Illuminated switch

• US 5,669,486 A
• Filed: 05/16/1996
• Issued: 09/23/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Polymatech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Fuji Polymertech Company Limited
• Inventors: Shima, Mitsunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Walczak, David J.
• Application Number:
  US08/648,564
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 200/314, 200/313, 200/512, 200/311, 200/310, 200/317
• US Class Current: 200/314
• 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 2219/018 Electroluminescent panel
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/002 integral with membrane

Abstract

A illuminated switch where a coned disc spring embossed into a dome shape with transparent thermoplastic resin is used on the top surface of a surface illuminant layer such as an EL element and where a feeling of click and better illumination are obtained.

Claims

1. An illuminated switch comprising:

an elastic surface illuminant layer;

a conductive portion provided on a back surface of said elastic surface illuminant layer through an insulating layer; and

a spring provided on a top surface of said elastic surface illuminant layer and having a click type transparent resin dome embossed into a dome shape with a transparent thermoplastic resin,

the dome shaped portion of the spring being disposed so as to be positioned just above said conductive portion.

2. The illuminated switch according to claim 1, wherein said spring has a display portion comprising thermoplastic resin which is partially transparent to the top surface of said elastic surface illuminant layer.

3. The illuminated switch according to claim 2, wherein said spring has a display portion and said surface illuminant layer and a rear electrode layer underlying the surface illuminant layer are disposed on a portion positioned only just under said display portion.

4. The illuminated switch as set forth in claim 2, wherein said surface illuminant layer consists of an electro-luminescent element.

5. The illuminated switch as set forth in claim 2, wherein said surface illuminant layer consists of a surface light emitting diode.

6. The illuminated switch according to claim 1, wherein said spring has a display portion and said surface illuminant layer and a rear electrode layer underlying the surface illuminant layer are disposed on a portion positioned only just under said display portion.

7. The illuminated switch as set forth in claim 6, wherein said surface illuminant layer consists of an electro-luminescent element.

8. The illuminated switch as set forth in claim 6, wherein said surface illuminant layer consists of a surface light emitting diode.

9. The illuminated switch as set forth in claim 1, wherein said surface illuminant layer consists of an electro-luminescent element.

10. The illuminated switch as set forth in claim 1, wherein said surface illuminant layer consists of a surface light emitting diode.

14. The illuminated switch as set forth in claim 1, wherein said surface illuminant layer consists of an electro-luminescent element.

11. An illuminated switch comprising:

a display key;

an illumination source comprised of an elastic surface illuminant layer;

an insulating frame layer disposed adjacent to said illuminant layer;

a conductive portion provided on said insulating layer on a back side of said elastic surface illuminant layer; and

spring means including a click type transparent resin dome embossed into a dome shape spring portion with a transparent thermoplastic resin, said dome shaped spring portion being disposed so as to be positioned just above said conductive portion, wherein only said spring portion is disposed between said display key and said illuminant layer.

12. The illuminated switch according to claim 11, wherein said spring has a display portion comprising thermoplastic resin which is partially transparent to the top surface of said elastic surface illuminant layer.

13. The illuminated switch according to claim 11, wherein said spring has a display portion and said surface illuminant layer and a rear electrode layer underlying the surface illuminant layer are disposed on a portion positioned only just under said display portion.

15. An illuminated switch comprising:

a display layer;

spring means including a click type transparent resin dome embossed into a dome shaped spring portion with a transparent thermoplastic resin, said dome shaped spring portion being part of a spring layer and being disposed adjacent to said display layer with no structural element disposed between said display key layer and said transparent resin dome;

an illumination source consisting of an elastic surface illuminant layer providing substantially uniformly distributed illumination over a surface area, said illuminant layer being disposed adjacent to said dome shape spring portion with no structural element disposed between said spring layer and said illuminant layer;

an insulating frame layer in contact with said illuminant layer; and

a conductive portion layer provided on said insulating layer on a side of said insulating layer which is opposite said elastic surface illuminant layer, said dome shaped spring portion being disposed just above said conductive portion.

16. The illuminated switch according to claim 15, wherein said display layer has a display portion comprising thermoplastic resin which is partially transparent to the top surface of said elastic surface illuminant layer.

17. The illuminated switch according to claim 15, wherein said illuminant layer and conductive portion layer underlying the surface illuminant layer are disposed on a portion positioned under and aligned with said display portion.

18. The illuminated switch as set forth in claim 15, wherein said surface illuminant layer consists of an electro-luminescent element.