GB2279500A

GB2279500A - Push button switch mountings

Info

Publication number: GB2279500A
Application number: GB9313006A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Partridge; Robert Alan Holmes
Original assignee: Starpoint Electrics Ltd
Current assignee: Starpoint Electrics Ltd
Priority date: 1993-06-23
Filing date: 1993-06-23
Publication date: 1995-01-04
Anticipated expiration: 2013-06-23
Also published as: ES1029001Y; GB9313006D0; GB2279500B; ES1029001U

Abstract

A push button switch mounting comprises a mounting body 10 and a surrounding body 12a, one of the bodies such as the mounting body 10 having been formed by plastics moulding and having subsequently acted as an insert during plastics moulding of the other of the bodies such as the surrounding body 12a, which may thus conveniently include a bezel 28a of selected colour and/or shape. <IMAGE>

Description

Starpoint Electrics Limited Push Button Switch Mounting The present invention relates generally to mountings for switches of the push button kind typically used for controlling functions such as reel hold in a gaming or amusement machine.

In such push button switches, the push button is reciprocally movable with respect to a part of the mounting in the form of a bezel, and it is desirable to provide the bezel in a choice of colours and shapes.

It is thus often necessary to provide a large range of stock in which the bezels are of different colours, such as red, orange or black, and additionally or alternatively are of different shapes, such as low profile, high profile, or sloping.

There would be commercial benefit in forming the mountings for the push button switches in a manner allowing a selected colour and/or shape of the bezel surrounding the push button to be readily incorporated therein.

It is known from our GB-A-2239352, to which the reader is instructed to refer, for a push button switch mounting to comprise a mounting body and a surrounding body initially formed as separate plastics mouldings and subsequently securable together by inter-engageable fastening means.

The mounting body included a hollow externally threaded cylinder, one end of which was provided with a flange carrying one part of the fastening means. The surrounding body included a bezel around a recess, one wall of which carried another part of the fastening means.

Preferably, the fastening means was in the form of a single resilient hook provided on the mounting body, the hook being locatable within a single slot provided through the surrounding body.

According to the present invention, however, a push button switch mounting comprises a mounting body and a surrounding body, one of said bodies having been formed by plastics moulding and having subsequently acted as an insert during plastics moulding of the other of said bodies.

Preferably, it is the mounting body which acts as an insert for the surrounding body, rather than the other way round.

Also preferably, as in our above-noted GB-A-2239352, the mounting body has a hollow externally threaded cylinder and the surrounding body has a bezel of selected colour and/or shape.

Several push button switch mountings, in accordance with the present invention, will now be described in greater detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a rear view of a mounting body for use as an insert; Figure 2 is a side view of the insert shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the insert taken along the line III-III of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the insert taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 4 but illustrating a modified insert; Figure 6 is a side view similar to Figure 2 but showing a first surrounding body moulded on the insert; Figure 7 is similar to Figure 3 but shows the first surrounding body moulded on the insert; Figure 8 is similar to Figure 2 but shows a second surrounding body moulded on the insert; Figure 9 is similar to Figure 3 but shows the second surrounding body moulded on the insert; Figure 10 is similar to Figure 2 but shows a third surrounding body moulded on the modified insert; Figure 11 is similar to Figure 3 but shows the third surrounding body moulded on the modified insert; Figure 12 is a side view of a switch incorporating the first push button switch mounting of Figures 6 and 7; Figure 13 is a side view of a switch incorporating the second push button switch mounting of Figures 8 and 9; and Figure 14 is a side view of a switch incorporating the third push button switch mounting of Figures 10 and 11.

A mounting body 10 is formed by plastics moulding to the shape of Figures 1 to 4, or to the shape of the modification of Figure 5, and is subsequently used as an insert during plastics moulding of a selected surrounding body 12a, 12b or 12c of the shapes shown in Figures 6 to 11.

The mounting body 10 includes a hollow cylinder 14 with an external thread 16 as well as a recess 18 with an aperture 20. The cylinder 14 and the recess 18 project from a square housing 22 formed around its free edge with a flange 24.

The cylinder 14 is intended to receive a first bulb carried by a support which also carries a microswitch. The recess 18 is intended to receive a second bulb carried by a wiring support. The housing 22 is intended to receive a sprung loaded push button which is a snap fit with a fastening 26 shown within the free end of the cylinder 14.

A modified mounting body 10a is shown in Figure 5 including a shallower housing 22a.

A first push button switch mounting according to the present invention is shown in Figures 6 and 7 wherein the mounting body 10 has been used as an insert during subsequent plastics moulding of the surrounding body 12a having a sloping bezel 28a.

A second push button switch mounting according to the present invention is shown in Figures 8 and 9 wherein the mounting body 10 has been used as an insert during subsequent plastics moulding of the surrounding body 12b having a low profile bezel 28b.

A third push button switch mounting according to the present invention is shown in Figures 10 and 11 in which the modified mounting body 10a has been used as an insert during subsequent plastics moulding of the surrounding body 12c having a high profile bezel 28c.

The first, second and third push button switch mountings are respectively incorporated in the switches of Figures 12, 13 and 14 - the construction of the switches is generally conventional.

Each includes a microswitch 30 carried at one end of a support 32 whose other end carries a bulb (not shown) for illuminating half of the recess 18. Each also includes a wiring support 34 for a second bulb (not shown) for illuminating the other half of the recess 18. The wiring support 34 can be a snap fit with a box-like washer 36 which is reciprocable around the cylinder 14. The cylinder 14 is also surrounded by a washer 38 and an internally threaded nut 40.

In use, each of the switches can be mounted to a gaming or amusement machine by sandwiching a panel of the machine between the bezels 28a, 28b or 28c and the box-like washer 36. The intended purpose of the separate bulbs is to allow different instructions to the player to be illuminated - such as hold, start, collect or nudge.

In other arrangements, not illustrated, there could be just a single bulb associated with a single microswitch, or there could be two bulbs associated with two separate microswitches.

Claims

1. A push button switch mounting comprising a mounting body and a surrounding body, one of said bodies having been formed by plastics moulding and having subsequently acted as an insert during plastics moulding of the other of said bodies.

2. A push button switch mounting according to claim 1, in which it is the mounting body which has acted as an insert for the surrounding body.

3. A push button switch mounting according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the surrounding body has a bezel of selected colour and/or shape.

4. A push button switch mounting according to claim 3, in which the mounting body has a hollow externally threaded cylinder as well as a recess with an aperture, the cylinder being intended to receive a first bulb carried by a support which also carries a microswitch, and the recess being intended to receive a second bulb carried by a wiring support.

5. A push button switch mounting substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4, in conjunction with either Figures 6, 7 and 12 or Figures 8, 9 and 13, or to Figures 5, 10, 11 and 14, of the accompanying drawings.