GB2089131A

GB2089131A - Push-button switch

Info

Publication number: GB2089131A
Application number: GB8133910A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Cavis Cavetti Isolati SpA
Current assignee: Cavis Cavetti Isolati SpA
Priority date: 1980-11-27
Filing date: 1981-11-10
Publication date: 1982-06-16
Also published as: BR6101758U; PL233975A1; DE3145392C2; YU267981A; DE3145392A1; GB2089131B; IT8023490V0; YU41265B; FR2494893A1; FR2494893B1; ES261536U; ES261536Y

Abstract

A pushbutton switch comprises a body 1 carrying, on a side thereof, or on two opposite sides thereof, fixed blade contacts 2 and, on an adjacent side, a wire flexure spring 5; and a resiliently biased tubular push-button 10 which carries one or more spring biased contacts 14 for cooperating with the blade contacts 2, a cam track for cooperating with the wire spring 5 to hold the switch in two different positions and a screen 20 which is tilted by an abutment on the body 1 when the switch is moved to one of its positions to allow light to pass from a light source 23 located within the body 1 and thereby indicate the switch position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Push-button miniature switch The present invention relates to a push-button miniaturized switch, particularly effective to be used in autovehicle electric systems and the like.

As it is known, on the autovehicles there are presently mounted electric device or fixtures, such as electrofans, heated rear windows and the like, which are necessarily supplied through a switch.

The known switches to this end are however affected by fonctional drawbacks, due to their great size, or to the structure of the controlling or driving member, which does not permit to immediately detect the closure or off position of said switch.

Summary of the invention Thus, the task of the present invention is to eliminate the thereinabove mentioned drawbacks, by providing a switch of small size of the pushbutton type, provided with mechanical latching means for latching the contacts in the closing positions thereof.

Within the thereinabove mentioned task, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pushbutton miniaturized switch which comprises means for lighting, possibly in a differentiated way, the push-button, at least in the closure or make position thereof.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a push-button switch effective to permit connexion between one or more movable contacts and two or more fixed contacts.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a miniaturized push-button switch which is highly reliable, especially with respect to the stability of the connexions even in the presence of vibrations.

The task and objects thereinabove mentioned, as well as other objects which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a push-button miniaturized switch, characterized in that it comprises a box-shaped body, of preferably square plan, bearing, on a side thereof, or onto two opposite sides thereof, blade contacts and, on the intermediate or adjacent side to said sides, a flexure wire spring, provided with a beak end, a substantially tubular push-button being slidingly housed in said box-like body, against resilient means, said tubular push-button bearing, on the sides thereof corresponding to said sides, one or more pointed contacts and a projecting contoured member, respectively, said push-button being further provided with a tiltable intermediate screen, a light source being located in the inside of said box-shaped body.

Brief description of the drawings Further characteristics and advantages of the push button miniaturized switch according to the present invention, will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, being illustrated by way of an indicative and not limitative example in the accompanying drawings, where:: Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the controlling or driving push-button of the switch according to the invention; Figure 2 is another perspective view, illustrating the box-shaped body therein the push-button is housed; Figure 3 and 4 illustrate the switch in its opening and closing positions respectively; Figure 5 is a schematic vertical cross-section view of that same miniaturized switch; Figure 6 is a vertical cross-section view of one of the sides of the box-shaped body and the pushbutton, bearing, respectively the blade contacts and the pointed contacts; and Figure 7is a schematic horizontal cross-section illustrating the same side of the miniaturized switch.

Description of the preferred embodiment With reference to the number references of the Figures of the accompanying d drawings, the miniaturized push-button switch according to the present invention comprises a box-shaped body 1, or preferably square plan, bearing, on a side thereof, or onto two opposite sides thereof, blade contacts 2, parallely extending, along said sides, in the height direction thereof and inwardly projecting in such a way as to provide sliding guides vertically extending 3.

On one of the other sides of said box-shaped body there is formed a lower extension 4, effective to provide a housing a seat for a wire flexure spring 5, which latter is provided with a beak-shaped end 6.

On the side opposite to the thereinabove mentioned side of the box-shaped body, there is formed an abutment 7, which forms a part of an annular base structure 8 effective to hold at the bottom a pressure spring 9.

In the inside of said box-shaped body, there is inserted, in such a way as to be able of axially sliding, a push-button 10, consisting of a tubular body or structure, which is prismatically coupled to said box-shaped body, according to a predetermined arrangement, as defined by projecting portions or ridges 11 and corresponding recesses 12.

On a side, ortho two opposite sides of said push-button, there are formed seats 13, as suitably offset, and effective to house corresponding contact members, consisting of pointed member 14, biassed by resilient means 15, consisting, preferably, by a coil spring.

On the outer wall of a side, intermediate or adjacent to the mentioned sides, of that same push-button there is formed a recessed portion 16, which defines an intermediate projecting contoured portion 17.

This latter is substantially provided with a lower cusp or tip 18, and an upper minimum point as defined by suitably slanted lines with respect to the longitudinal axis of said wire flexure spring.

On the side opposite to that bearing said projecting contoured portion, there is hinged a screen or shield 20, made of an opaque material, or a transparent coloured material, effective to engage with the abutment 7, rigid with the box-shaped body 1.

At the top of the push-button 10, there is fixed a cap, or cover 21, provided with a central portion, 22, eithertransparentortranslucid, bearing a suitable co-printed ideogram or mark, effective to signal the type of functions of the switch.

In this latter, in fact, it is possible to provide for the interconnexion between two or more blade fixed contacts, by means of bridges, in order to supply a plurality of circuits.

In the inside of the box-shaped body, moreover, there is located a light source, which can consist either of a lamp 23, or by the end portion of a light guiding cable 23'.

Practically, by pressing the push-button 10 in the inside of the box-shaped body 1,the single pointed contacts 14 are able of connecting the several adjacent pairs of blade contacts 2, thereby closing the controlled circuits.

The contact stability is assured by the insertion of the beak end 6 of the wire flexure spring, into the minimum point 19 ofthe projecting contoured portion 17, in such a way as to contrast the force of the pressure spring 9.

A further pressing on the push-button 10, on the other hand, disengages said end from said contoured portion or member, owing to the particular arrangement of the perimetrical line 24 which defines the recessed portion 16, thereby the pushbutton is pushed outwardly by said pressure spring 9.

That same beak-shaped end, on the other hand, holds the push-button in the inside of the boxshaped body, by engaging with an abutment 25 as formed at the bottom of said push-button.

More specifically, as the push-button is depressed, the screen 20 is tilted upwardly, thereby permitting the ideogram or mark, printed on the transparent portion of the cap 21,to be directly illuminated.

On the other hand, as the push-button is rised, the screen shuts off the light beam of the lamp, or light guiding cable, thereby indicating that the circuit is in its open condition.

Advantageously, said screen is made of a translucid material, or a coloured transparent material, thereby allowing for the push-button to be easily located,with the switch opened, even during the driving in the dark.

From the above description and the observation of the Figures of the accompanying drawings, the great functionality and use facility characterizing the pushbutton miniaturized switch according to the present invention are self-evident.

Claims

1. Push-button miniaturized switch,characte- rized in that it comprises a box-shaped body, of preferably square plan, bearing, on a side thereof, or onto two opposite sides thereof, blade contacts and, on the intermediate or adjacent side to said sides, a wire flexure spring, provided with a beak end, a substantially tubular push-button being slidingly housed in said box-like body, against resilient means, said tubular push button bearing on the sides thereof corresponding to said sides, one or more pointed contacts and a projecting contoured member, respectively, said push-button being further provided with a tiltable intermediate screen, a light source being located in the inside of said box-shaped body.

2. A push-button miniaturized switch, according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said blade contacts are parallely located along the sides of said box-shaped body, in the height direction thereof, and project inwardly in such a way as to provide sliding guides.

3. A push-button miniaturized switch, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that on one of the two sides of said box-shaped body there is formed a lower extension, providing a hoiding seat for a wire flexure spring, and having a beak bent end, on the side of said box-shaped body opposite to said side there being formed an abutment forming a part of an annular base structure effective to hold at the bottom thereof a pressure spring.

4. A push-button miniaturized switch, according to the preceding claims, charterized in that, in the inside of said box-shaped body there is slidingly housed a push-button comprising a substantially tubular body prismatically coupled to said boxshaped body, according to a predetermined disposition or arrangement, as defined by mating ridges and recesses.

5. A push-button miniaturized switch, according to the preceding claims characterized in that, on a side or two opposite sides of said push-button there are formed suitably offset seats, effective to hold corresponding pointed members, on the outer wall of a side, adjacent or intermediate with respect to said sides, of said push-button there being formed a recessed portions effective to define a base abutment and a projecting intermediate contoured portion or member, substantially provided with a lower cusp or tip and a minimum upper point, as defined by suitable curved lines.

6. A push-button miniaturized switch, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that on the side of said push-button opposite to that bearing said projecting contoured portion, there is hinged a shield, made either of an opaque material our a transparent and coloured material.

7. A push-button miniaturized switch, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that, at the top of said push-button there is fixed a cap, or cover, provided with a central transparent ortranslucid portion, thereon an ideogram or mark is printed.

8. A push-button miniaturized switch, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that in the inside of said box-shaped body there is housed a light source, consisting either of a lamp or of the end portion of a light guiding cable.

9. A puch-button miniature switch substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.