GB2441187A

GB2441187A - Electric switch

Info

Publication number: GB2441187A
Application number: GB0713129A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shin-Yi Fan; Mei-Chuan Chou
Original assignee: Forward Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: Forward Electronics Co Ltd
Priority date: 2006-08-23
Filing date: 2007-07-06
Publication date: 2008-02-27
Anticipated expiration: 2027-07-06
Also published as: GB2441187B; DE202007009347U1; TWM305548U; GB0713129D0

Abstract

An electric switch is disclosed to include a base 1, a top cover 3 mounted on the base 1 to cover a electric conductive spring plate 2 and a light source holder 6 with a light-emitting diode 61 in the base, an encoder is mounted in the top cover 3, and a transmissive insulative plunger 5 inserted through the top cover and the encoder and abutting the electric conductive spring plate 2 for operation by a user to force the electric conductive spring plate 2 to electric switch on/off the electric switch.

Description

ELECTRIC SWITCh

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 2441187

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electric switch and more particularly, to an electric switch suitable for use in a stereo system, sound miçing engineering equipment, video system, etc.

2.Description of Related Art

In an electronic product, such as stereo system, sound mixing engineering equipment, video system, etc., an electric switch with an insulative plunger may be used for operation by the user to switch onloff the circuit operating the device.

An electric switch for this purpose may have added an encoder so that the electric switch has circuit switching and encoding functions.

However, when wishing to operate the insulative plunger of the electric switch of a home or theater video system in the dark, an external light is needed to guide the way.

Conventionally, a light source, for example, a light emitting diode (LED) may be installed in the circuit board of the electronic product to produce light. However, the installation of the LED must match the position of the electric switch, i.e., the installation of the LED in the circuit board must consider the available space height and transmission of light.

Further, installing an LED in the circuit board of the electronic product requires an additional soldering procedure. This soldering -procedure complicates the manufacturing time and cost.

Further, the aforesaid conventional LED has only one luminescent color, so the conventional LED cannot change its color in different demands.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide an electric switch that eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. According to the present invention, the electric switch is comprised of a base, an electric conductive spring plate, a light source holder, a top cover, an encoder, and a transmissive insulative plunger.

The base has a recessed top open chamber, which has a bottom surface, a center terminal fastened to the center of the bottom surface of the recessed top open chamber, and a left-side terminal and a right-side terminal provided at two opposite lateral sides inside the recessed top open chamber respectively. The center terminal, the left-side terminal and the right-side terminal separately extend to an exterior of the base.

The electric conductive spring plate is mounted on the bottom surface of the recessed top open chamber of the base, and spaced above the center terminal at a distance.

The light source holder is mounted in the recessed top open chamber of the base and supported on the electric conductive spring plate, and carries a light-emitting diode. The light-emitting diode has at least two luminescent colors, and the light-emitting diode has a left lead-out terminal and a right lead-out terminal respectively electrically connected to the left-side terminal and the right-side terminal in the base.

--The top cover is mounted on the base to cover the light source holder and the electric conductive spring plate inside the recessed top open chamber of the base, and has a top recess and a center opening vertically cut through the top recess in communication with the recessed top open chamber of the base.

The encoder is mounted in the top recess of the top cover, and has a center through hole in communication with the center opening of the top cover and the recessed top open chamber of the base.

The transmissive insulative plunger is inserted through the center through hole of the encoder and the center opening of the top cover and abuts the light source holder. The at least two luminescent colors of the light-emitting diode respectively shine outwardly passing through the transmissive insulative plunger.

When the transmissive insulative plunger is pressed, the light source holder is moved downwards to curve the electric conductive spring plate and to further force the electric conductive spring plate into contact with the center terminal, thereby electrically switching on the electric switch.

Further, because the light-emitting diode and the encoder form a part of the electric switch, the installations of the light-emitting diode and the encoder in the electric switch do not cause any problem about the height of the electric switch or the intensity of light of the light-emitting diode. In general, the electric switch of the present invention provides the combination functions of a light-emitting diode, a switch and an encoder.

This simple design of electric switch is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

Further, the luminescent colors of the light-emitting diode can be changed in accordance with different demands because the light- emitting diode has at least two luminescent colors. For example, the lightemitting diode can shine one luminescent color when the electric switch is turned on.

On the contrary, the light-emitting diode can shine a different luminescent color when the electric switch is turned off. Thus, the user can realize the present state of the electric switch easily.

Further, the luminescent colors of the light-emitting diode can be changed to different intensities of lightness. For example, the light-emitting diode can shine one luminescent color (such as a pale luminescent color) in a bright place (such as a room illuminated by lamps). On the contrary, the light-emitting diode can shine another luminescent color (such as a bright luminescent color) in a place with a low level of lighting (such as a theater).

The luminescent colors of the light-emitting diode are not limited to two colors, i.e., the light-emitting diode can have three, four, or more colors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG 1 is an exploded view of an electric switch according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG 2 is a sectional view of the electric switch according to the first embodiment of the present invention. -FIG 3 is a schematic sectional view showing the action of the electric switch according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG 4 is a sectional view of an electric switch according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

S Referring to FIG. 1, an electric switch in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising a base 1, an electric conductive spring plate 2, a light source holder 6, a top cover 3, an encoder 4, a locating frame 7, and a transmissive insulative plunger 5.

Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG 1 again, the base 1 has a recessed top open chamber ii, a center terminal 13 fastened to the center of the bottom surface 10 of the recessed top open chamber 11, a left-side terminal 12 provided at the left side inside the recessed top open chamber 11, and a right-side terminal 14 provided at the right side inside the recessed top open chamber 11. The terminals 12-14 separately extend to the exterior of the iS base 1 for connection to a power source (not shown).

Further, the electric conductive spring plate 2 is a rounded convex spring plate mounted on the bottom surface 10 of the base 1 inside the recessed top open chamber 11 and suspended above the center terminal 13 at a distance d. The light source holder 6 is mounted in the recessed top open chamber 11 of the base 1 and supported on the electric conductive spring plate 2, carrying a light-emitting diode 61. The light-emitting diode 61 has two luminescent colors (please see the reference "A" of FIG. 3 and the reference "B" of FIG. 4), and the light-emitting diode 61 has a left lead-out terminal 62 and a right lead-out terminal 63 respectively electrically connected to the left-side terminal 12 and the right-side terminal 14 in the base 1.

Further, the top cover 3 is mounted on the base 1 to cover the light source holder 6 and the electric conductive spring plate 2 inside the recessed top open chamber 11 of the base 1, and has a top recess 31 and a center opening 311 vertically cut through the center of the top recess 31 in communication between the space above the top cover 3 and the recessed top open chamber 11. The encoder 4 is mounted in the top recess 31 of the top cover 3, and has a center through hole 41 in communication with the center opening 311 of the top cover 3 and the recessed top open chamber 11 of the base 1.

Further, the locating frame 7 is mounted on the base I to cover the encoder 4, the top cover 3, the light source holder 6 and the electric conductive spring plate 2, and has a center through hole 71. The transmissive insulative plunger 5 is inserted through the center through hole 71 of the locating frame 7, the center through hole 41 of the encoder 4 and the center opening 311 of the top cover 3 and stopped against at the light source holder 6.

According to this embodiment, the transmissive insulative plunger 5 is a solid shaft that admits light, and has two legs 51 abutting the light source holder 6. The base 1 has a plurality of vertical mounting grooves 15 spaced around the periphery thereof. The locating frame 7 has a plurality of bottom mounting spring hooks 73 respectively fastened to the vertical mounting grooves 15 of the base 1. By means of fastening the bottom mounting spring hooks 73 to the vertical mounting grooves 15 of the base 1, the locating frame 7 is positively mounted on the top cover 3 and the base 1.

Further, a plate spring member 72 is sandwiched between the locating frame 7 and the encoder 4.

Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 again, when pressed the transmissive insulative plunger 5, the light source holder 6 is moved downwards to curve the electric conductive spring plate 2 and to further force the electric conductive spring plate 2 into contact with the center terminal 13, thereby electrically switching on the electric switch.

On the contrary, when released the pressure from the transmissive insulative plunger 5, the electric conductive spring plate 2 immediately returns to the former shape due to the resilient nature of the material and moves away from the center terminal 13, thereby electrically switching off the electric switch.

During movement of the transmissive insulative plunger 5, the left lead-out terminal 62 and right lead-out terminal 63 of the light-emitting diode 61 are kept electrically connected to the left-side terminal 12 and the right-side terminal 14 in the base 1, thereby the light-emitting diode 61 keeps giving off light through the transmissive insulative plunger 5, and the operator can see the location of the transmissive insulative plunger 5 when the surrounding area is dark.

In the aforesaid structure, the light-emitting diode 61 forms a part of the electric switch, therefore the installation of the light-emitting diode 61 in the electric switch does not cause any problem about the height of the electric switch or the intensity of light. The electric switch of the present invention provides the combination functions of a light-emitting diode, a switch and an encoder. This design of electric switch has a simple structure that eliminates an additional soldering process.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an electric switch according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with the exception of the structure of the transmissive insulative plunger. According to this embodiment, the transmissive insulative plunger, referenced by 8, is a transmissive hollow shaft that admits light, and the light of the light-emitting diode 81 can be also dissipated through the transmissive insulative plunger 8.

By the aforesaid first and second embodiments, the luminescent colors A, B of the light-emitting diode 61,81 can be changed in accordance with different demands. For example, the light-emitting diode can shine one luminescent color A (as in FIG. 3) when the electric switch is turned on; the light-emitting diode can shine another luminescent color B (as in FIG 4) when the electric switch is turned off. Thus, the user can realize the present state of the electric switch easily.

Further, the luminescent colors of the light-emitting diode 61,8 1 can be changed in accordance with different intensities of lightness surrounding the device to which the switch is fitted. For example, the light-emitting diode can shine pale luminescent color in a bright place, and the light-emitting diode can shine a bright luminescent color in place with low level surrounding light.

Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. An electric switch comprising: ----a base, said

base having a recessed top open chamber, said recessed top open chamber having a bottom surface, a center terminal fastened to the center of the bottom surface of said recessed top open chamber, a left-side terminal and a right-side terminal provided at two opposite lateral sides inside said recessed top open chamber respectively, said center terminal and said left-side terminal and said right-side terminal being separately extended to an exterior of said base; an electric conductive spring plate mounted on the bottom surface of the recessed top open chamber of said base and spaced above said center terminal at a distance; a light source holder mounted in the recessed top open chamber of said base and supported on said electric conductive spring plate, said light source holder carrying a light-emitting diode having at least two luminescent colors, said light-emitting diode having a left lead-out terminal and a right lead-out terminal respectively electrically connected to said left-side terminal and said right-side terminal in said base; a top cover mounted on said base to cover said light source holder and said electric conductive spring plate inside the recessed top open chamber of said base, said top cover having a top recess and a center opening vertically cut through said top recess in communication with said recessed top open chamber of said base; an encoder mounted in the top recess of said top cover, said encoder having a center through hole in communication with the center opening of said top cover and the recessed top open chamber of said base; and a transmissive insulative plunger inserted through the center through hole of said encoder and the center opening of said top cover and abutting said light source holder, the at least two luminescent colors of said light-emitting diode respectively shine outwardly passing through said transmissive insulative plunger.

2. The electric switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmissive insulative plunger has two bottom legs respectively abutting said light source holder.

3. The electric switch as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a locating frame mounted on said base to cover said electric conductive spring plate, said light source holder, said top cover, and said encoder, said locating frame having a center through hole for receiving said transmissive insulative plunger.

4. The electhc switch as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a plate spring member sandwiched between said locating frame and said encoder.

5. The electric switch as claimed in claim 3, wherein said base has a plurality of mounting grooves spaced around the periphery thereof; said locating frame has a plurality of bottom mounting hooks respectively fastened to the mounting grooves of said base.

6. The electric switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electric conductive spring plate is a rounded convex spring plate.

7. The electric switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmissive insulative plunger is formed of a solid shaft that admits light.

8. The electric switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmissive insulative plunger is formed of a hollow shaft that admits light.

9. An electric switch substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.