Multi-position electrical switch

• US 4,476,356 A
• Filed: 09/19/1983
• Issued: 10/09/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Murakami Kaimeido Company Limited 12-25 Miyamotocho Shizuka-Shi Shizuka-Ken
• Original Assignee: Murakami Kaimedio Company Limited
• Inventors: Nakayama, Kiyoshi, Muto, Tadayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shepperd, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kidorf, Renee S.
• Application Number:
  US06/533,296
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 200/6 A, 200/153 K, 200/264
• US Class Current: 200/6.00A
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/012 Application rear view mirror
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/041 having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls

Abstract

A multi-position switch suitable for use as a remote control switch for electrically operated rearview mirrors of a motor vehicle. The switch of the invention comprises fixed contact components in the form of printed circuits disposed on an insulating base plate, a pressure-sensitive conductive rubber sheet (which becomes conductive only when and where it is pressed) being laid over the fixed contact components, whereby the fixed contact components and the rubber sheet forming switch elements, and an operating button adapted to be tilted with respect to the rubber sheet and having a tendency to return to its original position. Therefore, the switch of the invention can have a flat, thin shape. Also, the switch is easy to assemble and has satisfactory reliability because it consists of a small number of component parts. Furthermore, the operating button is adapted to have a tilting stroke and make clicks, so that the switch of the invention is easy to use and gives a reassuring feeling of use.

Claims

1. A multi-position electrical switch comprising:

a housing

an electrical insulating base plate disposed in the bottom of said housing,

printed circuit electrodes arranged on said base plate so that a pair of electrodes is respectively disposed on each side of a rectangle,

a pressure-sensitive conductive rubber sheet laminated on the upper portion of said printed circuit electrodes and forming power source polarity changing switches by contacting and pressing said electrodes,

a supporting plate disposed over said rubber sheet, having a ball of a ball-and-socket joint at the center thereof and having a plurality of openings therein,

an operating button disposed in a space surrounded by said housing and tiltably mounted on said ball, the section of said operating button facing said supporting plate being formed in the shape of a frustum of a pyramid and having its vertex on the vertical axis of said ball-and-socket joint, each of the four faces of said pyramidal section of said operating button having raised pressing surfaces, said pressing surfaces engaging said rubber sheet at points by protruding through corresponding openings in said supporting plate when said operating button is tilted, the ball of said joint having pins crosswise of the vertical axis of said ball, the socket of said joint having grooves corresponding to said pins, said grooves being slightly narrower than the diameter of said pins, said pins and said grooves coacting to urge said operating button toward its untilted position.

2. A multi-position electrical switch comprising:

a housing

an electrical insulating base plate disposed on the bottom of said housing

printed circuit electrodes arranged on said base plate so that a pair of electrodes are respectively disposed on each side of a rectangle,

a pressure-sensitive conductive rubber sheet laminated over the upper portion of said printed circuit electrodes and forming power source polarity changing switches by contacting and pressing said electrodes,

a supporting plate of rectangular shape disposed over said rubber sheet, said supporting plate having a protruding ball at the center thereof and being perforated with openings of the same number as that of said switch elements, said openings being separated by diagonal members extending radially from the center of the surface of said plate, and

an operating button disposed in a space surrounded by said housing on said supporting plate, said operating button having a socket forming a ball-and-socket joint upon engaging with the ball of said supporting plate, the bottom section of said operating button being in the shape of a frustum of a pyramid having a vertex on the vertical axis of said ball, and having four faces and four corner lines where said faces meet, the four faces of said frustum of a pyramid being provided with pressing surfaces protruding from the surface of each face which press against said rubber sheet upon engagement through said openings of said supporting plate by the pressing action when said operating button is depressed.

3. A switch as claimed in claim 2, wherein said supporting plate is provided with a pair of openings formed in the shape of a trapezoid symmetrical to each of the four sides of said plate, and said operating button is respectively provided with a pair of protruding pressing surfaces on each face of said frustum of a pyramid formed symmetrically in the shape of a trapezoid to engage said openings in said supporting plate.

4. A switch as claimed in claim 2, wherein a slide block type two button push button switch for changeover between a right-hand mirror and a left-hand mirror is provided on said housing.

5. A multi-position electrical switch comprising

an electrical insulating base plate

fixed contact components each consisting of a pair of printed circuit electrodes disposed on said insulating base plate so as to be opposed to each other.

a pressure-sensitive conductive rubber sheet laid over said fixed contact components, said fixed contact components and said pressure-sensitive conductive rubber sheet forming switch elements,

a supporting plate disposed over said rubber sheet, having at the center thereof a ball of a ball-and-socket joint and having a plurality of openings therein, and

an operating button for operating said switch elements, the lower section of said operating button having the shape of the frustum of a pyramid, said button being supported at its vertex on said ball of a ball-and-socket joint and being tiltable thereon with respect to said pressure-sensitive conductive rubber sheet,

each of the four faces of said frustum of a pyramid having pressing surfaces corresponding to said openings in said supporting plate and each of said four faces corresponding to two of said switch elements, said switch elements forming two switch means for changing the polarity of the electric power source.

6. A multi-position electrical switch as claimed in claim 5, wherein the ball of said ball-and-socket joint is provided with pins crosswise of the vertical axis of said ball and the socket of said joint is provided with grooves being slightly narrower than the diameter of said pins, said pins and grooves co-acting to urge said operating button toward its untilted position.