Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Electric switch details – Actuators
Reexamination Certificate
2004-03-18
2004-10-26
Friedhofer, Michael A. (Department: 2832)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Electric switch details
Actuators
C200S345000, C200S314000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06809278
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic equipment which with a pushbutton mounted on a panel thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1
shows the constitution of a pushbutton used in conventional electronic equipment of this type. In
FIG. 1
, the electronic equipment on which the pushbutton is mounted includes a pushbutton
103
which has a manipulation surface
103
a
thereof projected from a button hole
102
formed in a face panel
101
; a chassis
104
which has a guide portion
104
a
which slidably guides an angled cylindrical barrel portion
103
b
of the pushbutton
103
, a board
106
which is fixed to the chassis
104
by mounting screws
105
, a rubber contact switch
107
which is mounted on the board
106
and operated when a distal end portion of the barrel portion
103
b
of the pushbutton
103
pushes the rubber contact switch
107
, and an LED (light emitting diode)
108
which is mounted on a circuit of the board
106
. The LED
108
is arranged between a pair of fixed contacts
107
b
of the rubber contact switch
107
. When an operator pushes the manipulation surface
103
a
of the pushbutton
103
, movable contacts
107
a
of the rubber contact switch
107
are pushed by the distal end portion of the barrel portion
103
b
and hence, the movable contacts
107
a
are brought into contact with and become conductive with the fixed contacts
107
b
on the board
106
whereby given functional portions are operated and, at the same time, the LED
108
is lit or turned on and letters and symbols formed on an illumination portion
103
b
on the manipulation surface
103
a
of the pushbutton
103
are illuminated.
A task to be solved with respect to the electronic equipment provided with such a pushbutton is the alignment of an axis of the guide portion
104
a
of the chassis
104
and an axis of the button hole
102
formed in the face panel
101
. When these axes are not aligned with each other due to a dimensional error or a mounting error, the manipulation surface
103
a
of the pushbutton
103
does not accurately project from the button hole
102
formed in the face panel
101
. That is, there may be a case that the manipulation surface
103
a
is caught by a periphery of the button hole
102
leading to a defective operation. Further, in a worst case, it is impossible to make the pushbutton
103
project from the button hole
102
. In view of the above drawbacks, conventionally, there has been known the structure in which an intermediate member is arranged between the pushbutton
103
and the chassis
104
and play is formed between the pushbutton
103
and the intermediate member, whereby irregularities of the dimensional error or the mounting error can be absorbed by the play (for example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. Sho 59-69439 (pages 3 to 6, FIG.
2
)).
However, in the abovementioned conventional structure which absorbs the irregularities of the dimensional error or the mounting error, the pushbutton has play and hence, there have been drawbacks that the pushbutton tilts in a pushbutton hole, the pushbutton generates weird noise, and the manipulation feeling is poor. Particularly, when the face panel is made of wood, it is difficult to obtain the dimensional accuracy with respect to the positional accuracy of the button hole compatible to the corresponding dimensional accuracy obtainable in forming the button hole in a metal sheet or resin molded product and hence, the abovementioned drawback becomes more noticeable.
The present invention has been made to solve the abovementioned drawbacks and it is an object of the present invention to provide electronic equipment and a pushbutton to be used in such electronic equipment which can make the pushbutton accurately project from a button hole and can prevent play even when the positional accuracy of the button hole formed in a face panel is poor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the abovementioned object, electronic equipment according to the present invention includes an outer button which has a manipulation surface which can be manipulated through a button hole formed in a panel, an inner button which is mounted inside the outer button such that the inner button is movable relative to the outer button, a chassis which has a guide portion for slidably guiding the inner button, a switch which is mounted on a board fixed to the chassis and is operated by the inner button, and positioning means which position the outer button with respect to the panel. Due to such a constitution, since the outer button is movable with respect to the inner button which is fixed to the chassis, even when the positional accuracy of the button hole formed in the panel is poor, it is possible to make the manipulation surface of the outer button accurately project through the button hole and, at the same time, it is possible to prevent play of the outer button due to the provision of the positioning means.
Further, in the electronic equipment of the present invention, the positioning means include an engaging portion which is integrally formed with the outer button and a portion to be engaged which is formed in the panel and is engageable with the engaging portion. Due to such a constitution, it is possible to easily implement the positioning means.
Further, in the electronic equipment of the present invention, the engaging portion is constituted of a pair of engaging projections which are formed on both sides of the outer button and the portion to be engaged is constituted of a pair of engaging holes which are engageable with the pair of engaging projections. Due to such a constitution, positioning of the outer button with respect to the panel can be performed without play.
Further, in the electronic equipment of the present invention, the manipulation surface of the outer button is inclined in a longitudinal direction with respect to the chassis, and, of the pair of engaging projections, the engaging projection which is away from the chassis with a shorter distance projects in a sideward direction of the outer button and the engaging projection which is away from the chassis with a longer distance projects upward from a side of the outer button. Due to such a constitution, even when the outer button is inclined in the longitudinal direction with respect to the chassis, it is possible to ensure positioning of the outer button with respect to the panel and hence, it is possible to cope with various designs of the outer buttons.
Further, in the electronic equipment of the present invention, an illumination portion is formed on the manipulation surface of the outer button, the inner button is made of a light guiding material, and a light emitting diode is arranged to face the inner button in an opposed manner. Due to such a constitution, even when the illumination portion of the outer button is arranged at a position remote from the light emitting diode, it is possible to effectively illuminate the illumination portion of the outer button through the inner button made of the light guiding material.
Further, a pushbutton according to the present invention includes an outer button which has a manipulation surface, an inner button which is mounted inside the outer button such that the inner button is movable relative to the outer button, an engaging portion which is formed on an outer side of the outer button for positioning the outer button with respect to the panel, and an engaging portion which is formed on a barrel portion of the inner button for mounting the inner button on a chassis. Due to such a constitution, in inserting the barrel portion of the inner button of the pushbutton into a guide portion of the chassis and projecting the manipulation surface of the outer button through a button hole formed in the panel, even when the positional accuracy of the button hole formed in the panel is poor, it is possible to make the manipulation surface of the outer button accurately project through the button hole formed in the panel and, at the sam
Browdy and Neimark , P.L.L.C.
Friedhofer Michael A.
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
LandOfFree
Electronic equipment and pushbutton used therein does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Electronic equipment and pushbutton used therein, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electronic equipment and pushbutton used therein will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3324379