CA1307814C - Interlocking device for push-button switches - Google Patents

Interlocking device for push-button switches

Info

Publication number
CA1307814C
CA1307814C CA000537526A CA537526A CA1307814C CA 1307814 C CA1307814 C CA 1307814C CA 000537526 A CA000537526 A CA 000537526A CA 537526 A CA537526 A CA 537526A CA 1307814 C CA1307814 C CA 1307814C
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
push
button
buttons
pin
switch
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
CA000537526A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Heihachiro Umemura
Kiyoshi Nakai
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
SHINKOH ELECTRIC CO Ltd
Original Assignee
SHINKOH ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by SHINKOH ELECTRIC CO., LTD. filed Critical SHINKOH ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1307814C publication Critical patent/CA1307814C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

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  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

An interlocking device for a push-button switch which is small and of simple mechanical construction and yet effects an accurate interlocking operation. The device com-prises a pair of push-buttons which can be slidably depressed in a pair of push-button holes in a housing, an interlocking hole connecting the push-button holes in which three balls or rollers are disposed, a fulcrum supporter and an interlocking lever. When one of the push-buttons is pushed down in its hole, a central ball of the three balls is pushed up and pushes up the fulcrum supporter, and the push-button is locked by the lever.

Description

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The present invention relates to an interlocking device for a push-button switch which is small, of simple mechanical construction and yet effective and accurate interlocking operation.

In a push-button switch, in order to avoid breaXage of the switch caused by simultaneous operation of both push-buttons, an interlocking device is provided so that the two push-buttons cannot be simultaneously depressed. However~
when the conventional seesaw type interlocking system with a lever for interlocking between the two push-buttons is mounted in a push-button switch for a two-step operation, two switch contacts are required which are at different levels at a location greater than half of the depression stroke of a push-button. This requirement results in an increase in the size of the switch and making the operability of the switch poor.

Mechanical interlocking mechanisms are available. In this system, howeverl when a push-button will not rise back due, for example, to the presence of foreign substances, the push~button cannot be returned to its natural position by pushing down the other push-button. In such a case, with the normal practice of operating a push-button switch there is the risk of applying excessiYe force to the other push-button and both push-buttons are put into a depressable condition.
In the electrical interlocking system the switch is large, wiring of circuits is complicated and both push-buttons can be pushed down simultaneously. Therefore, operability becomes worse especially at the inching operations.

According to the present invention there is provided .

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a pushbut-ton switch havlng an interlocki~g device, said switch comp~islnc~:
a pair oE two spaced adjacent push-buttons each movable downwardly from an inoperative to an operative position;
a pin positioned between said two push-buttons and having a horizontal longitudinal axis extending transversely to a vertical plane between said push-buttons and around which said pin is rotatable; and an interlocking lever extending between said push-buttons and having opposite ends engaged with respective ones of said pushbuttons for tilting said lever when said push-buttons are moved, said interlocking lever : having a fulcrum projecting downwardly from the central portion thereof and, when both said push-buttons are in the inopera-tive position, having the lower end supported on said rotatable pin, and movable for, when one of the push-buttons is moved downwardly, being tilted toward thc downwardly moved push-button and having the fulcrum motted around said ~: pin to a position on the opposite side of the pin from the : downwardly moved push-button, whereby downward movement of :~; the other push-button is blocked by the lever being blocked : ~ against tilting movement toward the other push-button by the en~agement of the fulcrum with the pin.

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Thus, in the push-button switch having a pair of push-buttons which can be pushed down in push-button holes, an interlocking hole of a shape so as to be protuberant at its central part and sloping down symmetrically between the push-buttons is provided. Three balls or rollers are located inthis interlocking hole. A central ball or roller of the three balls or rollers is pushed up by depressing a push-button. A fulcrum supporter which is ~extically movable is provided on the central ball or roller. By this supporter, interlocking lever provided between the pair of push-buttons is supported for operation in the manner of a seesaw.

The present invention will be further illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Fig. 1 is a vertical section through an interlocking device for a push-button switch according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Figs. 2 (I), (II), (III) and (IV) are operational Figures;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the interlocking device for a push-button switch, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the device.

In the drawings the interlocking device for a two-step operable push-button switch according to the present invention is described.

A push-button switch 1 has push-button holes la, lb -: , , .
. ' ' , ~ 3 ~
in which a pair of push-buttons 2,2 are fitted. Vertical guide grooves lb,lb which guide gu~de balls 3 for two-step operation are provided at the upper part of the push-button holes la,la. Each guide ball 3 is guided into the push-button hole ~a rom the guide yroove lb.
Each push-button 2 is shaped to be slldably itted in its respective push-button hole la. A hole 2a is disposed horizontally in each push-button 2 and in this hole 2a, two guide balls 3,3 are located with a spring ~ therebetween. The two guide balls 3,3 are biased by the spring 4 to protrude outwardly. Thus, when the push-button 2 is located into the push-button hole la, the balls 3 are pressed against the inner surface of the hole 2a and the surface of the guide groove lb.
The central part of the bottom of the push-button 2 has a spring hole 2b. The outer circumference of the spring hole 2b is the bot-tom surface 2c of the push-button and is tapered. A
spring 5 is interposed between the spring hole 2b and a bottom surface of the push-button hole 2a so as to bias the push-button 2 upwardly when the push-button 2 is located into the sw1tch. In order to prevent the push-button 2 from slipping out of the switch 1 under the action of the spring 5, the push-button 2 is supported by fixed contact pieces Tl,T2 and movable contact pieces Sl,S2.
An interlock hole lO is provided between the push-button holes la,la. This interlock hole lO is shaped to be protuberant in its central part an~ slopin~ down symmetrically ~; on both sides. A ball Bl for lifting up and down a fulcrum ~ .
supporter 6, a ball B2 for interlocking and a ball B3 for interlocking are disposed in the interlock hole 10 at the cen-tral part lOa, the inclined surface lob and the inclined sur-face lOc, respecti~ely. ~A hole 11 is pr0sent in the upper side of and in communication with a substantially central part ' ~ - 3 -t of the interlock hole 10. A fulcrum supporter 6 is mounted in this hole 11. When -the -three balls Bl~2~s3 are located in the interlock hole 10, the balls B~,B3 at both ends protrude par-tly into the push-button h~les la,la but are prevented from slipping out of the interlock hole 10 by upstanding ridges lOd,lOd.
The fulcrum supporter 6 is vertically slidable with its bottom surface in contact with the ball Bl, and moves up and down with the up and down motion of the ball Bl. The ful-crum supporter 6 is in contact, at its upper surface, with aninterlocking lever 7 which is moved in a seesaw fashion by depression of push-buttons as it is supported by the fulcrum supporter 6. The interlocking lever 7 is fixed at its both ends to the push-buttons 2.
In operation of a push-button switch according to the present inv~ntion, is shown in Fig. 2.
When a first-step operation is effected by depress-ing the push-button 2 on the left-hand side, for example, as shown by Flg. 2 (II), the guide ball 3 reaches the bottom part of the gulde groove lb and the push-button 2 makes contact with the contact Sl and the ball B2 is forced to move toward the other push-button 2, whereby the ball B3 is pushed to the right via the centre ball Bl. In this conditionr if the push-button 2 on the rlght side is depressed, the ball s3 moves to ~::: the left and consequently the ball Bl pushes up the fulcrum : supporter 6, whereby the push-button 2 is locked by the inter-: ~ lock lever 7 before it makes contact with the contact Sl.
If the push-button 2 on the left-hand side is depressed further (second-step operation), it makes contact ~30 with the second contact S2. Thus, in either case of the : first-step operation and~the second-step operation, two balls B2 and B3 are locked by the side surface oE the depressed :. . . .

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push-button, the ball Bl, the fulcrum supporter 6 and the interlock lever 7, with the result that the other push-bu-tton 2 cannot be depressed simultaneously. Similarly, the same action occurs when the push-button 2 on the right-hand side is depressed.
When the push-button 2 on the left-hand side is depressed, the ball B2 moves to the right as it is pushing the ball s3 on the right-hand side via the centre ball Bl and the ball B3 on the right-hand side hits against the push-button 2 on the right-hand side and stops. At this time, in the case of the first-step operation, all balls Bl,B2,B3 are in such state as shown in Fig. 2 (II) and the interlocking lever 7 is still in the pivotable state. However, if the push-button on the left-hand side is depressed further (the second-step oper-ation), it pushes down the left end side of the interlocking lever, as shown in Fi~. 2 (IV), whereby the push-button on the right-hand side is locked by the lever 7 and is prevented from being depressed.
Flg. 2 (IV) indicates the state where push-button 2 on the right and the left-hand sides are on the point of being depressed simultaneously. If both push-buttons are simultane-ously depressed, both balls s2,s3 are forced to move toward the centre of the interlock hole lO, whereby the ball sl at the centre is pushed upwardly. It is so arranged that the ball Bl pushing up amount at this time is much larger than in the case of depressing the push-button 2 on one side alone at a full stroke so that the both push-buttons are locked before the contact Sl makes contact with the fixed contact Tl by the lever 7 which was lifted up by the rise of the fulcrum sup-porter 6 via the ball Bl.
~ eferring to tAe interlocking device according tothe present invention, comparison is made among the case where ~ 4 push-buttons are not depressed, the case where both push-but-tons are depressed simultaneously and the case where only one push-button is depressed at a full stroke.
The followiny correlation formula is formed by YA, YB and YC (each being the distance from the bottom surface of the push-button switch to the centre oE the ball Bl at the centre).
YB Yc -- YA
When the push-buttons are depressed simultaneously, the fulcrum supporter of the interlocking lever rises up and therefore the interlocking of the switch contact is made pos-sible by the moving distance which is less than a half of a stroke of the push-button. Thus, it becomes possible to arrange two switch contacts in a well-balanced condition within the stroke of the push-button, with the result that a small switch having very good operability can be manufactured.
The ball receiving surface should be such that the centre of the ball B1 is positioned at the positive side ln y axis direction from the line connecting the centres of the balls B2,B3.
In the above embodiment, three balls are used but these balls can be substituted by rollers or can take other shapes. The balls can take any shape, so long as the ball at the centre moves smoothly in a positive direction of y axis by the force applied thereto from both sides. ~lso, it is pos-sible to form the fulcrum supporter and the ball Bl integrally and to form the fulcrum supporter and the interlocking lever integraLly.
In this embodiment, mention was made about the push-30 ~ button for two-step operation but the present invention is applicable to the push-button switch for one-step operation and also the electromagnetic switch. In this case, as com-~3 ~
pared with the conventional interlocking system of lever type,a longer interlocking time can be surely -taken. This ensures formation of a safe and accurate push-button switch or switch.
~ ccording to the present invention, when two push-buttons are depressed simultaneously, the fulcrum supporter is pushed up. In the case where one of the two push-buttons will not rise back, depression of the other push-button will push up the depression. The present invention provides a push-button switch which is small, is of simple mechanical con-struction, has little ~play~ and carries out accurate inter-locking. It is applicable widely to the two-step operable push-button switch for a hoist with slow speed and of double speed, an electrically driven chain block, etc., the operable push-button switch which requires a long interlocking time and the switch by which normal and reverse turning o~ the motor is controlled by SS relay.

Claims (2)

1. A pushbutton switch having an interlocking device, said switch comprising:
a pair of two spaced adjacent push-buttons each movable downwardly from an inoperative to an operative position;
a pin positioned between said two push-buttons and having a horizontal longitudinal axis extending transversely to a vertical plane between said push-buttons and around which said pin is rotatable; and an interlocking lever extending between said push-buttons and having opposite ends engaged with respective ones of said pushbuttons for tilting said lever when said push-buttons are moved, said interlocking lever having a fulcrum projecting downwardly from the central portion thereof and, when both said push-buttons are in the inoperative position, having the lower end supported on said rotatable pin, and movable for, when one of the push-buttons is moved downwardly, being tilted toward the downwardly moved push-button and having the fulcrum moved around said pin to a position on the opposite side of the pin from the downwardly moved push-button, whereby downward movement of the other push-button is blocked by the lever being blocked against tilting movement toward the other push-button by the engagement of the fulcrum with the pin.
2. A push-button switch as claimed in claim 1 in which said switch has a switch body having push-button receiving holes therein in which said push-buttons are movable and a lever receiving groove extending between said receiving holes in which said interlocking lever is tiltable, said groove having pin receiving recesses on opposite sides thereon in which the ends of said pin are rotatably mounted.
CA000537526A 1987-01-26 1987-05-20 Interlocking device for push-button switches Expired - Fee Related CA1307814C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP62015700A JPH0618096B2 (en) 1987-01-26 1987-01-26 Pushbutton switch interlock device
JP62-15700 1987-01-26

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1307814C true CA1307814C (en) 1992-09-22

Family

ID=11896046

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000537526A Expired - Fee Related CA1307814C (en) 1987-01-26 1987-05-20 Interlocking device for push-button switches

Country Status (2)

Country Link
JP (1) JPH0618096B2 (en)
CA (1) CA1307814C (en)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP3572266B2 (en) 2001-03-27 2004-09-29 川崎重工業株式会社 Four-wheel drive vehicle with two-wheel drive four-wheel drive switching device for running on uneven terrain
CN105328889B (en) * 2015-12-22 2020-03-17 上虞东虞塑料电器有限公司 Reset protection switch of injection mold

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS6025778Y2 (en) * 1977-02-28 1985-08-02 新晃電機株式会社 Interlock device for two-step pushbutton switch
JPS5796415A (en) * 1980-12-09 1982-06-15 Fuji Electric Co Ltd Pushbutton switch

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS63184221A (en) 1988-07-29
JPH0618096B2 (en) 1994-03-09

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