch S₁ including the eight switch elements
A to Fʹ and said changeover switch S₂.
[0020] Fig. 6 shows a connector for leading (+) and (-) of a power supply and externally
leading the contacts 14
a to 14
d, and contact
n in the changeover switch S₂ to the exterior (the mirrors R and L). Referring to Fig.
7, symbols M₁, M₂ represent electric motors for horizontally and vertically driving
the right-handed mirror R, and M₃, M₄ represent electric motors for vertically and
horizontally driving the left-handed rear view mirror L.
[0021] The operation of the switch of the above embodiment will now be described.
[0022] Reference will be made to the case of controlling the right-handed rear view mirror
R by pushing the push button (17)
a of the changeover switch S₂. When the push button (17)
a is pushed, the slide block (15) is slid toward the left in Fig. 1 and its movable
contacts (16)
a and (16)
b respectively close the contacts ℓ and (14)
a together and the contacts
m and (14)
c together so that the switch S₁ is connected with the righ-hand rear view mirror R.
(See the state in Fig. 7).
[0023] When the push button(34)
a of the operation button is pushed in the predetermined inclining stroke, the cushions
(32)
a, (32)
b are contracted, the movable contacts (33)
a, (33)
b are pressure contacted with the switch elements A, F, which are closed and the motor
M₁ rotates in the positive direction, thereby changing the angle of the right-handed
rear view mirror R toward upward direction When the pressing pressure is released,
the operation button (34) returns to its neutral position as shown in Fig.2 by the
elasticity of the cushions (32)
a. (32)
b. Such elastic action of the cushions (32)
a, (32)
b provide a good feeling of clicking.
[0024] When the push button(34)
b of the operation button (34) is pressed, the switch elements B and E are closed and
the electric motor M₁ rotates in a reverse direction so as to change the angle of
the right-handed rear view mirror R downward.
[0025] When the push button(34)
c of the operation button (34) is pressed, the switch elements C and Fʹ are closed
and the electric motor M₂ rotates in such a direction to change the angle of the right-handed
rear view mirror R toward the left.
[0026] When the push button (34)
d of the operation button (34) is pressed, the switch elements D and Eʹ are closed
and the electric motor M₂ rotates in a reverse direction so as to change the angle
of the right-handed rear view mirror R toward the right.
[0027] When the push button (34)
b, (34)
c or (34)
d is pressed, the cushions (32)
c and (32)
d, (32)
e and (32)
f, or (32)
g and (32)
h behave in the same way as when the push button(34)
a is pressed.
[0028] When the push button (17)
b of the changeover switch S₂ is pressed, the left-hand mirror L is controlled in the
same way as described above.
[0029] According to the present invention as described above, an insulating board in which
stationary contact elements, each having a pair of printed circuit electrodes are
arranged in a housing, and cushions provided corresponding to the elements, in which
the insulating sheet provided with stationary contact elements and movable contacts
forming switch elements and an operation button for operating the switch elements
are arranged. The operation button is tiltable and constantly resettable trend by
utilizing the elastic force of the cushions. Accordingly, the profile may be formed
in flat and thin structure, the number of parts can be reduced with ready assembling
work in high reliability in the switch. Particularly in the present invention, it
is not necessary to use the expensive pressure-sensitive electrically conductive rubber.
Even if it is used, it may be in small amount, thereby reducing the number of parts
and largely decreasing the production cost. Since the inclining operation of the operation
button is performed by the elastic force of the cushions different from the conventional
pivot type, operating feeling is constant, smooth switching operation can be maintained
even in use for a long period of time. Consequently, a switch which is ideally adapted
as a switch for driving and controlling a motor driven mirror of a vehicle can be
provided.