Switch device

• US 6,515,242 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2001
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Takatsuki, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedhofer, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOMZA, LISA NHUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/784,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20010013464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 200/6.A, 200/5.R, 200/315, 200/16.C, 200/517, 200/1.R, 200/4.A, 200/5.A, 200/5.E, 200/6.R, 200/17.R, 200/18, 200/313, 200/314
• US Class Current: 200/6.00A
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/034 Separate snap action
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2235/002 Linear coil spring combined with dome spring
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2237/006 Guided plunger or ball
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/012 Application rear view mirror
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/041 having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls

Abstract

A switch device having uniform operability includes an operating member which is rockably stopped by a case, a rubber spring including four spring sections which are disposed at peripheral edges of the operating member inside the case, respectively, and three switches which are disposed in correspondence with three of the four spring sections. The spring sections are selectively actuated two at a time as a result of rocking the operating member in one direction. In the switch device, the spring sections are actuated and buckled by operating the operating member in order to switch the switches. In addition, the click ratio of the spring section which is not provided with a switch is greater than the click ratios of the spring sections which are provided with the switches.

Claims

1. A switch device comprising:

an operating member which is stopped by a case so as to be rockable in four directions;

a rubber spring including four dome-shaped spring sections, one first dome-shaped spring section and three second dome-shaped spring sections, the dome-shaped spring sections being disposed at peripheral edges of the operating member inside the case, respectively, the dome-shaped spring sections being selectively actuated two at a time as a result of rocking the operating member in one direction; and

three switches which are disposed in correspondence with the three second dome-shaped spring sections, with the remaining one first dome-shaped spring section not being provided with a switch;

wherein the dome-shaped spring sections are actuated and buckled by operating the operating member to switch the switches; and

wherein a click ratio of the first spring section is greater than click ratios of the second dome-shaped spring sections.

2. A switch device according to claim 1, wherein the four dome-shaped spring sections are disposed at locations which oppose four corners of the operating member, respectively.

3. A switch device according to claim 2, wherein each spring section comprises a buckling section, and wherein a wall thickness of the buckling section of the first spring section is greater than wall thicknesses of the buckling sections of the second spring sections.

4. A switch device according to claim 2, wherein each spring section comprises a buckling section, and wherein a tilt angle of the buckling section of the first spring section with respect to the case is greater than tilt angles of the buckling sections of the second spring sections with respect to the case.

5. A switch device according to claim 2, wherein the operating member is resiliently biased by the spring sections, the operating member being stopped at the case by a resilient force thereof.

6. A switch device according to claim 2, wherein each switch comprises a stationary contact which is formed on a printed wiring board in the case, a slider which slides above its corresponding printed wiring board, and a movable contact which is disposed at its corresponding slider, and wherein each slider slides by its corresponding spring section to switch its corresponding switch.

7. A switch device according to claim 1, wherein the click ratios of the second spring sections are the same.

8. A switch device according to claim 1, wherein the click ratio of the first spring section is one-and-a-half times a click ratio of a second spring section.