IP Library Granted Patent US 10,366,851
Granted Patent B2
US 10,366,851 · App. 15/666,692 · Granted Jul 30, 2019

Switch device and detecting apparatus equipped with it

Inventors: Takaki Tanaka (Miyagi-ken, JP); Tatsuo Sugawara (Miyagi-ken, JP)
Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
H01H13/52H01H1/5805H01H9/04H01H13/04H01H13/063H01H13/10H01H13/14H01H13/183H01H13/20H01H2009/048H01H2235/01
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,366,851
App. No.
15/666,692
Granted
Jul 30, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

First guide supports and second guide supports are integrally formed on an external base material to which external terminals are fixed. Guide protrusions and guide concave parts, which extend vertically, are formed on the housing of a switch device. When each guide protrusion and its corresponding guide concave part are guided by a first guide support and a second guide support during the attachment of the switch device to the external base material, the switch device can be easily attached.

Claims (95)

1. A switch device comprising:

a housing;

at least two internal terminals provided in the housing;

a movable contact; and

a manipulation body that operates the movable contact; wherein

an opening into which an external terminal is insertable is disposed in the housing,

each internal terminal has a contact touching part that is electrically connected to the movable contact and has a terminal connecting part connectable to the external terminal inserted into the housing, and

the housing has at least one of a guide concave part and a guide protrusion that guides the housing toward an external base material to which the external terminal is fixed, and that extend in a direction in which the external terminal is inserted, wherein:

the housing has a bottom part facing an attachment surface of the external base material to which the external terminal is fixed and also has two side parts erected from the attachment surface with the bottom part intervening between the two side parts;

the opening is in the bottom part; and

each of the two side parts has at least one of the guide concave part and the guide protrusion.

2. The switch device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the guide concave part and the guide protrusion is provided between the opening and the manipulation body.

3. The switch device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the housing is comprises a first case and a second case together combined together; and

the guide protrusion is at a portion at which the first case and the second case are combined together.

4. The switch device according to claim 3 , wherein the guide concave part is in one of the first case and the second case.

5. The switch device according to claim 3 , wherein:

the housing comprises the first case and the second case combined together;

the guide protrusion is at a portion at which the first case and the second case are combined together; and

the guide concave part is in one of the first case and the second case.

6. The switch device according to claim 3 , wherein:

the first case has the manipulation body and the movable contact;

the second case has the opening; and

the terminal connecting part is disposed in the second case.

7. The switch device according to claim 3 , wherein one of the first case and the second case has a positioning structure that achieves positioning on the external base material to which the external terminal is fixed.

8. The switch device according to claim 7 , wherein the internal terminals are incorporated with respect to the case having the positioning structure.

9. The switch device according to claim 8 , wherein:

the internal terminals are held by a terminal holding member; and

the terminal holding member is positioned by abutting the case having the positioning structure.

10. The switch device according to claim 9 , wherein:

the terminal holding member has a partition wall; and

the terminal connecting parts are disposed with the partition wall intervening between the terminal connecting parts.

11. The switch device according to claim 7 , wherein the positioning structure has a positioning boss protruding from the case toward the external base material.

12. The switch device according to claim 7 , wherein the positioning structure has a rib disposed on an inner surface of the guide concave part.

13. The switch device according to claim 1 , wherein:

a fitting protrusion is on the housing so as to protrude in the direction in which the external terminal is inserted from the bottom part;

the opening is in the fitting protrusion; and

a sealing member made of an elastic material is attached to an outer circumference of the fitting protrusion.

14. The switch device according to claim 13 , wherein the sealing member is vertically symmetric in the direction in which the external terminal is inserted.

15. A detecting apparatus comprising:

a switch device comprising:

a housing;

at least two internal terminals provided in the housing;

a movable contact; and

a manipulation body that operates the movable contact; wherein

an opening into which an external terminal is insertable is disposed in the housing,

each internal terminal has a contact touching part that is electrically connected to the movable contact and has a terminal connecting part connectable to the external terminal inserted into the housing, and

the housing has at least one of a guide concave part and a guide protrusion that extend in a direction in which the external terminal is inserted;

an external base material;

at least two external terminals fixed to the external base material; and

a guide support formed on the external base material so as to be oriented in a direction in which the external terminals extend; wherein

the switch device is disposed on the external base material,

at least one of the guide concave part and the guide protrusion is guided by the guide support, and

the external terminals enter an interior of the housing from the opening and are connected to the terminal connecting parts.

16. A detecting apparatus comprising:

the switch device comprising:

a housing;

at least two internal terminals provided in the housing;

a movable contact; and

a manipulation body that operates the movable contact; wherein

an opening into which an external terminal is insertable is disposed in the housing,

each internal terminal has a contact touching part that is electrically connected to the movable contact and has a terminal connecting part connectable to the external terminal inserted into the housing, and

the housing has at least one of a guide concave part and a guide protrusion that extend in a direction in which the external terminal is inserted;

the housing is comprises a first case and a second case together combined together;

the guide protrusion is at a portion at which the first case and the second case are combined together; and

wherein one of the first case and the second case has a positioning structure that achieves positioning on the external base material to which the external terminal is fixed;

an external base material;

at least two external terminals fixed to the external base material;

a positioning support formed in the external base material; and

a guide support formed on the external base material so as to be oriented in a direction in which the external terminals extend; wherein

the switch device is disposed on the external base material,

at least one of the guide concave part and the guide protrusion is guided by the guide support,

the housing is positioned by fitting the positioning structure and the positioning support to each other, and

the external terminals enter an interior of the housing from the opening and are connected to the terminal connecting parts.

17. A detecting apparatus comprising:

a switch device comprising:

a housing;

at least two internal terminals provided in the housing;

a movable contact; and

a manipulation body that operates the movable contact; wherein

an opening into which an external terminal is insertable is disposed in the housing,

each internal terminal has a contact touching part that is electrically connected to the movable contact and has a terminal connecting part connectable to the external terminal inserted into the housing, and

the housing has at least one of a guide concave part and a guide protrusion that extend in a direction in which the external terminal is inserted;

wherein:

a fitting protrusion is on the housing so as to protrude in the direction in which the external terminal is inserted from the bottom part;

the opening is in the fitting protrusion; and

a sealing member made of an elastic material is attached to an outer circumference of the fitting protrusion;

an external base material;

at least two external terminals fixed to the external base material; and

a guide support formed on the external base material so as to be oriented in a direction in which the external terminals extend; wherein

the switch device is disposed on the external base material,

at least one of the guide concave part and the guide protrusion is guided by the guide support,

the external terminals enter an interior of the housing from the opening and are connected to the terminal connecting parts,

a wall surface enclosing the external terminals is formed on the outer base material, and

the sealing member is attached between the fitting protrusion and the wall surface.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 1, 2019
From: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
To: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 048220/0317 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 2, 2017
From: TANAKA, TAKAKI; SUGAWARA, TATSUO
To: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 043169/0788 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2016-157437 · Aug 10, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180047529A1 · Feb 15, 2018