US3581581A - Pushbutton set - Google Patents

Abstract

A pushbutton set for selection of wave ranges in a device such as a radio or television receiver where axial depression of a button causes a coaxial sleeve to rotate through a preselected angle, and the sleeve is variably set to preselected positions prior to depression of the button by rotation of the pushbutton.

Description

United States Patent inventor Wilhelinus Hermanus Christianus Withoos Emmasingel, Eindhoven, Netherlands Appl. No. 826,413 Filed May 21, 1969 Patented June 1, 1971 Assignee U.S. Philips Corporation New York, N.Y. Priority May 31, 1968 Netherlands 6807774 PUSHBUTTON SET 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 74/1027 Int. Cl Fl6h 35/18 [50] Field ofSearch 74/1027, 10.31, 10.33, 10.35, 10.37, 10.39, 10; 334/7 [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3,487,702 1/1970 Hoseh eta1. 74/1027 Primary Examiner-Milton Kaufman Attorney-Frank R. Trifari ABSTRACT: A pushbutton set for selection of wave ranges in a device such as a radio or television receiver where axial depression of a button causes a coaxial sleeve to rotate through a preselected angle, and the sleeve is variably set to preselected positions prior to depression of the button by rotation of the pushbutton.

PATENTEDJUN 1 1971 V/IAA I I/VIII! fig.2

INVENTOR.

WILHELMUS H.CH. WITHOOS BY ZOO-w fl- AGEN PUSHBUT'IION SET The invention relates to a pushbutton set for the station selection in a radio or television receiver by means of button bars depressible against spring force and rotatable pushbuttons with simultaneous automatic selection of the wave range, in which the preselection of the desired wave range is performed by depressing and turning of a button.

In a known device a button can be coupled, by depression, with a coaxial sleeve having differently high teeth oriented backwardly in the axial direction, one of which is chosen during the preselection. When the relevant pushbutton is subsequently depressed again, said tooth cooperates with a control mechanism governing the wave range switch.

The wave range switch is often formed by a sliding switch arranged at right angles to the button bars, in which case the (axial) movement of the pushbutton has to be converted into a sliding movement at right angles thereto, preferably parallel to the sequence direction of the row of pushbuttons. In order to avoid a comparatively complicated set of bars and levers, it is possible in principle to use a known transverse slide extending along the row of buttons and having slanting sliding faces, each of which is adapted to cooperate with one tooth or with a plurality of teeth arranged in a known device on the pushbutton itself for the preselection of the wave range. The latter device is very simple, but it has the disadvantage of a great amount of inherent friction, since during displacement the slide is subjected to a lateral force, which is a component of the pressing force required for depressing the button. The invention has for its object to provide a device having a transverse slide, which is, however, not subjected to a lateral force, which said component gives rise to only a small amount of friction, which advantage becomes manifest in the low value of the force required for depressing the button.

According to the invention this is achieved by providing the button bar not only with the button, but also with a coupling disc having a radial finger, and with a sleeve having an at least partly slanting groove in its cylindrical surface said disc and sleeve being freely rotatable with respect to the button and axially displaceable along with the button bar. On the side of the coupling disc facing the button an axially extending toothing is provided, which is adapted to cooperate with an appropriate toothing on the button, and on the other side the coupling disc an axially projecting toothing having slanting flanks is adapted to cooperate with a toothing on the sleeve, so that by means of the button the disc can be turned stepwise relatively to the sleeve. A stationary, radial pin extends in the slanting groove of the sleeve so that upon an axial displacement of the button bar the sleeve together with the decoupling disc is compelled to perform a rotary movement through a given angle and the radial finger of the coupling disc engages an actuating slide extending at right angles to the button bars and providing with an opening at each of the fingers, said slide actuating a wave range switch.

The invention will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. I is a plan view,

FIG. 2 is a rear view of one embodiment, and

FIG. 3 is a partial, sectional view of a pushbutton and bar.

FIG. I shows a pushbutton set having a row of metal button bars 3, slidably arranged in a frame I and provided each at the foremost end in FIG. 1 the lowermost end with a rotatable hollow pushbutton 5 of a synthetic resin, which is freely displaceable relative to the bar, by means of which button the bars can be depressed against the force of a counterspring 7. The depressed position is indicated by the push button 5 and the button bar 3 shown at the right in FIG. I. The rearmost endin FIG. 1 the topmost end-of each button bar 3 is mechanically connected with a tuning device 9, which may form part of a television receiver and which serves for turning the receiver in known manner to a predetermined channel by depressing a button bar. The device 9, which may be of known type, does not form part of the present invention and is shown in a block diagram for the sake of simplicity of the drawing. It

may' be of a type in which the variable tuning member is formed by capacitance diodes and it comprises a known locking bolt for holding a button bar in the depressed state until a further button bar is depressed as shown in US. Pat. No. 3,470,753 and indicated as 9 in FIG. 1.

Particularly from FIG. I it will be apparent that each of the button bars 3 is provided not only with the freely rotatable and displaceable button 5 but also, in this order, with a coupling disc 13 having a radial finger 11 (see FIG. 2) and with a sleeve 15 havlng a partly axial and partly slanting groove 17 in its cylindrical surface said sleeve being coaxial to the bar and freely rotatable with respect thereto. The two parts 13 and 15, preferably made of a synthetic resin, are freely rotatable on a thinner portion 3 of the button bar 3 and along with said bar are axially displaceable owing to being enclosed between a collar formed at the beginning of the thinner portion 3 and a loose ring I9, subjected to the spring 7.

FIG. 1 shows that the foremost end of each button bar 3 is slidably arranged in the front'part of the frame I, not directly but with the intermediary of the hollow button 5. The rear end of each button 5 is provided with a flange 21, which limits the sliding range of the button in the return (forward) direction and which is provided on the rear side with one or more axially orientated teeth 23. The latter are adapted to cooperate with teeth 25 on the side of the coupling disc 13 facing the button (the front side). On the rear side the coupling disc 13 is provided with axially orientated teeth '27 having slanting tooth faces, adapted to cooperate with an axial tooth 29 on the sleeve 15. In the frame of the device a rail 31 is fastened at right angles to the button bars 3 (see FIG. 2), said rail having pin-shaped extensions 33, which extend radially with respect to the button bars 3. Each of these pins engages (see FIG. I) the partly slanting groove 17 of one of the sleeves 15 so that upon an axial displacement of a button bar 3 the associated sleeve 15 is compelled to perform a rotary movement through a given angle of, for example, 45. The figures illustrate this rotation by the two button bar structures, the right-hand structure being shown in the depressed state.

In the operational position the tooth 29 is located in one of the slots between the teeth 27 of the disc 13 and is held therein by the spring 7. When the pushbutton 5 is depressed to an extent such that at least one of the teeth 23 (which preferably has upright flanks) enters the slot between two teeth 25, which slot is also bounded by upright flanks, the button 5, now engaged to the coupling disc 13, can be rotated stepwise with respect to the sleeve 15, owing to the releasable engagement of the slanting flanks of the teeth 27 and 29, since the pin 33 prevents the sleeve from following said turn. FIG. 2 illustrates the two possible extreme positions of the disc 13 and the sleeve 15 relative to each other.

FIG. 2 furthermore shows that the radially projecting finger I] of each of the coupling discs 13 can engage one of a plurality of openings 35 provided at each of the fingers 11 in an actuating slide 37, extending at right angles to the button bars 3 and parallel to the sequence direction of the row of buttons (shown in FIG. 2 partly in a longitudinal sectional view), which slide actuates a wave range switch 39 (see FIG. 1). The latter may be of known structure and is shown only as a block for the sake of simplicity. The slide 37 may be provided with a dial 41, mechanically attached thereto, a portion of which dial appears each time behind a window so as to display a certain wave range. The movement of the actuating slide 37 is governed by the radially projecting finger 11 associated with the depressed pushbutton 5, in this case the right-hand button of the Figure. The slide 37 is exposed to a spring force orien tated to the right (for the sake of clarity the spring is not shown) which spring tends to urge the slide into the initial position I shown (which corresponds to one of the wave ranges). From FIG. 2 it will be apparent that with the relative positions of the disc 13 and the sleeve 15 shown on the righthand side of the Figures this initial position is not varied when the button 5 is depressed. Matters are different in the relative positions shown on the left-hand side; when the button there is depressed, the finger 11 gets into the position 11' shown in broken lines and the slide 37 is displaced to the left over a given distance against the force of said spring, the switch 39 then switching on the third available wave range, for example, the television band lV-V. This position is, of course, maintained as long as the button bar 3 concerned remains depressed as by a locking bolt described on page 4, lines 9- 11. The central wave range is switched on in the relative position of the elements 13 and 15 which is situated between the two relative positions shown.

Between a collar 43 formed in each of the pushbuttons and the associated coupling disc 13 a compression spring 45 of greater force than the counterspring 7 ensures that during the depression of the pushbutton the space between the teeth 23 and 25 is maintained so that during the depression the preselection of the wave range is prevented from being changed by an unintentional simultaneous rotary movement. In the embodiment shown the spring 45 does not directly affect the disc 13 but engages a ring 47 fixed to the button bar 3 between said two elements 13 and 45. However, structures are possible in which the spring 45 directly bears on the disc 13. The compression spring 45 is enclosed between said ring 47 and a second ring 49, which is in contact with a stop member formed by a collar on the button bar 3. The foremost end of the spring 45 is lifted from said stop member when, starting from the position shown on the right-hand side of FIG. 1 in which the button bar is completely depressed-and in which the button bar is secured against further depression by the abutment of a collar 50 thereon against the frame 1the button 5 is further depressed until the teeth 25 and 23 engage each other, while the spring 45 is compressed. In this state the preselection of the wave range can be changed by turning the button.

Between the disc 13 and a second collar 51 in the button 5 a second, slightly weaker compression spring 53 ensures that the button 5 is urged via the flange 21 in the nondepressed state against the frame 1 so as to exclude rattling. A particularly effective arrangement is obtained if in known manner the range of displacement of the button 5 which is freely rotatable relative to the button bar 3 (in the return direction towardly) is restricted by teeth 55 on the button-supporting front end of the bar 3 (in FIG. 1 it is shown in broken lines), which toothing, when the depressed button 5 is released, engages under the action of the spring 53, teeth 57 in the button 5. This engagement is not yet established in the situation illustrated on the right-hand side of FIG. 1, which relates to the instant when the pushbutton is depressed down to the locked position and is not yet released. After the button is released, it is free to be moved by the spring 53 into the position 5 shown on the right-hand side of FIG. 1 by broken lines, in which position owning to said engagement the button bar 3 can be turned with the aid of the button 5. The device 9 has to be of the type in this case in which the preselection of the tuning is performed in known manner by turning the button bar. When the teeth 55 and 57 are employed, the preselection is only possible after the pushbutton 5 is released; prior thereto the button only turns loosely on the bar 3 so that during the depression no unwanted change of the tuning can take place. FIG. 3 shows an alternate embodiment for tuning within a predetermined wave range, by merely rotating the exposed end of bar 3, regardless of the operation of the other components of the pushbutton set. The remote end of bar 3 engages the tuning device 9 shown in FIG. 1.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the actuating slide 37 is never exposed to lateral pressure exerted by the force required for the depression of the push, and button 5; there is produced only a slight amount of friction because the collar on the bar 3 near the disc 13 is urged against the disc and because the pin 33 has to slide in the groove 17. However, this frictional force may be slight because the diameter of the bar 3 is comparatively small and because metal, here the preferably rounded-off metal pin 33, easily slides along nylon, here the groove 17 of the sleeve 15.

A slightly simplified variant is obtained, when in the manner shown in FIG. 3 the button bar 3 is prolonged at the front end and projects slightly outwardly through an opening in the front face of the button 5. The button bar 3 and the button 5 are simultaneously depressed by the active finger and it is thus practically not possible for the teeth 23 and 25 to engage each other during the depression, even when the spring 45 is absent. In the form of the button bar 3 and the button 5 shown in FIG. 3 said spring may therefore be dispensed with.

I claim:

1. A pushbutton set for cooperation with a wave range switch for preselection and selection of wave ranges in devices such as radio and television receivers, the pushbutton set including a frame, and at least one pushbutton subassembly which comprises,

a. a push-bar having first and remote opposite ends and being axially movable between initial and final positions, and means for releasably holding each bar in said final position,

b. an axially movable pushbutton engaging the first end of said bar, the button having an exposed end, and an internal end with a first connector element thereon,

c. a coupling member rotatable but axially positioned on the bar, the member having (i) a second connection element facing the buttons first element, (ii) a third connection element facing opposite the second element, and (iii) a generally radial-extending finger,

d. a cylindrical sleeve rotatable between initial and first rotary positions, but axially positioned on the bar, the sleeve having a fourth connection element releasably engageable with said third element, the sleeve also having a cam element which extends generally angularly with respect to the sleeve's longitudinal axis,

e. a fixed pin extending from the frame and engaging said cam element,

f. means for engaging said coupling finger to the wave range switch to actuate same,

g. first spring means urging the first and second connection elements of the pushbutton and coupling member to remain axially separated,

h. second spring means weaker than the first urging said third and fourth connection elements to remain engaged, whereby 1. initial axial movement of the push-bar driven by the pushbutton compresses only the first spring means, and drives the first spring means, the coupling member and the sleeve axially, with the sleeve being rotated from said initial position to the first rotary position due to the fixed pin engaging the sleeves cam, and the coupling member engaged to the sleeve by said third and fourth connection elements being correspondingly rotated, and the couplings finger then driving the wavelength switch to a first position, the bar being releasably held in said depressed position by said means for holding same,

2. the pushbutton being further axially movable to its final position to compress the second spring means thus engaging the first and second connection elements of the pushbutton and coupling member, the button and coupling being then rotatable together to vary the relative positions of the coupling and sleeve and accordingly change the releasable engagement of their third and fourth connection elements, whereby subsequent initial axial movement of the pushbutton and rotation of the sleeve due to the cam, would rotate the sleeve and engaged coupling to a second rotary position and thus move said coupling finger and wave range switch to a second position.

2. A pushbutton set according to claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of different relative rotary positions of the sleeve and coupling member as determined by the variable engagement of said third and fourth connector elements, whereby after preselection of a particular rotary position by depressing rotating the bar by rotation of said button the bar being engageable to said tuning device for rotating same.

4. A pushbutton set according to claim 1 wherein said first, second, third, and fourth connection elements are axially extending tooth elements.

Claims (4)

1. A pushbutton set for cooperation with a wave range switch for preselection and selection of wave ranges in devices such as radio and television receivers, the pushbutton set including a frame, and at least one pushbutton subassembly which comprises, a. a push-bar having first and remote opposite ends and being axially movable between initial and final positions, and means for releasably holding each bar in said final position, b. an axially movable pushbutton engaging the first end of said bar, the button having an exposed end, and an internal end with a first connector element thereon, c. a coupling member rotatable but axially positioned on the bar, the member having (i) a second connection element facing the button''s first element, (ii) a third connection element facing opposite the second element, and (iii) a generally radial-extending finger, d. a cylindrical sleeve rotatable between initial and first rotary positions, but axially positioned on the bar, the sleeve having a fourth connection element releasably engageable with said third element, the sleeve also having a cam element which extends generally angularly with respect to the sleeve''s longitudinal axis, e. a fixed pin extending from the frame and engaging said cam element, f. means for engaging said coupling finger to the wave range switch to actuate same, g. first spring means urging the first and second connection elements of the pushbutton and coupling member to remain axially separated, h. seCond spring means weaker than the first urging said third and fourth connection elements to remain engaged, whereby 1. initial axial movement of the push-bar driven by the pushbutton compresses only the first spring means, and drives the first spring means, the coupling member and the sleeve axially, with the sleeve being rotated from said initial position to the first rotary position due to the fixed pin engaging the sleeve''s cam, and the coupling member engaged to the sleeve by said third and fourth connection elements being correspondingly rotated, and the coupling''s finger then driving the wavelength switch to a first position, the bar being releasably held in said depressed position by said means for holding same, 2. the pushbutton being further axially movable to its final position to compress the second spring means thus engaging the first and second connection elements of the pushbutton and coupling member, the button and coupling being then rotatable together to vary the relative positions of the coupling and sleeve and accordingly change the releasable engagement of their third and fourth connection elements, whereby subsequent initial axial movement of the pushbutton and rotation of the sleeve due to the cam, would rotate the sleeve and engaged coupling to a second rotary position and thus move said coupling finger and wave range switch to a second position. 2. A pushbutton set according to claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of different relative rotary positions of the sleeve and coupling member as determined by the variable engagement of said third and fourth connector elements, whereby after preselection of a particular rotary position by depressing the button to its final position and rotating same, subsequent initial depression of the button will cause actuation of the wave range switch to said preselected position.

2. the pushbutton being further axially movable to its final position to compress the second spring means thus engaging the first and second connection elements of the pushbutton and coupling member, the button and coupling being then rotatable together to vary the relative positions of the coupling and sleeve and accordingly change the releasable engagement of their third and fourth connection elements, whereby subsequent initial axial movement of the pushbutton and rotation of the sleeve due to the cam, would rotate the sleeve and engaged coupling to a second rotary position and thus move said coupling finger and wave range switch to a second position. 2. A pushbutton set according to claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of different relative rotary positions of the sleeve and coupling member as determined by the variable engagement of said third and fourth connector elements, whereby after preselection of a particular rotary position by depressing the button to its final position and rotating same, subsequent initial depression of the button will cause actuation of the wave range switch to said preselected position.

3. A pushbutton set according to claim 2 for cooperation with a tuning device further comprising selectively engageable means between a pushbutton and push-bar for selectively rotating the bar by rotation of said button the bar being engageable to said tuning device for rotating same.

4. A pushbutton set according to claim 1 wherein said first, second, third, and fourth connection elements are axially extending tooth elements.

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