GB2083708A

GB2083708A - Electrical switch

Info

Publication number: GB2083708A
Application number: GB8127397A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Daimler Benz AG
Current assignee: Daimler Benz AG
Priority date: 1980-09-11
Filing date: 1981-09-10
Publication date: 1982-03-24
Also published as: FR2490001A1; DE3034112A1

Abstract

An electrical switch comprises a switch-actuating member 3, a single light source 6 for illuminating a symbol area 7 and for also indicating the position of the switch-actuating member 3 at night, and a device 10 mounted in the switch housing 1 for indicating the position of the actuating member 3 during daylight. The member 3 has a translucent part 9 and a light guide 8 which, in the switched-on position of the member are in light-transmitting connection with the light source 6 through an opening 5 provided in a housing wall 4. The device 10 may comprise an indicating surface 15 which is displaceable in dependence upon switching movement of the actuating member 3 and which, in the switched-on position thereof, lies in front of a window 16 in that member. The indicating surface 15 may be provided by a plunger 12 which is guided by a sleeve 11 and always bears under spring force against the inside wall 14 of the actuating member 3. Alternatively, the indicating surface may comprise a plate on a springy bow mounted within the switch housing 1 and bearing against the inside actuating-member wall 14. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Electrical switch This invention relates to an electrical switch, particularly but not exclusively an instrument-panel switch for a motor vehicle, comprising a switch-actuating member and a light source, separated therefrom by a wall of the switch housing, for illuminating an indication field (spot lighting), provided for example with a symbol or symbols and for indicating also the present position of the actuating member which has a translucent part which, in the switched-on position, is in light communication with the light source by way of a light-passage opening in the housing wall.

In a switch of this kind as disclosed in German Auslegeschrift 1790270, there is, in part of the switch-actuating member towards the said opening, a translucent window by way of which, in the switched-on position, the interior space in one half of the actuating member and a symbol visible from the exterior can be illuminated. In the switched-off position, the actuating member is swung away in such a manner that no light rays can penetrate to the window.

Certainly such switches give by night a clear indication whether the actuating member is switched on or off or precisely what switch-position has been set, but the arrangement is not suitable for position indication by normal daylight.

The present invention seeks, by constructionally simple means, to permit, in addition to clear indication by night, also of adequate indication of switch position by daylight.

According to the invention, in an electrical switch comprising a switch-actuating member and, separated therefrom by a wall of a switch housing, a single light source for lighting an indication field and for also indicating the position of the switchactuating member, the said member has a translucent part which, in the switched-on position of the member, is in light-transmitting connection with the light source through an opening provided in the housing wall and a device mounted in the housing for indicating the position of the actuating member is disposed in that member.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the said device comprises an indicating surface which is displaceable in dependence upon switching movement of the actuating member and, in the switched-on position thereof, lies in front of a window in that member.

In another preferred form of embodiment, the indicating surface is provided by a plunger guided by a sleeve forming a part of the device, which plunger always bears under spring force against the inside of a wall of the actuating member.

In a constructionally simple embodiment, the indicating surface is formed by a plate which is attached to a springy bow which is anchored in the switch housing and is pressed against the inside of a wall of the actuating member.

For both of the last-mentioned forms of embodiment, the switch-actuating member is advantageously a rocker.

Because the indicating surface or surfaces bear resiliently against the inside of the rocker wall, other springs usually provided for returning the rocker can be dispensed with.

To permit of any front location, visible from outside the rocker, being selected for the indication field the rocker may comprise at least one light guide which leads to a translucent part and which lies, in the switched-on position, in the light beam from the light source.

The light beam passing through the aforesaid opening may be interrupted in the switched-off position in simple fashion by covering of the opening by an end wall of the rocker.

Embodiments of the invention will now be more fully described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa section through one form of embodiment of single-stage switch, with a device for position indicating by day, in the switched-off position.

Figure 2 is a similar view with the switch in the switched-on position.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the switch, Figure 4 is a section through a two-stage switch in a first switched-on position, Figure 5 is a section similar to Figure 4, but with the switch in a second switched-on position.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the switch of Figures 4 and 5, Figure 7 is a diagram in plan view illustrating indications given in the first switched-on position (right-hand side) and in the second switched-on position (left-hand side), and Figure 8 is a section through a further form of switch with a simple indicating device.

Referring to Figure 1, part of a switch housing 1 accommodates a switch-actuating rocker 3 or dolly mounted for rocking about a pivot 2. In the switchedoff position shown in Figure 1,the left-hand end wall of the rocker covers a light-passage opening 5 in a housing wall or partition 4. Behind the wall 4 in the housing 1,there is an incandescent lamp 6 which serves for illuminating an indication or indications of a translucent indication field 7 provided with one or more symbols, for example symbols for headlamps, headlamp wipers, interior lighting for luggage space and so forth. The lamp 6 also serves as a source of light for indicating the switching position ofthe rocker 3.For this functional indication, a light guide 8 fixed in the rocker 3 extends at one end into a translucent wall portion 9 of the rocker 2 and, at the other end, towards the opening 5, terminates slightly short of and below the end wall of the rocker 3.

By night the light guide 8 gives an adequate indication of the switch position, but not under conditions of daylight. For providing a clear indication under these normal-daylight conditions, a further device 10 is provided, which comprises a guide sleeve 11 fixed in the housing 1 and slidably accommodating a plunger 12 which is pressed by a spring 13 against the inside of the front portion of the wall 14 of the rocker 3. The end of the plunger 12 has an indicating surface 15, possibly distinguished by colour, which, in the switched-on position (Figure 2) is located in a viewing window in the rocker 3.

The spring 13 may also serve the function of effecting return of the rocker 3 from the switched-on to the switched-off position, or conversely.

In Figure 2 in which the rocker 3 is in the switched-on position, the rocker uncovers the light passage opening 5 and the light guide 8, turning with the rocker, comes into alignment with the light beam (indicated by arrows) from the lamp 6. At the same time, moreover, the indicating surface 15 comes within the window 16 due to the turning of the rocker 3.

In Figure 3 illustrating the switched-on position, the indication provided is distinguished by a point 17 of light by night and by the appearance of the surface 15 in the window 16 by day.

The embodiment of Figures 4 and 5 has a switch rocker 3 with two-stage position indication. Accommodated in the rocker 3, there are two light guides 8, 8', located side by side, whose free, right-hand, ends are offset in height, and two similar plungers 12 which are located beside the light guides, but of which only the front plunger is visible. In the first switched-on position (Figure 4), the rocker 3 uncovers only a part of the opening 5, so that only the front guide 8 lies in the light beam, whereas, in the second position (Figure 3), the second light-guide 8' also receives the light beam, as the rocker 3 completely uncovers the opening 5. In this manner, effective indications are available by night.Forthetwo-stage indication by day, initially the indicating surface 15 of the front plunger 12 is located, in the firstswitched-on position I, in the elongate window 16 (Figure 7) and, in the second switched-on position, additionally the indicating surface 15' of the other plunger 12 is located in a circular viewing window 16'. In the switched-on positions land 11, the points of light, located inwardly, give the two-stage function indication by night and the outwardly located viewing windows the two stage function indication by day. The switched-off condition of the rocker 3 is shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 illustrates yet a further form of device 10 comprising a springy metal bow 18 having, at its free end, a plate 19 with indicating surface 15. The bow 18 is fixed at 20 within the housing 1. The springy bow may alternatively be made of a synthetic plastics material.

In the switched-off position, the indicating surface 15 is not visible in the window 16, which may again be of elongate, possibly rectangular, shape. In the first switched-on position, initially only one half of the indicating surface is visible in the window and finally, in the second switched-on position, the other half of the surface is also visible in the window.

Claims

1. - An electrical switch comprising a switchactuating member and, separated therefrom by a wall of a switch housing, a single light source for lighting an indication field and for also indicating the position of the switch-actuating member, which member has a translucent part which, in the switched-on position of the member, is in lighttransmitting connection with the light source through an opening provided in the housing wall and a device mounted in the housing for indicating the position of the actuating member is disposed in that member.

2. A switch according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises an indicating surface which is displaceable in dependence upon switching movement of the actuating member and, in the switchedon position thereof, lies in front of a window in that member.

3. A switch according to claim 2, wherein the indicating surface is provided by a plunger guided by a sleeve forming a part of the device, which plunger always bears under spring force against the inside of a wall of the actuating member.

4. A switch according to claim 2, wherein the indicating surface comprises a plate on a springy bow mounted within the switch housing and always bearing on the inside of a wall of the actuating member.

5. A switch according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuating member is a rocker.

6. A switch according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuating member comprises at least one light guide leading to a translucent part, which guide, in the switched-on position of the said member, is located in the path of a beam from the light source.

7. A switch according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, in the switched-off position of the actuating member, the said opening in the housing wall is covered by an end wall of the said member.

8. A switch according to claim 6 or 7, wherein a second light guide, with associated translucent part, provided in the actuating member is so offset in level, in relation to a first light guide, in the region of the opening in the housing wall that, in a first switched-on position, one light guide is located in the path of the light beam from the light source and, in a second switched-on position, the second light guide is also so located.

9. A switch according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein the indicating device comprises two indicating surfaces of which one appears in front of a window in the first and second switched-on positions and the other in front of a second window in the actuating member in the second switched-on position only.

10. A switch according to any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein the window is formed by an elongate hole and that, in the first switched-on position, the indicating surface initially appears in one half of the elongate hole and, in the second switched-on position, also in the other half of the elongate hole.

11. An electrical switch substantially as hereinbefore decribed with reference to Figures 1 to 3, Figures 4-6 or Figures 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.