PUSHBUTTON SWITCH MEMBER

• US 20180190445A1
• Filed: 06/17/2016
• Published: 07/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shin-Etsu Polymer Company Limited (Shin-Etsu Chemical Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Shin-Etsu Polymer Company Limited (Shin-Etsu Chemical Company Limited)
• Granted Patent: US 10,403,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/023 Light-emitting indicators for multi-layer switches H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/14 Operating parts, e.g. push-button
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/26 Snap-action arrangements depending upon deformation of elastic members
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/48 using buckling of disc springs
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/52 the contact returning to its original state immediately upon removal of operating force, e.g. bell-push switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/66 the operating member having only two positions
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/006 Only mechanical function

Abstract

A pushbutton switch member has a dome-shaped movable contact and an operation key facing and separated from a movable contact. Pushing the operation key toward the movable contact causes the movable contact to electrically connect at least two contacts on a substrate. The operation key is provided with: a key; a dome connected with an outer periphery of the key, and deformable by pushing of the key toward the substrate; and a foot connected with an outer periphery of the dome, and fixed on the substrate. The movable contact is provided with: an upper contact spaced apart from a site directly below the key, and which makes contact with a contact when the key is pushed in; and an outer fixing part disposed at the upper contact, or further outside thereof in the radial direction, and fixed outside of the key in the radial direction.

Claims

1. A pushbutton switch member comprising:

a dome-shaped movable contact; and

an operation key disposed on a protrusion side of the movable contact, the operation key being opposite to and spaced apart from the movable contact, wherein

pushing the operation key toward the movable contact causes the movable contact to electrically connect at least two contacts on a substrate,

the operation key includes;

a key body;

a dome part connected with an outer periphery of the key body and deformable by pushing of the key body toward the substrate;

a foot part connected with an outer periphery of the dome part and fixed on the substrate, and

the movable contact includes;

an upper contact part spaced apart from a site directly below the key body and configured to contact with a contact of the at least two contacts when the key body is pushed in; and

an outer fixing part disposed at the upper contact part or outside of the upper contact part in a radial direction and fixed outside of the key body of the operation key in the radial direction.

2. The pushbutton switch member of claim 1, wherein the movable contact further includes an outer contact part disposed outside of the upper contact part in the radial direction of the movable contact and opposite to another contact of the at least two contacts in a contact or non-contact manner, the other contact being disposed outside of the contact configured to contact with the upper contact part in the radial direction, the outer contact part being configured to contact with the other contact when the key body is pushed in.

3. The pushbutton switch member of claim 1, wherein

the operation key includes, between the dome part and the foot part, one or more intermediate parts facing to the substrate with a gap interposed therebetween, and

the movable contact is disposed such that the outer fixing part is fixed to the intermediate part.

4. The pushbutton switch member of claim 1, wherein the outer fixing part is fixed to the dome part of the operation key.

5. The pushbutton switch member of claim 1, wherein the movable contact includes a first through-hole in a region including a central part in plan view and contacts with the key body at a periphery of the first through-hole when the operation key is pushed in.

6. The pushbutton switch member of claim 5, wherein light can be transmitted through the first through-hole from an illumination means provided inside of the contacts on the substrate in the radial direction.

7. The pushbutton switch member of claim 6, wherein

the operation key includes, at a lower part of the key body, a recess in which the illumination means is housed when the key body is moved downward, and

at least a portion of the operation key is translucent.

8. The pushbutton switch member of claim 1, wherein the operation key includes, at the key body, a second through-hole penetrating from outside of the key body toward the movable contact.

9. The pushbutton switch member of claim 8, wherein a translucent material is buried partially or entirely in the second through-hole in a length direction of the second through-hole.

10. The pushbutton switch member of claim 1, wherein the operation key is made of a translucent material.

11. The pushbutton switch member of claim 6, wherein a light-shielding layer is partially provided at least on a top surface of the key body.

12. The pushbutton switch member of claim 1, wherein the key body has such a multi-layer structure that a top surface side of the key body and a movable contact side of the key body are made of materials having different hardness values.