Rocker switch

• US 6,857,357 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2004
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Fujii, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedhofer, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US10/829,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20050006214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• Field of Search: 200/553, 200556-558, 200/561, 200/573, 200/339
• US Class Current: 100/339
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/064 Limitation of actuating pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/143 having a generally flat elongated shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/60 Mechanical arrangements for preventing or damping vibration or shock

Abstract

A rocker switch includes a drive member which is swingable about a fulcrum, a case supporting the fulcrum of the drive member, and an auxiliary switch. The drive member includes a main body, a push-section provided on the main body, a first stopper provided on the main body and positioned between the first push-section and the fulcrum, and a second stopper provided on the main body, the fulcrum being positioned between the first stopper and the second stopper. The case includes a supporter for supporting the fulcrum of the drive member, and first and second contact sections which the first and second stoppers contact non-simultaneously to each other according to a swinging motion of the drive member, respectively. The rocker switch further includes an urging section for urging the first and second stoppers to the first and second contact sections, respectively. The rocker switch generates a small noise when operating, thus providing quietness.

Claims

1. A rocker switch comprising:

a drive member which is swingable about a fulcrum, the drive member including;

a main body,

a first push-section provided on the main body,

a first stopper provided on the main body and positioned between the first push-section and the fulcrum, and

a second stopper provided on the main body, the fulcrum being positioned between the first stopper and the second stopper;

a case including

a supporter for supporting the fulcrum of the drive member, and

first and second contact sections that contact the first and second stoppers non-simultaneously to each other according to a swinging motion of the drive member, respectively;

an urging section for urging the first and second stoppers to the first and second contact sections, respectively; and

a first auxiliary switch operable to be turned on or off by being pushed by the first push-section.

2. The rocker switch of claim 1,

wherein the drive member further includes a second push-section, the second stopper being positioned between the second push-section and the fulcrum, said rocker switch further comprising

a second auxiliary switch operable to be turned on or off by being pushed by the second push-section.

3. The rocker switch of claim 1 wherein the urging section is operable to keep the drive member at a position where the first stopper contacts the first contact section and at a position where the second stopper contacts the second contact section.

4. The rocker switch of claim 1 wherein the first and second stoppers comprises elastic material.