Operating switch mechanism

[0001] This application claims benefit of Japanese Application No. 2004-118255 filed in Japan on Apr. 13, 2004, the contents of which are incorporated by this reference.

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to an operating switch mechanism for sliding operation which is arranged to an electronic device main body.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Registration Application Publication No. 6-81016 discloses, as a conventional art, an operating switch mechanism for sliding operation arranged to a compact electronic device, which selectively stops two relatively-transferring members at desired transfer positions by generating transfer resistance at desired positions of the two members. The operating switch mechanism comprises two rubber rollers at symmetric positions on the distal ends of two plate springs which abut against a projected cam of a main body casing.

[0006] In general one of conventional operating switch mechanisms, a metallic ball that is energized by a spring is fit and pull-out into/from an engaging hole arranged at the click position to obtain the click force.

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, in an operating switch mechanism according to the present invention, operating sound is quiet with high durability and simple maintenance-performance.

[0008] According to the present invention, the operating switch mechanism of a data recording and play device comprises: a first member comprising first and second cam surfaces with predetermined shapes; a second member that comprises first and second rollers, is energized by an energizing member toward the first and second cam surfaces, and slides and transfers relatively to the first member along the first and second cam surfaces; and projected portions arranged to the first and second cam surfaces. The first roller is abutted against the projected portion of the first cam surface so as to generate first reactive force in one direction along the slide direction, and the second roller is abutted against the projected portion of the second cam surface so as to generate second reactive force in the direction opposite to the one direction and holds the second member at a predetermined stable position. The operating switch mechanism further comprises: a sliding operating member that slides and transfers the second member by the sliding operation of an operator; and a third member that forms a part of the exterior of the data recording and play device and that can assemble the second member and the sliding operating member. The first member is integrated to the main body of the data recording and play device, and the third member comprises an attaching portion that can be attached/detached to/from the main body of the data recording and play device or the first member in a state in which the second member and the sliding operating member are assembled.

[0009] Other features and advantages according to the present invention will be obvious in the following description.

[0020] Hereinbelow, a description is given of an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an IC recorder serving as a data recording and play device having an operating switch mechanism portion according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the operating switch mechanism portion incorporated in the IC recorder shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an operating unit forming the operating switch mechanism portion shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the arrangement of operating switches which are switched for on/off operation thereof by the operating switch mechanism portion shown in FIG. 2.

[0022] Hereinbelow, the slide direction of an operating switch button 12, which will be described later, is the X direction. The front side of X direction is on the (+) side, and this side of X direction is on the (−) side. Further, the thickness perpendicular to the X direction is the Y direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X and Y directions is the Z direction.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 1, an IC recorder 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention comprises: an IC recorder main body 3, serving as a data recording and play device main body, which supports members such as a recording and play portion; and an exterior cover 2 which covers the IC recorder main body 3. Further, arranged to the outer surface of the exterior cover 2 are operating switch buttons including a menu switch button 4a, a feed switch button 4b, and a new-file set switch button 4c, an LCD display portion 5, a sound producing portion 6, a battery room cover 7, and a USB connector portion 8. Further, an operating switch mechanism portion 20 is arranged on the top on the left side of the exterior cover 2 to instruct the recording, play, and feed operation.

[0024] The operating switch button 12 arranged to the operating switch mechanism portion 20 can be slid in the X direction, and can be transferred to click determining positions such as the REC position serving as the recording position, or the PLAY position serving as the play position, from the STOP position serving as the stop position shown in FIG. 1. Further, the operating switch button 12 switches on/off: an REC switch 32 for starting the recording; a switch 34 for stopping the recording; and a PLAY switch 33 for instructing the play operation, which are arranged along the X direction as shown in FIG. 4 at the determining positions, to be clicked and held at the positions. Furthermore, the operating switch button 12 is pressed to the REV position on the (−X) side from the PLAY position to switch on an REV switch 35 for instructing the review and the release of pressing operation returns the operating switch button 12 to the PLAY position. The above-mentioned switches are lever-operating-type switches. The above-mentioned switches are switched on/off by switch operating projections 14d and 14e connected to the operating switch button 12.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 2, the operating switch mechanism portion 20 comprises: an operating unit 10; and an IC recorder main body (hereinafter, abbreviated to a main body) 3, serving as a first member, to which the operating unit 10 is attached and which has a cam portion.

[0026] The operating unit 10 is assembled as one unit, and can be attached/detached to/from the main body 3. The operating unit 10 comprises: a frame member 11, serving as a third member, which commonly functions as a part of the exterior of the IC recorder 1; an operating switch button 12, serving as a slide operating member, which is slidably supported by the frame member 11; a sheet member 13, serving as a sliding member, which is inserted between the operating switch button 12 and the frame member 11; a slide plate 14 forming the second member, which is slidably supported by the frame member 11 together with the operating switch button 12; a click spring member 15 forming the second member, which is fixed to the slide plate 14; a rubber roller 16 serving as a first roller and a rubber roller 17 serving as a second roller which form twin rubber rollers and are rotatably supported by the distal ends of a plate spring of the click spring member 15; and a stopper 18 which fixes the click spring member 15 to the slide plate 14.

[0027] The IC recorder main body 3 contains a resin, and comprises: an abutting surface 3a against which the frame member 11 is abutted; groove portions 3b and 3c which are arranged to the top and button of the abutting surface 3a and which fix the frame member 11; a first cam surface portion 3m and a second cam surface portion 3n arranged on the top and bottom of the inside; a screw hole and the like.

[0028] The first cam surface portion 3m comprises on the top: one upper projected portion 3d arranged in the X direction; an inclined cam surface 3g arranged at the end thereof on the (−X) direction; and a sharply inclined cam surface 3i arranged at the end thereof on the (+X) direction of the inclined cam surface 3g.

[0029] The second cam surface portion 3n comprises on the bottom: two lower projected portions 3e and 3f arranged in the X direction; an inclined cam surface 3h arranged at the end thereof on the (−X) side; and a sharply inclined cam surface 3j arranged at the end thereof on the (+X) side of the inclined cam surface 3h.

[0030] The upper projected portion 3d and the lower projected portions 3e and 3f are not completely symmetric projected portions in the X direction. The upper projected portion 3d is slightly projected on the (−X) direction, and is concaved on the (−X) direction. The lower projected portions 3e and 3f are slightly projected on the (−X) direction and are slightly concaved on the (+X) direction. Further, the inclined cam surfaces 3g and 3f are inclined to narrow the interval therebetween in the (−X) direction, namely, from the start end to the terminal end (refer to FIG. 5).

[0031] The frame member 11 comprises: upper and lower fixing projected portions 11f and 11g which can be fixed on the IC recorder main body 3 side having screw inserting holes lid and 11e; an opening 11a in which a boss of the operating switch button 12 is inserted; and an inner sliding surface 11c, and is entirely plated.

[0032] The operating switch button 12 comprises a boss 12a projected in the Z direction, and is slidably assembled to the front surface portion of the frame member 11.

[0033] The sheet member 13 contains a sheet with preferable sliding performance, and comprises a hole portion 13a in which the boss 12a is inserted and a projected portion 13b for preventing the rattle at the four corner portions. The sheet member 13 is inserted in a sliding surface portion between the operating switch button 12 and the frame member 11 to protect the plated portion of the frame member 11 and smooth the sliding transfer of the operating switch button 12.

[0034] The slide plate 14 contains a resin material with high slide-performance (e.g., polyacetal resin), is arranged at the four corners on the frame member side, and is elastically deformable in the Y direction. Further, the slide plate 14 comprises: projected portions 14a for preventing the rotating rattle of the operating switch button 12; a boss hole 14b into which the boss 12a of the operating switch button 12 is fit without any rattle; a rotation-stop pin 14c which is arranged on the side of the boss hole 14b; and two switch operating projections 14d and 14e which are arranged in the X direction and are projected in the Z direction.

[0035] The click spring member 15 comprises: a center connecting portion 15a containing a metallic spring plate member (e.g., a stainless member for spring); and a first plate spring portion 15b on the top and a second plate spring portion 15c on the bottom, serving as energizing members (elastic springs), which are bent from the top and bottom positions of the center connecting portion 15a and are extended in the (−X) direction. The center connecting portion 15a comprises: a pin hole 15e; a boss hole 15d; and a projection inserting hole 15f. At the distal end of the first plate spring portion 15b, the rubber roller 16 is rotatably supported by a boss 16a serving as a rotating boss. Similarly, at the distal end of the second plate spring portion 15c, the rubber roller 17 is rotatably supported by a boss 17a serving as a rotating boss. Sleeves containing polyacetal resin or the like lie between the rubber roller 16 and the boss 16a and between the rubber roller 17 and the boss 17a for the purpose of the slide performance for rotation. The rubber rollers 16 and 17 may contain the synthetic resin such as elastomer resin or the like, except for rubber, which is elastic and generates less operating sounds with abrasion resistance.

[0036] The boss 16a and the boss 17a are differently positioned in the X direction. In other words, the rubber rollers 16 and 17 are arranged at positions including no axial core of the boss 17a on the plane perpendicular to the slide direction including the axial core of the boss 16a. The rubber rollers 16 and 17 are deviated at the positions thereof from each other, thus, when the rubber rollers 16 and 17 are close to each other by the shift thereof, the distal ends of the plate spring portions 15b and 15c for supporting rubber rollers do not interfere with each other. Thus, the shape reduces the occupied space by the Y direction.

[0037] As mentioned above, even when the rubber roller 16 is deviated from the rubber roller 17, the shape of plate spring portions is used so as to make the reactive forces of the rubber rollers 16 and 17 approximately equal to each other. That is, a spring effective length L1 from the supporting point of the plate spring portion 15b to the boss 16a of the rubber roller 16 is approximately equal to a spring effective length L2 from the supporting point of the plate spring portion 15c to the boss 17a of the rubber roller 17 (refer to FIG. 4). The spring rigidity of the spring effective length L1 is equal to that of the spring effective length L2, and the amount of flexure of the spring effective length L1 is equal to that of the spring effective length L2. Therefore, when the click spring member 15 is assembled between the first and second cam surface portions 3m and 3n in the IC recorder main body 3, the rubber roller 16 is abutted against the rubber roller 17 by abutting force (first and second reactive forces) opposite to each other with the approximately same amount of force to the upper projected portion 3d and the lower projected portions 3e and 3f, the cam surfaces 3i and 3j, or inclined cam surfaces 3g and 3h. The click force is properly applied to the operating switch button 12 via the click spring member 15, and is held at the click determining position serving as the stable position. Further, the return energizing force is properly applied to the operating switch button 12.

[0038] When the operating unit 10 with the above-described structure is assembled as one unit, the boss 12a of the operating switch button 12 is inserted in the opening 11a of the frame member 11, and is fit into the boss hole 14b of the slide plate 14. Then, the slide plate 14 is inserted into the inner surface portion of the frame member 11 in a state that the projected portions 14a at the four corners thereof are abutted against the inner sliding surface 11c of the frame member 11. The rotation-stop pin 14c of the slide plate 14 and the boss 12a of the operating switch button 12 are fit and inserted in the pin hole 15e and the boss hole 15d of the center connecting portion 15a of the click spring member 15. Further, the switching operating projection 14e of the slide plate 14 is inserted into the projection inserting hole 15f. The attachment of the click spring member 15 engages a notch 18b of a stopper 18 with the stopper groove 12b at the distal end of the boss 12a, and the pin hole 18a is fit to the pin 14c to fix the click spring member 15 to the slide plate 14. In the assembling state, the operating switch button 12, the slide plate 14, and the click spring member 15 are assembled as one unit that is slidably supported by the frame member 11 in the X direction. A shallow slide groove on the front side of the frame member 11 regulates the rotation of the operating switch button 12 that can slidably be transferred in state of one unit. Further, the rotation of the slide plate 14 is regulated by the inner sliding surface 11c of the frame member 11.

[0039] To assemble the operating unit 10, serving as one unit, to the IC recorder 1, the exterior cover 2 of the IC recorder 1 is detached, then, the fixing projected portions 11f and 11g of the frame member 11 are inserted in the groove portions 3b and 3c of the IC recorder main body 3, a screw 19 serving as an attaching member (attaching portion) is screwed to the IC recorder main body 3 by inserting the screw 19 to screw inserting holes lid and lie. Further, a screw 21 serving as an attaching member (attaching portion) is inserted in the screw inserting hole 11h and is screwed and fixed to the IC recorder main body 3. The rubber rollers 16 and 17 are bent inside and are inserted into the first cam surface portion 3m and second cam surface portion 3n having the projected portions 3d, 3e, and 3f of the IC recorder main body 3. The operating switch mechanism portion 20 is assembled to the IC recorder 1 by the attachment of the operating unit 10.

[0040] When the operating unit 10 serving as one unit is detached from the IC recorder 1 is detached from the IC recorder main body 3, namely, when the operating unit 10 serving as one unit is detached from the IC recorder 1, in the replacement of the rubber rollers 16 and 17, the detachment operation is simple by the inverse operation of the foregoing.

[0041] Next, a description is given of the operating statuses in the slide operation of the operating switch mechanism portion 20 of the IC recorder 1 with reference to FIGS. 5 to 6E.

[0042] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a relative transferring positional relationship among the click spring member, the rubber roller, and the IC recorder main body during the slide transfer from the REC position to the REV position of the operating switch button of the operating switch mechanism portion. FIGS. 6A to 6E are operating status diagrams showing relative transferring positional relationships between the rubber roller and the IC recorder main body during the transfer from the STOP position to the REV position of the operating switch button of the operating switch mechanism portion.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 5, when the operating switch button 12 is at the REC position, the rubber rollers 16 and 17 supported by the click spring member are abutted against the projected portion 3d of the IC recorder main body 3 in the (+X) direction and against the projected portion 3e of the IC recorder main body 3 in the (−X) direction and are held at the click determining positions. In the state, the rubber roller 16 is abutted against the cam surface expanded of the projected portion 3d in the (+X) direction. The rubber roller 17 is abutted against the cam surface expanded of the projected portion 3e in the (−X) direction by the similar abutting force and is held. Therefore, the operating switch button 12 is stably held at the click holding force smaller than that at the STOP position, which will be described later, without any click force deviated in the (+X) and (−X) directions.

[0044] When the operating switch button 12 is transferred at the STOP position from the REC position, the rubber roller 16 is abutted against the cam surface caved in the (−X) direction of the projected portion 3d. The rubber roller 17 is abutted against the cam surface caved in the (+X) direction of the projected portion 3f by the similar abutting force and is held. Thus, the operating switch button 12 is stably held at the click determining position without any click force deviated in the (+X) and (−X) direction.

[0045] When the operating switch button 12 is transferred at the PLAY position, the rubber roller 16 is abutted against the cam surface 3i at the end on the (+X) direction of the inclined surface 3g. The rubber roller 17 is abutted against the cam surface 3j at the end on the (+X) direction of the inclined cam surface 3h and the cam surface expanded in the (−X) direction of the projected portion 3f by the similar abutting force and is held. Thus, the operating switch button 12 is held by the click holding force similar to that at the REC position, and is stably held at the click determining position.

[0046] Further, when the operating switch button 12 is pressed and is transferred to the REV position from the PLAY position, the rubber rollers 16 and 17 are abutted against the inclined cam surfaces 3g and 3h by the same force, and are transferred in the (−X) direction. The pressing force is released and then the rubber rollers 16 and 17 return the operating switch button 12 to the PLAY position by the energizing force in the (+X) direction by the inclined cam surfaces 3g and 3h.

[0047] Next, a description is given of the process for transferring the operating switch button 12 from the STOP position to the REC position. At the STOP position, the rubber rollers 16 and 17 are abutted against and are held to the projected portions 3d and 3f as shown in FIG. 6A. The operating switch button 12 is pressed toward the REC position direction ((+X) direction), the rubber roller 16 is transferred over the projected portion 3d as shown in FIGS. 6B to 6D. The rubber roller 17 is transferred on the plane between the projected portions 3f and 3e. At the REC position, the rubber rollers 16 and 17 are held by the click force to the projected portions 3d and 3e as shown in FIG. 6E. Therefore, during the transfer operation of the operating switch button 12, the resistance force to be over the projected portion is applied to only the rubber roller 16. The rubber roller 17 is only transferred on the plane and the operating switch button 12 is certainly stopped at the REC position serving as the click determining position. When the operating switch button 12 is transferred from the STOP position to the PLAY position, via the same process, the operating switch button 12 is certainly stopped at the PLAY position serving as the click determining position.

[0048] The operating switch mechanism portion 20 in the IC recorder 1 according to the embodiment uses the click mechanism in which the twin rubber rollers 16 and 17 rotatably-supported by the click spring members to apply the click determining force of the operating switch button 12 are abutted against the projected portions containing the synthetic resin on the IC recorder main body 3 side. As compared with the conventional click mechanism using the metallic ball, the operating sound is quiet and the click sense is clear. Further, the abrasion is suppressed against the repeating operation of the operating switch button 12 and the durability is improved.

[0049] The rubber rollers 16 and 17 are rotatably supported by the bosses 16a and 17a via the resin sleeves and therefore the rubber rollers 16 and 17 are smoothly rotated and the durability is improved. Since the rubber rollers 16 and 17 are arranged at the different positions on the slide direction (X direction), the rubber rollers are close to each other on the upper and lower directions (Y direction) without interference of the distal ends of the plate spring portions of the click spring member 15 for supporting the rubber rollers during the slide transfer, and the occupied space by the operating switch mechanism portion 20 in the Y direction is reduced.

[0050] Further, when the operating unit of the operating switch mechanism portion 20 must be replaced or needs to be maintained, only the operating unit 10 is easily detached from the IC recorder main body 3 without detachment of the inner members only by removing the exterior cover 2 of the IC recorder 1.

[0051] The present invention is not limited to the audio data recording and play device and can be applied to an operating switch mechanism for sliding in another electronic device.

[0052] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an operating switch mechanism of an electronic device with the quiet operating sound, excellent durability, and higher maintenance-performance.

[0053] Having described the preferred embodiments of the invention referring to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to those precise embodiments and various changes and modifications thereof could be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

[0054] For example, if some components are deleted from the entire components according to the embodiment, the problem can be solved by the present invention and the advantages according to the present invention are obtained and then the structure obtained by deleting the above components are obtained according to the present invention.