US3819928A - Switch knob lighting device - Google Patents

Switch knob lighting device Download PDF

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Publication number
US3819928A
US3819928A US00295119A US29511972A US3819928A US 3819928 A US3819928 A US 3819928A US 00295119 A US00295119 A US 00295119A US 29511972 A US29511972 A US 29511972A US 3819928 A US3819928 A US 3819928A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
knob
switch
operating rod
rod
light source
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00295119A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
T Kuroyama
N Teranishi
M Noba
T Fukuyama
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Tokai Rika Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Tokai Rika Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Tokai Rika Co Ltd filed Critical Tokai Rika Co Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3819928A publication Critical patent/US3819928A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/02—Details
    • H01H13/023—Light-emitting indicators
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S385/00—Optical waveguides
    • Y10S385/901—Illuminating or display apparatus

Definitions

  • a switch knob lighting device for lighting a switch [22] Filed: Oct. 5, 1972 knob arranged on a dashboard of an automobile from the interior of the knob in combination with a switch structure.
  • Said knob lighting device comprises an operating rod for operating the switch a transparent rod 21 Appl. NO.I 295,119
  • knob as above described has defects that the knob becomes inevitably bulky since it contains therein not only a lamp but also a socket therefor, and that the light is too intense to be properly controlled since the light source is located at too small a distance from the face of the knob.
  • a switch knob lighting device consisting essentially of an operating rod for managing make-andbreak operations of a switch, said operating rod having a cylindrical hollow axially extending through the entire length thereof; a transparent rod fitted in said hollow; a light source disposed in a lamp chamber integrally formed with the operating rod or rigidly fixed thereto; a knob fitted on the end of the operating rod and formed therein with a conic hollow enlarging outward in diameter; a conic lens fixedly disposed in said conic hollow; and a transparent indication plate fitted to an outer end of said knob to close said conic hollow; said transparent rod facing said light source at its inner end and facing said lens at its outer end whereby light emitted from the light source is transmitted straight through the transparent rod and is diffused by means of the lens thereby to illuminate the indication plate from the interior.
  • FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional side view taken along a central line of a knob lighting device in combination with a sliding switch system which is an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the switch knob.
  • an insulator I carrying a row of fixed contacts 2 is fitted to a case 8.
  • Said case 8 contains therein a contact holder 3 which has a movable contact 6 and is slidable along said insulator I.
  • Said contact holder 3 includes a lamp chamber 4 which is formed in its rearward end and opens at 5 toward the bottom of the case 8 in which apertures 9 corresponding to the opening 5 are formed for ventilation.
  • An operating rod 11 having an axially extending central opening is fixedly inserted into the contact holder 3 so that said central opening communicates with the lamp chamber 4.
  • a transparent rod 12 of an optical fibre material such as an acrylic resin or the like is fitted in said central opening of the operating rod 11 and extends through the entire length thereof and the front end of the transparent rod 12 slightly projects beyond the front end of the rod 11.
  • a switch knob 13 which has a conic recess to encase therein a nearly conic lens 14 which progressively enlarges in diameter toward the front end.
  • a blind hole 15 for receiving the projecting front end of said transparent rod 12 confrontingly, and thus, the inner face of the lens 14 acts as a concave surface for diffusing light.
  • the lens 14 is covered with an indication plate l7-of a transparent material fitted over the outer face of the knob 13. Said indication plate 17 has indicia marked thereon as seen in FIG. 2.
  • a light source 18 such as a lamp confronting the inner end of the transparent rod 12.
  • a socket 19 for receiving said lamp 18 is fixed to the contact holder 3 so that its rearward end projects through an opening formed in the case 8.
  • Lead wires 20 are connected to the projected end of said socket 19.
  • the lead wires 20 are connected to a light switch.
  • the lead wires 20 are connected to the fixed contacts 2 to complete a light switch circuit in combination with the movable contact 6.
  • the light from the light source 18 is transmitted in the cylindrical hollow of the operating rod 11 through the transparent rod 12 to be diffused in the interior of the knob 13 by means of the concave surface of the lens 14 as shown in an arrow line in FIG. 1.
  • the indication plate 17 can be effectively illuminated from the interior by the diffusion of the light.
  • the light from the lamp 18 is introduced straight through the transparent rod 12 in the long operating rod 11, the light arrives at the lens 14 in high efficiency without waste of light through unnecessary diffusion. Therefore, the candle power of the lamp 18 can be made small to avoid overheating.
  • the operating rod 11 is rigidly fitted to the contact holder 3 which securely holds the lamp 18. This means that the distance between the lens 14, the transparent rod 12 and the lamp 18 is constant at all times and the intensity of the light illuminating the indication plate 17 can be always kept constant.
  • the switch knob itself can be made compact and presents a good appearance completely overcoming the defects of the prior art.
  • the switch knobs for respective purposes can be recognized in the dark with no need of groping as in the conventional switch structure.
  • switch knob lighting device of the present invention can be used in combination with other switch systems than the sliding switch systems herein described.
  • a switch having a lightable knob comprising an elongated movable operating rod for effecting makeand-brake operations of the switch, said operating rod having an axially extending central opening through the entire length thereof; a transparent rod mounted in said opening and extending substantially the entire length thereof; means defining a chamber integrally formed with the operating rod or rigidly fixed thereto for movement therewith and communicating with the inner end of said central opening; a light source in said chamber in confronting relationship to the inner end of said transparent rod; a knob mounted on the outer end of the operating rod and having formed therein a conic recess which progressively enlarges in diameter toward the outer end thereof; a conic lens fixedly disposed in said conic recess at a fixed distance from said light source; and a lightable indication plate mounted on the outer end of said knob and closing the outer end of said conic recess; the inner end of said transparent rod facing said light source and the outer end of said transparent rod facing said lens whereby light emitted from the light source advances straight through the
  • a switch according to claim 1 in which said switch case and said contact holder have cooperating releasable detent means for selectively releasably holding said contact holder in a plurality of spaced-apart positions in said switch case in which said movable contact engages different ones of said fixed contacts.

Landscapes

  • Arrangements Of Lighting Devices For Vehicle Interiors, Mounting And Supporting Thereof, Circuits Therefore (AREA)
  • Switch Cases, Indication, And Locking (AREA)
US00295119A 1971-10-06 1972-10-05 Switch knob lighting device Expired - Lifetime US3819928A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP1971091762U JPS5241354Y2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-10-06 1971-10-06

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3819928A true US3819928A (en) 1974-06-25

Family

ID=14035548

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00295119A Expired - Lifetime US3819928A (en) 1971-10-06 1972-10-05 Switch knob lighting device

Country Status (2)

Country Link
US (1) US3819928A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS5241354Y2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3955075A (en) * 1974-10-15 1976-05-04 Joseph Susedik Doorknob illuminating device
US3997777A (en) * 1975-12-18 1976-12-14 Weston Instruments, Inc. Indicator with hub lighting system and 360° concentric pointers
US4082934A (en) * 1976-06-17 1978-04-04 Cutler-Hammer, Inc. Switch with illuminated handle tip
US4101954A (en) * 1976-06-14 1978-07-18 Vdo Adolf Schindling Ag Device for variably illuminating an object
US4124879A (en) * 1977-05-20 1978-11-07 Motorola, Inc. Illumination apparatus for use in an illuminatable pushbutton keyset and the like
DE3031196A1 (de) * 1979-08-21 1981-03-26 Omron Tateisi Electronics Co., Kyoto Beleuchteter druckknopfschalter
US4370532A (en) * 1981-02-23 1983-01-25 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Lighted electrical pushbutton switch
US4566374A (en) * 1984-04-02 1986-01-28 U.S. Philips Corporation Coffee maker
DE3641492A1 (de) * 1985-12-13 1987-06-19 Mitsubishi Electric Corp Rueckstellvorrichtung
US4927036A (en) * 1987-02-02 1990-05-22 Diehl Pojedinec Edward P Container with tamper indicator using piped light
US5454056A (en) * 1994-01-03 1995-09-26 Brothers; Harlan J. Luminous pull-cord for electrical switch operation
US5575235A (en) * 1992-09-30 1996-11-19 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Electronic illumination apparatus
US5797767A (en) * 1996-05-31 1998-08-25 Berg Technology, Inc. Indicator light modular jack
US5895115A (en) * 1996-01-16 1999-04-20 Lumitex, Inc. Light emitting panel assemblies for use in automotive applications and the like
US20050270779A1 (en) * 2004-06-08 2005-12-08 James Mazur Light projection rotary control indicator
GB2547629B (en) * 2015-12-23 2018-10-24 Tew Engineering Ltd Revised push-pull switch

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2305185A (en) * 1937-08-12 1942-12-15 Gen Railway Signal Co Control switch for railway traffic controlling systems
US2956446A (en) * 1958-03-26 1960-10-18 Honeywell Regulator Co Alternate action arrangement
US2957072A (en) * 1959-10-20 1960-10-18 Eldema Corp Illuminated switch
US3040142A (en) * 1959-10-22 1962-06-19 Arrow Hart & Hegeman Electric Lighted push button starting switch

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2305185A (en) * 1937-08-12 1942-12-15 Gen Railway Signal Co Control switch for railway traffic controlling systems
US2956446A (en) * 1958-03-26 1960-10-18 Honeywell Regulator Co Alternate action arrangement
US2957072A (en) * 1959-10-20 1960-10-18 Eldema Corp Illuminated switch
US3040142A (en) * 1959-10-22 1962-06-19 Arrow Hart & Hegeman Electric Lighted push button starting switch

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3955075A (en) * 1974-10-15 1976-05-04 Joseph Susedik Doorknob illuminating device
US3997777A (en) * 1975-12-18 1976-12-14 Weston Instruments, Inc. Indicator with hub lighting system and 360° concentric pointers
US4101954A (en) * 1976-06-14 1978-07-18 Vdo Adolf Schindling Ag Device for variably illuminating an object
US4082934A (en) * 1976-06-17 1978-04-04 Cutler-Hammer, Inc. Switch with illuminated handle tip
US4124879A (en) * 1977-05-20 1978-11-07 Motorola, Inc. Illumination apparatus for use in an illuminatable pushbutton keyset and the like
DE3031196A1 (de) * 1979-08-21 1981-03-26 Omron Tateisi Electronics Co., Kyoto Beleuchteter druckknopfschalter
US4370532A (en) * 1981-02-23 1983-01-25 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Lighted electrical pushbutton switch
US4566374A (en) * 1984-04-02 1986-01-28 U.S. Philips Corporation Coffee maker
DE3641492A1 (de) * 1985-12-13 1987-06-19 Mitsubishi Electric Corp Rueckstellvorrichtung
US4954668A (en) * 1985-12-13 1990-09-04 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Apparatus for resetting appliance
US4927036A (en) * 1987-02-02 1990-05-22 Diehl Pojedinec Edward P Container with tamper indicator using piped light
US5575235A (en) * 1992-09-30 1996-11-19 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Electronic illumination apparatus
US5454056A (en) * 1994-01-03 1995-09-26 Brothers; Harlan J. Luminous pull-cord for electrical switch operation
US5895115A (en) * 1996-01-16 1999-04-20 Lumitex, Inc. Light emitting panel assemblies for use in automotive applications and the like
US5797767A (en) * 1996-05-31 1998-08-25 Berg Technology, Inc. Indicator light modular jack
US20050270779A1 (en) * 2004-06-08 2005-12-08 James Mazur Light projection rotary control indicator
GB2547629B (en) * 2015-12-23 2018-10-24 Tew Engineering Ltd Revised push-pull switch

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS4847282U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-06-21
JPS5241354Y2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1977-09-19

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