Alps Electric Co., Ltd.

Tatsuya Kato

Hiroyuki Bannai

An upper plate portion having a pair of openings formed therein, an external surface portion inclined to the inner side from an upper end of the outer circumference of the upper plate portion toward the lower side of the case, and a holding plate portion protruding from an inner surface of the external surface portion toward the inner side are integrally provided in a case. A cover is inserted into the case from the sides of the upper plate portion and the holding plate portion to be integrated with the case constitute a switch housing. Operating knobs are fitted to the case from the upper sides of the openings to thus assemble a switch unit. The switch unit is fixed to the side portion of a pad portion of a steering wheel, so that the operating knobs protrude to a space between the inner circumference of a ring portion and the pad portion.

Steering switch device

An illuminated switch unit according to the present invention is provided with: a case having a recess, a pair of protrusions provided within the recess and holes corresponding to those protrusions; a movable knob housed within the recess of the case, and provided on the protrusions so as to be able to rock or move up and down; a switch capable of bringing a movable contact provided on an elastic member to be driven by the movable knob into and out of contact with a stationary contact; and a substrate having a light source for illuminating the movable knob, wherein the elastic member is provided with light shielding members for preventing the light from the light source from passing through the holes in the case.

Growing community of inventors

Miyagi-ken, Japan

Tatsuya Kato