SWITCH DEVICE

• US 20150213975A1
• Filed: 07/09/2014
• Published: 07/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Inventors: ZHENG, Yong-Liang
• Granted Patent: US 9,583,287 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/023 Light-emitting indicators for multi-layer switches H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/58 with contact-driving member rotated step-wise in one direction
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/80 characterised by the manner of cooperation of the contacts, e.g. with both contacts movable or with bounceless contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/86 characterised by the casing, e.g. sealed casings or casings reducible in size
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/036 Light emitting elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/039 Selective or different modes of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/01 also rotatable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/024 Transmission element
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/036 Return force
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/00 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/161 comprising light emitting elements

Abstract

A switch device includes a circuit module and a pressing module. The circuit module includes a plurality of pushbuttons and a light-emitting member that emits light having different colors when the pushbuttons are pressed. The pressing module includes an operating unit, a driven member and a pressing member. The driven member is moved alternately to a retracted position and a projecting position as a result of depression of the operating unit. The pressing member is connected to the driven member to press one of the pushbuttons when the driven member is at the projecting position, such that one of the colors of the light corresponding to the one of the pushbuttons is visible through the operating unit.

Claims

1. A switch device comprising:

a circuit module including

a circuit board,

a light-emitting member that is disposed on said circuit board, and

a plurality of angularly spaced-apart pushbuttons that are disposed on said circuit board, and that surround said light-emitting member, said pushbuttons being capable of being pressed to activate said light-emitting member to emit light having different colors that correspond respectively to said pushbuttons; and

a pressing module including

a casing that defines a through hole therethrough, said through hole extending along an axis and having first and second end openings that are opposite to each other along the axis, said through hole being aligned with said light-emitting member, said second end opening being disposed between said first end opening and said light-emitting member,

an operating unit that is partially mounted in and movable along said through hole, and that includes an operating section disposed outwardly of said through hole near said first end opening for being pressed, said operating section being at least partially transparent,

a driven unit that includes a driven member mounted in said through hole and being movable along and rotatable about the axis, said operating unit pushing said driven member upon pressing said operating section, said driven member rotating by a rotational angle in response to each depression of said operating section, and being moved alternately to a retracted position and a projecting position as a result of rotating by the rotational angle, the retracted position being closer to said first end opening than the projecting position, and

a pressing member that is connected fixedly to said driven member, and that has a pressing section disposed outwardly of said through hole near said second end opening, said pressing section pressing one of said pushbuttons when said driven member is at the projecting position, such that one of the colors of the light corresponding to the one of said pushbuttons is visible through said operating section of said operating unit, said pressing section being spaced apart from said pushbuttons when said driven member is at the retracted position.

2. The switch device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said casing has

a surrounding wall that has an inner surrounding surface defining said through hole, and

a plurality of angularly spaced-apart guide ribs that are formed on said inner surrounding surface, each of said guide ribs extending from a position proximate to said first end opening toward said second end opening in a direction parallel to the axis, and having a spirally-extending end surface that faces toward said second end opening, any two adjacent ones of said guide ribs cooperatively defining a guide groove therebetween; and

said driven member is urged toward said first end opening, and has a plurality of angularly spaced-apart protruding blocks, each of said protruding blocks having a spirally-extending end surface that faces toward said first end opening, said end surfaces of said protruding blocks being movable on said end surfaces of said guide ribs to rotate said driven member about the axis.

3. The switch device as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said guide grooves between said guide ribs are divided into deep ones, and shallow ones that are shallower than the deep ones in a radial direction of said through hole, the deep ones and shallow ones of said guide grooves being disposed in alternating arrangement, said casing further having a plurality of connecting walls that are formed on said inner surrounding surface, each of said connecting walls being connected between and thinner than two adjacent ones of said guide ribs, each of said connecting walls defining a bottom wall surface of a respective one of said shallow ones of said guide grooves, each of said connecting walls having a spirally-extending end surface that faces toward said second end opening and that is connected to said end surface of one of the two adjacent ones of said guide ribs; and

said driven member of said driven unit further has a ring body, said protruding blocks protruding radially and outwardly from said ring body, a protruding length of each of said protruding blocks in the radial direction being substantially equal to the depth of the deep ones of said guide grooves, said protruding blocks being respectively received in the deep ones of said guide grooves when said driven member is at the retracted position, said protruding blocks corresponding respectively in angular position to the shallow ones of said guide grooves so that said end surfaces of said protruding blocks respectively abut against said end surfaces of said connecting walls when said driven member is at the projecting position.

4. The switch device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said driven unit further includes a resilient member that is disposed between said casing and said driven member for urging said driven member toward said first end opening.

5. The switch device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said operating unit further includes an operating member that has:

a tubular section partially disposed in said casing and having an end that is connected to said operating section, and an opposite end that is opposite to said operating section and that is formed with a plurality of sharp teeth, and

a plurality of angularly spaced-apart sliding blocks protruding radially and outwardly from said tubular section, corresponding respectively in angular position to said teeth, and being retained respectively and slidably in said guide grooves so as to guide said operating member to move along the axis between a normal position where said teeth are farther from said second end opening than said end surfaces of said guide ribs, and a pressed position where said teeth are closer to said second end opening than said end surfaces of said guide ribs to push said driven member, so that said end surfaces of said protruding blocks of said driven member are able to be urged by said resilient member of said driven unit to move onto said end surfaces of said guide ribs to drive rotation of said driven member.

6. The switch device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said operating unit further includes a resilient member disposed between said operating member and said driven member for biasing said operating member toward the normal position.

7. The switch device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said pressing member further has:

a rod section that has an end connected fixedly to said driven member, and an opposite end opposite to said driven member and projecting outwardly of said through hole via said second end opening, and

a flange section that extends radially and outwardly from said opposite end of said rod section and that abuts against said casing when said driven member is at the retracted position, said pressing section projecting from an outer periphery of said flange section in a direction away from said driven member.

8. The switch device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said casing is formed with an inner flange, said resilient member of said operating unit and said resilient member of said driven unit being configured as compression springs, said resilient member of said driven unit surrounding said rod section of said pressing member and being sandwiched between said driven member and said inner flange of said casing.

9. The switch device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said driven member further has:

a cylindrical section that has an outer periphery connected to an inner periphery of said ring body and that is located between said ring body and said operating section of said operating member, and

a column section that extends from a central portion of said cylindrical section toward said operating section, said resilient member of said operating unit being sandwiched between said cylindrical section and said operating section of said operating member, said column section extending into said resilient member of said operating unit.

10. The switch device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said driven unit further includes a resilient member that is disposed between said casing and said driven member for urging said driven member toward said first end opening.

11. The switch device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said operating unit further includes an operating member that has:

a tubular section partially disposed in said casing and having an end that is connected to said operating section, and an opposite end that is opposite to said operating section and that is formed with a plurality of sharp teeth, and

a plurality of angularly spaced-apart sliding blocks protruding radially and outwardly from said tubular section, corresponding respectively in angular position to said teeth, and being retained respectively and slidably in said guide grooves so as to guide said operating member to move along the axis between a normal position where said teeth are farther from said second end opening than said end surfaces of said guide ribs, and a pressed position where said teeth are closer to said second end opening than said end surfaces of said guide ribs to push said driven member, so that said end surfaces of said protruding blocks of said driven member are able to be urged by said resilient member of said driven unit to move onto said end surfaces of said guide ribs to drive rotation of said driven member.

12. The switch device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said operating unit further includes a resilient member disposed between said operating member and said driven member for biasing said operating member toward the normal position.

13. The switch device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said pressing member further has:

a rod section that has an end connected fixedly to said driven member, and an opposite end opposite to said driven member and projecting outwardly of said through hole via said second end opening, and

a flange section that extends radially and outwardly from said opposite end of said rod section and that abuts against said casing when said driven member is at the retracted position, said pressing section projecting from an outer periphery of said flange section in a direction away from said driven member.

14. The switch device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said casing is formed with an inner flange, said resilient member of said operating unit and said resilient member of said driven unit being configured as compression springs, said resilient member of said driven unit surrounding said rod section of said pressing member and being sandwiched between said driven member and said inner flange of said casing.

15. The switch device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said operating unit further includes:

an operating member that has

a tubular section partially disposed in said casing and having an end that is connected to said operating section, and an opposite end that is opposite to said operating section and that is formed with a plurality of sharp teeth, and

a plurality of angularly spaced-apart sliding blocks protruding radially and outwardly from said tubular section, corresponding respectively in angular position to said teeth, and being retained respectively and slidably in said guide grooves so as to guide said operating member to move along the axis between a normal position where said teeth are farther from said second end opening than said end surfaces of said guide ribs, and a pressed position wherein said teeth are closer to said second end opening than said end surfaces of said guide ribs to push said driven member, so that said end surfaces of said protruding blocks of said driven member are able to be urged to move onto said end surfaces of said guide ribs to drive rotation of said driven member, and

a resilient member that is disposed between said operating member and said driven member for biasing said operating member toward the normal position.

16. The switch device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said pressing member further has

a rod section that has an end connected fixedly to said driven member, and an opposite end opposite to said driven member and projecting outwardly of said through hole via said second end opening, and

a flange section that extends radially and outwardly from said opposite end of said rod section and that abuts against said casing when said driven member is at the retracted position, said pressing section projecting from an outer periphery of said flange section in a direction away from said driven member.