Cover member for illuminated push button switch and method for manufacturing same

• US 6,413,598 B1
• Filed: 08/07/1998
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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: Motoki, Toshihiro, Nakano, Sadao
• Primary Examiner(s): Dye, Rena L.
• Application Number:
  US09/130,959
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 428/35.7, 428/34.1, 428/36.8, 428/195, 200/314, 362/24, 362/28, 362/88
• US Class Current: 428/35.7
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/705 characterised by construction, mounting or arrangement of operating parts, e.g. push-buttons or keys
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/002 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/02 UV or light sensitive
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/07 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2227/03 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/046 Multi-colour or double shot injection moulding
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/047 Preformed layer in mould
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/05 Forming; Half-punching
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/058 Curing or vulcanising of rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1386 Natural or synthetic rubber or rubber-like compound containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]

Abstract

A cover member for an illuminated push button switch capable of providing the hard touch with fingers when it is incorporated in a switch unit and facilitating formation of a symbol/character display section exhibiting distinct display and aesthetic properties. In the cover member, key tops each are provided at a distal end thereof with a hard resin section. The resin section is integrally mounted thereon with a rubber section and then a symbol/character display section is formed on a flat surface of the rubber section. The rubber section is fixed on the flat surface thereof to a movable section of a substrate. Such construction provides a user with a satisfactory feeling in operation, effectively prevents wearing of the symbol/character display section, provides the symbol/character display section with an aesthetic appearance without any defect and ensures increased durability of the cover member, resulting in a commercial value of the cover member being highly increased.

Claims

1. A cover member for an illuminated push button switch, comprising:

a substrate made of a light-permeable elastomeric rubber material having a fixed portion and including a plurality of movable sections, said plurality of movable sections are movable relative to said fixed portion of said substrate; and

key tops arranged on said movable sections of said substrate, respectively;

said key tops each including a rubber section made of a light-permeable elastomeric rubber material and a resin section on said rubber section made of a light-permeable hard resin material;

said rubber sections each being fixed on a surface of each of said movable sections of said substrate and provided on a surface thereof fixed to said movable section with a display section;

said resin sections each being fixed on a surface of said rubber section opposite to said surface therof on which said display section is formed.

2. A cover member as defined in claim 1, wherein said rubber sections fixed on said resin sections each include a flange arranged so as to radially outwardly extend from a lower end of an outer periphery of said resin section.

3. A cover member as defined in claim 1, wherein said rubber sections each have hardness set between hardness of said substrate and that of said resin section.

4. A cover member as defined in claim 2, wherein said rubber sections each have hardness set between hardness of said substrate and that of said resin section.

5. A cover member for an illuminated push button switch, comprising:

a substrate made of a light-permeable elastomeric rubber material having a fixed portion and including a plurality of movable sections, said plurality of movable sections are movable relative to said fixed portion of said substrate; and

key tops arranged on said movable sections of said substrate;

respectively;

said key tops each including a rubber section made of a light-permeable elastomeric rubber material and a resin section on said rubber section made of a light-permeable hard resin material;

said rubber section having a flat surface through which said rubber section is fixed on a surface of each of said movable sections of said substrate and provided on said flat surface thereof fixed onto said movable section with a display section;

said resin section being fixed on a surface of said rubber section opposite to said flat surface thereof on which said display section is formed;

said substrate, rubber section and resin section being made so as to have Shore A hardness of 30 to 65, Shore A hardness to 60 to 80 and Shore D hardness of 50 to 80 respectively.

6. A cover member as defined in claim 5, wherein said rubber section fixed on said resin section includes a flange arranged so as to radially outwardly extend from a lower end of an outer periphery of said resin section.