SWITCH DEVICE

• US 20140069788A1
• Filed: 08/29/2013
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: HISADA, Masahito, KOBAYASHI, Makoto, KITAGAWA, Nobuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 9,336,972 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/332
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/008 Part of substrate or membrane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/003 with more than one electrically distinguishable condition in one or both positions
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/24 with two operating positions
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/01 Application power window

Abstract

A switch device includes a lever and a pusher. The pusher includes a surface that contacts the lever. When force is applied from the lever to the pusher, an inclined surface of the pusher produces a force that moves the pusher from a one-side pushing position to a two-side pushing position. This allows for a user to apply a smaller force to the lever in order to move the pusher from the one-side pushing position to the two-side pushing position and thereby push two switch units.

Claims

1. A switch device comprising:

a substrate;

a first switch unit and a second switch unit separated from each other and arranged on the substrate;

a pusher that is movable to any one of an initial position where the pusher does not any push one of the first and second switch units, a one-side pushing position where the pusher pushes only the first switch unit, and a two-side pushing position where the pusher pushes both of the first and second switch units; and

a lever that comes into contact with the pusher when tilted by a user and moves the pusher from the initial position to the one-side pushing position, wherein when the pusher is located at the one-side pushing position and the lever is further tilted by the user, the lever moves the pusher from the one-side pushing position to the two-side pushing position, wherein

the pusher includes a contact surface that comes into contact with the lever, and

the contact surface is shaped so that force applied from the lever to the pusher produces a force that moves the pusher from the one-side pushing position to the two-side pushing position.

2. The switch device according to claim 1, wherein

the contact surface includes an inclined surface that is inclined toward the first switch unit relative to a hypothetical level plane on the contact surface, and

the inclined surface is inclined at an inclination angle that increases the force moving the pusher from the one-side pushing position to the two-side pushing position relative to the force applied from the lever to the pusher.

3. The switch device according to claim 2, wherein the pusher is symmetric in a direction orthogonal to an axis of the lever.

4. The switch device according to claim 2, wherein the inclination angle is 2°

to 5°

.

5. The switch device according to claim 1, wherein

the contact surface includes a curved surface curved toward the first switch unit relative to a hypothetical level plane on the contact surface, and

the curved surface has a radius of curvature that increases the force moving the pusher from the one-side pushing position to the two-side pushing position relative to the force applied from the lever to the pusher.

6. A switch device comprising:

a substrate;

a first switch unit and a second switch unit separated from each other and arranged on the substrate;

a pusher arranged on the substrate and including a lower end capable of pushing the first and second switch units and an upper end opposite to the lower end, wherein the pusher is movable to any one of an initial position where the pusher does not push any one of the first and second switch units, a one-side pushing position where the pusher pushes only the first switch unit, and a two-side pushing position where the pusher pushes both of the first and second switch unit; and

a lever arranged on the pusher, wherein the lever pushes the upper end of the pusher when tilted by a user and moves the pusher from the initial position to the one-side pushing position, and when the pusher is located at the one-side pushing position and the lever is further tilted by the user, the lever moves the pusher from the one-side pushing position to the two-side pushing position, wherein

the upper end of the pusher includes a contact surface at a location pushed by the lever,

the contact surface is inclined so that a distance from the lever to the pusher increases as a middle portion of the upper end becomes farther.