Variable capacitance type push-button switch

• US 4,423,464 A
• Filed: 04/13/1981
• Issued: 12/27/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Endo, Yasushi, Tamura, Ryutaro
• Primary Examiner(s): GRIFFIN, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US06/253,588
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 361/288, 361/323
• US Class Current: 361/288
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 5/0134 Solid dielectrics
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/975 using a capacitive movable element

Abstract

A capacitance type push-button switch which includes a movable member carried by the lower end of a key stem and including a holding member made of an elastic material of high compressibility and having a convex lower surface, a movable electrode made of an electrically conductive and flexible material held to the lower surface of the holding member, a dielectric film carried by the movable electrode and comprised of a synthetic resin of a fluoride type which can be brought into contact with two stationary electrodes to vary the capacitance therebetween, means including a pair of suspending pieces each carrying at their lower end portions a respective pawl adapted to engage the holding member when it is raised to its upper position for holding it in place, and means for releasing the pawls to bring the dielectric film into pressed contact with the stationary electrodes.

Claims

1. In a variable capacitance type push-button switch comprising a case made of an insulating material;

an insulating substrate held to said case and carrying stationary electrodes;

a key stem movable vertically within said case; and

a movable member carried by the lower end of said key stem;

the improvement wherein said movable member includes a holding member made of an elastic material of high compressibility and having a lower surface substantially convex in section, a movable electrode made of an electrically conductive and flexible material held to said lower surface of said holding member, and a dielectric film carried by said movable electrode and comprised of a synthetic resin of a fluoride type having a relative premittivity of at least eight; and

means for depressing said key stem to bring said movable member into engagement with said substrate to deform said lower surface into a more planar configuration and press said dielectric film into pressed contact with said stationary electrodes.

2. A variable capacitance type push-button switch as defined in claim 1, wherein the dielectric film is a homopolymer produced by polymerizing one monomer selected from the group consisting of vinyl fluoride, vinylidene fluoride, ethylene trifluoride and vinylidene chlorofluoride.

3. A variable capacitance type push-button switch as defined in claim 1, wherein the dielectric film is made of polyvinylidene fluoride.

4. A variable capacitance type push-button switch as defined in claim 3, wherein the dielectric film made of polyvinylidene fluoride is formed by biaxial drawing and has a relative permittivity in the range of 10 to 13 at 1 kHz at normal temperature.

5. A variable capacitance type push-button switch as defined in claim 1, wherein the dielectric film is made of a copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and another monomer.

6. A variable capacitance type push-button switch as defined in claim 5, wherein the dielectric film is made of a copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and ethylene trifluoride.

7. A variable capacitance type push-button switch as defined in claim 1, said case including a pair of suspending pieces extending downwardly from a top surface thereof and each carrying at their lower end portions a respective pawl adapted to engage said holding member when it is raised to its upper position.

8. A variable capacitance type push-button switch comprising a case made of an insulating material;

an insulating substrate held to said case and carrying stationary electrodes;

a key stem movable vertically within said case; and

a movable member carried by the lower end of said key stem;

the improvement wherein said movable member includes a holding member made of an elastic material of high compressibility, a movable electrode made of an electrically conductive and flexible material held to said holding member, and a dielectric film formed on the lower surface of said movable electrode and comprised of a synthetic resin of a fluoride type;

means including a pair of suspending pieces extending downwardly from a top surface of said case and each carrying at their lower end portions a respective pawl adapted to engage said holding member when it is raised to its upper position for holding it in place; and

means for depressing said key stem to release said holding member from said pawls to bring said movable member into engagement with said substrate to bring said dielectric film into pressed contact with said stationary electrodes.

9. A variable capacitance type push-button switch as defined in claim 8, wherein the dielectric film is a homopolymer produced by polmerizing one monomer selected from the group consisting of vinyl fluoride, vinylidene fluoride, etyhlene trifluoride and vinylidene chlorofluoride.

10. A variable capacitance type push-button switch as defined in claim 8, wherein the dielectric film is made of polyvinylidene fluoride.

11. A variable capacitance type push-button switch as defined in claim 10, wherein the dielectric film made of polyvinylidene fluoride is formed by biaxial drawing and has a relative premittivity in the range of 10 to 13 at 1 kHz at normal temperture.

12. A variable capacitance type push-button switch as defined in claim 8, wherein the dielectric film is made of a copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and another monomer.

13. A variable capacitance type push-button switch as defined in claim 12, wherein the dielectric film is made of a copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and ethylene trifluoride.