Multi-stage switch

Details Multi-stage switch Multi-stage switch

1996-09-12

1998-08-18

Gellner, Michael L.

Electricity: circuit makers and breakers

Multiple circuit control

Multiple switch

200 1B, 200517, H01H 926

Patent

active

057960569

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a multi-stage switch with a common actuating element and at least two switch elements for making contact, which when acted upon with increasing force leads to a successive operation of the switch elements, wherein the switch elements are disposed on a circuit board via contact elements of the same height which they bridge in the closed state, with actuating devices which lie perpendicularly in respect to this circuit board, wherein the actuating element is movably disposed above the switch elements in such a way that its actuating area is located between the switch elements, and with a plastic diaphragm cooperating with the actuating element for the transfer of force from an actuating element to the switch elements.


PRIOR ART

A multi-stage switch in accordance with the species is known from DE A 33 00 186 (FIG. 4). The switch elements in the multi-stage switch represented there are contact beads which are held at different heights above their associated contact elements on a plastic diaphragm as the "switch mat", which is embodied cupola-shaped above the respective contact elements and supports the contact beads at different heights on downward pointed protrusions. The operation of this "switch mat" and the contact beads fastened on it is performed by means of a pressure plate 45 which acts on the cupola- or dome-shaped upper sides of the sections of the switch plate. The pressure plate is connected on its top with an actuating element in the form of a key, which is laterally guided in a "cage" 22, so that it is assured that the pressure plate always remains parallel with the circuit board even when operated, tilting is not possible. Thus the function of this switch is based on the height offset of the contact beads on the plastic membrane.
With this known solution the dependable functioning of the multi-stage switch therefore decisively depends on the elaborate shaping of the switch mat, coupled with very long contact travel and a relative tall housing for guiding the pressure plate. This may be without problems in connection with the preferred field of use of the solution in accordance with the known reference (key selection blocks for telephone user stations), but with increasing miniaturization and in other fields of use of such multi-stage switches dependable functioning may no longer be assured, particularly because of the above mentioned elaborate construction of the so-called switch mat. The mentioned difficulties should at least considerably complicate the production of multi-stage switches with more than two switch elements.
An input switch is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,935 (FIGS. 4, 14, 15) in which the one part of the contact of several switches is constituted by a common electrically conducting plate 28 which is upwardly curved in a cupola shape in respect to and above its associated counter-contact. A switching force is brought by means of a common actuating element 44 to these cupola-shaped bumps via a tiltable plate 44 in such a way that these switch-over successively and in this way a contact is closed in succession. This construction is used as an actuating element (forward space key 22), here, too, long contact travel with a considerable tilt angle of the actuating disk are provided, a device for positioning the actuating element 44 on the crowns of the cupola-shaped curved parts of the common conductor element 28 is not provided or cannot be seen. The dependability of these elements is restricted by this.
DE-U-85 29 136 discloses a key switching device in which a tongue-like actuating element 9 is disposed above contacts which are to be closed, which itself can be operated by a switching knob 3 of a rubber-elastic switch mat 2. The successive action on the two contacts is performed here by shaped protrusions of different height of the insert element 9, the insert element in particular is elaborately designed. In a simplified embodiment (FIG. 4), the underside of the switching knob is provided with switch surface elements 23, 24 which are

REFERENCES:
patent: 3210486 (1965-10-01), Holzer
patent: 4096935 (1978-06-01), Hanataka et al.
patent: 4421966 (1983-12-01), Pounds
patent: 4609791 (1986-09-01), Abbat
patent: 5115108 (1992-05-01), Ogawa et al.
patent: 5313027 (1994-05-01), Inoue et al.
patent: 5350890 (1994-09-01), Fairbrother et al.
patent: 5510584 (1996-04-01), Norris
patent: 5559311 (1996-09-01), Gorbatoff
German Abstract of DE-U-85 29 136 (PREH), 12 Feb. 1987.

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