Sensor switch

• US 4,525,606 A
• Filed: 01/28/1983
• Issued: 06/25/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ryoichi Sado
• Original Assignee: Ryoichi Sado
• Inventors: Sado, Ryoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellinen, A. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ginsburg, Morris
• Application Number:
  US06/462,071
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5 A, 200/86 R, 200/159 B, 200/292, 200/305
• US Class Current: 200/5.00A
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/703 characterised by spacers between contact carrying layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/016 Protection layer, e.g. for legend, anti-scratch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2211/01 Ink
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2211/014 universal
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/006 Different feeling for different switch sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2227/002 Layer thickness
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2227/024 Spacer elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2227/03 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/002 Screen printing
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/008 Static electricity considerations
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/03 Avoiding erroneous switching

Abstract

A sensor switch comprising a printed circuit base board provided with a plurality of stationary contacts on a surface thereof and a flexible sheet member consisting of a rubber-like elastic material provided with a plurality of movable contact faces and protrusions and/or rail-like protrusions on one side and so piled on the printed circuit base board that each movable contact face is faced to the stationary contact respectively, in order to assure favorable operation touch, high reliability and easiness of practical equipment.

Claims

1. A sensor switch, comprising:

a printed circuit base board provided on one side surface thereof with at least a pair of stationary contacts, and a flexible sheet member made of a rubber-like elastic material having a rubber hardness of 20 to 100 according to Physical Testing Methods for Vulcanized Rubber which is approved as Japanese Industrial Standard (hereafter, referred to as JIS K

     6301) and provided on one side surface thereof with at least a movable contact face having a rubber-like elasticity and provided with a plurality of columnar protrusions made of an electrically insulating pliable rubber-like elastic material and so piled on said printed circuit base board that said movable contact face is faced to said stationary contacts with a space maintained by said protrusions, each of said protrusions being 10 to 70 in rubber hardness (JIS K

     6301), 0.05 to 0.5 mm in height and 0.1 to 2 mm in diameter and being arranged adjacent each other with a spacing of 0.1 to 5 mm.

2. A sensor switch according to claim 1 further comprising an electrically conductive film piled on the surface opposing to the surface provided with said movable contact face of said flexible sheet member to prevent static electricity troubles.

3. A sensor switch according to claim 1 further comprising a light passing film piled on the surface opposing to the surface provided with said movable contact face of said flexible sheet member and having on one side surface thereof at least a push-position index.

4. A sensor switch according to claim 1 wherein the distribution density of said protrusions is partially different.

5. A sensor switch, comprising:

a printed circuit base board provided on one side surface thereof with at least a pair of stationary contacts, and a flexible sheet member made of a rubber-like elastic material having a rubber hardness of 20 to 100 according to Physical Testing Methods for Vulcanized Rubber which is approved as Japanese Industrial Standard (hereafter, referred to as JIS K

     6301) and provided on one side surface thereof with at least a movable contact face having a rubber-like elasticity and provided with a plurality of protrusions oval or elliptical in their cross-section made of an electrically insulating pliable rubber-like elastic material and so piled on said printed circuit base board that said movable contact face is faced to said stationary contacts with a space maintained by said protrusions, each of said protrusions being 10 to 70 in rubber hardness (JIS K

     6301), 0.05 to 0.5 mm in height and 0.1 to 2 mm in shorter diameter and being arranged adjacent each other with a spacing of 0.1 to 5 mm.

6. A sensor switch according to claim 5 further comprising an electrically conductive film piled on the surface opposing to the surface provided with said movable contact face of said flexible sheet member to prevent static electricity troubles.

7. A sensor switch according to claim 5 further comprising a light-passing film piled on the surface opposing to the surface provided with said movable contact face of said flexible sheet member and having on one side surface thereof at least a push-position index.

8. A sensor switch according to claim 5 wherein the distribution density of said protrusions is partially different.

9. A sensor switch, comprising:

a printed circuit base board provided on one side surface thereof with at least a pair of stationary contacts, and a flexible sheet member made of a rubber-like elastic material having a rubber hardness of 20 to 100 according to Physical Testing Methods for Vulcanized Rubber which is approved as Japanese Industrial Standard (hereafter, referred to as JIS K

     6301) and provided on one side surface thereof with at least a movable contact face having a rubber-like elasticity and provided with a plurality of protrusions rectangular in their cross section made of an electrically insulating pliable rubber-like elastic material and so piled on said printed circuit base board that said movable contact face is faced to said stationary contacts with a space maintained by said protrusions, each of said protrusions being 10 to 70 in rubber hardness (JIS K

     6301), 0.05 to 0.5 mm in height and 0.1 to 2 mm in length of the shorter side and being arranged adjacent each other with a spacing of 0.1 to 5 mm.

10. A sensor switch according to claim 9 further comprising an electrically conductive film piled on the surface opposing to the surface provided with said movable contact face of said flexible sheet member to prevent static electricity troubles.

11. A sensor switch according to claim 9 further comprising a light passing film piled on the surface opposing to the surface provided with said movable contact face of said flexible sheet member and having on one side surface thereof at least a push-position index.

12. A sensor switch according to claim 9 wherein the distribution density of said protrusions is partially different.

13. A sensor switch, comprising:

a printed circuit base board provided on one side surface thereof with at least a pair of stationary contacts, and a flexible sheet member made of a rubber-like elastic material having a rubber hardness of 20 to 100 according to Physical Testing Methods for Vulcanized Rubber which is approved as Japanese Industrial Standard (hereafter, referred to as JIS K

     6301) and provided on one side surface thereof with at least a movable contact face having a rubber-like elasticity and provided with a plurality of protrusions star-shaped in their cross-section made of an electrically insulating pliable rubber-like elastic materal and so piled on said printed circuit base board that said movable contact face is faced to said stationary contacts with a space maintained by said protrusions, each of said protrusions being 10 to 70 in rubber hardness (JIS K

     6301), 0.05 to 0.5 mm in height and 0.1 to 2 mm in length between two opposing concaved sides and being arranged adjacent each other with a spacing of 0.1 to 5 mm.

14. A sensor switch according to claim 13 further comprising an electrically conductive film piled on the surface opposing to the surface provided with said movable contact face of said flexible sheet member to prevent static electricity troubles.

15. A sensor switch according to claim 13 further comprising a light-passing film piled on the surface opposing to the surface provided with said movable contact face of said flexible sheet member and having on one side surface thereof at least a push position index.

16. A sensor switch according to claim 13 wherein the distribution density of said protrusions is partially different.

17. A sensor switch, comprising:

a printed circuit base board provided on one side surface thereof with at least a pair of stationary contacts, and a flexible sheet member made of a rubber-like elastic material having a rubber hardness of 20 to 100 according to Physical Testing Methods for Vulcanized Rubber which is approved as Japanese Industrial Standard (hereafter referred to as JIS K

     6301) and provided on one side surface thereof with at least a movable contact face having a rubber-like elasticity and provided with a plurality of protrusions triangular in their cross-section made of an electrically insulating pliable rubber-like elastic material and so piled on said printed circuit base board that said movable contact face is faced to said stationary contacts with a space maintained by said protrusions, each of said protrusions being 10 to 70 in rubber hardness (JIS K

     6301), 0.05 to 0.5 mm in height and 0.1 to 2 mm in length between one side and an apex opposed to said side and being arranged adjacent each other with a spacing of 0.1 to 0.5 mm.

18. A sensor switch according to claim 17 further comprising an electrically conductive film piled on the surface opposing to the surface provided with said movable contact face of said flexible sheet member to prevent static electricity troubles.

19. A sensor switch according to claim 17 further comprising a light passing film piled on the surface opposing to the surface provided with said movable contact face of said flexible sheet member and having on one side surface thereof at least a push-position index.

20. A sensor switch according to claim 17 wherein the distribution density of said protrusions in partially different.

21. A sensor switch, comprising:

a printed circuit base board provided on one side surface thereof with at least a pair of stationary contacts, and a flexible sheet member made of a rubber-like elastic material having a rubber hardness of 20 to 100 according to Physical Testing Methods for Vulcanized Rubber which is approved as Japanese Industrial Standard (hereafter, referred to as JIS K

     6301) and provided on one side surface thereof with at least a movable contact face having a rubber-like elasticity and provided with a plurality of protrusions L-shaped in their cross-section made of an electrically insulating pliable rubber-like elastic material and so piled on said printed circuit base board that said movable contact face is faced to said stationary contacts with a space maintained by said protrusions, each of said protrusions being 10 to 70 in rubber hardness (JIS K

     6301), 0.05 to 0.5 mm in height and 0.1 to 2 mm in minimum length between two side edges opposed to each other and being arranged adjacent each other with a spacing of 0.1 to 5 mm.

22. A sensor switch according to claim 21 further comprising an electrically conductive film piled on the surface opposing to the surface provided with said movable contact face of said flexible sheet member to prevent static electricity troubles.

23. A sensor switch according to claim 21 further comprising a light passing film piled on the surface opposing to the surface provided with said movable contact face of said flexible sheet member and having on one side surface thereof at least a push-position index.

24. A sensor switch according to claim 21 wherein the distribution density of said protrusions is partially different.

25. A sensor switch, comprising:

a printed circuit base board provided on one side surface thereof with at least a pair of stationary contacts, and a flexible sheet member made of a rubber-like elastic material having a rubber hardness of 20 to 100 according to Physical Testing Methods for Vulcanized Rubber which is approved as Japanese Industrical Standard (hereafter, referred to as JIS K

     6301) and provided on one side surface thereof with at least a movable contact face having a rubber-like elasticity and provided with a plurality of protrusions T-shaped in their cross-section made of an electrically insulating pliable rubber-like elastic material and so piled on said printed circuit base board that said movable contact face is faced to said stationary contacts with a space maintained by said protrusions, each of said protrusions being 10 to 70 in rubber hardness (JIS K

     6301), 0.05 to 0.5 mm in height and 0.1 to 2 mm in minimum length between two side edges opposed to each other and being arranged adjacent each other with a spacing of 0.1 to 5 mm.

26. A sensor switch according to claim 25 further comprising an electrically conductive film piled on the surface opposing to the surface provided with said movable contact face of said flexible sheet member to prevent static electricity troubles.

27. A sensor switch according to claim 25 further comprising a light passing film piled on the surface opposing to the surface provided with said movable contact face of said flexible sheet member and having on one side surface thereof at least a push-position index.

28. A sensor switch according to claim 25 wherein the distribution density of said protrusions is partially different.

29. A sensor switch, comprising:

a printed circuit base board provided on one side surface thereof with at least a pair of stationary contacts, and a flexible sheet member made of a rubber-like elastic material having a rubber hardness of 20 to 100 according to Physical Testing Methods for Vulcanized Rubber which is approved as Japanese Industrial Standard (hereafter, referred to as JIS K

     6301) and provided on one side surface thereof with at least a movable contact face having a rubber-like elasticity and provided with a plurality of rail-like protrusions made of an electrically insulating pliable rubber-like elastic material and so piled on said printed circuit base board that said movable contact face is faced to said stationary contacts with a space maintained by said protrusions, each of said protrusions being 10 to 70 in rubber hardness (JIS K

     6301), 0.05 to 0.5 mm in height and 0.1 to 2 mm in width and arranged being adjacent each other with a spacing of 0.1 to 5 mm.

30. A sensor switch according to claim 29 further comprising an electrically conductive film piled on the surface opposing to the surface provided with said movable contact face of said flexible sheet member to prevent static electricity troubles.

31. A sensor switch according to claim 29 further comprising a light passing film piled on the surface opposing to the surface provided with said movable contact face of said flexible sheet member and having on one side surface thereof at least a push-position index.

32. A sensor switch according to claim 29 wherein the distribution density of said protrusions is partially different.