Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Limited

Sumitomo Electric Industries, Limited

Tokai Electric Wire Company, Ltd.

Junichi Kojima

Tetsuo Yamamoto

Kazuo Sawada

Yoshitsugu Tsuji

Yoshikazu Taniguchi

Minoru Yokota

Kiyotaka Naitou

Tetsuo Sugimoto

Yukio Kominami

A recess portion 14a is formed in the underside of the flange 14 of a tilting holder 13 at a position corresponding to, for example, an 'upper right' select switch 4. As a result, the operating pin 10 of the 'upper right' select switch 4 has a fixed gap with the flange 14. Consequently, the operating pin 10 of the 'upper right' select switch is pressed when an operating lever 15 is tilted. However, the operating range B of, for example, the 'upper right' select switch 4 is set narrower than the operating range A of, for example, the 'upper' select switch 4 since the pressing of the operating pin 10 of, for example, the 'upper right' select switch 4 is delayed by the gap resulting from the recess portion 14a.

Multidirectional lever switch device

A multi-directional switch (1) comprises a joy stick (6) which is inclined for selective operation of a plurality of switch portions. The joy stick (6) includes a support portion (6a) supported pivotally about the bottom end thereof; a slidable contact spherical portion (6b) bulging from the top end of the support portion (6a) and having a spherical surface (6e) slidably abutting throughout the circumference thereof against the inner peripheral surface of a through hole (5a) when pivoted; and an operating portion (6c) projecting through the through hole (5a) adjacent the spherical surface (6e). The outer periphery of a flat surface (6d) of the slidable contact spherical portion (6b) of the joy stick (6) is supported at four circumferentially spaced positions so that the joy stick (6) is returned to a neutral position by the elastic restoring force of the switch portions. A joy stick support structure for the multi-directional switch (1) requires neither a particularly part for returning the joy stick (6) to the neutral position nor a securely determined fulcrum.

Joy stick support structure for multi-directional switch

A flexible flat conductor wiring board (5) having required electric circuits is affixedly disposed on an instrument cluster (2) of an instrument panel portion of an automobile so as to be connected to switches and instruments (3A to 3E) that are provided on the instrument cluster (2) in groups so that an electric circuit is formed. Electric functioning components needed to carry out electric control of the switches and instruments are dispersedly provided on the end portions of centrally arranged switches and instruments or provided on the wiring board (5) with the electric control functions being incorporated in the electric circuits of the instrument cluster (2). Switches and instruments (3A to 3E) are provided, and electric circuits for the switches and instruments (3A to 3E) are provided so as to make the instrument cluster (2) an independent electric component. The instrument cluster (2) as an independent electric component is mounted on the instrument panel portion 1 of an automobile.

Structure of electric circuit panel for instrument panel of automobile

Improved insulation piercing wire connectors are proposed which are provided with a plurality of prongs on the edges of a wire barrel, said prongs having their top tapering up toward the front for better mechanical and electrical connection.

Insulation piercing connector

Growing community of inventors

Yokkaichi, Japan

Junichi Kojima