Rotatively-operated electronic component with push switch and rotary encoder

• US 5,847,335 A
• Filed: 07/21/1997
• Issued: 12/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sugahara, Jun, Ono, Koji, Nishimoto, Takumi
• Primary Examiner(s): SCOTT, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US08/897,700
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 200/4, 200/5 R, 200/6 A, 200/11 R, 200/11 G, 200/11 J, 200/11 D, 200/11 DA, 200/11 K, 200/11 TW, 200/18, 200/5 E, 200/338, 361/308, 338/172, 338/200, 345/156
• US Class Current: 200/4
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/25 Selecting one or more conductors or channels from a plurality of conductors or channels, e.g. by closing contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 10/50 structurally combined with switching arrangements H01C10/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/585 provided with printed circuit contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/06 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being along the axis of angular movement

Abstract

A bushing has a hole being of a circular cross section and extending through walls of the bushing. The hole in the bushing has an upper portion forming a small-diameter portion and a lower portion forming a large-diameter portion. An operation shaft extends through the hole in the bushing. The operation shaft has an upper portion forming a small-diameter portion and a lower portion forming a large-diameter portion. The operation shaft is rotatable circumferentially relative to the bushing, and is movable axially relative to the bushing. The small-diameter portion of the operation shaft extends upward from the small-diameter portion of the hole in the bushing, and the large-diameter portion of the operation shaft is greater in diameter than the small-diameter portion of the hole in the bushing. A rotary component portion includes a rotatable member. The rotatable member is coupled to a lower portion of the operation shaft. The rotatable member is allowed to rotate together with the operation shaft and to be stationary independent of axial movement of the operation shaft. A first contact is fixed to a lower surface of the rotatable member. A second contact is resilient, and is provided on a fixed base plate. The second contact relatively slides on the first contact as the rotatable member rotates. A push switch portion is located below the rotary component portion, and engages a lower end of the operation shaft. The push switch portion operates when being pressed by the lower end of the operation shaft in accordance with axial movement of the operation shaft.

Claims

1. A rotatively-operated component with a push switch, comprising:

a bushing which has a hole being of a circular cross section and extending through walls of the bushing, wherein the hole in the bushing has an upper portion forming a small-diameter portion and a lower portion forming a large-diameter portion;

an operation shaft extending through the hole in the bushing, the operation shaft having an upper portion forming a small diameter portion and a lower portion forming a large-diameter portion, the operation shaft being rotatable circumferentially relative to the bushing and being movable axially relative to the bushing, wherein the small-diameter portion of the operation shaft extends upward from the small-diameter portion of the hole in the bushing, and the large-diameter portion of the operation shaft is greater in diameter than the small-diameter portion of the hole in the bushing;

a rotary component portion including a rotatable member having recesses which receive downwardly extending pins on said operation shaft which are symmetrical with respect to the center of the operation shaft, and allowing the rotatable member to rotate together with the operation shaft and to be stationary independent of axial movement of the operation shaft;

a fixed base plate;

a first contact fixed to a lower surface of the rotatable member; and

a second contact being resilient and being provided on the fixed base plate, the second contact being located below the first contact and being in touch with the first contact, the second contact sliding on the first contact as the rotatable member rotates; and

a push switch portion located below the rotary component portion and engaging a lower end of the operation shaft, the push switch portion operating when being pressed by the lower end of the operation shaft in accordance with axial movement of the operation shaft.

2. A rotatively-operated component with a push switch as recited in claim 1, wherein the bushing has a step at a boundary between the small-diameter portion and the large diameter portion of the hole in the bushing, and the operation shaft has a step at a boundary between the small-diameter portion and the large-diameter portion thereof, and wherein the step of the bushing and the step of the operation shaft are in contact with each other when the operation shaft is not pressing the push switch portion.

3. A method of manufacturing a rotatively-operated component with a push switch, comprising the steps of:

previously combining parts of a push switch portion and a fixed base plate of a rotary component portion into a switch block;

using an inverted U-shaped binding member as a reference while sequentially stacking a bushing, an operation shaft, a rotatable member, and the switch block from below with respect to the inverted U-shaped binding member; and

bending edges of legs of the inverted U-shaped binding member into engagement with a lower surface of the switch block to combine the bushing, the operation shaft, the rotatable member, and the switch block together.

4. A composite device comprising:

a common shaft being rotatable circumferentially and being movable axially;

a rotatively-operated component including a rotary member having a contact thereon and being operated in response to rotation of the rotary member which engages said contact with a fixed contact;

a key coupling for connecting the rotary member in the rotatively-operated component with the common shaft, and allowing the rotary member to rotate in response to rotation of the common shaft and to be stationary independent of axial movement of the common shaft;

a push switch including an axially movable member and being operated in response to axial movement of the axially movable member, and

means for connecting the axially movable member with the common shaft and allowing the axially movable member to move axially in response to axial movement of the common shaft;

wherein the key coupling includes an axially-extending pin provided on one of the common shaft and the rotary member in the rotatively-operated component, the axially-extending pin fitting into a recess in the other of the common shaft and the rotary member, the axially-extending pin being at a position separate from a center of rotation of the common shaft.