EP2375430B1 - Slide switch - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a slide switch with the features of claim 1. It is shown a slide switch, which can make the function in one of the end positions varied in a simple manner. The slide switch consists of a fixed part and a part displaceable to the fixed part, wherein the displaceable part is displaceable in at least one plane to the fixed part.

There are a large number of slide switches comprising a slider with moving contacts and a base part or housing with stationary contacts. In such a slide switch, when the movable contacts are connected to or disconnected from the stationary contacts, a switching function, a mode switching function, or other electrical function are performed.

A conventional slide switch, for example, for use in a dictation machine, consists of two parts, a displaceable part, which is movably mounted, and a fixed part relative to the movable part, the so-called detent gate. The movable part is moved over the detent gate; it can be moved over this. The detent gate here has elevations and depressions over which the displaceable part slides. The sliding part dives when moving over the detent gate in their wells.

The displaceable part in this case has a resilient element, which allows the displaceable part to overcome the difference between elevations and depressions of the detent gate. If the displaceable part is positioned in the recess, electrical contact points of the displaceable part are connected to corresponding contact points. It is thus closed via these contact points when latched in the recess of the detent gate contact.

Out EP 1 126 482 B1 is a multidirectional slide switch known. This has a housing with a fixed contact part and a first sliding part and a second sliding part, which are arranged in a housing. The first slide member is slidably connected to the second slide member so that movement may be made only in the direction of one of two intersecting axes relative to the second slide member, the second slide member being movably disposed in the direction of the other of the two axes with respect to the housing is. The second sliding member is traceable by a return force of at least one return spring in a neutral position. The first sliding part is equipped with a control knob and a movable contact part. In the operation of the operation knob, the first and second sliding parts are moved in the respective directions, the movable contact piece being brought into contact with the fixed contact piece and at least one of the additionally attached contact pieces depending on the direction in which the operation button is moved , The first slide member is brought into the neutral position with respect to the second slide member at least by the return force of at least one return spring installed on the second slide member.

Out DE 102 24 773 B4 is another slide switch known. This slide switch comprises a base part, wherein two guide grooves of predetermined length are arranged parallel to each other on a surface. The slider is mounted on the base part, the slider comprising a slide body on which two guide grooves of a predetermined length are formed in parallel to each other in the lower surface so as to be symmetrical to the center on the lower surface.

Further, there is a slide bridge formed of two lower and two upper bridge parts, the two lower bridge parts being slidably fitted along the two parallel guide grooves in the base part, and the two upper bridges being slidably fitted along the two parallel guide grooves in the slide switch are.

On the base part a plurality of contact blades of any shape is formed, in each of which a group of stationary contacts on an imaginary circular path with predetermined radii with a center on the surface of the base part is formed and a contact spring on the side of the slide switch, the Base is facing, is mounted. The contact spring has contact spring parts, which constitute movable contacts and are arranged radially at the same or unequal angle to a spring plate of the contact spring. The stationary and the movable contacts are arranged in the starting position so that they face each other.

Out US-A-4,904,828 A is a slide switch, consisting of a sliding part and a fixed part known. The sliding member is displaceable within the fixed part in one direction and the sliding part has at least one further element which is firmly connected to the sliding part. In this another element is arranged movably mounted at least one plunger, which is arranged displaceably perpendicular to the displacement direction of the sliding member by means of a spring and protrudes due to the opposing force of the spring on at least one side of the fixed element associated side. In the fixed part wells are provided, in which the plunger slides in when moving.

Out US 3,983,355 A another switch is known. This switch consists of a fixed housing part and a displaceably mounted in the fixed housing part movable housing part. The movable housing part is arranged in the stationary housing part. In the movable housing part, a through hole is provided, in which there is a spring on which a ball is arranged in each case at the inlet openings of the through-bore. By means of the balls, the movable element slides within the fixed element. In the fixed element recesses are provided, in which the balls move during the movement of the movable part within the fixed element and thus define a detent point.

Out JP 58 101315 A discloses a slide switch, the slider is held by means of an electromagnetic lock on the end stop against a biased return spring.

Out CN 2 924 759 Y is a slider disclosed. A stop of the slider is achieved by a locking of a prestressed locking element in holes that are actuated by the user.

A disadvantage of all these slide switches that this is a predetermined by the design locking behavior and have a given operating hardness. A user is not able to adjust the latching behavior of the slide switch to his needs. The hardness or the force which is used to move the slide switch from one detent point to the other, is not changeable. In addition, the operation of the known slide switch by design, a non-uniform force required, which often leads to tilting and felt jerky operation.

Object of the present invention is to show a slide switch that can be made variable in at least one of its end positions in a simple manner.

This object is achieved by the features of claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the further description, the dependent claims and the figures and the associated description of the figures.

The sliding switch according to the invention consists of a sliding part and a fixed element, wherein the sliding member is displaceable within the fixed element in a plane. The slide switch has a variable end stop, wherein this is designed to be rotatable relative to the sliding part and has at least two shapes, which can be turned by turning the end stop of the sliding part. A first form of the end stop is a wall and the second shape is an opening. The slide member has on the end stop associated side on a spring, so that springs back in the case of the attention of the first form of the end stop to the sliding part of the slide switch in its end position. The spring generates when reaching the end position against the end stop a counterforce, which does not leave the slide switch in the end position. The slide switch returns to the previous position. In the case of the attention of the second form of the end stop to the sliding part of the slide switch remains in its end position, since the spring here when moving in the direction of the end stop generates no counterforce, as this does not touch the end stop.

According to the embodiment according to claim 2, it is preferred that the slide switch can be installed in a device and / or that the device is a dictating machine or a mobile telephone or a device of consumer electronics or a device of the communication electronics.

According to the embodiment according to claim 3, it is preferred that the sliding part has at least one contact point and / or that the at least one contact point of the sliding part with contact contact points in the fixed element closes a contact on contact.

According to the embodiment according to claim 4 it is preferred that the slide switch has a touch surface which rises above a housing of the device.

According to the embodiment according to claim 5, it is preferred that the slide switch has at least two switching points.

According to the embodiment according to claim 6, it is preferred that the end stop consists of an element which can be rotated by at least 90 °.

In the further following description, further features and details of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings will be explained in more detail by means of exemplary embodiments. Here are in individual variants described features and relationships in principle applicable to all embodiments. There is no limitation of the invention to one of the following specific embodiments or the following embodiment. The same reference numerals are used in the figures description for the same elements in all figures. This is to better understand the description.

FIG 1

eine Draufsicht auf ein Gerät mit Schiebeschalter,

FIG 2

ein Gerät mit erfindungsgemäßem Schiebeschalter in Explosionsdarstellung,

FIG 3

eine Aufbruchzeichnung eines Gerätes mit erfindungsgemäßem Schiebeschalter, und

FIG 4

einen Schnitt durch ein Gerät mit erfindungsgemäßem Schiebeschalter.

Show it:

FIG. 1

a top view of a device with slide switch,

FIG. 2

a device with inventive slide switch in exploded view,

FIG. 3

a Aufbruchzeichnung a device with inventive slide switch, and

FIG. 4

a section through a device with inventive slide switch.

In FIG. 1 a device G with a housing H is shown in sections. The device G has a slide switch 1. The slide switch 1 has a touch surface 13. The touch surface 13 is raised relative to the housing H, so that a user can operate the slide switch 1 and easily reach.

In FIG. 2 is a device G with a slide switch 1 in an exploded view of the slide switch 1 is shown. The device G has two housing halves H, in which the slide switch 1 is inserted at the position O.

The slide switch 1 according to the invention has a touch surface 13. The slide switch 1 consists of a sliding part 2 and a fixedly arranged opposite this element 3. The sliding part 2 moves upon actuation of the slide switch 1 in a plane to the fixed element 3. The sliding part 2 has at least one further element 4, which firmly with the sliding part 2 is connectable. In this further element 4, which is preferably designed rectangular, at least one plunger 5, mounted on a spring 7, is arranged.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the further element 4 is rectangular, square, oval, round or n-shaped. But it can be used any other geometric shape.

Furthermore, the further element 4 has an opening 12 into which the plunger 5 can be inserted and from which opening 12 the plunger 5 protrudes at least partially beyond the further element 4. The sliding part 2 further comprises springs 15, which are arranged in the direction of the plane of movement of the sliding part 2 to the fixed element 3 and the sliding part 2 at least partially project beyond.

In FIG. 3 is a Aufbruchzeichnung a device G in the area of the slide switch 1 shown. In this embodiment, two further elements 4 are integrated into the sliding part 2, which receive two plungers 5 each. The plunger 5 within a further element 4 are each offset from one another. Each of the two plungers 5 in a further element 4 projects in each case on a different side of the further element 4 in the manner described above.

In FIG. 3 the fixed element 3 is easily recognizable. The fixed element 3 has at least one Well 6. The recesses 6 correspond to the plungers 5, which are arranged in the further element 4 of the sliding part 2. When moving the slider 2 along the fixed element 3 slide the plunger 5, which are mounted on the springs 7, along the voltage applied to the plungers 5 surfaces of the fixed element 3. The plunger 5 then slide this in the fixed element 3 existing openings 6. The plunger 5 slide into these openings 6 and form in this position latching positions of the slide switch 1 from. Each of these locking positions is assigned a contact pairing between fixedly arranged element 3 and sliding part 2, which then trigger a corresponding function in the device G. Due to the shape of the plunger 5 and the corresponding openings 6 in the fixed element 3, the characteristic of the slide switch 1 is adjustable. By the choice of the springs 7, which press the plunger 5 with a predetermined force from the further element 4 through the openings 12 against the fixed element 3, also the characteristic of the slide switch 1 can be influenced. For each combination of depression 6 and plunger 5, a corresponding contact position and a corresponding contact closure between the sliding part 2 and fixed element 3 is provided.

In addition, springs 15 are provided on the sliding part 2. In the end position of the slide switch 1, the respective spring 15 is pressed together and generates a counterforce. By the spring 15, the slide switch 1 does not remain in the end position, but jumps back to the previous position as soon as a user releases the slide switch 1 in the end position (end stop). Furthermore, an end stop 14 is now provided at one of the end points. The end stop 14 is designed such that it is rotatable and has two shapes. For one thing, he joins in a shape from the sliding part 2, which corresponds to a wall; in another form, there is an opening into which the spring 15 of the sliding part then penetrates. In this case, there is no formation of a counterforce and the slide switch 1 remains in the end position. The end stop 14 is rotatably arranged so that the position of the end stop with the shape of a wall or in the form of the opening to the spring 15 is selectable. In this way, the behavior of the slide switch 1 can be varied upon reaching the end position. Either the slide switch remains in the end position or it jumps back from the end position to the previous position. In this way, it is possible by the possibility of variation of the end stop 14 to realize the operation of a slide switch, especially for dictation, which realizes both the standard in North America and in the European area.

In FIG. 4 is a section through a device G and the housing H in the region of the slide switch 1 is shown. Again, the slider 2 and the fixed member 3 are shown. In addition, the further element 4, which is firmly connected to the sliding part 2, shown. There are in FIG. 4 two further elements 4 are shown, each with two opposing tappets 5, which slide along the arranged element 3 upon actuation of the slide switch 1 and sliding of the sliding member 2 in openings 6 of the fixed element 3. The openings 6 are in FIG. 4 not shown. By selecting two further elements 4, each with two tappets 5, a particularly uniform force distribution between the sliding part 2 and the fixed element 3 is provided. The springs 7 store the plunger 5 resiliently in another element. 4

In a further embodiment of the invention, the further element 4 space or depth or space for a plurality of plunger 5, which in turn are stored either in each case by means of a spring 7 or together by means of a spring 7 or in combination with one or more springs 7. As a result, the force distribution for latching the further element 4 in the fixed element 3 on a (total) larger travel can be done or better distributed.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

slide switches

2

slide

3

fixed part

4

another element

5

tappet

6

deepening

7

feather

8th

Headboard (pestle)

9

Stem part (pestle)

10

Rounding (plunger headboard)

11

Ring broadening (pestle)

12

Opening (in further element)

13

touch surface

14

end stop

15

feather

G

device

H

casing

O

Position of the slide switch in the device G

Claims (6)

1. Slide switch (1) consisting of a slide part (2) and a fixedly arranged element (3), wherein the slide part (2) is displaceable in a plane within the fixedly arranged element (3), characterised in that the slide switch (1) has a changeable end abutment (14) which is rotatable relative to the slide part (2), and the end abutment (14) has at least two forms, which are turnable towards the slide part (2) by rotation of the end abutment (14), wherein a first form is a wall and the second form is an opening, and the slide part (2) has at the side associated with the end abutment (14) a spring (15) so that in the case of turning the first form of the end abutment (14) towards the slide part (2) the slide switch (1) in its end setting springs back, since the spring (15) on displacement in the direction of the end abutment (14) generates an opposing force, and in the case of turning the second form of the end abutment (14) towards the slide part (2) the slide switch (1) remains in its end setting, since the spring (15) on displacement in direction of the end abutment (14) does not generate an opposing force.
2. Slide switch (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the slide switch (1) can be installed in an apparatus (G) and the apparatus (G) is a dictating machine or a mobile telephone or electronic entertainment apparatus or electronic communications apparatus.
3. Slide switch (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the slide part (2) has at least one contact point and the at least one contact point of the slide part (2) closes a contact with counter-contact points in the fixedly arranged element (3) when contacting takes place.
4. Slide switch (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the slide switch (1) has a touch surface (13) elevated above a housing (H) of the apparatus (G).
5. Slide switch (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the slide switch (1) has at least two switching points.
6. Slide switch (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the end abutment (14) consists of an element rotatable through at least 90 degrees.

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