Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Yukihiro Ishihara

Hiroshi Matsui

Tamotsu Yamamoto

Masaki Sawada

Keiji Kaizaki

Jun Sato

Takumi Nishimoto

Hiroto Inoue

Koji Ono

Tetsuya Fukuda

Hideki Shigemoto

Takahiro Nishimura

A push and rotation operating type electronic component that allows for rotary manipulation in a tangential direction of a peripheral surface of a cylindrical operating knob projecting from a control surface of an apparatus, and also for pushing manipulation in a direction toward a central axis of rotation of the knob. The electronic component provides for a reduction in overall dimensions of a main portion, thereby reducing a height size of an enclosure of the end-use apparatus, smooth movement to a depressing manipulation, and easy to assemble. It is provided with a rotary encoder comprising a cylindrical rotary body with stepped periphery having a cylindrical knob portion of large diameter at a center, and rotatably retained in a frame supported also rotatably on a substrate and flexible contact bars retained by the substrate and in resilient contacts with a movable contact provided on a peripheral surface of a cylindrical axle besides the knob portion, and a push switch of a self-restoring type disposed on the substrate and activated by a turning movement the frame.

Push and rotary operating type electronic component

The disclosed rotary encoder includes contact substrate and movable contact plate . Substrate contains three fan-shaped conductive layers A, B, and C on positions having a same distance from the center of substrate . On the other hand, movable contact plate retains three elastic contacts A, B, C, and rotates. The three contacts have continuity with each other and disposed at positions with a same distance from the center of substrate , spaced at a radial angle of 120&deg;. When contact plate is rotated, any two out of three elastic contacts A, B, and C consecutively contact with any two out of three conductive layers A, B, and C. Through the continuity, an electric signal is led out from terminals A, B, and C.

Rotary encoder and multi-operational electronic component using the same

A multidirectional controller includes: a substrate having a first end portion and a second end portion, which sways via a supporting point provided at the first end portion; an electronic part provided at the second end portion, which includes a control portion which is manipulated in a predetermined direction in which the electronic part causes the substrate to sway when the electronic part is manipulated; a supporting member for supporting the substrate; and a switch provided so as to be switched in response to the sway of the substrate, when the electronic part is manipulated in the predetermined direction.

Multidirectional controller and multidirectional controlling device using the same

A multidirectional switch, which performs a tilting operation in multiple directions generating a signal by tilting the shaft portion of the operating member, includes: a dome-shaped movable contact made of a resilient thin metal plate; a box-shaped case; a cover including a through hole at a center thereof, the cover covers an upper opening of the case; and a flange portion integrally formed at a lower end of the shaft portion of the operating member. The case includes, on a bottom surface thereof: an outer fixed contact on which an outer peripheral lower end portion of the dome-shaped movable contact is placed; and a plurality of inner fixed contacts provided inside positions corresponding to the outer peripheral lower end portion of the dome-shaped movable contact so as to be equiangular and equidistant from a center of the dome-shaped movable contact. In the operating member, the shaft portion extends upwards out of the through hole of the cover, an upper surface of the flange portion is in contact with an inner surface of the cover, a periphery of the operating member is fitted and supported by an inner wall of the case so that the operating member is not rotatable but is tiltable and movable vertically, first pressing portions are provided respectively at positions on a lower surface of the operating member corresponding to the plurality of inner fixed contacts, and the plurality of first pressing portions are in contact with the dome-shaped movable contact.

Multidirectional operating switch and multidirectional operating

A push switch is disclosed which includes: an insulation substrate (11) having a circular hollow portion (14) therein, first and second adhesive layers (15A, 15B) on the hollow portion and a top surface respectively and a fixing portion (12A) having a first C-shape and a hollow portion (18), having a second C-shape, arranged inside the first C-shape. The hollow portion is arranged in the circular hollow portion and fixed by the first adhesive layer and the fixing portion fixed on the top surface of the insulation substrate by the second adhesive layer. The hollow portion has at least three protruding portions (19) thereon. A center contact (21) is arranged at inside the second C-shape. There is an arm portion (22) extending from the center contact toward the outside of the second C-shape through an opening of the second C-shape. There is a movable contact (24) having a dome shape on the protruding portions and a cover sheet (26), fixed on the fixing portion so as to cover the movable contact. Sizes of the movable contact and protruding portions are so determined as to provide an ON-OFF operation. A method of producing a push switch is also disclosed wherein the outer contact and the center contact portion having the arm portion are made from a piece of trimmed metal plate by cutting connecting portions connecting them to a frame of the metal plate after arrangement on the switch substrate.

Push switch and a method of producing a push switch

A thin switch includes, (a) a rectangular insulating substrate, (b) a unitary fixed contact member comprising a T-shaped conductive thin-metal including a fixed contact, a first terminal, and a first conductive part therebetween, and (c) a movable contact member including a unitary elastic and T-shaped conductive thin-metal including a domed contact, a second terminal, and a second conductive part therebetween. The fixed contact member is placed so that the fixed contact is located roughly at the center of a surface of the insulating substrate and the first terminal is located at one edge of the insulating substrate. The first terminal is attached to the insulating substrate. The movable contact member is placed so that the domed contact is located over the fixed contact and the second terminal is located at the opposite edge of the insulating substrate. The second terminal is attached to the insulating substrate.

Thin switch including domed contact

A multiple switch device comprises a base having at least two switch units and supports with pawls placed on the tips of the pawls, a push button having at least two push members and supports with pawls placed on the tips of the pawls, and a spring for returning the push button to its original position. The base and the push button are assembled together through a coupling between the pawls of the supports of the base and the pawls of the supports of the push button. The push button moves in a seesaw-like motion, the fulcrum of which is derived by the two adjacent supports. The push members and the supports are arranged so that the fulcrum position is situated in the same or inside position of the push members.

Growing community of inventors

Kaizuka, Japan

Yukihiro Ishihara