Push switch structure for display

• US 6,603,083 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2000
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Furuya, Yoshiyuki, Amari, Takeyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Enad, Elvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Klaus, Lisa N.
• Application Number:
  US09/512,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20020056614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5.D, 200/329, 200/333, 200/341, 200/518, 200/519, 200/520, 200/512, 200/510, 200/314, 200/302.2, 345/168, 345/170, 345/171, 345/172, 345/173, 178/18.01, 178/18.1
• US Class Current: 200/5.00D
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/139 Clusters of instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/645 containing getter material for explosion inhibiting in explosion-proofcases H01H9/046; for vacuum switches H01H33/6683
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/70 having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard mounting together a plurality of independent switches H02B
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2201/018 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/012 programmable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/05 Key offset in relation to switch site
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/016 Lever; Rocker
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/07 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/08 composed of different parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/002 sealed
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/026 Car
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/036 Radio; TV

Abstract

A push switch structure for a display is provided, wherein the elastic sealing member 84 adheres to the periphery of the key switch body 83 for transmitting indication of the display 78. The key switch body is inserted into the opening portion of the elastic sealing member and the collar portion of the key switch body coheres to the elastic sealing member and is pressed with the cover. The key switch body is provided with the accommodating recess for a push-button switch 99. The key switch body is provided with the transparent electrode and the elastic sealing member coheres to the transparent electrode substrate arranged on the front of the display. An assembled unit 76 of the elastic sealing member and the key switch body is assembled to the display case 77, which is assembled to an assembly 96 of the control substrate 79 and the display. The elastic sealing member coheres to the front of the accommodating portion 87 and the display is put into close contact with the backside of the accommodating portion 87, and a part of the elastic sealing member is formed in a sector-shape between the key switch bodies and is bent to form the resilient portion. Thus, dust-and-waterproofing of the push switch for the display can be obtained.

Claims

1. A push switch structure of a display, comprising:

an electrode substrate being capable of passing light therethrough and arranged on a surface of said display;

a key switch body having a transmissible portion for transmitting indication of the display when said key switch body is pushed, said key switch being arranged above said electrode substrate; and

an elastic sealing member adhering to a circumference of the key switch body, a base portion of the elastic sealing member cohering to said electrode substrate, so as to seal the key switch body and supporting the key switch body such that there is a space provided between the key switch body and the electrode substrate when the key switch body is in a non-pushed state,

wherein the elastic sealing member is deformed in a pushed-state of the key switch body and resiles in the non-pushed state thereof thereby to form the space.

2. The push switch structure as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the key switch body has a transmissible portion and a non-transmissible portion, and

an elastic contact which electrically contacts the electrode substrate is provided inside the non-transmissible portion.

3. The push switch structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein

the elastic contact is provided inside one non-transmissible portion of the key switch body, and

a hinge is provided inside the other non-transmissible portion of the key switch body.

4. The push switch structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein

the non-transmissible portion is formed with the elastic sealing member, and

the elastic sealing member is supported by the elastic contact.

5. The push switch structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the electrode substrate is a transparent electrode substrate, and

a transparent electrode to be electrically connected with the transparent electrode substrate is provided on the key switch body.

6. A push switch structure for a display, comprising:

a key switch body having a transmissible portion for transmitting indication of the display when said key switch body is pushed and having a collar portion;

an elastic sealing member having an opening portion to receive the key switch body and supporting the key switch body such that there is a space provided between the key switch body and the display when the key switch body is in a non-pushed state; and

a cover to push the collar portion of the key switch body toward the elastic sealing member so that the collar portion coheres to the elastic sealing member,

wherein the elastic sealing member has a collar portion around the opening portion and the collar portion of the key switch body coheres to the collar portion of the elastic sealing member.

7. The push switch structure as set forth in claim 6, wherein

the key switch body coheres to an inner surface of the opening portion.

8. The push switch structure as set forth in claim 6, wherein

the key switch body has a displaying portion and an engaging portion formed narrower than the displaying portion, the engaging portion being inserted into the opening portion of the elastic sealing member.

9. The push switch structure as set forth in claim 6, further comprising:

a base member to be arranged between the elastic sealing member and the display,

wherein a peripheral portion of the elastic sealing member is tightly put between the cover and the base member.

10. The push switch structure as set forth in claim 6, further comprising:

a push-button switch,

wherein an accommodating recess for accommodating the push-button switch is provided on the key switch body.

11. The push switch structure as set forth in claim 10, wherein

the key switch body has a displaying portion and an engaging portion, the engaging portion being inserted into the opening portion of the elastic sealing member and being formed to cover a circumference of the displaying portion and the accommodating recess.

12. The push switch structure as set forth in claim 11, wherein

the collar portion, the engaging portion, and the accommodating recess are made of a non-transmissible material.

13. The push switch structure as set forth in claim 6, wherein

a transparent electrode substrate is arranged on a surface of the display and

a transparent electrode to be electrically connected with the transparent electrode substrate is provided on the key switch body.

14. The push switch structure as set forth in claim 13, wherein

a base portion of the elastic sealing member coheres to the transparent electrode substrate.

16. The push switch structure as set forth in claim 6, further comprising:

a display case to mount an assembled unit of the elastic sealing member and the key switch body; and

a control substrate to mount the display,

wherein the display case is mounted onto an assembly of the control substrate and the display.

15. A push switch structure of a display, comprising:

a key switch body having a transmissible portion for transmitting indication of the display when said key switch body is pushed;

an elastic sealing member adhering to a circumference of the key switch body so as to seal the key switch body and supporting the key switch body such that there is a space provided between the key switch body and the display when the key switch body is in a non-pushed state;

a display case to mount an assembled unit of the elastic sealing member and the key switch body; and

a control substrate to mount the display,

wherein a sector portion is provided on the elastic sealing member between the key switch bodies and a resilient portion is formed by bending the sector portion so that the elastic sealing member is deformed in a pushed-state of the key switch body and resiles in the non-pushed state thereof thereby to form the space,

the display case is mounted onto an assembly of the control substrate and the display, and

the display case has an accommodating portion for accommodating the assembled unit, and the base portion of the elastic sealing member coheres to a front of the accommodating portion and the display coheres to a back of the accommodating portion.

17. The push switch structure as set forth in claim 15 or claim 16, wherein

a desiccant is provided inside the display case.