IP Library Granted Patent US 8,772,662
Granted Patent B2
US 8,772,662 · App. 13/644,830 · Granted Jul 8, 2014

Rotary switch

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,772,662
App. No.
13/644,830
Granted
Jul 8, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a rotary switch, a latching portion having a recess or a hole provided in a decorative cover engages with a locking portion having a protrusion provided on an operating knob, and a catching portion of a rotary body contacts with an inner side of the locking portion on one side closer to the rotary body. The decorative cover is thus attached to the operating body.

Claims (26)

1. A rotary switch comprising:

an operating body having

a hollow operating knob,

a hollow cylinder portion connected to the operating knob, and opened at one end opposite to the operating knob, and

a locking portion extending from a side surface of the operating knob toward the cylinder portion, the locking portion being elastically deformable in an inside-to-outside direction of the operating knob within a space provided between a tip of the locking portion and the cylindrical portion;

a decorative cover having

a cover portion, and

a latching portion extending toward the operating body from a surface of the cover portion confronting the cylinder portion of the operating body;

a rotary body having a catching portion contacting with the locking portion, and disposed inside the cylinder portion of the operating body; and

a switching unit configured to make and break electrical continuity as the rotary body is rotated by rotational operation of the operating body,

wherein one of the latching portion and the locking portion is provided with a recess, and the other one is provided with a protrusion, and the decorative cover is attached to the operating knob by an engagement of the recess with the protrusion and the contact between the catching portion and the locking portion.

2. The rotary switch of claim 1 , further comprising a case having an opening, wherein

the operating knob of the operating body protrudes from the opening of the case, and the cylinder portion of the operating body is housed inside the case, and

the rotary body is rotatably retained in the case.

3. The rotary switch of claim 2 , wherein

the rotary body has an upper cylinder portion disposed inside the cylinder portion of the operating body, and a shaft portion projecting from the upper cylinder portion toward an opposite side of the operating body,

the shaft portion has a retaining ledge provided along an outer periphery at tip end side thereof, and a retaining portion formed at one side closer to the tip end than the retaining ledge, the retaining portion being elastically deformable in a radial direction of the shaft portion,

the case has a support portion for rotatably supporting the shaft portion inserted therethrough, and

the rotary switch further comprises a movable body having a retaining hole that holds the retaining portion of the shaft portion, and the movable body is attached to the shaft portion by having the retaining hole retain the retaining portion at one side of the support portion opposite to the operating body.

4. The rotary switch of claim 3 , further comprising a restricting part fitted to the shaft portion of the rotary body at one end of the support portion closer to the operating body.

5. The rotary switch of claim 1 , wherein the switching unit comprises:

a movable body attached to the rotary body at an opposite side to the operating body;

a contact piece fixed to the movable body, and having a contact portion extending outward from a surface opposite to another surface fixed to the movable body; and

a wiring board having fixed contacts that confront the contact portion.

6. The rotary switch of claim 5 , wherein the movable body is disposed closer to the operating body than the wiring board, and the contact portion of the contact piece extends in a direction away from the operating body.

7. The rotary switch of claim 5 , wherein the wiring board is disposed closer to the operating body than the movable body, and the contact portion of the contact piece extends toward the operating body.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2024
From: PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066957/0984 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 21, 2024
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 066644/0600 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2014
From: NISHIKAWA, HISASHI; SHIOZAKI, MINORU
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 031901/0238 →