Individual acoustic wave switch

• US 20040227740A1
• Filed: 05/12/2003
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texzec, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Bremigan, Charles F. III, Knowles, Terence J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,307,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/177
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96011 with propagation, SAW or BAW

Abstract

An individual acoustic wave switch includes a body with a top section having an acoustic wave cavity formed therein and a base section extending downwardly from the top section. An acoustic wave transducer is mounted adjacent to a surface of the acoustic wave cavity opposite the touch surface thereof so as to generate an acoustic wave in the acoustic wave cavity and to pick up a signal representing the acoustic wave energy in the cavity. The acoustic wave switch is readily mounted in an aperture of a substrate through which the base of the switch extends.

Claims

1. An acoustic wave switch comprising:

a body with a top section having an acoustic wave cavity formed therein with a touch surface for actuating the switch, the body having a base section extending downwardly from the top section and the top section having a flange extending beyond the base section; and

an acoustic wave transducer mounted on the body adjacent a surface of the acoustic wave cavity opposite the touch surface thereof.

2. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 1 wherein the base section is hollow and the acoustic wave transducer is mounted in the base section.

3. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 1 wherein the acoustic wave transducer is mounted directly on the surface of the acoustic wave cavity opposite the touch surface.

4. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 1 wherein the acoustic wave transducer is an electromagnetic acoustic transducer.

5. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 1 wherein the acoustic wave cavity includes a centrally located raised area.

6. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 1 wherein the acoustic wave cavity includes a dome surface.

7. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 6 wherein the flange includes a thickness greater than the peak thickness of the dome.

8. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 6 wherein the top surface includes an area of reduced thickness between the dome surface and the flange.

9. An acoustic wave switch comprising:

a body having a base section with a thread on at least a portion of an outer surface thereof and a top section with a flange extending beyond the base section and an acoustic wave cavity with a touch surface for actuating the switch formed in the top section; and

an acoustic wave transducer adjacent a surface of the acoustic wave cavity opposite the touch surface, the transducer generating an acoustic wave in the cavity.

10. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 9 wherein the acoustic wave transducer is mounted directly on the surface of the acoustic wave cavity opposite the touch surface.

11. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 9 wherein the acoustic wave transducer is an electromagnetic acoustic transducer.

12. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 9 wherein the acoustic wave cavity includes a centrally located raised area.

13. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 9 wherein the acoustic wave cavity includes a dome surface.

14. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 13 wherein the flange includes a thickness greater than the peak thickness of the dome.

15. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 13 wherein the top surface includes an area of reduced thickness between the dome surface and the flange.

16. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 9 wherein the flange is tapered.

17. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 9 wherein the base section includes a portion with a hexagonal outer surface, the hexagonal portion being disposed below the threaded portion.

18. An acoustic wave switch comprising:

a body having a hollow base section with a thread on at least a portion of an outer surface thereof, the hollow base section extending downwardly from a top section with a flange extending beyond the base section and an acoustic wave cavity with a touch surface for actuating the switch formed in the top section; and

an acoustic wave transducer mounted in the hollow base section adjacent a surface of the acoustic wave cavity opposite the touch surface.

19. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 18 wherein the acoustic wave transducer is mounted directly on the surface of the acoustic wave cavity opposite the touch surface.

20. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 18 wherein the acoustic wave transducer is an electromagnetic acoustic transducer.

21. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 18 wherein the acoustic wave cavity includes a centrally located raised area.

22. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 18 wherein the acoustic wave cavity includes a dome surface.

23. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 22 wherein the flange includes a thickness greater than the peak thickness of the dome.

24. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 22 wherein the top surface includes an area of reduced thickness between the dome surface and the flange.

25. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 18 wherein the flange is tapered.

26. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 18 wherein the base section includes a portion with a hexagonal outer surface, the hexagonal portion being disposed below the threaded portion.

27. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 18 wherein the flange includes an aperture therein to accommodate an O-ring.

28. An acoustic wave switch comprising:

a body having a base section with a thread on at least a portion of an outer surface thereof and a top section having an acoustic wave cavity formed therein with a touch surface actuating the switch; and

an acoustic wave transducer adjacent a surface of the acoustic wave cavity opposite the touch surface, the transducer generating an acoustic wave in the cavity.

29. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 28 wherein the acoustic wave transducer is mounted directly on the surface of the acoustic wave cavity opposite the touch surface.

30. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 28 wherein the acoustic wave transducer is an electromagnetic acoustic transducer.

31. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 28 wherein the acoustic wave cavity includes a dome surface.

32. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 28 wherein the base section includes a portion with a hexagonal outer surface, the hexagonal portion being disposed below the threaded portion.

33. An acoustic wave switch as recited in claim 28 wherein the base section is hollow and the acoustic wave transducer is mounted in the base section.