Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Multiple circuit control – Combined pivoted and reciprocating contact
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-08
2002-07-16
Enad, Elvin (Department: 2832)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Multiple circuit control
Combined pivoted and reciprocating contact
C200S0050EA, C200S0110TC
Reexamination Certificate
active
06420667
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compound switch device, and more particularly to a compound switch device comprising a rotary switch and a push switch combined.
2. Description of the Related Art
The description will be made of a conventional compound switch device.
In the conventional compound switch device comprising a rotary switch and a push switch combined, the rotary switch is a rotary switch of a so-called donut type in external shape, within a gap portion at the central portion of this donut type rotary switch, there is disposed the push switch, and both the rotary switch and the push switch are constructed to be connected together on a common printed circuit board.
At this time, a rotary operating unit of the rotary switch and a pressing operating unit of the push switch are coaxial to a rotating shaft of the rotary switch, and are disposed on the gap portion at the central portion of the rotary switch. For this reason, space area having a predetermined volume is required to dispose the push switch.
Also, since the push switch is disposed within the gap portion at the central portion of the donut type rotary switch, it is difficult to install and arrange the push switch into the rotary switch, and it is not easy to install.
This conventional compound switch device has been constructed such that within a hollow portion at the central portion of the donut type rotary switch, there is disposed the push switch; and both the rotary switch and the push switch are connected to a common printed circuit board in such a manner that a rotating operation of the rotary switch and a pressing operation of the push switch are performed by operating each operating member coaxially disposed. For this reason, since the push switch is disposed within the hollow portion of the rotary switch, the hollow portion for disposing the push switch requires space area having a predetermined volume, and this leads a problem that an external (diameter) dimension of the donut type rotary switch becomes larger and the external (diameter) dimension of this compound switch device becomes larger.
Also, since the push switch is to be disposed within the hollow portion of the rotary switch, there is a problem that it is difficult in terms of space to install the push switch into the hollow portion, and it is difficult to install.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been achieved in order to solve the above-described problems, and is aimed to provide a compound switch device which has been miniaturized in the direction of the outer diameter, and easy to assemble.
A compound switch device according to the present invention has a rotary switch, a printed circuit board in which an illuminated element and a push switch are connected together, and an operating unit, the rotary switch having a housing, a rotary disk disposed within the housing, and a protruded portion formed on the rotary disk, protruding outwardly from the housing; the printed circuit board having a through hole; the operating unit having a cylindrical first operating member which is rotating, a second operating member disposed within the first operating member, for being pressed in a direction parallel to a rotating shaft of the first operating member, a cylindrical holding portion for holding the first operating member and the second operating member, and a protruded portion for protruding outwardly from the holding portion; the printed circuit board being placed on a housing for the rotary switch so as to oppose to the rotary disk; the operating unit being placed on the printed circuit board so as to arrange the illuminated element and the push switch within the operating unit by causing the protruded portion of the holding portion to penetrate the through hole of the printed circuit board; the second operating member being caused to oppose to the push switch and to be illuminated by the illuminated element; the protruded portion of the holding portion being fixed to the rotary switch; the printed circuit board being caught between the rotary switch and the operating unit; the protruded portion of the rotary switch being engaged with the first operating member of the operating unit; by means of rotation of the first operating member, the rotary disk being rotated to operate the rotary switch; and by pressing the second operating member, the push switch being operated. With the above-described structure, a compound switch device comprising the rotary switch and the push switch laminated through the printed circuit board is constituted, and the effect is exhibited that the external (direction of diameter) dimension of this compound switch device can be miniaturized, and it becomes possible to assemble and it becomes easy to assemble only by fixing the rotary switch to the holding portion of the operating unit for making them integral.
Also, in the compound switch device according to the present invention, the protruded portion of the rotary disk of the rotary switch rotates along an outer peripheral edge portion of the printed circuit board, and a range of rotation of the rotary disk is regulated by the protruded portion abutting against a part of the printed circuit board. Such structure exhibits the effect that a number of components can be reduced and the device can be supplied at low cost because the printed circuit board can be used also as a rotary stopper of the rotary switch.
Also, the compound switch device according to the present invention has the rotary switch for switching a large current and the push switch for switching a small current. Such structure exhibits the effect that it is possible to provide a compound switch device having a switching function capable of switching different currents.
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patent: 5959267 (1999-09-01), Kawasaki et al.
patent: 6080942 (2000-06-01), Sasaki
Miwa Toshitaka
Takahashi Toshio
Alps Electric Co. ,Ltd.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Enad Elvin
Lee Kyung S.
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