US3832506A - Illuminated push button switch - Google Patents

Illuminated push button switch Download PDF

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Publication number
US3832506A
US3832506A US00397725A US39772573A US3832506A US 3832506 A US3832506 A US 3832506A US 00397725 A US00397725 A US 00397725A US 39772573 A US39772573 A US 39772573A US 3832506 A US3832506 A US 3832506A
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United States
Prior art keywords
clearance
facing member
rim
backing member
shoulder
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00397725A
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A Dewhurst
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Dewhurst and Partner PLC
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Dewhurst and Partner PLC
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    • 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
    • Y10S116/00—Signals and indicators
    • Y10S116/28—Push button structure

Definitions

  • Such a push button actuator may comprise a metal facing member, of stainless steel for example, and a transparent backing member, of plastics material for example, the facing member being perforated so that it can be illuminated by a lamp behind the backing member.
  • the facing member may be perforate in the shape of an alphanumeric character.
  • Such switch apparatus is satisfactory in many environments, the facing member protecting the backing member to a large extent. However in certain particularly hostile environments it is found that the push button is still subject to damage. For example wanton damage may be caused by applying a flame to the facing member, or hammering the facing member with a sharp object.
  • the facing member is made imperforate and a clearance is left at least part way round the facing member; the aperture has a rim on it; and the backing member presents one or more peripheral shoulders so that a lamp at the rear of the backing member can illuminate the clearance through the shoulder.
  • FIG. 1 is a plan view of an electrical switch apparatus in accordance with the invention but with a face plate removed;
  • FIG. 2 is a sectional view on the line AA of FIG.
  • FIG. 3 is a side view of the switch apparatus
  • FIG. 4 is a plan view of a push button member in the switch apparatus.
  • FIG. 5 is a sectional view on the line BB of FIG. 4.
  • FIG. 1 shows an electrical switch apparatus comprising a metal face plate having an aperture therein, a rim around said aperture, a push button depressible against spring bias, said push button comprising an imperforate metal facing member fitting in said rim with clearance around it and a backing member of transparent material secured to the back of said facing member and supporting said facing member, and a source of light disposed in or behind said backing member and behind said facing member, said backing member presenting at least one peripheral shoulder behind said clearance whereby said source illuminates said clearance through said margin, and said shoulder normally substantially abutting a complementary ledge on said rim to prevent ingress of foreign matter by way of the clearance.
  • the face plate, rim and facing member protect the light transmissive member and remainder of the apparatus against wanton or accidental damage, the illuminated clearance being sufficient for indication purposes. Characters may be formed on the surface of the imperforate facing member for illumination by ambient light.
  • the rim surrounding the aperture in the face plate is preferably of metal or at least has a reflective inner surface to enhance projection of light through the clearance.
  • the rim may be chromium plated.
  • the rim serves also to protect the edges of both facing member and the face plate at the clearance when the facing member is not flush with the face plate.
  • the backing member preferably comprises a first peripheral shoulder adjacent the facing member and a second peripheral shoulder on an otherwise smooth surfaced skirt depending from the first shoulder.
  • the skirt acts as a guide for light from the source, the light escaping at both the shoulders to illuminate the clearance.
  • the first shoulder serves to prevent the edges of the metal facing member scraping the sides of the rim as the push button is operated and also to hinder insertion of foreign bodies into the clearance, which might wedge the push button.
  • the second shoulder normally abuts the rim, as mentioned above, to impede the ingress of other foreign matter, such as dust and liquids.
  • the switch apparatus shown comprises a stainless steel face plate 10 (not shown in FIG. 1) having an aperture provided with a metal rim l2 and a push button comprising a stainless steel facing member 14 and a backing member 16 of transparent plastics material, which may be coloured as desired, on which the facing member 14 is mounted.
  • the facing member 14 fits in the aperture left by the rim 12 with a clearance 18.
  • a light bulb 20 mounted behind the backing member 16 illuminates the backing member and hence the clearance 18 through a margin on the backing member 16 provided by two peripheral shoulders 21 and 22 on the backing member 16.
  • the face plate 10, rim 12 and facing member 14 are all of metal, and hence are not light transmissive; the effect for an observer when the bulb 20 is illuminated is of an illuminated border to the facing member 14.
  • the backing member 16 has a peripheral skirt 23 on which the shoulder 21 and 22 are formed. The surfaces of the skirt 23 are smooth apart from the shoulders 21 and 22, so that the skirt guides the light to the shoulder 22, where it escapes.
  • the light bulb 20 is mounted in a housing 24 which bears on its sides electrical switch elements 26 and 28 having plungers 30 and 32 by which the switch elements may be actuated.
  • the backing member has lugs 34 and 36 projecting laterally therefrom, with studs projecting from the lower sides thereof (as seen in FIG. 3) for engaging and depressing the plungers 30 and 32 on depression of the push button, to actuate the switch elements.
  • Compression coil springs encircling the plungers 30 and 32 normally bias the push button to the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
  • the facing member 14 has studs such as 42 (FIG. 5) secured to its rear surface preferably by welding. During manufacture of the push button, the facing member 14 is then placed in a die and transparent plastics material injected into the die to form the backing member 16, the studs such as 42 being embedded in enlargements such as 44 in the interior of the backing member 16.
  • the rim 12 comprises a metal die casting which is preferably chromium plated.
  • the die casting is partly embedded in a support of plastics material 46 which,
  • the support 46 also provides a channel 48 in which the skirt 23 slides with a clearance between 0.003 inches and 0.009 inches when the button is centred in the rim 14.
  • the width of the shoulder 21 is normally 0.023 inches which prevents the facing member 14 touching the rim Y12 and is sufficiently wide to provide a readily visible halo on its own.
  • the clearance between the edge of the shoulder 21 and the rim 12 is less than 0.025 inches to prevent the insertion of most common objects and in the preferred embodiment is between 0.006 inches and 0.012 inches when the button is centred in the rim 12.
  • the maximum clearance between the facing member 14 and the rim 12 is less than 0.050 inches to prevent the insertion of the majority of the more robust common objects and to minimise damage by fire, the low heat conductivity of stainless steel being of advantage in this respect.
  • the facing member 14 is just under 1 inch square in the preferred embodiment.
  • shoulders 21 and 23 are shown encircling the facing member 14, and this is currently preferred at least the shoulder 21 could extend only part way round the facing member, the clearance between the facing member and the rim 12 being correspondingly reduced on one or more sides.
  • Electrical switch apparatus comprising at least one pair of electrical switch contacts, a push button depressible against spring bias to switch said contacts, a metal face plate having an aperture therein, a rim around said aperture, said push button comprising an imperforate metal facing member fitting in said rim with clearance at least part way round it and a backing member of light transmissive material secured to the back of said facing member and supporting said facing member, and a source of light disposed at the rear of said backing member and behind said facing member, said backing member presenting at least one peripheral shoulder behind said clearance, said source may illuminating said clearance through said shoulder.
  • Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein alphanumeric characters are formed at the front of said facing member for illumination by ambient light.
  • ing member and said face plate are of steel.

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  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)

Abstract

The electrical switch described has a push button actuator having an imperforate steel facing and a transparent backing member and fits in an aperture in a steel face plate with clearance around it. A lamp is disposed behind the backing member, light from the lamp being guided by a skirt on the backing member and escaping at shoulders on the skirt to illuminate the clearance, so as to provide a tell-tale indication on illumination of the lamp.

Description

United States Patent 1191 11 1 3,832,506 Dewhurst Aug. 27, 1974 [54] ILLUMINATED PUSH BU'I'ION SWITCH 2,173,057 2/1365 Kat; 2618/2 S ,51 ,564 51 70 D' '11 ..2 313 [75] Inventor: Alan Dewhurst, Denham, England l l a I [73] Assignee: Dewhurst & Partner Limited,
Middlesex, England Primary Examiner-Robert K. Schaefer Assistant ExamznerGerald P. Tohn [22] Flled: Sept- 1973 Attorney, Agent, or FirmLawrence E. Laubscher [21] Appl. N0.: 397,725
[30] Foreign Application Priority Data 57] AB TRACT Mar. 21, 1973 Great Britain 13691/73 June 22, 1973 Great Britain 29818/73 The electrical switch described has a push button actuator having an imperforate steel facing and a trans- [521 I J S. Cl. 20(1[31;4 1 1 6L1Q1g 28,240/2 5 parent backing member and fits in an aperture in a [51] Int. CIT. H0lh 9/16, HOlh 9718 steel face plate with clearance around it. A lamp is Field of Search 159 167 168 disposed behind the backing member, light from the 200/169 PB, DIG. 25, DIG. 36; 1l6/DIG. 28; lamp being guided by a skirt on the backing member 240/2 S and escaping at shoulders on the skirt to illuminate the clearance, so as to provide a tell-tale indication on il- [56] References Cited lumination of the lamp.
UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,165,199 7/1939 Batcheller 240/2 S 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1 ILLUMINATED PUSH BUTTON SWITCH BAKCGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to electrical switch apparatus including a push button actuator which can be illuminated to provide a tell-tale indication.
Such a push button actuator may comprise a metal facing member, of stainless steel for example, and a transparent backing member, of plastics material for example, the facing member being perforated so that it can be illuminated by a lamp behind the backing member. The facing member may be perforate in the shape of an alphanumeric character.
Such switch apparatus is satisfactory in many environments, the facing member protecting the backing member to a large extent. However in certain particularly hostile environments it is found that the push button is still subject to damage. For example wanton damage may be caused by applying a flame to the facing member, or hammering the facing member with a sharp object.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, the facing member is made imperforate and a clearance is left at least part way round the facing member; the aperture has a rim on it; and the backing member presents one or more peripheral shoulders so that a lamp at the rear of the backing member can illuminate the clearance through the shoulder.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment. of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of an electrical switch apparatus in accordance with the invention but with a face plate removed; and
FIG. 2 is a sectional view on the line AA of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the switch apparatus;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a push button member in the switch apparatus; and
FIG. 5 is a sectional view on the line BB of FIG. 4.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The drawings show an electrical switch apparatus comprising a metal face plate having an aperture therein, a rim around said aperture, a push button depressible against spring bias, said push button comprising an imperforate metal facing member fitting in said rim with clearance around it and a backing member of transparent material secured to the back of said facing member and supporting said facing member, and a source of light disposed in or behind said backing member and behind said facing member, said backing member presenting at least one peripheral shoulder behind said clearance whereby said source illuminates said clearance through said margin, and said shoulder normally substantially abutting a complementary ledge on said rim to prevent ingress of foreign matter by way of the clearance.
The face plate, rim and facing member protect the light transmissive member and remainder of the apparatus against wanton or accidental damage, the illuminated clearance being sufficient for indication purposes. Characters may be formed on the surface of the imperforate facing member for illumination by ambient light.
The rim surrounding the aperture in the face plate is preferably of metal or at least has a reflective inner surface to enhance projection of light through the clearance. For example, the rim may be chromium plated. The rim serves also to protect the edges of both facing member and the face plate at the clearance when the facing member is not flush with the face plate.
The backing member preferably comprises a first peripheral shoulder adjacent the facing member and a second peripheral shoulder on an otherwise smooth surfaced skirt depending from the first shoulder. The skirt acts as a guide for light from the source, the light escaping at both the shoulders to illuminate the clearance. The first shoulder serves to prevent the edges of the metal facing member scraping the sides of the rim as the push button is operated and also to hinder insertion of foreign bodies into the clearance, which might wedge the push button.- The second shoulder normally abuts the rim, as mentioned above, to impede the ingress of other foreign matter, such as dust and liquids.
Referring now to the drawings in more detail, the switch apparatus shown comprises a stainless steel face plate 10 (not shown in FIG. 1) having an aperture provided with a metal rim l2 and a push button comprising a stainless steel facing member 14 and a backing member 16 of transparent plastics material, which may be coloured as desired, on which the facing member 14 is mounted. The facing member 14 fits in the aperture left by the rim 12 with a clearance 18. A light bulb 20 mounted behind the backing member 16 illuminates the backing member and hence the clearance 18 through a margin on the backing member 16 provided by two peripheral shoulders 21 and 22 on the backing member 16. The face plate 10, rim 12 and facing member 14 are all of metal, and hence are not light transmissive; the effect for an observer when the bulb 20 is illuminated is of an illuminated border to the facing member 14. As shown in FIG. 2, the backing member 16 has a peripheral skirt 23 on which the shoulder 21 and 22 are formed. The surfaces of the skirt 23 are smooth apart from the shoulders 21 and 22, so that the skirt guides the light to the shoulder 22, where it escapes.
The light bulb 20 is mounted in a housing 24 which bears on its sides electrical switch elements 26 and 28 having plungers 30 and 32 by which the switch elements may be actuated. The backing member has lugs 34 and 36 projecting laterally therefrom, with studs projecting from the lower sides thereof (as seen in FIG. 3) for engaging and depressing the plungers 30 and 32 on depression of the push button, to actuate the switch elements. Compression coil springs encircling the plungers 30 and 32 normally bias the push button to the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
The facing member 14 has studs such as 42 (FIG. 5) secured to its rear surface preferably by welding. During manufacture of the push button, the facing member 14 is then placed in a die and transparent plastics material injected into the die to form the backing member 16, the studs such as 42 being embedded in enlargements such as 44 in the interior of the backing member 16.
The rim 12 comprises a metal die casting which is preferably chromium plated. The die casting is partly embedded in a support of plastics material 46 which,
' again, can be formed by injection moulding. The housing 24 and support member 46 are secured to the back of the face plate by bolts 50 and 52 which are welded to the back of the plate 10.
The support 46 also provides a channel 48 in which the skirt 23 slides with a clearance between 0.003 inches and 0.009 inches when the button is centred in the rim 14.
The width of the shoulder 21 is normally 0.023 inches which prevents the facing member 14 touching the rim Y12 and is sufficiently wide to provide a readily visible halo on its own. The clearance between the edge of the shoulder 21 and the rim 12 is less than 0.025 inches to prevent the insertion of most common objects and in the preferred embodiment is between 0.006 inches and 0.012 inches when the button is centred in the rim 12. The maximum clearance between the facing member 14 and the rim 12 is less than 0.050 inches to prevent the insertion of the majority of the more robust common objects and to minimise damage by fire, the low heat conductivity of stainless steel being of advantage in this respect. By way of comparison, the facing member 14 is just under 1 inch square in the preferred embodiment.
Although the shoulders 21 and 23 are shown encircling the facing member 14, and this is currently preferred at least the shoulder 21 could extend only part way round the facing member, the clearance between the facing member and the rim 12 being correspondingly reduced on one or more sides.
I claim:
1. Electrical switch apparatus comprising at least one pair of electrical switch contacts, a push button depressible against spring bias to switch said contacts, a metal face plate having an aperture therein, a rim around said aperture, said push button comprising an imperforate metal facing member fitting in said rim with clearance at least part way round it and a backing member of light transmissive material secured to the back of said facing member and supporting said facing member, and a source of light disposed at the rear of said backing member and behind said facing member, said backing member presenting at least one peripheral shoulder behind said clearance, said source may illuminating said clearance through said shoulder.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and including a ledge on said rim, said ledge being normally engaged by said shoulder to impede ingress of foreign matter by way of the clearance.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said backing member presents a further peripheral shoulder adjacent said facing member.
4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said backing member presents an otherwise smooth surfaced skirt from which said shoulder protrudes.
5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein alphanumeric characters are formed at the front of said facing member for illumination by ambient light.
6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rim has a light reflective internal surface at said clearance.
ing member and said face plate are of steel.

Claims (8)

1. Electrical switch apparatus comprising at least one pair of electrical switch contacts, a push button depressible against spring bias to switch said contacts, a metal face plate having an aperture therein, a rim around said aperture, said push button comprising an imperforate metal facing member fitting in said rim with clearance at least part way round it and a backing member of light transmissive material secured to the back of said facing member and supporting said facing member, and a source of light disposed at the rear of said backing member and behind said facing member, said backing member presenting at least one peripheral shoulder behind said clearance, said source may illuminating said clearance through said shoulder.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and including a ledge on said rim, said ledge being normally engaged by said shoulder to impede ingress of foreign matter by way of the clearance.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said backing member presents a further peripheral shoulder adjacent said facing member.
4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said backing member presents an otherwise smooth surfaced skirt from which said shoulder protrudes.
5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein alphanumeric characters are formed at the front of said facing member for illumination by ambient light.
6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rim has a light reflective internal surface at said clearance.
7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said internal surface has a light reflective metal coating.
8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said facing member and said face plate are of steel.
US00397725A 1973-03-21 1973-09-17 Illuminated push button switch Expired - Lifetime US3832506A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1369173A GB1456391A (en) 1973-03-21 1973-03-21 Illuminated electrical push-botton switch
GB2981873 1973-06-22

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US3832506A true US3832506A (en) 1974-08-27

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US00397725A Expired - Lifetime US3832506A (en) 1973-03-21 1973-09-17 Illuminated push button switch

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CA (1) CA986561A (en)
GB (1) GB1456391A (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3045501A1 (en) * 1980-12-03 1982-07-01 SWF-Spezialfabrik für Autozubehör Gustav Rau GmbH, 7120 Bietigheim-Bissingen Filament lamp housing in vehicle switch - has double bend metal support spring to minimise shock
US4419555A (en) * 1982-06-01 1983-12-06 Wilco Corporation Illuminated push-button switch assembly
US20180104833A1 (en) * 2016-10-17 2018-04-19 Fanuc Corporation Robot and method of installing signal lamp in robot

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB8926839D0 (en) * 1989-11-28 1990-01-17 Dewhurst Plc Electrical push-button switch

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2165199A (en) * 1936-04-08 1939-07-11 Standard Mfg Co Rheostat switch
US3170057A (en) * 1960-12-22 1965-02-16 Gen Electric Illuminated push putton switch
US3514564A (en) * 1968-01-25 1970-05-26 Robertshaw Controls Co Illuminated push-button switch construction with safety set and reset mechanism

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2165199A (en) * 1936-04-08 1939-07-11 Standard Mfg Co Rheostat switch
US3170057A (en) * 1960-12-22 1965-02-16 Gen Electric Illuminated push putton switch
US3514564A (en) * 1968-01-25 1970-05-26 Robertshaw Controls Co Illuminated push-button switch construction with safety set and reset mechanism

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3045501A1 (en) * 1980-12-03 1982-07-01 SWF-Spezialfabrik für Autozubehör Gustav Rau GmbH, 7120 Bietigheim-Bissingen Filament lamp housing in vehicle switch - has double bend metal support spring to minimise shock
US4419555A (en) * 1982-06-01 1983-12-06 Wilco Corporation Illuminated push-button switch assembly
US20180104833A1 (en) * 2016-10-17 2018-04-19 Fanuc Corporation Robot and method of installing signal lamp in robot
US10933541B2 (en) * 2016-10-17 2021-03-02 Fanuc Corporation Robot and method of installing signal lamp in robot

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CA986561A (en) 1976-03-30
GB1456391A (en) 1976-11-24

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