Operation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11966248-B2
Application number	US-202318179888-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2023
Priority date	Mar 15, 2022
Publication date	Apr 23, 2024
Grant date	Apr 23, 2024

Abstract

An operation device includes an operating portion to receive a push-in operation, a lessening member to lessen tilt movement of the operating portion associated with the push-in operation, a supporting portion to support the lessening member, a base portion on which the supporting portion is provided, and at least one placement portion that is provided on the base portion, includes a placing surface to place an end portion of the lessening member, and holds the lessening member on the base portion by the placing surface and the supporting portion in a preparation stage for assembling the operating portion to the base portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An operation device, comprising:
an operating portion to receive a push-in operation;
a lessening member to lessen tilt movement of the operating portion associated with the push-in operation;
a supporting portion to support the lessening member;
a base portion on which the supporting portion is provided;
at least one placement portion that is provided on the base portion, comprises a placing surface to place an end portion of the lessening member, and holds the lessening member on the base portion by the placing surface and the supporting portion in a preparation stage for assembling the operating portion to the base portion, and
guide portions that are provided on the operating portion so as to respectively correspond to left and right end portions of the lessening member, guide the inserted end portions of the lessening member from an assembly direction to a direction intersecting the assembly direction to cause rotation of the lessening member in the intersecting direction at the time of assembling the operating portion to the base portion, and, together with the supporting portion, hold the lessening member after the operating portion is assembled to the base portion,
wherein the guide portions each comprise an insertion groove to insert the end portion of the lessening member at the time of assembling the operating portion to the base portion, an inclined groove comprising an inclined surface inclined from the insertion groove, and an intersecting groove that axially extends in one direction intersecting the insertion groove and is connected to the inclined groove.

2. The operation device according to claim 1 , wherein the placement portion comprises a curved surface so as not to inhibit a rotation of the lessening member, where the lessening member rotates about a center of a lateral cross section of the supported portion serving as a center of rotation.

3. The operation device according to claim 1 , wherein the lessening member has a long bar shape, and comprises a supported portion supported by the supporting portion, first and second bent portions formed by bending from both ends of the supported portion in an opposite direction, and first and second end portions as the end portions bent from ends of the first and second bent portions in directions away from each other.

4. The operation device according to claim 3 , wherein the first and second bent portions of the lessening member are each disposed between the supporting portion and the placement portion in a longitudinal direction of the lessening member.

5. The operation device according to claim 3 , wherein the supporting portion, the placement portion and each of the guide portions are disposed in the order of the supporting portion, the placement portion and each of the guide portions in a direction from a center of the lessening member in a longitudinal direction thereof toward the first or second end portion.

6. The operation device according to claim 3 , wherein where the lessening member rotates in a first direction about a center of a lateral cross section of the supported portion serving as a center of rotation, the end portion of the lessening member, which is placed on the placing surface in the preparation stage, is supported at a position shifted in a second direction, which is opposite to the first direction, from a 12 o'clock position with respect to the center of rotation.

7. The operation device according to claim 6 , wherein the placement portion comprises a raised portion at an end of the placing surface to inhibit the lessening member placed on the placing surface from rotating in the second direction.

8. The operation device according to claim 7 , wherein the supporting portion comprises a support base rising from the base portion, and a protruding portion that protrudes in a direction opposite to the intersecting direction in which the lessening member rotates at the time of assembling the operating portion to the base portion, and wherein a distance from a highest point of the supported portion to a lowest point of the end portion of the lessening member is not less than a distance from a lower surface of the protruding portion in contact with the lessening member to the placing surface.

Assignees

• Tokai Rika Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ishihara Akito
• Sakai Yuki
• Naito Yosuke
• Watanabe Renya
• Okuda Yutaka

Classifications

• G05G1/02 Primary

  Controlling members for hand actuation by linear movement, e.g. push buttons · CPC title

• H01H3/02

  Operating parts, i.e. for operating driving mechanism by a mechanical force external to the switch · CPC title

• H01H2003/028

  Rotating knob or lever or tumbler that can be turned or pushed by hand in only one direction, e.g. by making inaccessible one side of a tumbler · CPC title

• H01H2003/0293

  with an integrated touch switch · CPC title

• H01H2239/006

  Containing a capacitive switch or usable as such · CPC title