JP7778592B2 - Switching device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a switch device.

Switch devices comprised of a printed circuit board with electrical contacts, an operating mechanism for connecting and disconnecting the electrical contacts, and a housing for housing these components have been known for some time. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a centralized switch designed for centralized placement of switches. This switch is an in-vehicle power seat switch that functions as a centralized switch, with a thin switch equipped with a front sheet having a dome-shaped protrusion mounted on the surface of the switch knob. This power seat switch is equipped with a dustproof/waterproof boot made of a flexible rubber sheet-like member, as it may be exposed to rainwater or dust.

Patent Document 2 discloses a power seat switch designed to prevent light emitted by a light emitter mounted on a circuit board from leaking through a through-hole in the cover without passing through the translucent cover. This switch includes a housing, a circuit board mounted inside the housing, a light emitter mounted on one side of the board, and an elastic sheet that covers one side of the board and the light emitter and guides the light from the light emitter. A through-hole is formed in the housing corresponding to one side of the board. The elastic sheet has a mirrored surface on the surface corresponding to the through-hole, which totally reflects the light passing through it. Furthermore, to improve waterproofing, the entire surface of the board is covered with a rubber sheet (elastic sheet).

Patent Document 3 also discloses a power seat switch device for vehicles that is easy to assemble and operate. This power seat switch device is composed of a lower case, a wiring board housed within the lower case, first and second connector terminals connected to one end of the wiring board, first through fourth lever switches mounted on the wiring board, first through fourth drive bodies individually positioned above each lever switch, an upper case that combines with the lower case to form the case of the switch device, a first operating knob that connects the first through third drive bodies, and a second operating knob that connects to the fourth drive body.

Patent Document 4 also discloses a rotary switch device with no backlash and a stable operating feel. This switch device includes a switch member, a support that houses the switch member, an operating knob rotatably supported on the support, a slider member that moves back and forth as the operating knob rotates, and a drive member that drives the switch member in response to the back and forth movement of the slider member. The support has a shaft portion for rotatably supporting the operating knob, and the operating knob has a shaft-side end provided with a bearing portion into which the shaft portion is inserted, and a rotation-side end to which the slider member is tightly connected. The inner circumferential surface of the bearing portion surrounds the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion with a gap, and at least one of the shaft portion and bearing portion is provided with a biasing portion that biases the operating knob in a direction from the slider member toward the shaft portion.

Patent Document 5 also discloses a slide-operated electrical component that allows for relatively flexible adjustment of the click feeling during slide operation and easily avoids increasing size. In this electrical component, the slider has a pair of protrusions extending in a predetermined direction, and each protrusion is inserted into a guide path in the holding case so that it can slide along the guide surface. The protrusions have a notch that opens to the end face, and a steel ball elastically biased by a coil spring makes elastic contact with the inner wall surface of the notch. The notch tapers from the open end toward the back, and the steel ball engages and disengages with a click groove formed in the innermost part of the notch, generating a click feeling. The coil spring is housed in a spring housing section in the holding case, which faces the guide path and is continuous with the guide surface.

Patent Document 6 discloses an operating device including an operating knob, an actuator, a first switch, a second switch, and a holder. The holder's storage space has a first storage section that extends in a first direction and accommodates a first arm of the actuator, guiding the first arm in the direction of pressing the first switch, and a second storage section that extends in a second direction and accommodates a second arm of the actuator, guiding the second arm in the direction of pressing the second switch. The first arm or the first storage section has a tolerance section that prevents interference between the first arm and the first storage section and allows tilting of the actuator in the second direction, and the second arm or the second storage section has a tolerance section that prevents interference between the second arm and the second storage section and allows tilting of the actuator in the first direction.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-281102 International Publication No. 2020/121688 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-288393 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-213120 JP 2009-218064 A International Publication No. 2020/255495

The present invention provides a switch device that makes it easier to drain infiltrated liquid.

In order to solve the above problems, a device is provided which includes a printed circuit board having electrical contacts and on which electronic components are mounted, a rubber sheet which covers the printed circuit board and has rubber domes at positions corresponding to the electrical contacts, an operation knob which is operated to operate the rubber domes to turn the electrical contacts on and off, an operation mechanism which is interposed between the operation knob and the rubber dome and transmits force applied to the operation knob to the rubber dome, an operation mechanism plate on which the operation mechanism is provided, and a housing which has an insertion hole on its side through which a part of the operation mechanism which connects with the operation knob is inserted and a drain hole on its bottom through which liquid which has entered inside is drained, and the housing is configured in this order from the side to the side of the housing: the operation mechanism plate, the rubber dome a rubber sheet and a printed circuit board housed inside the operation mechanism plate, the drain hole being located at the bottom of the space between the operation mechanism plate and the rubber sheet, the operation mechanism plate having a communication hole on the bottom side of the operation mechanism that connects the space between the operation mechanism plate and the rubber sheet with the space between the inner surface of the side surface and the operation mechanism plate, and a drain path is provided in the space between the inner surface of the side surface and the operation mechanism plate, on the insertion hole and on the bottom side of the operation mechanism, that guides liquid that has seeped in through the insertion hole to the communication hole, and the drain path extends from the inner surface of the side surface of the housing towards the operation mechanism plate, and is formed by its tip abutting against the operation mechanism plate.
According to this, a drain path is provided in the space between the inner surface of the side of the housing and the operating mechanism plate, which is on the bottom side of the insertion hole and the operating mechanism, to guide liquid that has seeped in through the insertion hole to the communication hole that connects the spaces on both sides of the operating mechanism plate.This provides a switch device in which the printed circuit board is positioned vertically when the switch device is installed, making it easier to drain the liquid that has seeped in through the drain hole.
Furthermore, the drain path is formed to extend from the inner surface of the side surface of the housing toward the operation mechanism plate, making it easier to drain any liquid that has entered.

In order to solve the above problems, there is provided a device comprising: a printed circuit board having electrical contacts and on which electronic components are mounted; a rubber sheet covering the printed circuit board and having rubber domes at positions corresponding to the electrical contacts; an operation knob that is operated to operate the rubber domes to turn the electrical contacts on and off; an operation mechanism that is interposed between the operation knob and the rubber dome and transmits force applied to the operation knob to the rubber dome; an operation mechanism plate on which the operation mechanism is provided; and a housing having an insertion hole on its side through which a portion of the operation mechanism that connects with the operation knob is inserted and a drain hole on its bottom through which liquid that has entered the inside is drained. a sheet and a printed circuit board are housed inside the operation mechanism plate, the drain hole is located at the bottom of the space between the operation mechanism plate and the rubber sheet, the operation mechanism plate has a communication hole on the bottom side of the operation mechanism that connects the space between the operation mechanism plate and the rubber sheet with the space between the inner surface of the side surface and the operation mechanism plate, a drain path is provided in the space between the insertion hole and the bottom side of the operation mechanism, between the inner surface of the side surface and the operation mechanism plate, that guides liquid that has seeped in through the insertion hole to the communication hole, and the drain path extends from the surface of the operation mechanism plate facing the housing toward the housing, and is formed by its tip abutting against the inner surface of the housing.

By forming the drain path to extend from the side surface of the housing of the operating mechanism plate, it becomes easier to drain any liquid that has seeped in.

As described above, the present invention provides a switch device that makes it easier to drain infiltrated liquid.

1A is a front view of a switch device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1B is a bottom view, FIG. 1C is a perspective view from the upper right front side, and FIG. 1D is a perspective view from the upper left rear side. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the switch device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, taken along line AA in FIG. 1(B). 1A and 1B are perspective views of a switch device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the lower right front, in which (A) is a perspective view showing the entire device, (B) is a perspective view with the operation knob removed, (C) is a perspective view with the front housing further removed, (D) is a perspective view from closer to the front than (C) with the surface portion of the housing removed but leaving the discharge path, and (E) is a perspective view of the rubber sheet and printed circuit board with the operation mechanism plate further removed. 1A is a bottom view of an assembly consisting of a switch device and a cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the assembly as seen from the upper right front side, and FIG. 1C is a perspective view of the assembly as seen from the upper left rear side. 4A is a cross-sectional view of an assembly including a switch device and a cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention, taken along line BB in FIG. 4A. 1A and 1B are perspective views of an assembly consisting of a switch device and a cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the lower right rear side, in which (A) is a perspective view showing the entire assembly, (B) is a perspective view with the rear cover removed, and (C) is a perspective view with the printed circuit board further removed. 1A and 1B are perspective views of an assembly consisting of a switch device and a cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the lower right rear side, in which (A) is a perspective view with the rubber sheet removed, and (B) is a perspective view with the operating mechanism plate removed. 1A and 1B are perspective views of an assembly consisting of a switch device and a cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the upper left rear side, in which (A) is a perspective view with the rubber sheet removed, and (B) is a perspective view with the operating mechanism plate removed.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
<First Example>
A switch device 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 8. The switch device 100 is mounted on a vehicle, receives power from the vehicle's battery, and performs on/off control of a motor that drives a predetermined location based on a user's operation. The switch device 100 has excellent water resistance, as described below, and is intended to be installed in a location within the vehicle where it may be exposed to rainwater or liquids, such as near a door or on a seat. The switch device 100 presented as an example is a switch provided on the side of the seat on the driver's door side for operating a power seat.

The switch device 100 comprises a housing 10, a printed circuit board 20, a rubber sheet 30, an operating knob 40, an operating mechanism 50, an operating mechanism plate 60, and a back cover 70. The housing 10 is roughly rectangular in shape and horizontally elongated when viewed from the front so that it fits the side of the seat, and is thick enough to accommodate the printed circuit board 20, rubber sheet 30, and operating mechanism plate 60, all of which are roughly parallel to the front. In other words, when the switch device 100 is installed in a vehicle, the printed circuit board 20, rubber sheet 30, and operating mechanism plate 60 housed inside are oriented vertically so that their planes are roughly vertical to the ground. The back of the housing 10 is open, but after the contents are stored inside, the back cover 70 acts as a lid and closes the housing. The switch device 100 is installed with the back cover 70 facing the seat and the front side facing the door.

The printed circuit board 20 is mounted with electrical contacts 21, electronic components (not shown), and a connector 22 for electrical connection to the outside. The electrical contacts 21 typically form part of a membrane switch, but are not limited to this. For example, a rubber dome (described below) may be provided with a conductive material, and the rubber dome may be configured to establish electrical continuity by coming into contact with the electrical contacts 21 on the board surface. The connector 22 is mounted facing downwards on the bottom of the printed circuit board 20, making it difficult for the user to see and easy to connect to the power supply and motor. The electronic components use power from the power supply to generate signals to drive the motor.

The rubber sheet 30 is a flexible rubber sheet that covers the printed circuit board 20 and has rubber domes 31 in positions corresponding to the electrical contacts 21. The rubber sheet 30 covers not only the planar printed circuit board 20, but also the connectors 22 that protrude from the printed circuit board 20. The rubber domes 31 are located in positions corresponding to the electrical contacts 21 on the printed circuit board 20, and when pressed by the operating mechanism 50 (described below), they recess, connecting the electrical contacts 21. When the pressure is released, they separate from the electrical contacts 21 due to their elasticity, cutting them off. The rubber sheet 30 covers all of the connectors 22, electrical contacts 21, and electronic components on the printed circuit board 20 through which electricity flows, preventing the printed circuit board 20 from becoming wet, even if the switch device 100 becomes wet.

Multiple operation knobs 40 are provided on the front side of the driver's seat to operate specific locations in specific directions. For example, one of the multiple operation knobs 40 is used to move the seat back and forth and up and down, while another operation knob 40 is used to raise and lower the backrest. Therefore, the operation knob 40 is often operated in the up and down direction (direction D1 in Figures 1 and 2), and this operating force is applied to the switch device 100. When the operation knob 40 is operated by the user, the movement is transmitted to the operation mechanism 50, and the operation knob 40 operates the rubber dome 31 via the operation mechanism 50, turning the electrical contact 21 on and off.

The operation mechanism 50 has a connection portion 51 for connecting to the operation knob 40, a slide portion 52, and a plunger 53 (Figure 2). The connection portion 51 passes through an insertion hole 11 provided on the front side of the housing 10, is exposed from the front of the housing 10, and is connected to the operation knob 40. The slide portion 52 is housed within the housing 10 and slides in direction D1 together with the operation knob 40. The plunger 53 is a member that converts the movement direction of the slide portion 52 to a perpendicular direction, i.e., a direction perpendicular to the printed circuit board 20 and rubber sheet 30.

For example, when the user operates the operation knob 40 downward at D1, the slide portion 52 slides downward along with it, depressing the tip of the plunger 53 located below (to the right as viewed in the figure). When the plunger 53 is depressed, the other tip abuts and depresses the rubber dome 31, thereby turning on the electrical contact 21 on the printed circuit board 20. In this way, the operation mechanism 50 is interposed between the operation knob 40 and the rubber dome 31, and transmits the force applied to the operation knob 40 to the rubber dome 31. Although not shown, the operation mechanism 50 also includes other components, such as an elastic member that biases the slide portion 52 in a predetermined direction and a member that creates a switch sensation.

The operation mechanism plate 60 is a sturdy base on which multiple operation mechanisms 50 are mounted, supporting each operation mechanism 50 and being able to withstand the operating force applied via the operation knob 40. The operation mechanism plate 60 is attached to the frontmost side of the housing 10 and has support portions 62 that fit into support holes 14 on the top and bottom surfaces of the housing 10 (Figure 2), thereby firmly attaching it to the housing 10. As can be seen from the cross-sectional view of Figure 2 and the front view and bottom view of Figures 1(A) and 1(B), the positions of the support portions 62 and operation mechanisms 50 on the operation mechanism plate 60, and the corresponding positions of the support holes 14 and insertion holes 11 on the housing 10, are aligned in the operating direction D1 of the operation knob 40 when viewed from the front.

Support holes 14 are provided directly below the insertion holes 11 through which the connecting portions 51 of the operating mechanism 50, which move the operating knob 40 and the slide portion 52 up and down, are inserted. This configuration allows the force in the operating direction D1 applied to the operating knob 40 located on the front of the switch device 100 to be firmly supported via the support portions 62 by the support holes 14 located directly above the insertion hole 11 on the top surface and directly below the insertion hole 11 on the bottom surface, thereby ensuring the strength of the operating mechanism 50. In this embodiment, the support holes 14 are holes that penetrate the surface and inner surface of the housing 10, but they may also be recessed holes that engage with the support portions 62 without penetrating.

The housing 10 also has drain holes 12 on its bottom surface for draining liquid that has seeped into the housing 10. The positions of the drain holes 12 are offset from the positions of the insertion holes 11 in the operating direction D1 of the operating knob 40. That is, support holes 14 are provided on the bottom surface directly below each insertion hole 11, and drain holes 12 are provided between each support hole 14, with the drain holes 12 and support holes 14 arranged alternately on the bottom surface (see, e.g., Figure 1(B)). Because liquid may seep in through the insertion hole 11 through which part of the operating mechanism 50 passes, it is preferable that the drain holes 12 be located directly below the insertion hole 11. However, as described below, by configuring the operating mechanism so that the infiltrated liquid is guided to the drain holes 12, the strength of the operating mechanism can be ensured and infiltrated liquid can be easily drained, even if the drain holes 12 are offset in the operating direction D1.

The housing 10 contains, from the front, the operation mechanism plate 60, rubber sheet 30, and printed circuit board 20, and the rear cover 70 is fitted from the back of the housing 10 to close it. When fitting the rear cover 70 into the housing 10, the entire periphery of the rubber sheet 30 is sandwiched between the step 16 formed inside the housing 10 (Figures 2 and 5). This allows the electrically conducting printed circuit board 20 to be housed in the space between the rear cover 70 and the rubber sheet 30, and by sandwiching the entire periphery, the printed circuit board 20 can be protected from water exposure.

The drain hole 12 is located on the inner surface of the front side of the housing 10, more specifically, at the bottom of the space between the operation mechanism plate 60 and the rubber sheet 30, with a bottom 1A between the drain hole 12 and the rubber sheet 30 (Figure 5). The bottom 1A is part of the housing 10 and is located between the drain hole 12 and the step 16. As a result, the drain hole 12, located on the bottom surface of the housing 10, is located at the bottom of the space between the inner surface of the front side of the housing 10 and the rubber sheet 30, and is separated from the rubber sheet 30 so that bottom 1A is between the drain hole 12 and the rubber sheet 30. This keeps liquid away from the connection portion (step 16) between the rubber sheet 30 and the housing 10, preventing it from penetrating there, enhancing the waterproof function of the rubber sheet 30 and making it easier to drain any liquid that has penetrated.

The housing 10 also has a connector opening 17 on its bottom surface, which is provided for external connection to a connector 22 that is provided at the bottom of the printed circuit board 20 and faces downward. The connector opening 17 is spaced a predetermined distance from the drain hole 12 on the bottom surface. This predetermined distance is determined as appropriate and is a distance that prevents liquid discharged from the drain hole 12 from splashing onto the connector opening 17. For example, as shown in Figure 4(A), it is a distance such that a support hole 14 is located between the connector opening 17 and the drain hole 12. In this way, by arranging the drain hole 12 and the connector opening 17 on the bottom surface of the housing 10 a predetermined distance apart, such as by arranging the support hole 14, it is possible to prevent liquid that has entered the housing 10 and been discharged from the drain hole 12 from entering the connector 22.

If rainwater, a drink, or other liquid is splashed onto the switch device 100 from above, the liquid may seep in through the insertion hole 11, running down the front side of the housing 10 from the top surface. Liquid that seeps in through the insertion hole 11 flows into the space between the inner surface of the housing 10 and the operation mechanism plate 60. Liquid that flows into the space between the inner surface of the housing 10 and the operation mechanism plate 60 flows toward the insertion hole 11 and the bottom side of the operation mechanism 50, because the operation mechanism plate 60 and printed circuit board 20 are configured to be vertical when the switch device 100 is installed.

On the bottom side of the operation mechanism 50, the operation mechanism plate 60 has a communication hole 61 that connects the space between the operation mechanism plate 60 and the rubber sheet 30 with the space between the inner surface of the front side of the housing 10 and the operation mechanism plate 60 (Figs. 3(C), (D), and 5). Liquid that flows into the space between the inner surface of the housing 10 and the operation mechanism plate 60 flows through this communication hole 61 into the space between the operation mechanism plate 60 and the rubber sheet 30 and is discharged through the discharge hole 12 provided in the bottom of this space.

It is also preferable that a drain path 15 be provided in the space between the inner surface of the front side of the housing 10 and the operation mechanism plate 60, on the bottom side of the insertion hole 11 and the operation mechanism 50, to guide liquid that has seeped in through the insertion hole 11 to the communication hole 61. In this way, by providing a drain path 15 in the space between the inner surface of the front side of the housing 10 and the operation mechanism plate 60, on the bottom side of the insertion hole 11 and the operation mechanism 50, to guide liquid that has seeped in through the insertion hole 11 to the communication hole 61 that connects the spaces on both sides of the operation mechanism plate 60, in a switch device in which the printed circuit board 20 is vertically oriented when the switch device 100 is installed, it is possible to easily drain the liquid that has seeped in through the drain hole 12.

In this embodiment, the drain path 15 extends from the inner surface of the front side of the housing 10 toward the operation mechanism plate 60, with its tip abutting against the operation mechanism plate 60. However, this is not limited to this, and the drain path may also be formed by extending from the housing-side surface of the operation mechanism plate toward the front of the housing, with its tip abutting against the inner surface of the housing. In either case, the formation of such a drain path allows liquid that has seeped in through the insertion hole 11 to be smoothly guided to the communication hole 61, allowing it to be quickly discharged from the inside of the switch device 100.

Furthermore, liquid that flows into the space between the operation mechanism plate 60 and the rubber sheet 30 through the communication hole 61 normally flows toward the drain hole 12 located below. However, because the rubber sheet 30 has a portion covering the connector 22 that rises from the printed circuit board 20, it is preferable to guide the liquid from that portion to the drain hole 12. In this configuration, the rubber sheet 30 preferably has a connector drain path 32 that extends toward the operation mechanism plate 60, its tip abutting the operation mechanism plate 60, and guides liquid that has entered from the insertion hole 11 via the communication hole 61 to the drain hole 12 (Figure 3(E)). One end of the connector drain path 32 is connected to a portion of the rubber sheet 30 that covers the connector 22, and extends at an angle from that end toward the drain hole 12 located on the bottom surface, with the other end 34 formed near the bottom surface. The other end 34 is separated from the rubber sheet 30 covering the connector 22, and there is a gap 33 between the lower end of the rubber sheet 30 covering the connector 22 and the other end 34 that prevents capillary action.

In this way, the connector section discharge path 32, which directs the liquid formed on the rubber sheet 30 to the discharge hole 12, extends at an angle from the rubber sheet 30 covering the connector 22 toward the discharge hole 12, with its tip (other end 34) spaced apart from the rubber sheet 30 covering the connector 22. The existence of a gap 33 between the connector section discharge path 32 and the rubber sheet 30 covering the connector 22 prevents liquid from seeping in through the connector opening 17 of the connector 22.

It is preferable to have a connector opening wall 18 extending downward around the connector opening 17. This prevents liquid discharged from the drain hole 12 from passing over the connector opening wall 18 and entering the connector 22. It is also preferable to have a drain hole wall 13 extending downward around the drain hole 12. This allows liquid discharged from the drain hole 12 to fall further downward, preventing it from entering the connector 22.

It is preferable that the top surface of the housing 10 has a rising portion 19 at the end facing the rear cover 70 (see Figures 2, 5, 7, etc.). This prevents liquid from seeping around from the rear side and into the housing 10.

The switch device 100 may also be provided as an assembly 1 together with a decorative cover 200 that is attached to the switch device 100, exposes the operating knob 40 from the front, and covers at least the top and front surfaces of the switch device 100 (Figures 4 to 8). This provides an assembly 1 that is aesthetically pleasing and prevents liquid from entering the interior of the housing 10.

The present invention is not limited to the illustrated examples, but can be implemented in configurations that do not deviate from the scope of the claims. In other words, while the present invention has been particularly illustrated and described primarily with reference to specific embodiments, those skilled in the art can make various modifications to the above-described embodiments in terms of quantity and other details without departing from the scope of the technical concept and purpose of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Assembly 100 Switch device 10 Housing 11 Insertion hole 12 Discharge hole 13 Discharge hole wall 14 Support hole 15 Discharge path 16 Step portion 17 Connector opening 18 Connector opening wall 19 Rising portion 1A Bottom portion 20 Printed circuit board 21 Electrical contact 22 Connector 30 Rubber sheet 31 Rubber dome 32 Connector portion discharge path 33 Gap 34 Other end 40 Operation knob 50 Operation mechanism 51 Connection portion with operation knob 52 Slide portion 53 Plunger 60 Operation mechanism plate 61 Communication hole 62 Support portion 70 Back cover 200 Cover D1 Operation direction of operation knob

Claims (2)

a printed circuit board having electrical contacts and on which electronic components are mounted;
a rubber sheet covering the printed circuit board and having rubber domes at positions corresponding to the electrical contacts;
an operation knob that is operated to operate the rubber dome and turn on/off the electrical contact;
an operation mechanism interposed between the operation knob and the rubber dome, for transmitting a force applied to the operation knob to the rubber dome;
an operation mechanism plate provided with the operation mechanism;
a housing having an insertion hole on a side surface through which a portion of the operation mechanism connected to the operation knob is inserted and a drain hole on a bottom surface through which liquid that has entered the housing is drained;
Equipped with
the housing accommodates the operation mechanism plate, the rubber sheet, and the printed circuit board in this order from the side surface;
the discharge hole is located at a lower part of the space between the operation mechanism plate and the rubber sheet,
the operation mechanism plate has a communication hole on the bottom side of the operation mechanism that communicates a space between the operation mechanism plate and the rubber sheet with a space between the inner surface of the side surface and the operation mechanism plate,
a discharge path is provided in a space between the inner surface of the side surface and the operation mechanism plate, on the side of the insertion hole and the bottom surface of the operation mechanism, for guiding liquid that has entered through the insertion hole to the communication hole ;
The discharge path extends from the inner surface of the side surface of the housing toward the operation mechanism plate, and is formed by abutting the tip of the discharge path against the operation mechanism plate.
A switch device characterized by : a printed circuit board having electrical contacts and on which electronic components are mounted;
a rubber sheet covering the printed circuit board and having rubber domes at positions corresponding to the electrical contacts;
an operation knob that is operated to operate the rubber dome and turn on/off the electrical contact;
an operation mechanism interposed between the operation knob and the rubber dome, for transmitting a force applied to the operation knob to the rubber dome;
an operation mechanism plate provided with the operation mechanism;
a housing having an insertion hole on a side surface through which a portion of the operation mechanism connected to the operation knob is inserted and a drain hole on a bottom surface through which liquid that has entered the housing is drained;
Equipped with
the housing accommodates the operation mechanism plate, the rubber sheet, and the printed circuit board in this order from the side surface;
the discharge hole is located at a lower part of the space between the operation mechanism plate and the rubber sheet,
the operation mechanism plate has a communication hole on the bottom side of the operation mechanism that communicates a space between the operation mechanism plate and the rubber sheet with a space between the inner surface of the side surface and the operation mechanism plate,
a discharge path is provided in a space between the inner surface of the side surface and the operation mechanism plate, on the side of the insertion hole and the bottom surface of the operation mechanism, for guiding liquid that has entered through the insertion hole to the communication hole ;
The discharge path extends from the surface of the operation mechanism plate facing the housing toward the housing, and is formed by abutting the tip of the discharge path against the inner surface of the housing.
A switch device characterized by :