Pivotable pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly

• US 5,164,554 A
• Filed: 03/14/1991
• Issued: 11/17/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Ikunami, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, J. R.
• Application Number:
  US07/669,533
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5 R, 200/5 A, 200/6 A, 200/557, 200/339, 200/341, 200/344, 200/5 E
• US Class Current: 200/5.00E
• 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 2221/012 Joy stick type
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/052 interlocked
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/03 Avoiding erroneous switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/041 having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls

Abstract

A plurality of switches are arranged in a polygon on a printed circuit board and each of the switches is beneath or under a switch activating portion formed at the center of a pushbutton operation receiver portion. The pushbutton operation receiver portions are each supported over the corresponding switches through resilient arms that are integrally formed with a stay, which is secured to the printed circuit board at the center of the polygon. The pushbutton has a plurality of pushbutton operation transmission portions, each of which conveys the pressing force to the facing ends of the adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions. When the pushbutton is depressed at a point between two switches, the pushbutton operation transmission portion nearest the depression point is lowered, pushing down the facing ends of the adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions. Since only one end of each of the two adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions is pushed down, these pushbutton operation receiver portions are inclined but not lowered, so that the switch activting portion at the center of each pushbutton operation receiver portion is not lowered, leaving the corresponding switches inactivated. in this way no two or more switches can be operated simultaneously.

Claims

1. A pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly comprising:

a print circuit board;

a stay secured to the printed circuit board;

a plurality of switches arranged on the printed circuit board at predetermined intervals and at a predetermined distance from the stay;

a plurality of U-shaped pushbutton operation receiver portions each having a central portion and two depending leg portions, each leg portion being positionable above the printed circuit board with a space being defined therebetween, a switch activating portion being formed at the central portion and being placed over a corresponding switch, the switch activating portion being movable to depress the corresponding switch and the leg portions then engaging the printed circuit board, said pushbutton operation receiver portions being formed integral with, and suspended by, the stay through resilient arms that extend from the stay;

a pushbutton supported by the stay, the stay preventing a central portion of the pushbutton from being depressed, the pushbutton having a plurality of first and second areas, each of the first areas overlying a switch and the second areas overlying a position between adjacent switches; and

a plurality of pushbutton operation transmission portions placed between the pushbutton and the pushbutton operation receiver portions, each of said pushbutton operation transmission portions being engaged with ends of two adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions above one of the depending leg portions of the two adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions, each of the pushbutton operation transmission portions being beneath one of the second areas of the pushbutton, and depression of one of the second ares of the pushbutton moving said pushbutton operation transmission portion to twist the two adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions such that only one leg portion of each operation receiver portion adjacent the operation transmission portion is depressed while the other leg portion of each of the adjacent operation receiver portions remains above and out of engagement with the printed circuit board,

whereby a switch is activated by the switch activating portion of one of the pushbutton operation receiver portions when the pushbutton is depressed in the first area overlying the switch and whereby a switch fails to be activated when the pushbutton is depressed in a second area due to one of the pushbutton operation transmission portions engaging the two adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions to prevent depression of the switch activating portion of either adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portion with the corresponding switches.

2. The pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a recovering means is provided for returning the pushbutton to an original position when a depressing force is released.

3. The pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said recovering means includes a cushion provided between an upper surface of the pushbutton and a decorative panel.

4. The pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said recovering means comprises:

resilient arms formed integrally with the pushbutton; and

projections fitted to a decorative panel at both ends of said resilient arms for receiving said resilient arms.

5. The pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance for each of the switches form the stay is uniform and wherein spacing between adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions is generally uniform.

6. The pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein four switches, four pushbutton operation receiver portions and four pushbutton operation transmission portions are provided.

7. The pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein only one pushbutton is provided and wherein four first areas are provided on the pushbutton generally above the four switches.

8. The pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient arms extending from the stay are generally uniformly distributed around the stay.

9. The pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch activating portion is located between the leg portions and the switch activating portion points downwardly, the corresponding switch being located beneath the switch activating portion.