EP0959393A1 - In mehreren Richtungen bedienbarer Drückschalter - Google Patents

In mehreren Richtungen bedienbarer Drückschalter Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0959393A1
EP0959393A1 EP98109172A EP98109172A EP0959393A1 EP 0959393 A1 EP0959393 A1 EP 0959393A1 EP 98109172 A EP98109172 A EP 98109172A EP 98109172 A EP98109172 A EP 98109172A EP 0959393 A1 EP0959393 A1 EP 0959393A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
push button
housing
button according
movable block
block
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP98109172A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Alphonse Bron
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.)
ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
Ebauchesfabrik ETA AG
Original Assignee
Ebauchesfabrik ETA AG
Eta SA Fabriques dEbauches
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 Ebauchesfabrik ETA AG, Eta SA Fabriques dEbauches filed Critical Ebauchesfabrik ETA AG
Priority to EP98109172A priority Critical patent/EP0959393A1/de
Publication of EP0959393A1 publication Critical patent/EP0959393A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C3/00—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means
    • G04C3/001—Electromechanical switches for setting or display
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H3/00—Mechanisms for operating contacts
    • H01H3/02—Operating parts, i.e. for operating driving mechanism by a mechanical force external to the switch

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a push button intended to be placed in the vicinity of the edge of a housing to allow the establishment of at least one electrical contact when pressure is exerted in any direction within an angle substantially delimited by the direction perpendicular to the general plan of the housing and by the management perpendicular to the side near which is disposed said pushbutton.
  • the invention also relates to a watch case fitted with one or more push buttons enabling or disabling functions of an electronic watch movement.
  • a push button consists of a rigid rod that slides in a good direction determined in a tubular orifice, being maintained by elastic means in the inactive position, and allowing to establish directly or indirectly a electrical contact according to the determined direction.
  • wristwatch and more particularly in a watch chronograph, such push buttons are provided for the start, stop and reset functions, and are generally placed on the middle, the pressure exerted then being parallel to the plane of the dial.
  • the pushbuttons are necessarily very close to the skin of the wrist and their access becomes inconvenient. To avoid this inconvenience some manufacturers have pushbuttons so that pressure can be exerted in a direction perpendicular to the general plane of the housing. In in the case of a watch, this arrangement at the level of the glass or bezel can detract from the aesthetic appearance also desired for this type of product.
  • document CH 621 664 discloses a watch in which the pusher head to be handled is provided of an inclined surface towards the outside of the box and allows electrical contact to be made by sliding a finger on said inclined surface causing quite usual way a horizontal displacement of the rod inside a guide sleeve.
  • the push button according to the invention comprises a part mobile having on the contrary two degrees of freedom and thus makes it possible to establish an electrical contact by exerting pressure in a large number of directions possible, i.e. without requiring attention particular from the user.
  • the push button according to the invention is positioned in the vicinity of the edge of a housing and comprises, a cavity shaped in said housing or integral with it, open towards the ridge and formed by a base, substantially parallel to the general plane of said housing and supporting at least one electrical contact, and by at least one wall connecting said base to the face upper case, a deformable elastomer cap closing said cavity to form a housing, a block rigid mobile occupying a volume smaller than that of said housing, and main elastic means arranged between the base and the block to hold said movable block pressing against said cape, said push button being characterized in that the cape comprises on both sides of the ridge two extensions against which take respectively support an upper part and a surface side of the block and in that the movable block includes in addition to a surface inclined towards the center of the case according to an angle ⁇ ⁇ 90 ° relative to the general plane of said housing, said surface being designed to slide on a portion of wall of complementary shape, so that close the electrical contact at least when a pressure is
  • the complementary inclined surfaces formed in a portion of the wall of the cavity and on the movable block can have any envelope, but according to a mode preferred embodiment said surfaces are surfaces flat.
  • the planar surface of the block mobile is formed by a central inclined plane.
  • said surface is formed by two planes lateral inclines arranged on either side of the upper part of the mobile unit.
  • the inclination ⁇ of said complementary surfaces can take different values imposed basically by technical considerations, such as the layout other components in the housing.
  • the value of the angle ⁇ will preferably be chosen to be close to or less than 45 °.
  • the housing in which the rigid block is movable has at least two rigid walls substantially in look at the cape extensions. It is then possible to have the main elastic means between the base of the cavity and the surface facing the movable block. In a way accessory other elastic means can be disposed between a portion of the vertical wall of the cavity and the surface facing the movable block.
  • the push button activates only one electrical contact.
  • a second contact either on the base near the wall, or on the portion of wall near its junction with the base or even having two additional contacts both on the base and on the wall. According to this variant it is then possible activate two different functions by choosing the direction in which the pressure is exerted.
  • the means elastic and the means used to establish contact electrical devices form only one functional unit. he for example an elastic metal blade secured either to the mobile unit, or to the base or the vertical wall portion. You can also use a conductive elastomer block, on the same principle as that described in patent CH 604 357.
  • the push button finds its application in all type of products whose operation requires the use of an electrical contactor. As indicated in early on it is particularly well suited for activating or deactivate watch functions.
  • Figure 1 schematically shows a housing 2 having a push button formed by a deformable cap 20 with two extensions 21 and 22 on either side of the edge 1, on the one hand on the upper face 2a of the housing, on the other hand on its edge 2b.
  • the edge 2b of the box forms a higher angle at 90 ° with the upper face 2a, and a pressure can be exercised by a user's finger within an angle less than 90 °, delimited by arrows A and B.
  • the section in Figure 2 shows the details of construction of the push button.
  • Box 2 has a cavity 3 open towards the outside and delimited by a base 6 substantially parallel to the general plane of the housing, by a wall 5 having the same orientation as the edge 2b, without necessarily being parallel to it.
  • the edge 2b is extended by a small extension 7 towards the opening of the cavity 3.
  • This cavity is hermetically sealed by the cape 20 fixed on the periphery of the cavity 3, or obtained according to the bi-material injection process described in the patent EP 0 807 872.
  • the cavity 3 and the cap 20 form a housing inside which is a rigid block 10 which is characterized by an inclined surface 14 forming with the general plane of the case an angle ⁇ whose apex is directed towards the center of said housing.
  • Wall 5 is extended on the side of the upper face 2a of the housing by an inclined surface 4 forming the same angle ⁇ with the general plan of said housing.
  • the other surfaces 11, 12, 15 and 16 of the block are parallel to the interior surfaces 21, 22, 5 and 6 of the housing, while leaving a free space of between the base 6, on the other hand between the wall 5.
  • Block 10 is kept in abutment against internal walls of the extensions 21, 22 of the cape by elastic means 8 arranged between the base 6 and the surface 16 of the block.
  • These elastic means are for example formed by springs or by materials elastic plastics.
  • secondary elastic means can be arranged between the wall 5 and the facing surface 15 of the block 10.
  • a single contact 18 formed by 2 studs arranged on the base 6 and by a conductive strip secured to the mobile unit.
  • a second contact 18a can be arranged on the base 6 near wall 5 and in Figure 6 there is shown a contact 19 at the level of the wall 5 of the cavity 3. It is quite obvious that these two modes of distribution of electrical contacts can be cumulative, without however allow more than two activation modes to be set up, as explained below with reference to Figures 3a and 3b relating to an embodiment in which the base 6 comprises the two contacts 18, 18a mentioned above.
  • Figure 3a shows an operating mode in which pressure was applied according to arrow A, perpendicular to the upper face 2a of the housing.
  • This pressure causes a displacement of the movable block 10 substantially in the same direction, that is to say in retaining substantially the same space between surfaces 5 and 15 opposite, and creating a space between the complementary inclined surfaces 4, 14.
  • This translation of the block enables contact 18 to be closed.
  • the base 6 has only the contact 18, it it is obvious that we also obtain the closure, even if the two inclined surfaces slide one on the other, for example due to the value of the angle ⁇ , or the shape of the cape 20.
  • Figure 3b shows an operating mode in which pressure was applied according to arrow B, perpendicular to the edge of the box.
  • This pressure causes a displacement of the movable block 10 by sliding from its inclined plane 14 on the complementary inclined plane 4 of the wall of the cavity, causing an approximation between base 6 and wall 5 and facing surfaces 16, 15 of the block.
  • FIG 3b it is then possible to obtain the closure of two contacts 18, 18a located on base 6.
  • This same pressure exerted according to arrow B would similarly close a contact 19 which would be located at the level of the wall 5.
  • the functional unit 28 is formed by a blade flexible metal 28a which holds the movable block 10 in support against the inner walls of the cape 20, and which allows to close a contact 28c located on base 6 when pressure is exerted.
  • the unit functional 29 is formed by an elastomer block conductor 29a having a skirt 29b, the flexibility of which keeps the movable block 10 in abutment against the cape 20, said block being deformable under the influence of a pressure to form a contact 30 on the base 6.
  • the cavity 3 is a single piece 13 attached to the case 2 and made integral with it for example by collage.
  • the two extensions 21, 22 of the elastomeric cap deformable 20 form a continuous surface and, at the level a virtual point corresponding to route 1, means fixing 17 make the movable block 10 integral with said cape 20, so that it also ensures the function of elastic means, and that it is then possible to remove the elastic means arranged at the base level 6.
  • the material forming the movable block 10 is entirely produced in a conductive material which closes one or two contacts 18, 19 depending on the direction in which pressure is exerted on the cape 20.
  • Figures 7 and 8 show a watch 30 provided on either side of the crown 31 of two push buttons 32a, 32b of the type of those who have just been described.
  • the watch case is for example made of a hard plastic, such as ABS, and the material elastomer forming the cap is for example in polyurethane, the assembly of said cape on the box can be carried out for example according to the method described in patent EP 0 807 872.
  • the section shown in figure 8 we find all the characteristics previously mentioned, the same elements being designated by the same references.
  • the base 6 of the cavity 3 is formed by a circuit printed 33 secured to the box, that the angles ⁇ and ⁇ have respectively for values 45 ° and 90 °, and that said box is closed at its lower part by a bottom 34 and at its upper part by a glass 35 arranged above a dial 36.
  • the rigid movable block 10 can be produced in the same material as the box. It also appears that the flexible blade can have its long length oriented towards the center of the box, or tangentially to its envelope as shown in the section of figure 8.
  • the envelope of complementary inclined surfaces allowing to close at least one contact on base 6 when pressure is exerted on the cape according to a any direction within the angle ⁇ , is not limited to a central inclined plane.
  • the inclined surface of the movable block is formed by two lateral inclined planes 14a, 14b arranged on either side of an upper part 12 of the block 10.
  • the complementary wall of the housing has the same way two inclined planes 4a, 4b, on the side and other of an opening 5a shaped to leave a clearance sufficient at the top 12 of block 10 when a pressure is exerted in a direction parallel to the plane of the case.
  • This construction offers the advantage of allow better guidance of the mobile unit, in particular by because of the possible elongation of the inclined surfaces complementary.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electric Clocks (AREA)
EP98109172A 1998-05-20 1998-05-20 In mehreren Richtungen bedienbarer Drückschalter Withdrawn EP0959393A1 (de)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP98109172A EP0959393A1 (de) 1998-05-20 1998-05-20 In mehreren Richtungen bedienbarer Drückschalter

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP98109172A EP0959393A1 (de) 1998-05-20 1998-05-20 In mehreren Richtungen bedienbarer Drückschalter

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0959393A1 true EP0959393A1 (de) 1999-11-24

Family

ID=8231966

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98109172A Withdrawn EP0959393A1 (de) 1998-05-20 1998-05-20 In mehreren Richtungen bedienbarer Drückschalter

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0959393A1 (de)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1154339A1 (de) * 2000-05-11 2001-11-14 The Swatch Group Management Services AG Mit einer Drucktaste versehene tragbare elektronische Vorrichtung, insbesondere eine Uhr
US6605791B2 (en) 2000-05-11 2003-08-12 The Swatch Group Management Services Ag Portable electronic device such as, in particular, a timepiece, fitted with a push-button
WO2015173357A1 (fr) * 2014-05-13 2015-11-19 Thales Equipement de validation de titres de transport et véhicule associé

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH1496574A4 (de) * 1974-11-11 1976-05-14
FR2519158A1 (fr) * 1981-12-30 1983-07-01 Omega Brandt & Freres Sa Louis Poussoir pour piece d'horlogerie
DE3406010C1 (de) * 1984-02-20 1985-07-11 Fa. Ed. Liesegang, 4000 Düsseldorf Gehäuse für ein elektrisch betriebenes Gerät, insbesondere ein Bildschirmgerät
JPS6355492A (ja) * 1986-08-26 1988-03-09 Citizen Watch Co Ltd 腕時計ケ−スのプツシユボタン構造
US5664668A (en) * 1994-09-14 1997-09-09 Motorola, Inc. Tactile button with snapped on pivot and deflecting mechanism

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH1496574A4 (de) * 1974-11-11 1976-05-14
FR2519158A1 (fr) * 1981-12-30 1983-07-01 Omega Brandt & Freres Sa Louis Poussoir pour piece d'horlogerie
DE3406010C1 (de) * 1984-02-20 1985-07-11 Fa. Ed. Liesegang, 4000 Düsseldorf Gehäuse für ein elektrisch betriebenes Gerät, insbesondere ein Bildschirmgerät
JPS6355492A (ja) * 1986-08-26 1988-03-09 Citizen Watch Co Ltd 腕時計ケ−スのプツシユボタン構造
US5664668A (en) * 1994-09-14 1997-09-09 Motorola, Inc. Tactile button with snapped on pivot and deflecting mechanism

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 012, no. 276 (P - 737) 30 July 1988 (1988-07-30) *

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1154339A1 (de) * 2000-05-11 2001-11-14 The Swatch Group Management Services AG Mit einer Drucktaste versehene tragbare elektronische Vorrichtung, insbesondere eine Uhr
US6605791B2 (en) 2000-05-11 2003-08-12 The Swatch Group Management Services Ag Portable electronic device such as, in particular, a timepiece, fitted with a push-button
SG109448A1 (en) * 2000-05-11 2005-03-30 Swatch Group Man Serv Ag Portable electronic device such as, in particular, a timepiece, fitted with a push-button
WO2015173357A1 (fr) * 2014-05-13 2015-11-19 Thales Equipement de validation de titres de transport et véhicule associé
FR3021148A1 (fr) * 2014-05-13 2015-11-20 Thales Sa Equipement de validation de titres de transport et vehicule associe

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