EP0001031B1 - Commutateur électrique à touche, à action brusque - Google Patents

Commutateur électrique à touche, à action brusque Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0001031B1
EP0001031B1 EP78430007A EP78430007A EP0001031B1 EP 0001031 B1 EP0001031 B1 EP 0001031B1 EP 78430007 A EP78430007 A EP 78430007A EP 78430007 A EP78430007 A EP 78430007A EP 0001031 B1 EP0001031 B1 EP 0001031B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
spring
key
control member
buckling
control element
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
Application number
EP78430007A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0001031A1 (fr
Inventor
Richard Hunter Harris
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.)
International Business Machines Corp
Original Assignee
International Business Machines Corp
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 International Business Machines Corp filed Critical International Business Machines Corp
Publication of EP0001031A1 publication Critical patent/EP0001031A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0001031B1 publication Critical patent/EP0001031B1/fr
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/02—Details
    • H01H13/26—Snap-action arrangements depending upon deformation of elastic members
    • H01H13/28—Snap-action arrangements depending upon deformation of elastic members using compression or extension of coil springs
    • H01H13/30—Snap-action arrangements depending upon deformation of elastic members using compression or extension of coil springs one end of spring transmitting movement to the contact member when the other end is moved by the operating part
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2235/00—Springs
    • H01H2235/012—Euler spring

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to electrical key switches and, more particularly, to key switches of the type in which, during an operation of changing the electrical conduction state of the switch, energy is first accumulated in a compression spring, then released in order to produce an abrupt tilting movement of a control element ensuring said change of state.
  • switches of the prior art use a contact control element which switches suddenly. Some of them use a column compression spring, associated with said control element, in order to cause the latter to tilt. However, as will be seen below, these switches generally require a large number of mechanical elements to ensure the desired movement of the contact control element. These elements are generally pushers or return elements to cause the control element to tip over to its closed contact position or to return it to its rest or open contact position.
  • US-A-2,810,031 discloses a push button switch in which a coil spring is used to cause tilting of a pivotally mounted control member.
  • an additional member must be added between the push button and the rocking element to orient the stroke in the appropriate direction, when the actuation begins and to apply a restoring force in a rest position, release of the push button.
  • another additional member is used to orient the torque in the appropriate direction, in order to tilt the control element in the desired manner. This last additional member can be a source of instability and a possible cause of breakdowns.
  • US-A-3,863,040 presents a compression column spring subjected to buckling in order to come into contact with contact elements located on either side thereof.
  • Publication FR-A-2 138658 presents a device of the same type, but in neither of these two patents, the column compression spring switch subjected to buckling is used to produce the switching of a contact control element . In fact, the spring itself constitutes the contact element.
  • switches of the compression spring type and with a control element for abruptly rocking contacts use additional mechanisms to orient the initial tilting of said control element.
  • additional mechanisms increase the cost of manufacturing the switches and are a source of possible breakdowns due to wear or blockage issues that can affect them.
  • the assembly of these devices is also quite complicated.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide an electrical switch of the type with a control element suddenly tilting, using only a column compression spring and more precisely, the reaction torque of such a spring, subjected to a force which causes it to buckle, to tilt the control element to which it is coupled and to restore the latter to its initial position when said force is eliminated.
  • the column compression spring used in the switch according to the invention is of the type described in the publication FR-A-2 138 658 mentioned above.
  • This spring has characteristics well known to those skilled in the art (such as length, diameter, size of the wire, material, etc.) which allows it to flame suddenly when a predetermined compression force is applied to it.
  • a first end of the spring is coupled to a push button or button and the second to a control element, pivotally mounted so as to be able to switch between a first position and a second position, positions in which said control element cooperates with electrical elements in order ensure separate states of electrical conduction.
  • This spring is mounted between said button and said control element in a precompression state and its second end is located, relative to the pivot point of the control element, in a location such that the precompression of the spring maintains the the control element in its first position.
  • Means are also provided which ensure that the buckling of the spring always occurs in the same direction when a force is applied to the key.
  • FIG. 1A of the drawings represents the rest position of a preferred embodiment of the electrical switch according to the invention.
  • the switch comprises a button or push button 1 secured to a rod or barrel 2 which is mounted to slide in a housing 3.
  • the barrel 2 is provided with a pin 4 which moves in a groove 5 of the housing 3.
  • the purpose of this pin 4 is to limit the upward stroke of the key 5 while coming into abutment on the end 6 of the groove 5.
  • the stroke of the key 1 down is limited by a shoulder 7, inside the key 1, which abuts against the top 8 of the housing 3.
  • the distance DO indicated in FIG. 1A, represents the total stroke possible from the button.
  • the button 1, its barrel 2 and the housing 3 are made of injection molded plastic.
  • the housing 3 is mounted above a substrate 9, made of an electrically non-conductive material and having individual electrical contacts 10A, 10B, 10C.
  • the contacts 10B and 10C are placed respectively to the left and to the right of the central contact 10A.
  • the coupling between the central contact 10A and one or the other of the lateral contacts 10B and 10C is ensured by means of a control element 11 having a general flattened V shape and which is mounted between the housing 3 and the substrate 9 to switch, between a first and a second position, around an axis 12 perpendicular to the plane of the sheet.
  • the pivot axis 12 is constituted simply, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, by the line of contact between the base of the flattened V-shaped element and the substrate 9.
  • control element 11 reduces the manufacturing cost of the device and simplifies its assembly. Those skilled in the art will however understand that other configurations of the control element 11 can be made, the only condition to be observed being that this element must switch between two distinct positions relative to the substrate 9 and its contacts.
  • control element 11 In its first position or rest position (represented in FIG. 1A) the control element 11 ensures the coupling between the contacts 10A and 10B, while in its second position (represented in FIG. 1C) it ensures the coupling between contacts 10A and 10C.
  • control element 11 is made of electrically conductive plastic material, injection molded, and the contacts 10A, 10B, 10C constitute the plates of a capacitive switching system and are therefore covered by a thin layer of dielectric material to create a capacitive action when the control element 11 is brought in the vicinity of one or other of the sets of plates 10A, 1 OB, or 10A , 10C.
  • the control element 11 comprises a pin 13 which is offset to the left, in the figures, relative to the pivot axis 12 of the element 11.
  • the bottom 15 of the barrel of the key has another mounting stud 16 whose base is inclined relative to the axis of the barrel of the key so as to point to the right in the drawings.
  • the base of this pin 16 is surrounded by a shallow circular groove (not referenced) in which is freely housed the first turn of the first end of a helical compression spring 17, the second end of which is fitted on the pin 13 .
  • the compression spring 17 is of the sudden buckling type described in the publication FR-A-2 138 658 mentioned above. Those skilled in the art will understand, however, that other configurations of snap springs (such as blades, wires, or spring bars) can be used for the same purpose.
  • the sudden-buckling spring 17 is mounted between the control element 11 and the bottom of the test barrel 2 in a state of slight precompression which, thanks to the offset of the pin 13 relative to the pivot axis 12, ensures the maintenance of the control element 11 in its first position as shown in FIG. 1A, until, (as will be seen in more detail below) the key 1 has moved, under the action of a force F directed downwards, over a predetermined distance D2 (see FIG. 1C) which corresponds to the sudden buckling of the spring and the tilting of the element 11 towards its second position illustrated in FIG. 1C.
  • FIG. 1B represents the mechanism of FIG. 1A when a force F is applied to the key 1 in order to depress it relative to its high position represented in FIG. 1A.
  • This force F caused a slight depression D1 of the key and the compression of the helical compression spring 17.
  • This compression accentuates the initial buckling of the spring and generates reaction torques at each end of the spring.
  • the torque exerted on the control element 11 is directed counterclockwise and its moment is approximately equal to the force F multiplied by the distance between the pivot point 12 and the central axis of the spring. This torque holds the element 11 firmly against the contacts 10A and 10B.
  • the torque exerted on the upper end of the spring is directed clockwise and its moment is approximately equal to the half-product of force F by the diameter of the spring. This couple maintains the first turn of the spring pressed against the test barrel.
  • FIG. 1C represents the mechanism of FIGS. 1A and 1B when the key 1 has been pressed over a distance D2, greater than the distance D1 mentioned above, and has reached the point where the sudden buckling of the spring 17 occurs. It will be noted that, during this sudden buckling, the end of the spring 17 which is coupled to the pin 16 of the barrel 2 partially emerges from the groove, in which it is housed, pivoting freely in the counterclockwise direction.
  • the sudden buckling of the spring results in a tactile sensation experienced by the user, due to the sudden decrease in the reaction force exerted by the key on the user's finger.
  • the sudden tilting of the control element 11 produces an audible click.
  • FIG. 1 D represents the mechanism when the key 1 has been pressed even more and has traveled a distance D3 greater than the distance D2. This FIG. 1 D represents the state of the mechanism a little before the contact between the surfaces 7 and 8 occurs which will end the movement of the button downwards.
  • FIG. 2 there is a graphical representation of the force exerted on the key as a function of the stroke thereof.
  • This force is the force F required to press key 1 and the values of this force F are indicated in grams-force on the ordinate axis.
  • the values for the stroke of the key are indicated in millimeters on the abscissa axis. It will be noted that the strokes DO, D1, D2 and D3 of the key which have been discussed above have been indicated on the abscissa, with reference to FIGS.
  • the upper part of the curve shown in FIG. 2 corresponds to the pressing of the key and the lower part corresponds to the return of this same key to its high position.
  • the version of the capacitive type described above is that preferred for the switch according to the invention, the latter could just as easily be designed in a version with purely ohmic contacts. To do this, it would suffice to leave the electrical contacts 10A, 10B and 10C bare, so that they can be directly touched by the control element 11. It goes without saying, also, that the electrical contacts 10A, 10B and 10C could be replaced by other types of means producing electrical signals such as inductive, piezoelectric elements, light interruption detectors, etc.
EP78430007A 1977-08-30 1978-07-20 Commutateur électrique à touche, à action brusque Expired EP0001031B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US829039 1977-08-30
US05/829,039 US4118611A (en) 1977-08-30 1977-08-30 Buckling spring torsional snap actuator

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0001031A1 EP0001031A1 (fr) 1979-03-07
EP0001031B1 true EP0001031B1 (fr) 1980-10-01

Family

ID=25253373

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP78430007A Expired EP0001031B1 (fr) 1977-08-30 1978-07-20 Commutateur électrique à touche, à action brusque

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US4118611A (ja)
EP (1) EP0001031B1 (ja)
JP (1) JPS5437281A (ja)
CA (1) CA1098947A (ja)
DE (1) DE2860193D1 (ja)
IT (1) IT1109970B (ja)

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4274752A (en) * 1979-04-02 1981-06-23 International Business Machines Corporation Keyboard multiple switch assembly
US4543563A (en) * 1982-08-23 1985-09-24 Rca Corporation Mechanically-actuated transparent touchbars and touchplates
US4543562A (en) * 1982-08-23 1985-09-24 Rca Corporation Mechanically-actuated touchbars and touchplates using multiple-closure switches
US4528431A (en) * 1983-10-03 1985-07-09 International Business Machines Corporation Rocking switch actuator for a low force membrane contact switch
US4605828A (en) * 1984-05-29 1986-08-12 International Business Machines Corporation Membrane keyboard switch mounting
US4640998A (en) * 1985-07-09 1987-02-03 Carlingswitch, Inc. Push button switch with compound contact lever action
US4859820A (en) * 1988-03-31 1989-08-22 American Telephone And Telegraph Company Quiet key switch
JPH0280929U (ja) * 1988-12-12 1990-06-21
US4931606A (en) * 1989-04-28 1990-06-05 International Business Machines Corporation Key switch mechanism and membrane actuator
US5177427A (en) * 1991-03-22 1993-01-05 H. M. Electronics, Inc. Battery charging system and method for preventing false switching from fast charge to trickle charge
US5268545A (en) * 1992-12-18 1993-12-07 Lexmark International, Inc. Low profile tactile keyswitch
GB2282703A (en) * 1993-10-05 1995-04-12 Daw Shen Chen Mechanical key switch
US5380972A (en) * 1993-11-19 1995-01-10 Motorola, Inc. Rocker switch
US6570106B1 (en) 2000-07-10 2003-05-27 Steven L. Merrick Movable electric switches that move to reveal underlying control areas
US7731444B2 (en) * 2001-11-30 2010-06-08 Renault S.A.S. Device for coupling a plastic part and a body shell structure
US9884416B2 (en) 2011-08-01 2018-02-06 Ingersoll-Rand Company Devices including power tools with non-binding linear slides and associated methods
CN103842134B (zh) 2011-08-01 2016-07-06 英格索尔-兰德公司 用于无绳动力工具的具有触觉反馈的电池包释放
US20140209601A1 (en) * 2013-01-30 2014-07-31 Agm Container Controls, Inc. Breather Valve Assemblies
US9850974B1 (en) 2013-03-14 2017-12-26 Hrl Laboratories, Llc Buckling column load switch spring
CA2913671A1 (en) 2015-12-02 2017-06-02 Pat S. Hao Thin keyswitch, keyboard and keyboard overlay
CN109803704B (zh) 2016-08-02 2022-06-03 阿德尔·布加特福 用于向患者气道提供冲击式通气治疗的设备
US10698486B2 (en) 2017-07-28 2020-06-30 Synaptics Incorporated Haptic tactile feedback with buckling mechanism
US11092172B2 (en) 2019-07-12 2021-08-17 Dennis Keith Reust Seismic vibrator servo valve with proportional linear pressure feedback
US11346966B2 (en) 2020-06-23 2022-05-31 Dennis Keith Reust System and method to transfer inertial mass

Family Cites Families (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2810031A (en) * 1954-11-26 1957-10-15 Hellstrom Gosta Ludvig Electric switch
US3165611A (en) * 1961-07-18 1965-01-12 Carling Electric Inc Spring biased-spring actuated momentary switch
US3200657A (en) * 1962-09-27 1965-08-17 Cts Corp Electric switch
US3491218A (en) * 1968-01-05 1970-01-20 Cutler Hammer Inc Pushbutton switch with pivotally mounted actuator
CH514925A (de) * 1970-06-17 1971-10-31 Holzer Patent Ag Aneinanderreihbarer Drucktastenschalter
US3619528A (en) * 1970-08-14 1971-11-09 Carling Electric Inc Momentary plunger switch
US3699296A (en) * 1971-05-21 1972-10-17 Ibm Catastrophically buckling compression column switch and actuator
JPS5528377B2 (ja) * 1973-03-16 1980-07-28
US3842229A (en) * 1973-07-05 1974-10-15 Texas Instruments Inc Keyboard pushbutton switch
US3979571A (en) * 1974-02-14 1976-09-07 Oak Industries Inc. Buckled spring switch mechanism with latching pushbutton
US3863040A (en) * 1974-02-14 1975-01-28 Oak Industries Inc Switch mechanism
DE7504400U (de) * 1975-02-13 1975-06-05 Marquardt J & J Elektrischer Schalter

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS5741774B2 (ja) 1982-09-04
US4118611A (en) 1978-10-03
IT7826396A0 (it) 1978-08-02
DE2860193D1 (en) 1981-01-08
IT1109970B (it) 1985-12-23
EP0001031A1 (fr) 1979-03-07
CA1098947A (en) 1981-04-07
JPS5437281A (en) 1979-03-19

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