JPS6322594Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an illuminated push button switch in which switch operation is indicated by illumination, and particularly relates to the configuration of the illumination section.

Illuminated push button switches such as those described above are widely used in, for example, computer keyboards.
An example of a conventional illuminated push button switch includes a switch housing that houses a switch element, a drive rod for operating the switch that can slide up and down on a guide portion of the housing and is always elastically biased upward, and a drive rod for operating the switch that is always elastically biased upward. The key base and key top to be mounted, the power supply terminal provided on the housing, and the light emitting element such as an LED (light emitting diode) provided on the key base are connected by a pair of easily deformable S-shaped feeders. A push-button switch is known which includes a light section connected to the push-button switch. However, such a push button switch has a problem in that each time the key top is pressed down, the feeders tend to bend and come into contact with each other. In addition, the structure is complex, and there are many connections between the terminal, S-shaped feeder, and light emitting element during assembly, and this connection work cannot be done separately from the switch housing or key top, making assembly extremely troublesome. be.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, that is, to provide an illuminated push button switch that does not have the problem of short circuits in the illumination part, has a simple structure, and is very easy to assemble. .

The present invention generally comprises a light emitting element having a pair of power supply terminals that can be fixedly attached to a switch housing, and a light emitting element having a pair of lead wires connected to the terminals. A support plate is fixed to the terminal, one lead wire of the light emitting element is fixed along the support plate to support the light emitting element, and the terminal is connected to the hole formed in each terminal by the protrusion formed in the housing. The housing is configured to be fixed to the housing by fitting into the housing and caulking the protrusion.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments with reference to the drawings.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the illuminated push button switch according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views showing a part and the whole of the push button switch, respectively. be. As is clear from these figures, the illustrated push button switch as a whole consists of a switch element 1, a housing 2 in which this is incorporated, a drive rod 3 for operating the switch that is assembled into the housing so as to be able to slide up and down, and a drive rod. It is composed of a key base 4, a key top 5, and an illumination part 6, which are fitted onto the upper end of the key base 4 and the key top 5.

The switch element 1 is provided with a pair of contacts 12, 12a and a dish-shaped spring 13 (both shown in Fig. 1) on a substrate 11 constituting the bottom wall of the housing 2, and furthermore, a pair of contacts 12, 12a and a dish-shaped spring 13 (see Fig. 1) are formed by punching an elastic plate on the upper side thereof. An actuator 14 (see FIG. 3) is attached, and when the actuator 14 is pushed down, the dish-shaped spring 13 reverses and opens and closes the contacts 12 and 12a.

The housing 2 is an insulating case formed by plastic molding, and has a hole 21 into which the drive rod 3 is inserted from below, and on the side there are claws 22 used for attaching it to the keyboard panel, and the switch element 1 described above. A claw 23 and a slit 24 are formed to facilitate insertion and assembly. The housing 2 is further formed with a pair of holes 25, 25a and a pair of protrusions 26, 26a used for inserting and assembling a terminal of the illumination system 6, which will be described later.

The drive rod 3 is formed by insert molding a drive spring 31, and its upper end 32
protrudes from the hole 21 of the housing 2, the key base 4 is fitted into it, and the key top 5 is further fitted into the key base. By pressing the key top 5, the drive rod 3 is lowered, and the drive point 33 of the drive spring 31 acts on the actuator 14 of the switch element 1 to perform a switch operation.

Next, the illumination unit 6 has a pair of power supply terminals 6
1,61a and 1 connected to these terminals.
The LED (light emitting diode) 63 has a pair of lead wires 62 and 62a. The upper ends of the terminals 61 and 61a are bent and fixing holes 64 and 64a are formed, respectively.
One terminal 61 has a support plate 65 fixed thereto and extending upward.
The lead wires 62 and 62a of the LED 63 are formed into the shape shown, one lead wire 62 extending along the support plate 65 and connected to the terminal 61, and the other lead wire 62a connected to the other terminal 61a. . Lead wires 62, 62
a, terminals 61, 61a and support plate 65
are electrically connected and mechanically fixed by soldering, spot welding, etc.
That is, the support plate 6 of one terminal 61
5 is an assembly structure that supports the lead wire 62, so that the LED 63 is supported at a predetermined position by the terminal 61. Lighting part 6
Insert the terminals 61, 61a into the holes 25, 25a of the housing 2, and then insert the terminals 61, 61a into the holes 64, 6 of the terminal.
By fitting the protrusions 26, 26a of the housing into the housing 4a and caulking them, the housing 2 is fixedly assembled as shown in FIG. This holds the LED 63 in place with respect to the housing 2. In addition, the illumination part 6 to the housing 2
This can be done either before or after the switch element 1 and drive rod 3 are assembled into the housing 2. And finally key base 4
When the key top 5 is assembled, the push button switch assembly is completed. Incidentally, illuminated display windows 41 and 51 are formed in the key base 4 and the key top 5, respectively.

The configuration of the illumination unit 6 according to the present invention described above has the following advantages. First, since a flexible S-shaped feeder is not used as in the prior art, the structure is simple and there is no problem of short circuits. In addition, light emitting elements (LEDs)
The light emitting element can be supported in a predetermined position by assembling the terminal and the terminal separately in advance and then assembling them into the housing, and the assembly is very simple and easy.

The above description has been made using a push button switch that uses a mechanical switch element to open and close the contacts, but the illumination section configuration according to the present invention can also be applied to other contact opening and closing methods, such as reed relays that are opened and closed magnetically using a magnet. It is also applicable to push button switches.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the illuminated push button switch according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views showing the push button switch of FIG. 1 partially and completely exploded, respectively. 1...Switch element, 2...Housing, 3...
...Dry rod, 4...Key base, 5...Key top, 6...Lighting section, 61, 61a...Terminal, 62, 62a...Lead wire, 63...
LED, 65...Support board.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] A switch housing housing a switch element, a drive rod for operating a switch that can slide up and down on a guide portion of the housing and is always elastically biased upward, and a drive rod that is attached to the drive rod. An illuminated push button switch comprising a key base and key top, and an illumination section for indicating switch operation, wherein the illumination section includes a pair of power supply terminals that can be fixedly attached to the switch housing; A light emitting element has a pair of lead wires connected to the terminal, a support plate is fixed to one terminal, one lead wire of the light emitting element is fixed along the support plate, and the light emitting element is fixed. and the terminals are fixed to the housing by fitting holes formed in each terminal into protrusions formed in the housing and caulking the protrusions. Illuminated push button switch.