Switch device

• US 6,800,825 B1
• Filed: 07/25/2003
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sawada, Kenji, Sasaki, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KYUNG S
• Application Number:
  US10/627,340
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 200/6.R, 200/6.C, 200/401, 200/402, 200/449, 200/553, 200/559, 200/224, 200/290, 200/339
• US Class Current: 200/402
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 21/24 biased to return to normal position upon removal of operating force
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/24 with two operating positions

Abstract

A switch device includes two switch elements, both elements being disposed in a case and given restoring force by a common leaf spring; a cover which closes a top opening of the case; and an operating knob having two projections for selectively activating the switching elements. The leaf spring includes a compressed portion which is resiliently compressed by the cover, a pair of pressing strips which resiliently presses against each shaft of a pair of drivers of the switching elements. The operating knob presses a protruding receiver of each of the drivers, thereby selectively tilting a pair of conductive plates to output a switch ON signal.

Claims

1. A switch device comprising:

a case having a bottom wall and a top opening;

two switch elements assembled in the case;

a common leaf spring whose restoring force is applied to the two switch elements; and

a cover that presses the leaf spring and covers the top opening;

wherein each of the switch elements comprises;

stationary contacts that are fixed to the bottom wall of the case;

a conductive plate that is disposed on the bottom wall and is tiltable to move into and out of contact with the stationary contacts; and

a driver disposed on the conductive plate, the driver being rotatable around a shaft thereof and movable vertically;

wherein the driver comprises;

a protruding receiver which protrudes from the case; and

a sliding portion that slides on a slope of the conductive plate when the protruding receiver is pressed downward; and

wherein the leaf spring comprises;

a compressed portion which is resiliently compressed by the cover; and

a pair of pressing strips which connect with the compressed portion and resiliently urges the shaft of the driver towards the bottom wall of the case.

2. The switch device according to claim 1, wherein the compressed portion of the leaf spring comprises first bent strips formed of sharply bent first longitudinal end segments extending from the pressing strips, the first longitudinal end segments being bridged;

and second bent strips formed of sharply bent second longitudinal end segments extending from the pressing strips, the second longitudinal end segments being bridged.

3. The switch device according to claim 1, wherein the case further has sidewalls, orthogonal to the bottom wall, for determining a longitudinal position of the pressing strips, and the driver further comprises guides on the shaft for determining a lateral position of the pressing strips.

4. The switch device according to claim 1, wherein the two switch elements are disposed point-symmetrically in plan view.