WO2014033660A1

WO2014033660A1 - Control device for switches comprising at least two silicone domes

Info

Publication number: WO2014033660A1
Application number: PCT/IB2013/058118
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fabio Tallone; Massino PERINO; Marco Barile
Original assignee: Bitron S.P.A.
Priority date: 2012-08-30
Filing date: 2013-08-29
Publication date: 2014-03-06
Also published as: MX342285B; DE112013004221T5; CN104685595A; MX2015002547A; CN104685595B

Abstract

A control device for switches, which comprises at least two silicone domes (7) and at least one actuating means (5). Said actuating means (5) acts upon said at least two silicone domes (7), which is adapted to switch at least two electrical contacts (6). The actuator (5) is moved by a force, which is applied by means of a pushing means (3). The actuating means (5) is an elastic lever, which is adapted to act upon said at least two silicone domes (7) so as to substantially simultaneously switch said at least two electrical contacts (6).

Description

TITLE: CONTROL DEVICE FOR SWITCHES COMPRISING LEAST TWO SILICONE DOMES

The present invention is relative to a control device for switches with two or more silicone domes.

In the automotive field the systems that are currently mostly used on board switches can be summed up with the following types:

switches with metal-sheet quick-tripping contacts;

switches with silicone bubbles with on-board contacts ;

- switches with silicone bubbles and metal contact integral to the electronic circuit;

- switches with tripping metal domes, which can be actuated directly or by means of a silicone intermediary;

- external switch, which is actuated by means of an actuator means and silicone domes.

These different types of operating principles have precise intrinsic features both at a mechanical level, such as forces, strokes and noise, and at an electric level, so as not to be able to meet, in some cases, the new specific needs of the automotive field.

The specific needs of the automotive filed require two or more electrical contacts, which are associated with the same device, to be switched, for example closed, in a substantially simultaneous fashion. The term "simultaneous" means that the switching, for example the closing, of two or more electrical contacts occurs within a predetermined amount of time. Said predetermined amount of time, for example between the closing of the first contact and the opening of the last contact, should not be larger than 20ms.

Said amount of time, which is necessarily present in any device that switches, for example closes, two or more contacts, is linked to the different tolerances of the kinematic chain of elements available in the mechanical system implemented.

Theoretically, if all the tolerances were equal to zero and the elements were all identical to one another, this amount of time would be equal to zero with any system actuation speed.

Furthermore, the system must give to the user a certain feeling during the actuation of the system itself.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term "feeling" means the sensation of force and movement that the user perceives when he/she acts upon a key of a button comprising a switch or an electrical contact.

The solutions suggested by the prior art are not able to solve this technical problem concerning the simultaneous switching of different contacts and, in particular, they are not able to guarantee the simultaneous collapse of two or more silicone domes, so as to allow, for example, the closing of the electrical contact or the actuation on an external switch.

The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems by providing an actuating device for switches, which is adapted to act upon at least two silicone domes and is able to adjust to any kind of switch implemented. The present invention guarantees the desired feeling in the response to the actuation as well as the simultaneous switching of the contacts requested by the specific needs, for example in the automotive field.

The device described below was designed to develop a series of switches with an electrical contact actuating and switching system that is such as to obtain force/movement features that are suited to meet the new needs of the market, optimizing at the same time the electrical performances.

The aim of the new device is to exploit the elastic features of an actuating means in order to obtain a new result in terms of feeling and noise as well as the simultaneous switching of the contacts, without for this reason having to add new components or degrade the electrical aspects of the switch or of the electrical contacts.

An aspect of the present invention is relative to a control device for switches having the features set forth in appended claim 1.

A further aspect of the present invention is relative to a push button having the features set forth in appended claim 10.

Further accessory features are set forth in the appended dependent claims.

The additional features and advantages of the device according to the present invention will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of different embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, which respectively illustrate what follows: • figures 1A, IB and 1C show a cross-section of a push button comprising the device according to the present invention in different operating configurations; in particular, figure 1A shows the device in the rest condition, figure IB shows the device in the loading condition, figure 1C shows the device in the switching operating configuration;

• figure 2 shows an exploded view of the push button of figures 1A-1C;

· figure 3 shows a cutaway drawing of the push button comprising the control device according to the present invention;

• figure 4 shows the force/movement diagram of the device according to the present invention compared to the force/movement diagram of a prior art device;

• figures 5A and 5B, 5C and 5D show, in detail, the actuating means comprised in the device according to the present invention in different embodiments; in particular, figure 5A shows the actuating means of the device shown in the preceding figures; figure 5B shows a first alternative embodiment, figure 5C shows a second alternative embodiment, figure 5D shows a third alternative embodiment;

• figures 6A and 6B show a detail of the silicon dome and two different embodiments of the electrical contacts; in particular, figure 6A shows a dome comprising a conductive portion and in figure 6B the contact is a metal sheet interposed between the silicon dome and the printed circuit.

With reference to the figures mentioned above, the control device for switches comprises: at least two silicone domes 7 and at least one actuating means 5, which acts upon said at least two silicone domes 7.

Said at least one actuating means 5 is adapted to switch at least two electrical contacts 6. Preferably, said at least one actuating means 5 is adapted to selectively close and open at least two electrical contacts 6.

Said at least one actuating means 5 is moved by a force, which is applied by means of a pushing means 3. Said force applied by means of said pushing means 3 is preferably parallel to a vertical axis "Z"; more preferably, it coincides with the vertical axis of the push button comprising the control device according to the present invention.

Said actuating means 5 is an elastic lever, which is adapted to act upon said at least two silicone domes 7 so as to substantially simultaneously switch said at least two electrical contacts 6. Said actuating means 5 acts upon each one of said silicone domes 7 in a substantially simultaneous fashion and with the same force .

Preferably, said lever is a class three lever.

Preferably, the control device according to the present invention has a development that is substantially vertical along said axis "Z", and, in particular, the actuating means 5 is arranged above said at least two domes 7. The pushing means 3 , in turn, is arranged above the actuating means 5.

Said actuating means 5 is made of an elastic element, which is adapted to deform, preferably to bend and/or curve, during the compression generated by said pushing means 3 and to stretch out following the collapse of said at least two silicon domes 7 in the direction of said electrical contacts 6.

For the purpose of the present description, the expression "substantially simultaneous switching" means that said at least two electrical contacts 6 switch within a certain amount of time "ΔΤ" . Said amount of time "ΔΤ" is, for example, the amount of time that elapses between the closing of the first electrical contact 6 and the closing of the last electrical contact 6 of the device according to the present invention. Said amount of time "ΔΤ" is normally determined by the technical features of the project, for example in the automotive field. Normally, said amount of time "ΔΤ" is determined by the purchaser of the device, who will install the device on a vehicle. In the preferred embodiment of the control device according to the present invention, said amount of time "ΔΤ" is 20ms at most.

In the prior art, the amount of time "ΔΤ" is a function of the shape and of the tolerances of the elements of the device that make up the kinematic chain of the closing of said at least two contacts. Furthermore, in the prior art solutions, said amount of time "ΔΤ" is inversely proportional to the speed with which one acts upon the device, in particular, the higher the action speed or test speed is, the larger said amount of time "ΔΤ" will be.

The present invention is aimed at trying to eliminate the dependency on the tolerances and on the actuating speed or test speed. In general, said actuating means 5 has a substantially sheet- like shape. Preferably, the actuating means 5 is made of a metal material, so as to create a metal elastic lever.

In the preferred embodiment, which is shown in the accompanying drawings, said actuating means 5 substantially is a metal sheet.

In general, the actuating means 5 comprises a pushing portion 50, upon which said pushing means 3 acts. The location of the pushing portion 50 is such as to increase the elastic features of the actuating means 5 during the action of the pushing means 3. The location of the pushing portion 50 is such as to allow said actuating means 5 to bend or curve following the compression.

Said actuating means 5 comprises, furthermore, at least one supporting portion 51 and at least one contact portion 52.

Said at least one supporting portion 51, in use, is adapted to be arranged in contact with at least one supporting surface 72, so as to generate a lever, in particular an elastic lever.

Said at least one contact portion 52, in use, is adapted to be arranged in contact with at least one silicone dome 7, so as to generate a lever, in particular an elastic lever.

In general, said pushing portion 50 is arranged between said at least one supporting portion 51 and said at least one contact portion 52. This arrangement creates a class three lever. In a preferred embodiment, said pushing portion 50 is arranged in the median point of the distance between said at least one supporting portion 51 and said at least one contact portion 52.

Preferably, both the contact portion 52 and the supporting portion 51 comprise at least one housing 55, which is adapted to interact with a silicone mat 71. Said housing 55 is preferably a through hole, in which a protuberance is arranged, so as to avoid movements of the actuating means 5 in undesired directions and to guarantee a correct relative positioning between the pushing means 3 and said actuating means 5.

In particular, it prevents the actuating means 5 from moving along directions that are not parallel to the vertical axis "Z" and it allows the actuating means 5 itself to deform during the compression due to the force exerted by the pushing means 3.

Said supporting portion 51 preferably comprises at least one housing 55, for example two housings 55. Said contact portion 52 preferably comprises a number of housings 55 that is equal to the number of silicone domes 7 subject to the action of the single actuating means 5.

In a preferred embodiment, said supporting portion 51 and said contact portion 52 comprise the same number of housings 55.

In general, said supporting portion 51 is arranged at one end of the actuating means 5, which is opposite to the end where said contact portion 52 of the same actuating means 5 is arranged.

In the preferred embodiments, which are shown, for example, in figures 5A, 5C and 5D, the actuating means 5 is symmetrical relative to its two longitudinal axes. In these embodiments, in the version in which the number of housings 55 is the same both for the supporting portion 51 and for the contact portion 52, the function of the two portions can be switched, keeping the functions of the actuating means 5 unchanged .

Said actuating means 5, in order to correctly generate the elastic lever, should have supporting and pushing portions (51, 52) that have stiffness features that are higher than those of the pushing means 50. This solution prevents said two or more silicone domes 7 from collapsing in an independent fashion, for example due to the possible different stroke- force features of the parts of each dome 7. This permits a substantially action effect upon the silicon domes 7, irrespective of the mechanical and elastic features of the silicon domes 7 themselves. This feature allows the silicone domes 7 to collapse substantially simultaneously following the action of the actuating means 5, which is moved by the movement of the pushing element 3. The stiffness of said supporting and pushing portions (51, 52) prevents the actuating means 5 from being subject to torsion phenomena, which might cause a non uniform action upon the silicone domes 7.

In the preferred embodiments shown in figure 5A, said actuating means 5 is manufactured as one single piece and is substantially cross-shaped, since it comprises a first bar 5a and a second bar 5b. Said first bar 5a and said second bar 5c preferably cross with a right angle. Said pushing portion 50 is said second bar 5b. The action of the pushing means 3 upon said second bar 5b of the actuating means 5 increases the elastic features of the actuating means 5 itself.

In this embodiment, there are substantially two pushing portions 50, which correspond to the two ends of the second bar 5b. A striker portion 33 of the pushing means 3 acts upon each one of the two ends of the second bar 5b.

Said first bar 5a comprises, at one end, said at least one supporting portion 51 and, at the opposite end, at least one contact portion 52.

In general, said first bar 5a has stiffness features that are higher than those of the second bar 5b. In order to allow the silicone domes 7 to collapse simultaneously, said first bar 5a is substantially stiff, while said second bar 5b and, in particular, said at least one pushing portion 50, are suited to bend, for example by curving. These features and this arrangement prevent the first bar 5a from being subject to torsions, thus causing a non uniform action upon the silicon domes 7.

Said supporting portion 51 comprises one single housing 55, namely a through hole, which is shaped so as to allow a protuberance 721, which is comprised in said supporting surface 72, to be introduced therein.

Said contact portion 52 comprises two housings 55, namely two through holes, which are shaped so as to allow a protuberance, which is arranged at the top of each silicon dome 7, to be inserted therein, as shown in figure 3.

Figures 5B, 5C and 5D show different embodiments of the actuating means 5, which are all equally adapted to generate an elastic lever. The shape of the remaining embodiments substantially has a functional development along a straight line, similarly to the first bar 5a, along which there are provided the supporting portion 51 and the contact portion 52. In all the embodiments, said pushing portion 50 is arranged on one or more structural elements, which are adapted to transversely extend the actuating means, thus allowing the pushing portions 50 to be bent and/or curved following the action of the pushing means 3 and, in particular, the action of the striker portions 33 of said pushing means 3.

In an embodiment, which is not shown, said actuating means 5 is in contact with, namely leans against, only a plurality of silicone domes 7, which are properly arranged so as to guarantee an action of the actuating means 5 that is substantially equal upon all domes 7. In particular, said plurality of domes 7 are equally spaced apart, for example they are arranged at a 90° rotation relative to one another and the pushing portion 50 is arranged in correspondence to the barycenter of the actuating means 5.

In general, said supporting surface and/or said silicone domes are arranged on a single silicone mat 71.

When the control device according to the present invention is assembled and is in the rest operating configuration, the actuating means 5 is substantially perpendicular to the vertical axis "Z". In the preferred embodiment, the actuating means 5, as shown in figure 1A, is inclined. This is due, for example, to the different height of the domes 7 and of the supporting surface 72. The incline of the actuating means 5 allows the elastic performances of the lever created by said actuating means 5 to be increased.

In the preferred embodiment, the device according to the present invention can be applied to a push button comprising a key 1, which is adapted to be pressed by the user, and a support structure 11, which defines a cavity 110 where the device according to the present invention is arranged, as shown in the accompanying drawing, for example in the exploded view of figure 2.

Said key is surrounded by an outer cover element 2, which is adapted to cover the wiring of the push button in the vehicle or watercraft. The outer cover element 2 is constrained to said support structure 11, for example by means of striker or bayonet fixing means .

Said key 1 is integral to said pushing means 3 , thus transmitting to the pushing means 3 itself the force exerted on the key 1, so as to move said actuating means 5 and cause said at least two electrical contacts 6 to switch in a substantially simultaneous fashion.

Said pushing means 3 is fixed to the key 1 by means of striker or bayonet fixing means.

In the embodiment shown, which is non-limiting, the pushing means 3 has a substantially cylindrical shape. Said pushing means 3 comprises at least one striker portion 33, which is adapted to strike against the actuating means 5, when the device according to the present invention is assembled. Said striker portion 33 is a tooth, which is adapted to act upon said pushing portion 50. In the preferred embodiment, the pushing means 3 has two striker portions 33, which are spaced apart from one another by 180° and are adapted to directly act upon said pushing portions 50 of the actuating means 5, which, for example, are arranged at the ends of said second bar 5b.

In the preferred embodiment, the elements comprised in the push button, such as the key 1 and the support structure 11, have a cylindrical structure, as well. If necessary, said elements comprised in the push button can have the shape of a parallelepiped, for example with a square or rectangular base.

Said pushing means 3 comprises first guides 31.

Said first guides 31 are adapted to slide along tracks 111, which are comprised in the inner cavity 110, which is defined by the support structure 11.

In the preferred embodiment, said cavity 110 has a circular section and comprises four tracks 111, which are equally spaced apart from one another.

The presence of said first guides 31 that can slide along the tracks 111 allows only the vertical component of a force applied to cause the pushing means 3 to move, thus permitting the action of the actuating means 5 upon the silicone domes 7 for the switching of the electrical contacts 6.

In general, the actuating means 5 arranged in the central area, for example in correspondence to the pushing portion 50, preferably comprises a hole 4, through which the light emitted by a light source "L" can enter. Said light source "L" is, for example, a led. The light emitted by said light source "L" is used to light up a symbol arranged on the key 1.

Said electrical contacts 6 are preferably built-in in said at least two silicone domes 7. In detail, each electrical contact 6 is built-in in a silicone dome 7. In this embodiment, the silicone dome 7 comprises at least one conductive portion, which is adapted to close an electric circuit comprised in a printed circuit 8, when the dome 7 collapses onto said printed circuit 8.

In different embodiments, which are not shown, said conductive portion can be a metal sheet associated with the dome 7, as shown by way of example in figure 6A, or, if necessary, interposed between the dome 7 and the printed circuit 8, as shown by way of example in figure 6B.

In an alternative embodiment, said electrical contacts are built-in in a switch making up a separate electric device, which is monolithic in the solid state. Said switch comprises an outer casing and a key.

In general, said electrical contacts 6 are electrically connected to said printed circuit 8. The printed circuit 8 is electrically connected to a connector 10 by means of suitable pins 9. Said connector 10 is adapted to connect the push button to the electric circuit of the vehicle or watercraft where the push button is installed. Said connector 10 is fixed to the lower end of the support structure 11, namely the end that is opposite to where the key 1 is arranged . Said silicone mat 71, which comprises at least two silicone domes 7, is arranged on said printed circuit 8.

In the preferred embodiment, said supporting surface 72 is built-in in said silicone mat 71. Said supporting surface 72 is, for example, a parallelepiped, which is made of a silicone material and comprises said protuberance 721.

The control device for switches according to the present invention is adapted to take on three operating configurations, in particular:

• a rest operating configuration, in which the pushing element 3 is not subject to application of forces, for example exerted by means of the key 1, as shown in figure 1A;

• a switching operating configuration, in which, following the application of a force onto said pushing element 3 , the actuating means causes the electrical contact 6 to switch, thus shifting from an open configuration to a closed configuration and vice versa, as shown for example in figure 1C, and

• a loading operating configuration, which is taken on by the control device when it shifts from the rest operating configuration to the switching operating configuration, as shown in figure IB.

The elastic system, which is implemented by said actuating means 5 comprised in the device according to the present invention, is used to store energy during the first phase, in order to autonomously release it later starting from the point in which the silicon domes 7 reach the part of the force/movement curve in which the force starts decreasing following the beginning of the collapse of the domes 7 themselves. The energy stored by the elastic lever and released after the collapse of the domes is sufficient to cause the electrical contacts 6 to switch in a substantially simultaneous fashion. The present solution permits the compensation and the elimination of all the dimensional differences among the elements comprised in the device and among the available forces.

The higher the flexibility of the actuating means

5, which is adapted to create an elastic lever, the greater the amount of energy stored. The greater the amount of energy stored, the greater the silicone dome actuating speed, and this causes the total collapse of the silicone domes to be faster. This behavior ensures that the contacts are switched in a substantially simultaneous fashion.

In the rest operating configuration, all the means comprised in the control device according to the present invention are in a rest configuration, in particular the silicon domes 7 are not collapsed and the actuating means 5 is flat, not curved or bent. As mentioned above, in the rest configuration, the actuating means 5 is preferably inclined relative to the vertical axis "Z", as shown in figure 1A.

The forces of gravity exerted by the means (3, 5) on the silicone dome 7 are such as not to cause the collapse of the dome 7 itself. For these reasons, the rest operating configuration prevents the electrical contacts 6 from unintentionally switching. The control device according to the present invention remains in the rest operating configuration until a force is exerted or applied onto said pushing means 3. In particular, until a force is applied onto said key 1 of the push button in which the device according to the present invention is comprised, preferably along said axis "Z".

Figure 4 shows the development of the force/movement curve of the device according to the present invention compared to the development of the curve of prior art devices, which use a simple silicone dome .

The exertion of a force on the pushing means 3 causes the device to take on the loading operating configuration before reaching the switching operating configuration.

In this last operating configuration, the force exerted on the pushing means 3, instead of being directly transmitted to the silicone domes 7 so as to cause them to collapse and the electrical contacts 6 to switch, is stored as energy by the actuating means 5, which bends, as shown in figure IB. This behavior translates into an initial straight section of the force/movement diagram, with the incline of the curve reduced compared to the devices of the prior art .

This arching of the actuating means 5 takes place until a predetermined value of force exerted is reached.

In the preferred embodiment of the control device according to the present invention, by carrying on with the application of force on the pushing means 3, the force exerted is directly transfered to the silicone domes 7. The force directly exerted on the silicone domes 7, after the achievement of a predetermined level of known force, causes the domes 7 to collapse, thus allowing the device according to the present invention to reach the switching operating configuration.

This behavior translates, in the force/movement diagram shown in figure 4, into a greater movement perceived by the user of the device, given the same force applied. This behavior also translates into an increase of the feeling in the device perceived by the use .

After the collapse of said silicone domes 7, the actuating means 5 can stretch out, thus releasing the energy stored during the loading operating configuration in the direction of said electrical contacts 6.

When the actuating means 5 stretches out 5 due to the collapse of the domes 7, it releases the energy stored, thus increasing the speed with which the silicone domes 7 collapse and the speed with which the switching of the electrical contacts 6 occurs.

This behavior causes, in the force/movement diagram, a postponement of the tripping point or collapse point of the silicone domes 7, but, above all, it leads to a quick passage from the minimum to the maximum reaction of the silicone dome 7 itself.

The energy released when the actuating means 5 stretches out causes an acceleration to occur upon collapse of the domes 7; this acceleration is such as to allow the device to quickly reach the switching operating configuration, in which the domes 7 are completely collapsed, even without a further movement of the pushing element 3.

When the domes 7 are in contact with the circuit 8, there is a stop in the stroke of the device according to the present invention, which corresponds to the switching of the electrical contacts 6.

The following further . stroke of the pushing element 3 is absorbed again by the actuating means 5, which bends and curves again without causing damages to the electrical contacts 6 and to the device according to the present invention.

This acceleration in the passage from the loading operating configuration to the switching operating configuration causes the switching of the electrical contacts 6 to occur in a correct and substantially simultaneous fashion. This result can be obtained irrespective of the mechanical features of the electrical contacts 6 and of the actuating speed or test speed. As a matter of fact, the mechanical features of the contacts 6 can cause a great leakage of the contact point of the switch itself as well as the expansion of the amount of time "ΔΤ" .

Furthermore, this result can be obtained irrespective of the mechanical features of the silicone mat 71 and of the two silicone domes 7 comprised in the mat 71.

At the end of the application of force onto the pushing means 3, the device according to the present invention returns to the rest operating configuration thanks to the elastic energy of the two silicone domes 7. The return stroke, which is shown in figure 4, shows substantially linear sections.

The possible exceeding energy of the return of the silicone domes 7 is absorbed by the actuating means 5. This energy absorption by the actuating means 5 causes the last section of the force/movement curve to be linear, thus avoiding resonance phenomena of the device and rapidly attenuating the residual energy.

Said at least two silicone domes 7 are arranged so as to balance the movement of the actuating means 5 in the passage between the loading operating configuration and the switching operating configuration.

This device eliminates the uncertainty concerning the instant in which the electrical contacts 6 switch, even though the contacts 6 themselves feature a high intrinsic uncertainty concerning the switching instant or contact point.

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NUMERICAL REFERENCES:

Key 1

Support structure 11

Cavity 110

Tracks 111

Outer cover element 2

Pushing means 3

First guides 31

Striker portion 33

Actuating means 5

First bar 5a

Second bar 5b

Pushing portion 50

Supporting portion 51

Contact portion 52

Housing 55

Electrical contact 6

Silicone dome 7

Silicone mat 71

Supporting surface 72

Protuberance 721

Printed circuit 8

Pins 9

Connector 10

Vertical axis "Z"

Amount of time "ΔΤ

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. Control device for switches;

said device comprises:

• at least two silicone domes (7) ;

· at least one actuating means (5) , which acts upon said at least two silicone domes (7) for switching at least two electrical contacts (6) ;

said at least one actuating means (5) is moved by a force, which is applied by means of a pushing means (3) ;

said control device is characterized in that said actuating means (5) is an elastic lever, for acting upon said at least two silicone domes (7) so as to substantially simultaneously switch said at least two electrical contacts (6) .

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein said actuating means (5) substantially is a metal foil.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein said actuating means (5) comprises:

- a pushing portion (50), upon which said pushing means (3) acts;

- at least one supporting portion (51) , which, in use, is arranged in contact with at least one supporting surface (72) ;

- at least one contact portion (52) , which, in use, is arranged in contact with two or more domes (7) ;

4. Device according to claim 3, wherein said pushing portion (50) is arranged between the supporting portion (51) and the contact portion (52) .

5. Device according to any of the previous claims, wherein said at least one actuating means (5) is cross- shaped.

6. Device according to claim 1, wherein the actuating means (5) is adapted to bend, thus curving, during the compression generated by said pushing means (3) , and to stretch out following the collapse of said at least two silicone domes (7) in the direction of said electrical contacts (6) .

7. Device according to claim 6, wherein the stretching out of the actuating means (5) in the direction of said electrical contacts (6) , following the collapse of said at least two silicone domes (7) , releases a stored energy towards said two silicone domes (7) , thus increasing their speed of action on the electrical contacts (6) .

8. Device according to claim 1, wherein each electrical contact (6) is built-in in a silicone dome (7) .

9. Push button for electronic circuits comprising:

- a key (1) , to be pressed by the user;

- and a support structure (11) defining a cavity (110) ; characterized in that it comprises a control device for switches according to claim 1.

10. Push button according to claim 9, wherein said pushing means (3) comprises first guides (31) , for sliding along tracks (111) , which are comprised in said support structure (11) .