Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Solid contact – Membrane type
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-18
2001-03-13
Friedhofer, Michael (Department: 2832)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Solid contact
Membrane type
C200S517000, C200S343000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06201202
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the structure of a switch operating rubber member for pressing a switch section composed of an electrically conductive section and a pattern on a substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 9
,
10
A and
10
B show cross-sectional views of the structure of a push type switch as an example of conventional push type switches. The push type switch mainly comprises main bodies
51
and
61
, operation buttons
52
and
62
which are movable in an up and down direction, diaphragm
53
and
63
, and printed circuit boards
55
and
65
having electrical contacts
55
a
and
65
a
. In this push switch, when the operation buttons
52
and
62
are pressed, the electrically conductive rubbers
54
and
64
come into contact with the electrical contacts
55
a
and
65
a
, whereby an ON signal is output.
However, in the push type switch shown in
FIG. 9
, the stroke of the operation button
52
is determined by the contact pattern disposed below it such that the switch cannot be operated by pressing the button through a stroke having a length other than a predetermined amount. Further, it is difficult to dispose the switch in a thin space because the diaphragm
53
, the electrically conductive rubber
54
and the printed circuit board
55
are disposed below the operation button in an overlapped state.
Further, in the push type switch shown in
FIGS. 10A and 10B
, when the operation button
62
is pressed as shown in
FIG. 10B
, which shows the turned-ON state of the switch, there is a possibility that the diaphragm
63
is unevenly flexed and the operation button
62
is inclined. When the operation button
62
is inclined, there is a possibility for the occurrence of a disadvantage in which the operation button
62
is caught by the inner wall of the main body
61
so that the operation button
62
cannot be returned to its original position even if the pressing force is released therefrom. Conventionally, it is an ordinary practice to make the operation button guide section of the main body
61
thicker toward the outside as well as to increase the length of the operation button
62
to prevent the operation button
62
from becoming caught under the main body, which makes the miniaturization of such equipment difficult.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention, which was made to solve the aforesaid disadvantage, is to provide a switch operating rubber member or a switch device by which a switch operating stroke can be decreased or increased, the thickness of a switch mechanical unit can be reduced and the drawback in which the operation button cannot be returned to its original position can be prevented.
A switch operating rubber member of the present invention is deformed upon being pressed to operate a switch by causing electrical contacts to contact each other to thereby enable electrical conduction therebetween. The switch operating rubber member comprises an approximately flat-sheet-shaped substrate section; a turning section which turns with respect to the substrate section by being pressed when the switch is pressed; a first coupling section which elastically deforms with respect to the substrate section when the turning section is turned for coupling the substrate section with the turning section along the turning axis thereof; a second coupling section which elastically deforms with respect to the substrate section in association with the turning motion of the turning section for coupling the substrate section with the turning section at the displacing portion thereof which is distanced from the turning axis, wherein when the turning section is pressed, the turning section is turned because the first coupling section acts as the turning axis of the turning section by being elastically deformed, and the second coupling section is flexed to a greater extent than the first coupling section to thereby permit the turning motion of the turning section.
Further, a switch device of the present invention comprises a swing support section composed of a rubber material; a swing section composed of a rubber material and swingably turnable with respect to the swing support section, the swing section including a portion to be pressed and also a contact portion. In the switch device, when the portion to be pressed is pressed, the swing section is swung and turned to thereby cause the contact portion to come into contact with electrical contacts, whereby the turned-ON state of the switch device can be obtained.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3982081 (1976-09-01), Demler, Jr.
patent: 4190748 (1980-02-01), Langford
patent: 4492829 (1985-01-01), Rodrique
patent: 4687200 (1987-08-01), Shirai
patent: 4766271 (1988-08-01), Mitsuhashi et al.
patent: 5278374 (1994-01-01), Takagi et al.
patent: 5874697 (1999-02-01), Selker et al.
Friedhofer Michael
Olympus Optical Co,. Ltd.
Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen, LLP
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