US3823292A - Push-button switch with conductive coil spring contact - Google Patents

Push-button switch with conductive coil spring contact Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3823292A
US3823292A US00341866A US34186673A US3823292A US 3823292 A US3823292 A US 3823292A US 00341866 A US00341866 A US 00341866A US 34186673 A US34186673 A US 34186673A US 3823292 A US3823292 A US 3823292A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
coil spring
push
button switch
substrate
open cavity
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
US00341866A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
T Murata
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.)
Alps Alpine Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Alps Electric 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 Alps Electric Co Ltd filed Critical Alps Electric Co Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3823292A publication Critical patent/US3823292A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/12—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage
    • H01H1/14—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting
    • H01H1/24—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with resilient mounting
    • H01H1/242—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with resilient mounting the contact forming a part of a coil spring

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A push-button switch comprises a substrate, supporting thereon an electric circuit, and a slider lever.
  • the slider lever carries a conductive coil spring which functions as a moving contact which will open and 7 close the electric circuit as the slider lever moves relative to the substrate.
  • This invention relates to a push-button Switch and, more particularly, to improvement of thetype of pushbutton switch in which a conductive coil spring functions as the moving contact.
  • Push-button switches are widely used for electrical controls, for example to temporarily make an electrical circuit in a toy or appliance. But many push-button switches are too inexpensively made to operate reli- 7 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According tothe present invention a novel pushbutton switch is provided which comprises a substrate supporting thereon an electric circuit.
  • a slider lever carries a conductive coil spring which functions as a moving contact. The spring will open and close the electric circuit as the slider lever moves relative to the substrate in response to externally applied forces, such as hand motion.
  • the coil spring is disposed in an open cavity formed in the slider lever.
  • the opposing wall faces of the slider lever, upon which the axial ends of the coil spring abut, are tapered and diverge outward, so that the coil spring assumes (in an unconfined state) a fan-like in side view.
  • a recess is formed in a bottom face of the open cavity permitting flexing of the center portion of the coil spring, so that the coil spring comesto contact with the electric circuit smoothly.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic cross sectional view of an embodiment of the push-button switch according to the present invention
  • V j FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 where the switch is turned about 90 from the position shown in FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic sectional view showing the relation between a substrate and a coil spring disposed in an open cavity;
  • FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 where the substrate has some unevenness
  • F IG. 5 is an enlarged schematic sectional view showing the unconfined state of the coil spring disposed in the open cavity.
  • an embodiment of the push-button switch includes a push-button head 1 with a projection 4 made of, for example, molded synthetic plastic resin.
  • the push-button head 1 is formed in its rear face 2 with an annular groove 3 which receives one end of a coil scribed later.
  • - Th projection 4 provided integrally on the rear face 2 of the push-button head 1, supports fixedly (or is coupled to) a slider lever 5, so that the push-button head I and theslider lever 5 move together as a pushing force is applied to the head.
  • the lever 5 can be manufactured integral with the projection 4 and/or'the head 1.
  • the slider lever 5 is formed with an open cavity 6, as shown in FIG. 1, for accommodating a coil spring 11.
  • the coil spring 11 functions as the movable contact of the switch.
  • Opposing wall faces 7 and 7 of the open cavity 6 upon which the axial ends of the coil spring 11 abut, when the spring is disposed in the cavity, are tapered so as to diverge outward.
  • a recess 9 is formed in a bottom face 8 of the open cavity 1 l, as shown in FIG. 3.
  • The'slider lever 5 has stopper portions (shoulders) 10 and 10 as shown in FIG. 2.
  • the coil spring 11, which'functions as-a moving 7 contact, is preferably made of goodelectrically conductive material such as gold or silver, or from aconductive spring coil coated with good conductive material such as gold or silver.
  • the coil spring 11 is dimensioned in relation to the open cavity 6 in which it is disposed so that the axial length of the coil spring is a little: longer than the distance between the tapered opposing wall faces 7 and 7 of theopen cavity.
  • the diameter of each spring coil is sized so as to jut a little out of the open cavity 6, as
  • the jutting portions of the coil spring 11 may contact an electric circuit (not shown) provided on a substrate 12 and will produce an open/close state in the electric circuit as the push-button head 1 is which a hole 15 is formed in the bottom of the frame spring 18 fornormal reversion of the head 1, as de- 13.
  • the frame 13 is further formed with a hollow (cavity) 14 permitting sliding ofv the: slider lever 5, and grooves (not shown)for guiding the lever 5 while :it moves into'and out of the hollow 4. 1
  • a top plate 16 for example also made of molded synthetic plastic resin, is mounted on the open top of the frame 13 as shown in FIG. 1 and fixed by appropriate fixing elements to the frame 13.
  • the top plate 16 serves as a limiter for thestopper portions 10 and 10 of the lever 5 and is formed with a hole 17 through which the lever 5 slidingly moves.
  • the coil spring 18, for reversion (normal return) of the head I, with its lever 5, is disposed between the rear face 2 of the head 1 and the top plate 16, as shown in FIG. 1.
  • the substrate. 12 (formed previously with its printed electric circuit) is secured in the frame 13 through the hole 15 formed in such a relation that the electric circuit formed on the substrate 12 faces the center of the hollow 14.
  • the coil spring 11 functioning as a moving contact, is disposed in the open cavity .6 formed in the slider lever 5.
  • the opposing wall faces 7 and 7 of the open cavity 6 are tapered and diverging outward in the moving direction of the slider lever 5, the coil spring 11 is forced to assume a fan-like shape in side view, as shown in FIG. 5.
  • the lever with the coil spring 11 is inserted in the hollow 14 formed in the switch frame 13 so that the coil spring 11 comes into contact with the substrate 12 and the electric circuit provided thereon.
  • the top plate 16 is put on the open top of the frame 13 and fixed by appropriate fixing elements, for example heat or glue or metal tabs, then, the push-button head 1 with its projection 4 is coupled and fixed to the slider lever 5 while interposing the reversion coil spring 18 between the rear face 2 of the head 1 and top plate 16, thereby completing the push-button switch.
  • the frame 13 may be round i.e., tubular or square or of other shapes.
  • the present invention provides the novel structure of the push-button switch wherein the opposing wall faces 7 and 7 of the open cavity 6 formed in the slider lever 5 accommodate the conductive coil spring 11. Those wall faces are tapered and diverge outwardly in the moving direction of the slider lever 5.
  • the recess 9 is formed in the bottom face 8 of the open cavity 6, so that when the slider lever 5, with the coil spring 11, is assembled with the switch frame 13, the height section of the fan-shaped coil spring 11 abuts first upon the substrate 12 and, then adjacent coil sections of the coil spring 11 come progressively into contact with the substrate 12. At the same time the height section of the coil spring sinks into the recess 9, to permit free flexion of the height section, resulting in an easy insertion operation of the lever 5 without damaging the coil spring 11.
  • the axial end portions of the fan-shaped coil spring 11 are crowded while the height or center section of the same is coarse i.e., uncrowded.
  • the end portions of the coil spring may contact strongly with portions of the substrate 12, where no electric circuit is formed, whereas the height (center) section will contact smoothly with the electric circuit, resulting in a good contact condition, whereby low-noise, low-cost, push-button switches of long lifetimes can be manufactured.
  • the coil spring 11 is forced to assume a fan-like shape in side view, the coil elements of the coil spring 11 do not accumulate in one point, this being one of the advantages from the practical point of view.
  • the coil spring 11 is generally coarse i.e., uncrowded and unbunched, the moving contact of the conductive coil spring 11 exhibits good resiliency even when the substrate 12 has some unevenness, as shown in FIG. 4.
  • a push-button switch comprising a substrate supporting thereon an electric circuit, a slider lever supported slidably relative to said substrate, and a conductive coil spring functioning as a moving contact disposed in an open cavity formed in said slider lever and adapted to come into contact slidably with said substrate to open and close said electric circuit as said slider lever moves relative to said substrate, wherein the opposing wall faces of said open cavity upon which the axial ends of said coil spring abut are tapered and diverge outwardly so that said coilspring assumes a fan-like shape in side view in an unconfined state, and
  • said open cavity is formed with a recess in the bottom face thereof so that the center portion of said coil spring can flex.

Landscapes

  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
  • Slide Switches (AREA)
US00341866A 1972-03-17 1973-03-16 Push-button switch with conductive coil spring contact Expired - Lifetime US3823292A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP3219772 1972-03-17

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3823292A true US3823292A (en) 1974-07-09

Family

ID=12352166

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00341866A Expired - Lifetime US3823292A (en) 1972-03-17 1973-03-16 Push-button switch with conductive coil spring contact

Country Status (2)

Country Link
US (1) US3823292A (de)
DE (1) DE2313042C3 (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4052573A (en) * 1975-02-17 1977-10-04 Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Rotary or slide type switch assembly having recessed printed circuit substrate, interposed resilient bridging contact and movable printed circuit disc
US4418252A (en) * 1982-04-05 1983-11-29 Daigle Phillip R Key switch assembly
US8968025B2 (en) 2011-12-27 2015-03-03 Glen David Shaw Coupling continuity connector
US9039445B2 (en) 2011-12-27 2015-05-26 Perfectvision Manufacturing, Inc. Body circuit connector

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4052573A (en) * 1975-02-17 1977-10-04 Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Rotary or slide type switch assembly having recessed printed circuit substrate, interposed resilient bridging contact and movable printed circuit disc
US4418252A (en) * 1982-04-05 1983-11-29 Daigle Phillip R Key switch assembly
US8968025B2 (en) 2011-12-27 2015-03-03 Glen David Shaw Coupling continuity connector
US9039445B2 (en) 2011-12-27 2015-05-26 Perfectvision Manufacturing, Inc. Body circuit connector
US9705211B2 (en) 2011-12-27 2017-07-11 Perfectvision Manufacturing, Inc. Male F-type coaxial connector
US9847589B2 (en) 2011-12-27 2017-12-19 Perfectvision Manufacturing, Inc. Coupling continuity connector
US10374336B2 (en) 2011-12-27 2019-08-06 Perfectvision Manufacturing, Inc Male F-Type coaxial connector
US10530073B2 (en) 2011-12-27 2020-01-07 Perfectvision Manufacturing, Inc. Coupling continuity connector
US11043760B2 (en) 2011-12-27 2021-06-22 Perfectvision Manufacturing, Inc. Push-on coaxial connector

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2313042B2 (de) 1977-11-17
DE2313042A1 (de) 1973-09-20
DE2313042C3 (de) 1978-06-29

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US2490020A (en) Electrical contact
US3806685A (en) Linear cam slide switch with guide means and conductive sheet contact
KR890004818Y1 (ko) 개폐기의 가동 접촉자 유지구조
US5120922A (en) Momentary pushbutton slide switch
US6184481B1 (en) Key switches for computer keyboards
US3823292A (en) Push-button switch with conductive coil spring contact
US4740661A (en) Seesaw switch
US4209682A (en) Low bounce momentary contact switch
US5066841A (en) Dual plunger switch
US2582034A (en) Snap action switch
US3978303A (en) Leaf spring switch
US3863182A (en) Magnetically operated electrical switch
US4405845A (en) Push-button switch
US4216458A (en) Solid state switch
US4600819A (en) Switch assembly
US4383149A (en) Push-button switch with improved rocking contactor switch mechanism
US3487184A (en) Overtravel mechanism for snap-action switch
KR920003203B1 (ko) 푸시버튼스위치
US4426559A (en) Push button switch having two resilient contacts operated at different times
US3200227A (en) Carrier frame for movable contact and combination thereof with snap acting switch
US4151383A (en) Leaf-spring switch
CA1266873A (en) Cammed wire snap switch
US2853573A (en) Snap-action switch
GB2265255A (en) Electrical switch.
CN220020928U (zh) 一种防尘磁吸微动开关