Pushbutton switch element for pushbutton switch structure

• US 6,303,887 B1
• Filed: 02/23/2001
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shin-Etsu Polymer Company Limited (Shin-Etsu Chemical Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Shin-Etsu Polymer Company Limited (Shin-Etsu Chemical Company Limited)
• Inventors: Ando, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedhofer, Michael
• Application Number:
  US09/793,806
• Time in Patent Office: 235 Days
• Field of Search: 200/1.B, 200/5.A, 200/512, 200/513, 200/516, 200/517, 200/341
• US Class Current: 200/512
• 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 13/80 characterised by the manner of cooperation of the contacts, e.g. with both contacts movable or with bounceless contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2201/002 bounceless
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/008 Part of substrate or membrane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/018 Consecutive operations
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/003 with more than one electrically distinguishable condition in one or both positions

Abstract

A pushbutton switch element for a pushbutton switch structure capable of generating a click in a multistage manner which is felt by a user and reducing sound generation during a pressing operation, as well as reducing generation of resonance sound. The pushbutton switch element includes a dome section, a pushbutton section formed on an upper portion of a center of the dome section, a central movable contact arranged so as to downwardly extend from a lower surface of the pushbutton section, a substantially annular movable contact arranged so as to downwardly extend from the lower surface of the pushbutton section and surround the central movable contact while being spaced from the central movable contact at a predetermined interval, an inverted cup-like member adhesively attached to a distal end of the central movable contact and constructed so as to repeatedly carry out a flex operation between a flexed state and an original state restored from the flexed state while concurrently generating a click which is felt by a user.

Claims

1. A pushbutton switch element for a pushbutton switch structure, comprising:

a movable thin wall section;

a pushbutton section formed on an upper portion of a center of said movable thin wall section;

a first movable contact arranged so as to downwardly extend from a lower surface of said pushbutton section;

a second movable contact having a substantially annular shape and arranged so as to downwardly extend from said lower surface of said pushbutton section and surround said first movable contact while being spaced from said first movable contact at a predetermined interval; and

an inverted cup-like member adhesively attached to a distal end of said first movable contact and constructed so as to repeatedly carry out a flex operation between a flexed state and an original state restored from said flexed state while concurrently generating a click which is felt by a user.

2. A pushbutton switch element as defined in claim 1, wherein said second movable contact is formed to be an annular shape in a continuous manner.

3. A pushbutton switch element as defined in claim 1, wherein said second movable contact is formed to be a substantially annular shape in an intermittent manner.

4. A pushbutton switch element as defined in claim 1, wherein said inverted cup-like member is made of metal.

5. A pushbutton switch element as defined in claim 1, wherein said inverted cup-like member is made of synthetic resin.

6. A pushbutton switch element as defined in claim 1, wherein said movable thin wall section and said pushbutton section are integrally molded of a rubber elastomer material.

7. A pushbutton switch element as defined in claim 6, wherein said movable thin wall section is configured to have a dome-like shape.

8. A pushbutton switch element as defined in claim 7, wherein said first movable contact downwardly extends beyond said second movable contact.

9. A pushbutton switch element as defined in claim 7, wherein said second movable contact downwardly extends beyond said first movable contact.

10. A pushbutton switch element as defined in claim 6, wherein said first movable contact downwardly extends beyond said second movable contact.

11. A pushbutton switch element as defined in claim 6, wherein said second movable contact downwardly extends beyond said first movable contact.

12. A pushbutton switch element as defined in claim 6, wherein said first and second movable contacts downwardly extend to substantially the same level.

13. A pushbutton switch element as defined in claim 1, wherein said movable thin wall section is configured to have a dome-like shape.

14. A pushbutton switch element as defined in claim 13, wherein said first movable contact downwardly extends beyond said second movable contact.

15. A pushbutton switch element as defined in claim 13, wherein said second movable contact downwardly extends beyond said first movable contact.

16. A pushbutton switch element as defined in claim 1, wherein said first movable contact downwardly extends beyond said second movable contact.

17. A pushbutton switch element as defined in claim 1, wherein said second movable contact downwardly extends beyond said first movable contact.

18. A pushbutton switch element as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second movable contacts downwardly extend to substantially the same level.