Pushbutton switch

• US 6,087,605 A
• Filed: 07/16/1998
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: K.A. Schmersal GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: K. A. Schmersal GmbH & Co.
• Inventors: Papadopoulos, Damianos, Heidenfels, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): LUEBKE, RENEE S
• Application Number:
  US09/116,394
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 200/332.2, 200/61.47, 200/520, 200/537, 200/345, 200/341, 400/490, 400/495, 116/279, 116/DIG. 28, 340/815.48, 340/393.3, 273/148 B
• US Class Current: 200/345
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/14 Operating parts, e.g. push-button
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/127 Details of the key cap concerning the actuation by fingernails or having provision to allow usage with long fingernails

Abstract

The invention relates to a pushbutton switch having a ring in which a spring-prestressed button is arranged such that it can be pushed in a predetermined actuating displacement. The button has a top side terminating flush with the top edge of the ring, and from at least one side of the ring parallel to the longitudinal axis of an actuating finger, the edge of the ring is reduced continuously in height substantially to the level of the actuating displacement.

Claims

1. A pushbutton switch having a button with an upper surface and a ring that extends around said button, the button displaceable by a finger, the button spring-prestressed and having an actuating displacement to a displaced level, the ring having an upper surface, the ring upper surface having a height which varies, the height of at least one ring surface portion flush with the upper surface of the button when said button is not displaced, said switch being mountable to an installation surface,

wherein the upper surface of the ring includes opposite first and second uppermost portions and first and second lowermost portions, and wherein the ring upper surface is reduced identically in height between said first uppermost portion and first lowermost portion and between said second uppermost portion and second lowermost portions.

2. The pushbutton switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the button is planar.

3. The pushbutton switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the button is flush with the upper surface of the ring.

4. A pushbutton switch comprising:

a) a ring having an upper surface; and

b) an upwardly biased button positioned within the ring, the button having a height and being displaceable downwardly to an actuating displacement, the ring encircling the button, the ring upper surface having an uppermost portion and a lowermost portion, the ring uppermost portion being flush with the height of the button when said button is not displaced downwardly, the upper surface of the ring sloping downwardly from the uppermost portion to the lowermost portion, whereby, when the button is displaced downwardly to the actuating displacement, the height of the button is lowered to the height of the lowermost portion of said ring upper surface, said switch being mountable to an installation surface,

wherein the upper surface of the ring includes two opposite uppermost portions and two lowermost portions, and wherein a height of the ring upper surface is reduced identically as the ring surface extends between each adjacent uppermost and lowermost portion.

5. The pushbutton switch of claim 4, wherein the button upper surface is planar.

6. The pushbutton of claim 4, wherein the button upper surface includes a contour which is flush with the upper surface of the ring encircling the button.