U.S. patent number 3,717,737 [Application Number 05/159,450] was granted by the patent office on 1973-02-20 for resilient omnidirectional push-button for an electrical switch.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Alps Electric Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Takemi Shimojo.
United States Patent |
3,717,737 |
Shimojo |
February 20, 1973 |
RESILIENT OMNIDIRECTIONAL PUSH-BUTTON FOR AN ELECTRICAL SWITCH
Abstract
An omnidirectional push-button for a switch has a resilient
inverted cup member with thin sides and a relatively thick base.
The sides become thinner as they approach the top portion of the
push-button. A cap is positioned across the recess of the cup
member, while a base fixed to a substrate is connected on the
bottom portion of the cup member adjacent an electrical
circuit.
Inventors: |
Shimojo; Takemi (Tokyo,
JA) |
Assignee: |
Alps Electric Co., Ltd. (Tokyo,
JA)
|
Family
ID: |
13327663 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/159,450 |
Filed: |
July 2, 1971 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Jul 4, 1970 [JA] |
|
|
45/66848 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
200/515 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01H
13/702 (20130101); H01H 13/14 (20130101); H01H
13/703 (20130101); H01H 2217/01 (20130101); H01H
2211/028 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01H
13/70 (20060101); H01H 13/702 (20060101); H01H
13/14 (20060101); H01h 013/04 (); H01h
013/52 () |
Field of
Search: |
;200/159B |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24,881 |
|
Dec 1905 |
|
SW |
|
1,216,717 |
|
Feb 1959 |
|
FR |
|
1,135,110 |
|
Nov 1955 |
|
FR |
|
1,124,333 |
|
Aug 1968 |
|
EN |
|
Primary Examiner: Schaefer; Robert K.
Assistant Examiner: Vanderhye; Robert A.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An omnidirectional push-button for a switch comprising a
resilient inverted cup member having an M-shaped cross section
including a relatively thick, inner, central base portion, a
relatively thick peripheral edge forming an annular outer base
portion of bulbular shape and an annular inverted U-shaped wall
joining the peripheral edge to said central base portion with the
sides of said U-shaped wall being gradually thinner towards the top
of the inverted cup, said central base portion and said wall
forming a central recessed top portion, and a cap spanning said
recess and connecting opposed sides of said annular wall; whereby
regardless of where the top of said push-button is pressed and in
which direction, the central, inner base portion moves toward a
contact plane defined by said peripheral edge with its bottom
surface maintained coplanar therewith.
2. An omnidirectional push-button as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the cap has a conduit permitting equalization of pressure from the
exterior to the interior of the recess.
3. An omnidirectional push-button as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the cup is formed of rubber.
4. An omnidirectional push-button as claimed in claim 2 wherein the
central base portion defining said recess has a bottom portion
which is relatively thick compared to the wall and has a
rectangular cross-sectional shape.
5. An omnidirectional push-button as claimed in claim 4 wherein an
electrical conductive member spans the bottom portion of said
central base portion.
6. An omnidirectional push-button as claimed in claim 5, wherein
said switch includes a printed circuit board supporting and
connected to the relatively thick peripheral edge of the resilient
cup with said electrically conductive member overlying said printed
circuit board and normally spaced therefrom.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an omnidirectional push-button for
an electrical connection of various components of a circuit, and
more particularly to the structure of the omnidirectional
push-button used to open or close a printed wire circuit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Generally, push-buttons associated with printed wire circuits have
been generally rigid permitting movement only in a single direction
and relatively complex and expensive. Even when resilient material
has been utilized, the push-button is generally only operative in a
single direction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is designed to provide an omnidirectional
movement to the push-button so that even if the push-button is
depressed in an oblique fashion with respect to the contact, that
it will still provide a positive opening or closing of an
electrical circuit. The present invention is designed to provide an
omnidirectional push-button connected to an electroconductive
member capable of providing a positive contact with a printed wire
circuit so as to either open or close the circuit even if the
push-button is not depressed vertically with respect to the
electroconductive member. According to the preferred form of the
present invention, there is provided an omnidirectional push-button
for a switch which comprises a resilient inverted cup member having
a relatively thick base with gradually thinner sides that become
thinner in the upper portion of the push-button. The push-button
has a recess on the top with a cap disposed over the recess. The
bottom portion of the cup carries an electroconductive member,
while the base of the cup is fixed to the substrate of the
switch.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become
more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of the omnidirectional
push-button of the present invention, and
FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the electroconductive
member and the printed wiring circuit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, a resilient member formed from appropriate
material having elastic characteristics such as rubber, has a
cross-sectional shape approximating a sinusoidal or M-shaped form.
The resilient member 1 can be considered an inverted cup shape
having a central recess with the sides of the inverted cup being
thinner as it extends away from the base portion. The base portion
has a relatively bulbular cross-sectional shape and is adapted to
be connected or attached by appropriate means to the substrate of
the printed wiring circuit. The recess carries a central portion
that has a rectangular cross-sectional shape. The recess in the
resilient member 1 is covered by a cap 3 having an opening 3' which
provides a conduit to the atmosphere, thus permitting the
cup-shaped resilient member to retain fully its resilient
characteristics.
A holder 4 is attached to the bottom portion of the central recess
and fixes an electroconductive member 2 to the resilient member 1.
The resilient member 1 is fixed onto the printed circuit 5 formed
on the printing substrate 6 by appropriate connection.
By virtue of the design of the resilient member 1 adequate
connection can be made to the printed circuit 5 via the relatively
thick bulbular portion of the resilient member 1. The upper thinner
walls assure the resiliency to permit omnidirectional movement,
while the relatively thicker central recess portion provides an
adequate base with which to affix the electroconductive member
2.
As disclosed in FIG. 2, no matter what direction the force is
applied to the cap 3, the resilient member 1 permits a relatively
vertical movement of the electroconductive member 2 to provide the
electrical contact on the printed circuit 5. By virtue of this
design, a relatively inexpensive, but versatile, omnidirectional
push-button switch is provided.
While the above description discloses the preferred embodiment, it
is clear that craftsmen skilled in the art can make minor
modifications of the present invention and accordingly, the scope
of the present invention should be measured in light of the
following claims.
* * * * *