EP1014405B1 - Interrupteur à bouton poussoir - Google Patents

Interrupteur à bouton poussoir Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1014405B1
EP1014405B1 EP19990125555 EP99125555A EP1014405B1 EP 1014405 B1 EP1014405 B1 EP 1014405B1 EP 19990125555 EP19990125555 EP 19990125555 EP 99125555 A EP99125555 A EP 99125555A EP 1014405 B1 EP1014405 B1 EP 1014405B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
unit
operation unit
protrusion
elastic
fixed contact
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 - Lifetime
Application number
EP19990125555
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1014405A2 (fr
EP1014405A3 (fr
Inventor
Yasunori Yanai
Hisashi Watanabe
Jun Sato
Hiroshi Matsui
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.)
Panasonic Holdings Corp
Original Assignee
Matsushita Electric Industrial 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 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd filed Critical Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd
Publication of EP1014405A2 publication Critical patent/EP1014405A2/fr
Publication of EP1014405A3 publication Critical patent/EP1014405A3/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1014405B1 publication Critical patent/EP1014405B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime 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
    • H01H13/12—Movable parts; Contacts mounted thereon
    • H01H13/20—Driving mechanisms
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2215/00—Tactile feedback
    • H01H2215/002—Longer travel
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2215/00—Tactile feedback
    • H01H2215/004—Collapsible dome or bubble
    • H01H2215/006—Only mechanical function

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a push switch used for various kinds of electronic apparatuses, and, more particularly, the invention relates to a small push switch having a long operation stroke.
  • a switch disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Non-Examined Publication No. H8-203380 is widely known.
  • the structure of the conventional push switch as an example is described referring to Fig. 5 which shows the cross sectional front view of the conventional switch, and to Fig. 6 which shows the exploded perspective view of the same.
  • a resinous case 310 is formed to have a shape of a box having an opening at the upper side thereof.
  • a short fixed contact unit 320 having a terminal 321 and a long contact unit 330 having a terminal 331 are disposed.
  • a contact slip 340 is formed by bending a belt shaped elastic thin metal plate to have a shape like a character of U.
  • the contact slip 340 has an upward bent portion 341 at one end thereof.
  • the other end of the contact slip 340 is formed to have two leg portions 343 and 344.
  • the two leg portions 343 and 344 are bent at the bent portions 342 as shown in Fig. 6.
  • the two leg portions 343 and 344 have respective movable contact portions 345 and 346 at the respective ends thereof.
  • a connecting portion 347 is formed for connecting the two leg portions 343 and 344.
  • the movable contact portions 345 and 346 are disposed in the case 310 in such a manner as to touch the inner side of the bottom of the case 310.
  • a resinous cover 350 is disposed on the upper side of the case 310 in such a manner as to close the upper side opening of the case 310. At one end of the cover 350 a downward protrusion is formed. A supporting portion 351, viz., the front end of the downward protrusion of the cover 350 presses downward the upward bent portion 341 of the contact slip 340, whereby the movable contact units 345 and 346 elastically contact to the inner side of the bottom of the case 310 with predetermined pressing force.
  • a resinous operation unit 360 is disposed in such a manner as to extend from the space between the two leg portions 343 and 344 of the contact slip 340 to the outside of the cover 350 through a hole 352 formed through the central portion of the cover 350. That is, the operation unit 360 is supported to be movable up and down by the hole 352, and, the upper end portion 361 thereof protrudes through the hole 352.
  • a pressing portion 362 formed on the outer side-wall of the operation unit 360 touches the upper side of the connecting portion 347 of the contact slip 340. The pressing portion 362 is pressed upward by the elastic force of the contact slip 340 and touches the lower side of the cover 350 as shown in Fig. 5.
  • one movable contact portion 345 contacts to the long fixed contact unit 330, but the other movable contact portion 346 does not contact to neither of the contact units, accordingly the terminals 321 and 331 are not electrically connected.
  • the pressing portion 362 presses the connecting portion 347 of the contact slip 340 downward, whereby the contact slip 340 rotates on the upward bent portion 341 supported by the supporting portion 351 of the cover 350, whereby the bent portion 342 bends further, also the movable contact portions 345 and 346 are elastically pressed and slide on the inner side of the bottom of the case 310, whereby the movable contact portion 346 comes to contact to the short fixed contact unit 320 in the state that the other movable contact portion 345 is in contact with the long fixed contact unit 330.
  • the terminals 321 and 331 are electrically connected through these contact units.
  • the operation unit 360 is pressed further downward until the lower end portion 363 of the operation unit 360 touches the inner side of the bottom of the case 310 as shown in Fig. 7 and stop the downward movement.
  • the connecting portion 347 presses the pressing portion 362 of the operation unit 360 upward with the elastic restoring force of the contact slip 340, whereby the push switch comes back to the state as shown in fig. 5.
  • the stroke of the push switch is constituted with a pre-stroke comprising the move of the operation unit 360 starting from the original state of Fig. 5 till the state that the terminals 321 and 331 are electrically connected by the contact between the movable contact portion 346 of the contact slip 340 and the short fixed contact unit 320, and, an over-stroke comprising the move of the operation unit 360 starting from the state of the above pre-stroke till the state that the lower end portion 363 of the operation unit 360 touches the inner side of the bottom of the case 1. Therefore, the total stroke is considerably long.
  • the contact slip 340 is formed in such a manner that an elastic thin metal plate is bent to have a shape like a character of U having thin two leg portions 343 and 344. Therefore, careful attention have to be paid in handling during transport and assembling for preventing the intertwining and the deformation of the contact slip 340. Furthermore, the assembling of the switch is difficult and inefficient because the assembling is performed in such a manner that the contact slip 340 is set in the case 310 pressing the contact slip 340 with the supporting portion 351 of the downward protrusion of the cover 350 and the pressing portion 362 of the operation unit 360.
  • JP-A-10092260 discloses a push-on switch comprising a substrate with a switch contact thereon, composed of an outer fixed contact, a central contact and a movable contact.
  • a cap-shaped push bottom is on top of a dome-shaped spring member made of elastic material. If the push bottom is pressed down, the lower end portion of the dome-shaped spring member is deflected, and a central projecting portion of the spring member pushes down a tongue member of the movable contact member such that an electrical contact is achieved.
  • the material of the cap member and the upper part of the spring member is elastic with a constant elasticity factor, thus that an increase of the pressing force does not provide for a "finger feeling" on whether the contact is already closed or not.
  • the present invention addresses the above problems in the conventional push switch, and aims to provide a push switch in which the component parts are handled without difficulty, and assembling productivity is superior, also operation stroke is long.
  • Fig. 1 is a cross sectional front view showing a push switch in an exemplary embodiment in the present invention
  • Fig. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the push switch in the same.
  • a shallow cavity 111 is formed in the cavity 111.
  • a central fixed contact unit 120 is disposed at the central position of the cavity 111, and two outer fixed contact units 130 are disposed symmetrically about the central fixed contact unit 120 at the positions outer than the central fixed contact unit 120.
  • the contact units 120 and 130 are fixed to the substrate 110 by insert formation, and are exposed from the upper side of the switch substrate 110, also have substantially same height.
  • contact terminals 121 and 131 are disposed on outer sides of the switch substrate 110.
  • One terminal 121 is electrically connected to the central fixed contact unit 120, and the other terminal 131 is electrically connected to the outer fixed contact unit 130.
  • a movable contact unit 140 formed with an elastic thin metal plate has a shape shown in Fig. 2. That is, the movable contact unit 140 comprises an outer annular portion 141, a tongue shaped portion 142 disposed at the central position of the outer annular portion 141. The tongue shaped portion 142 bends upward at a connecting portion 143 which connects the tongue shaped portion 142 to the outer annular portion 141.
  • the outer annular portion 141 is placed on the outer fixed contact units 130.
  • the tongue shaped portion 142 is disposed in such a manner as to face toward the central fixed contact unit 120 forming a predetermined insulation gap between the tongue shaped portion 142 and the central fixed contact unit 120.
  • An elastic unit 150 formed with an elastic insulating material comprises a thin conical portion 151 which has an opening at the lower side thereof, an upward protrusion 153 which is formed on the upper side of the conical portion 151 and has predetermined dimensions, and a downward protrusion 156 which protrudes downward from the upper end of the opening of the conical portion 151 and has predetermined dimensions.
  • a round cavity 155 having predetermined dimensions is formed, and at the lower end side of the downward protrusion 156, a round cavity 157 having predetermined dimensions is formed.
  • the diameters and the depth of the cavities 155 and 157 are determined in such a manner that, when the elastic unit 150 is deformed by pressing downward the upper end side 154 of the upward protrusion 153, the thin conical portion 151 bends backward first, next the downward protrusion 156 compressibly deforms, last the upward protrusion 153 compressibly deforms.
  • the lower end portion 152 of the conical portion 151 of the elastic unit 150 is placed on the outer annular portion 141 of the movable contact unit 140, and presses downward the outer annular portion 141 onto the outer fixed contact units 130.
  • a resinous operation unit 160 is disposed on the upward protrusion 153 of the elastic unit 150.
  • the upward protrusion 153 engages with a cavity 161 formed at the lower side of the operation unit 160.
  • the flat surface of the upper end side 154 of the upward protrusion 153 touches the flat surface of the lower side of the upper portion of the operation unit 160.
  • the operation unit 160 further comprises two protrusions 162 on the two different positions of the outer side-wall thereof and a protrusion 163 which protrudes outward from the lower end of the outer side-wall thereof.
  • a resinous cover 170 On the inner side-wall of a resinous cover 170, two grooves corresponding to the two protrusions 162 of the operation unit 160 are formed, and a surrounding wall 172 having a cavity corresponding to the protrusion 163 are formed, at the respective corresponding positions.
  • the two protrusions 162 of the operation unit 160 engage with the two grooves of the cover 170, and the protrusion 163 of the operation unit 160 engages with the cavity of the surrounding wall 172 of the cover 170.
  • the cover 170 is fixed to the switch substrate 110 by caulking after inserting protrusions 112 formed on the periphery of the upper side of the switch substrate 110 into the cuttings 173 formed at the lower end periphery of the cover 170.
  • the assembling of the push switch in this exemplary embodiment having the above structure is performed in such a manner that the component parts are placed on the switch substrate 110 in the order of the movable contact unit 140 first, next the elastic unit 150, then the operation unit 160, last the cover 170 and these are fixed by the above caulking. Therefore the assembling is simple and the respective component parts have shapes which hardly deform, whereby the handling of the component parts is not difficult, and automatic assembling can be realized without difficulty.
  • Fig. 1 shows the state of switch-off.
  • the operation unit 160 moves straight downward with the guidance of a hole 171 of the cover 170 and the inner side of the surrounding wall 172, whereby the flat lower side of the upper portion of the operation unit 160 presses downward the flat upper end side 154 of the upward protrusion 153 of the elastic unit 150.
  • the thin conical portion 151 of the elastic unit 150 elastically deforms and bends backward, whereby the lower end side of the downward protrusion 156 of the elastic unit 150 presses downward the tongue shaped portion 142 of the movable contact unit 140, whereby the tongue shaped portion 142 contacts to the central fixed contact unit 120 disposed on the switch substrate 110, whereby the central contact unit 120 and the outer fixed contact units 130 (i.e., terminals 121 and 131) are electrically connected and comes to the state of switch-on as shown in Fig. 3A.
  • the above operation constitutes a pre-stroke.
  • the operation unit 160 When the operation unit 160 is further pressed, the operation unit 160 further moves downward, and the downward protrusion 156 elastically deforms as shown in Fig. 3B. Last, the upward protrusion 153 of the elastic unit 150 deforms as shown in Fig. 3C, and the operation unit 160 stops the downward movement when the protrusion 163 at the lower end periphery of the operation unit 160 touches upper side of the switch substrate 110.
  • the occurrence of slippage between the operation unit 160 and the elastic unit 150 can be prevented because the upper portion of the elastic unit 150 engages with the cavity 161 formed at the lower side of the operation unit 160. Furthermore, the touching portions of both have flat surfaces, whereby the elastic unit 150 is pushed substantially vertically downward and elastically deforms without tilt.
  • round cavities 155 and 157 are respectively formed on the upper end side 154 of the upward protrusion 153 and at the lower end side of the downward protrusion 156 of the elastic unit 150 for setting the predetermined resilient force and compressible dimension of the respective protrusions (153,156).
  • the same effect can be obtained by replacing each of the cavities 155 and 157 with a cross-shaped cutting 181 which are symmetrical about the center thereof as shown in Fig. 4A, or a round cavity having two-cutting 182 as shown in Fig. 4B, or a round cavity having four-cutting 183 as shown in Fig. 4C.
  • the same effect can be obtained by supporting the operation unit with the cover to be movable up and down without rotation by shaping the outer side-wall of the operation unit and either of the hole formed through the upper central portion of the cover or the inner side of the surrounding wall into non-round.

Claims (5)

  1. Interrupteur à bouton poussoir comprenant :
    (a) un substrat d'interrupteur (110) possédant une unité de contact fixe externe (130) et une unité de contact fixe centrale (120), dans lequel les deux unités de contact (130, 120) sont fixées audit substrat (110), et possèdent des parties de contact respectives exposées depuis le côté supérieur dudit substrat d'interrupteur (110), et possèdent en outre des bornes de connexion (121, 131) déployées vers l'extérieur depuis lesdites unités de contact fixes respectives (130, 120) ;
    (b) une unité de contact déplaçable (140) formées avec une plaque métallique fine élastique, où ladite unité de contact déplaçable (140) possède une partie externe (141) placée sur ladite unité de contact fixe externe (130), et une partie en forme de languette (142) qui est tournée vers ladite unité de contact fixe centrale (120) formant un espace d'isolation prédéterminé entre ladite partie en forme de languette (142) et ladite unité de contact fixe centrale (120).
    (c) une unité élastique (150) formée avec un matériau élastique, où ladite unité élastique (150) possède une partie conique (151) possédant une ouverture au niveau du côté inférieur de celle-ci, une saillie vers le haut (153) et une saillie vers le bas (156) qui dépasse vers le bas depuis l'extrémité supérieure de ladite ouverture, et, presse ladite partie externe (141) de ladite unité de contact déplaçable (140) avec la partie d'extrémité inférieure (152) de ladite partie conique (151) adaptée pour presser ladite partie en forme de languette (142) quand elle est pressée vers le bas, moyennant quoi ladite partie en forme de languette (142) vient en contact avec ladite unité de contact fixe centrale (120) ;
    (d) une unité d'opération (160) disposée sur ladite unité élastique (150) de telle manière à être déplaçable vers le haut et vers le bas, où ladite unité d'opération (160) possède une saillie (163) au niveau de la périphérie d'extrémité inférieure de ladite unité d'opération (160) pour empêcher le glissement de ladite unité d'opération (160) ;
    (e) un capot (170) fixé à la périphérie dudit substrat d'interrupteur (110), dans lequel ledit capot (170) maintient ladite unité d'opération (160) avec une paroi enveloppante (172) de celle-ci de telle manière à être déplaçable vers le haut et vers le bas sans le glissement vers le haut de l'unité d'opération (160), et possède un orifice (171), à travers lequel l'unité d'opération (160) dépasse, au niveau de la partie centrale supérieure de celle-ci ;
    caractérisé en ce que
    l'unité élastique (150) est adaptée pour, quand ladite partie d'extrémité supérieure (164) de ladite unité d'opération (160) est pressée avec une force accrue, ladite partie conique (151) de ladite unité élastique (150) se déforme élastiquement d'abord, moyennant quoi ladite saillie vers le bas (156) dans ladite partie conique (151) presse ladite partie en forme de languette (142) de ladite unité de contact déplaçable (140), moyennant quoi ladite partie en forme de languette (142) vient en contact avec ladite unité de contact fixe centrale (120), puis ladite saillie vers le bas (156) se déforme élastiquement d'une dimension prédéterminée, et puis ladite saillie vers le haut (153) se déforme élastiquement, et enfin au moins l'une de ladite saillie vers le haut (153) et de ladite saillie vers le bas (156) se déforme élastiquement, moyennant quoi ladite saillie (163) au niveau de la périphérie d'extrémité inférieure de ladite unité d'opération (160) touche ledit substrat d'interrupteur (110).
  2. Interrupteur à bouton poussoir selon la revendication 1, dans lequel la force élastique et la dimension compressible de ladite unité élastique (150) sont définies à des valeurs prédéterminées respectives en ayant soit une cavité d'une taille et profondeur prédéterminées, soit une découpe qui est symétrique par rapport au centre de celle-ci et présente une taille et profondeur prédéterminées, sur au moins l'une de ladite saillie vers le haut (153) et ladite saillie vers le bas (156) de ladite unité élastique (150).
  3. Interrupteur à bouton poussoir selon la revendication 1, dans lequel la surface plane dudit côté d'extrémité supérieur (154) de ladite saillie vers le haut (153) touche la surface plane du côté inférieur de ladite unité d'opération (160), et, une saillie formée sur un côté vient en prise avec une cavité formée sur l'autre côté.
  4. Interrupteur à bouton poussoir selon la revendication 1, dans lequel la paroi latérale externe de ladite unité d'opération (160) et l'un ou l'autre dudit orifice (171) formé à travers la partie centrale supérieure dudit capot (170), ou un côté interne de ladite paroi enveloppante (172) sont d'une forme non arrondie, adaptée pour maintenir ladite unité d'opération (160) dans une direction d'orientation constante pendant les mouvements vers le haut et vers le bas sans rotation.
  5. Interrupteur à bouton poussoir selon la revendication 1, dans lequel ladite unité de contact fixe externe (130) et ladite unité de contact centrale (120), les deux desquelles sont exposées depuis le côté supérieur dudit substrat d'interrupteur (110), présentent sensiblement la même hauteur, et, ladite partie en forme de languette (142) disposée au niveau de la position centrale de ladite unité de contact déplaçable (140) est courbée vers le haut au niveau de ladite partie de connexion (143), qui connecte ladite partie en forme de languette (142) à ladite partie externe (141), pour présenter un espace d'isolation prédéterminé entre ladite partie en forme de languette (142) et ladite unité de contact fixe centrale (120).
EP19990125555 1998-12-21 1999-12-21 Interrupteur à bouton poussoir Expired - Lifetime EP1014405B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP36263798A JP3890789B2 (ja) 1998-12-21 1998-12-21 プッシュスイッチ
JP36263798 1998-12-21

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1014405A2 EP1014405A2 (fr) 2000-06-28
EP1014405A3 EP1014405A3 (fr) 2001-12-05
EP1014405B1 true EP1014405B1 (fr) 2007-02-14

Family

ID=18477369

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19990125555 Expired - Lifetime EP1014405B1 (fr) 1998-12-21 1999-12-21 Interrupteur à bouton poussoir

Country Status (3)

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EP (1) EP1014405B1 (fr)
JP (1) JP3890789B2 (fr)
DE (1) DE69935119T2 (fr)

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2004134117A (ja) 2002-10-08 2004-04-30 Alps Electric Co Ltd 多段押し操作スイッチ装置
DE10331947A1 (de) * 2003-07-15 2005-02-24 Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst Gmbh & Co. Kg Griff für Türen oder Klappen an Fahrzeugen
DE102008064212A1 (de) * 2008-12-22 2010-06-24 Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst Gmbh & Co. Kg Griff für Türen oder Klappen, insbesondere an Fahrzeugen
JP5284883B2 (ja) * 2009-06-16 2013-09-11 ミック電子工業株式会社 押しボタンスイッチ
US10373775B2 (en) * 2015-07-24 2019-08-06 Shin-Etsu Polymer Co., Ltd. Pushbutton switch member
KR101759170B1 (ko) * 2016-01-25 2017-07-18 현대자동차주식회사 듀얼 타입 스위치 및 이를 포함하는 차량
WO2019151940A1 (fr) 2018-02-01 2019-08-08 Razer (Asia-Pacific) Pte. Ltd. Mécanismes d'interrupteur à clé, dispositifs d'entrée d'utilisateur et procédés de fabrication d'un mécanisme d'interrupteur à clé
JP7291866B2 (ja) * 2019-11-19 2023-06-16 ミック電子工業株式会社 押しボタンスイッチ

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3603756A (en) * 1970-01-29 1971-09-07 Sperry Rand Corp Snap action switch
CH645205A5 (de) * 1978-12-01 1984-09-14 Maag Gummi Schaltmatte.
DE3447085A1 (de) * 1984-12-22 1986-07-03 Marquardt Gmbh, 7201 Rietheim-Weilheim Tastenschalter
JPS645327U (fr) * 1987-06-30 1989-01-12
FR2650432A1 (en) * 1989-07-27 1991-02-01 Eaton Controls Sa Flexible electrical contact element and application of this flexible element
DE4112754C2 (de) * 1991-04-19 1999-06-02 Marquardt Gmbh Drucktastenschalter
JP3794068B2 (ja) * 1996-09-17 2006-07-05 松下電器産業株式会社 プッシュオンスイッチ
US5899617A (en) * 1997-10-09 1999-05-04 Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd. Flexible component reinforcing mechanism

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69935119T2 (de) 2007-06-06
DE69935119D1 (de) 2007-03-29
EP1014405A2 (fr) 2000-06-28
JP2000188037A (ja) 2000-07-04
JP3890789B2 (ja) 2007-03-07
EP1014405A3 (fr) 2001-12-05

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