GB2105911A - Illuminated push-button switch - Google Patents

Abstract

An illustrated push-button switch comprises a switch body 1 molded out of an insulating synthetic resin, and an operating element 2 provided in the switch body in such a manner that the operating element 2 can be moved to actuate switch elements within the switch body 1. A hole 3 is provided in the switch and opened at at least a lower end thereof, and resilient means 4 are formed integrally with a side wall of the switch body 1. These resilient means 4 have locking portions 10 extending into the hole 3, and a shoulder (7, Fig. 3, not shown) is provided in that portion of an inner surface of the switch body which defines the hole. The shoulder (7) has a height different from that of the locking portions 10, and an illuminant (6, Fig. 3) having a wide support portion can be held by locking portions 10 and the shoulder (7) once it is inserted into the hole 3 from its lower end. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Illuminated push-button switch Background of the Invention This invention relates to an illuminated pushbutton switch.

Push-button switches which become illuminated when activated are known, but these known switches typically have a complicated construction, and the illuminant used therein often cannot easily be replaced.

Summary of the Invention Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive illuminated push-button switch which can be readily assembled and have its illuminant replaced easily, if necessary.

According to the present invention, a switch body is provided with a hole having a shoulder portion. Resilient locking means are provided in the hole to hold the illuminate against the shoulder portion.

The above and other objects as well as advantageous features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings The accompanying drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a switch body; Figure 2 is a bottom view of a principal portion of the switch; and Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A' in Fig. 1, showing the illuminant set in the switch body.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying Figs. 1-3.

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral 1 denotes a box type switch body molded out of an insulating synthetic resin.

An operating element 2 is held movable by the switch body 1 and is adapted to operate a switching mechanism within the switch body.

The switching mechanism consists of contacts which are closed by depressing the operating element 2 and a spring for returning the operating element to open the contacts.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a hole formed through the switch body 1. The hole 3 extends vertically in a portion of the switch body 1 adjacent to the operating element 2.

The lower portion of the hole 3 is enlarged to form a recess 5 defined in part by the upper shoulder 7, as shown in Fig. 3. Projecting downwardly from an outer wall of the hole 3 are resilient members 4 provided at their respective lower end portions with locking portions 10 extending towards the interior of the enlarged recess 5 and diametrically opposite the shoulder 7.

An illuminant 6 formed perferably by a light-emitting diode is provided with terminals 9 and has a support portion 8 formed in its lower portion. The illuminant 6 is mounted in the hole 3 in the switch body 1 with the support portion 8 fitted within the recess 5.

The upper and lower ends of the support portion 8 are thus engaged between the shoulder 7 of the switch body 1 and the locking portions 10 formed at the lower ends of the resilient members 4.

To set the illuminant 6 in the switch body, the illuminant 6 is first inserted into the hole 3 of the switch body 1 through the lower end of the hole 3. As the upper end of the wide support 8 for the illuminant 6 moves towards the shoulder 7, the locking portions 10 are displayed outwardly by the support 8 against the resilient force of the members 4. As the illuminant 6 is further inserted into the switch body 1, the upper end of the support 8 engages the shoulder 7 and the locking portions 10 are positioned at the lower end of the support 8 for the illuminant 6. At the same time, the locking portions 10 are returned to their original positions by the resilient force of the members 4 to snap behind the lower end of the support 8.

The support 8 for the illuminant 6 is, therefore, reliably retained by being clamped between the shoulder portion 7 and locking portions 1 0. The illuminant 6 can thus be set in the switch body 1 by merely inserting it into the hole 8 and can easily be removed by urging the locking portions 10 outwardly.

Namely, in the push-button switch according to the present invention, in which a hole 3 for housin the illuminant 6 and resilient members 4 having the locking portions 10 are provided in and on the switch body 1, with a shoulder 7 formed at a portion of the switch body 1 in the hole 3, the illuminant 6 housed in the hole 3 is clamped between the shoulder 7 and locking portions 10. When setting the illuminant 6 in the switch body 1, the members 4 having the locking portions 10 are displaced against their resiliency. Accordingly, the illuminant 6 can be set in the switch body 1 by merely inserting the former into the hole 3, so that the push-button switch can be assembled very efficiently. When the illuminant 6 is damaged or goes out of order, the resilient members 4 can be displaced to disengage the locking portions 10 from the illuminant 6, which can then be removed. This allows the illuminant 6 to be replace by a new illuminant easily. Since the illuminant 6 is clamped by shoulder 7 and locking portions 10, it can be retained reliably, and set stably.

In addition, no mounting members other than the switch body 1 are required, so that a very simply constructed, lnw-price, illuminated push-button switch can be obtained.

The present invention is not, of course, limited to the above embodiment and may be modified in various ways within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (5)

1. An illuminated push-button switch comprising (a) a switch body formed of an insulating synthetic resin, (b) an operating element provided movably in said switch body in such a manner that said operating element can be pressed inwardly of said switch body to activate electrical switch elements therein, (c) a hole, provided in said switch body and opened at at least one end, (d) resilient means formed intergrally with a side wall of said switch body and having locking portions extending towards said hole, (e) a shoulder portion provided in a portion of the inner surface of said switch body defining said hole, said shoulder portion having an height different from that of said locking portions, and (f) an illuminant adapted to be inserted into said hole from the lower end thereof and held by said locking portions and said shoulder portion.

2. An illuminated push-button switch according to Claim 1, wherein said illuminant is comprised of a light-emitting diode provided at a lower end portion thereof with a support wider than said diode, said diode having terminals extending downward therefrom.

3. An illuminated push-button switch according to Claim 2, wherein said shoulder portion is provided on three inner surfaces of said switch body, said inner surfaces being other than the inner surface thereof on which siad resilient means are provided.

4. An illuminated push-button switch according to Claim 1, wherein said resilient means consist of a pair of resilient means at the free ends of which said locking portions are provided.

5. An illuminated push-button switch substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.