Pushbutton switch

Details Pushbutton switch Pushbutton switch

2002-09-24

2004-10-26

Scott, James R. (Department: 2832)

Electricity: circuit makers and breakers

Solid contact

Push button operated

Reexamination Certificate

active

06809281

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a pushbutton switch, and more specifically, a pushbutton switch having a contact point, which is activated by an axially disposed cam.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various forms are proposed as a pushbutton switch in which a contact point is activated by an axially disposed cam.
For example, a pushbutton switch as shown in
FIG. 13
to
FIG. 19
is proposed in JP-A-2-72526.
FIG. 13
illustrates an exploded perspective view of a pushbutton switch defined in JP-A-2-72526. It includes an actuator housing
101
having a substantially cylindrical passage
101
a
in which a pushbutton
100
and the like, as below-mentioned, is contained. The pushbutton
100
has a cylindrical-shaped cylinder portion
100
a
(
FIG. 15B
) which is engaged with the passage
101
a
. An actuator cam follower
102
has a square shaped internal cavity portion
102
a
with a square columnar shape inside, where a rotary contact carrier
104
(as hereinafter referred) is fitted loosely onto. An actuator return spring
103
which is interposed between the actuator cam follower
102
and the rotary contact carrier
104
, as described below, is intended to upwardly urge the actuator cam follower
102
, or downwardly urge the rotary contact carrier
104
. The rotary contact carrier
104
, which has a stem
104
a
fitted loosely onto the square shaped internal cavity portion
102
a
, is rotated in the flat surface portions according to a predetermined angle rotary motion of the actuator cam follower
102
to allow the rotary contact element
105
in the bottom to effect an electric connection as referred below and electrical isolation of the electric contact elements
106
a
,
106
b
, and
106
c
as referred below, and performs alternating ON/OFF switching action. A stationary contact housing portion
106
has electric contact elements
106
a
,
106
b
, and
106
c
arranged in predetermined form. A coveting part
107
covers the bottom of the pushbutton switch.
The main element members of the pushbutton switch described in JP-A-2-72526 will be discussed hereinafter.
FIG. 14
is a sectional view of an actuator housing
101
. A cylindrical passageway
101
a
with which a pushbutton
100
is engaged, is formed in the actuator housing
101
. Pushbutton guides
101
b
in the profile of a projection along the longitudinal direction are formed at an equal spacing in the inner surface of this passage
101
a
. Adjoining pushbutton guides
101
b
and
101
b
are separated by guide portions
101
c
which are recessed grooves. The lower ends of such pushbutton guides
101
b
are formed in slant surfaces, and serve as cam surfaces
101
d.
FIG. 15A
is a side view of a pushbutton
100
, and
FIG. 15B
is a sectional view of a pushbutton
100
. The pushbutton
100
is a hollow cylindrical member having a cylindrical-shaped cylinder portion
100
a
inside thereof. Four slide guides
100
b
(only three of them are displayed in
FIG. 15A
) are disposed in lower end portions at 90-degree-intervals extending outwardly in the radial direction. These slide guides
100
b
are slidably engaged with the guide recess portions
101
c
(FIG.
14
), and guide a pushbutton
100
linearly at the time of reciprocating motion of the pushbutton
100
. The lower end portions of a pushbutton
100
are formed into saw teeth. Each saw tooth
100
c
consists of apex
100
d
and slant-shaped cam sides
100
e
which surround the apex
100
d
. Eight saw teeth
100
c
are disposed in the lower end portions of the pushbutton
100
, equally spaced at 45 degree intervals.
As shown in
FIG. 15B
, the central axis of the slide guide
100
b
(
FIG. 15
) is provided to pass through the apex
100
d
of each saw tooth
100
c.
FIG. 16A
is a side view of an actuator cam follower
102
, and
FIG. 16B
is a sectional view of the actuator cam follower
102
. The actuator cam follower
102
is a hollow cylindrical member which has a circular opening and a square columnar shaped internal cavity portion
102
a
in the square columnar shape inside thereof, as shown in FIG.
16
B.
The actuator cam follower
102
is a member slidably fittingly mounted into the cylindrical cylinder portion
100
a
(FIG.
15
B). Also, predetermined angle rotation is carried out by the cam action as hereinafter referred, while performing a vertical movement along with the reciprocating motion of the pushbutton
100
, so that a translating mechanism that converts linear motion of a pushbutton to rotary motion is achieved.
The lower part of actuator cam follower
102
is adapted to a diameter expansion part
102
b
, the diameter of which is expanded. A saw tooth
102
c
, which has the same form as a saw tooth
100
c
(FIGS.
15
A and
15
B), is provided at the upper end of this diameter expansion part
102
b
. The saw tooth
102
c
consists of the apex
102
d
and slant-shaped cam sides
102
e
which surround the apex
102
d
. Further, from a diameter expansion part
102
b
of an actuator cam follower
102
, cam follower guides
102
f
extend outwardly in the radial direction spaced at a 90 degree interval.
The central axis of the slide guides
100
b
(
FIG. 15A
) of the pushbutton
100
are provided to pass through the apex
100
d
of each saw tooth
100
c
, whereas, the central axis of the cam follower guides
102
f
are provided to be offset from the apex
102
d
of the saw tooth
102
c
slightly.
FIG. 17
is a side view of a rotary contact carrier
104
. The rotary contact carrier
104
is a member including a rotary contact element
105
which consists of a square columnar stem
104
a
formed in a tapered twisted end in the upward direction, and a substantially circular metal plate provided in the bottom of this stem
104
a.
A rotary contact carrier
104
is a member wherein a stem
104
a
is slidably engaged with a square shaped internal cavity portion
102
a
(FIG.
16
B). Rotation of an actuator cam follower
102
accompanying reciprocal operation of a pushbutton
100
is transmitted to the stem
104
a
through the square shaped internal cavity portion
102
a
. Then, a rotary contact element
105
carries out predetermined angle (predetermined-number-step) rotation with the result that the electric connection and electrical isolation of the electric contact elements
106
a
,
106
b
, and
106
c
, which are the electrodes provided in the stationary contact housing portion
106
(FIG.
13
), are affected. Then, alternate ON/OFF switching action is affected.
Incidentally, lubricant, such as grease, is applied to the inner part of the stationary contact housing
106
to thereby allow electric contact elements
106
a
,
106
b
, and
106
c
to be in less friction with a rotary contact element
105
at the time of sliding rotation.
Next, operation of a pushbutton switch disclosed in a JP-A-2-72526 will be discussed.
FIG. 18
is a schematic diagram, wherein cam mechanism constituted by an actuator housing
101
, a pushbutton
100
, and an actuator cam follower
102
is deployed in a plane view.
FIG. 18A
is a diagram showing the state where the pushbutton
100
is not pressed. The pushbutton
100
and the actuator cam follower
102
are urged upwardly by an actuator return spring
103
(not shown) and are fixed. Hereafter, this state is referred as upper dead center. In the upper dead center, slide guides
100
b
(FIG.
15
A and
FIG. 15B
) and cam follower guides
102
f
(
FIG. 16
) are engaged with guide recess portions
101
c
(FIG.
14
). Further, a saw tooth
100
c
of a pushbutton
100
and a saw tooth
102
c
of an actuator cam follower
102
contact with each other by mutual cam sides
100
e
and
102
e
with a state that the phase thereof is offset. This is because, as described hereinbefore, in a pushbutton
100
, the central axis of slide guides
100
b
is provided to pass through the apex
100
d
(FIG.
15
A), whereas in an actuator cam follower
102
, the central axis of the cam follower guides
102
f
is provided to be offset from the apex
102
d
of a saw tooth
102
c
(FIG.
16
A).
When a pushbutton
100
is pre

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