Membrane switch

• US 7,211,760 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2005
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Japan Aviation Electronics Industry Limited
• Original Assignee: Japan Aviation Electronics Industry Limited
• Inventors: Iwao, Naoki, Matsumoto, Tadanao, Hirata, Osamu, Hiraoka, Daisuke, Takiguchi, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAROC, LHEIREN MAE ANGLO
• Application Number:
  US11/295,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20060131158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 200/512
• US Class Current: 200/512
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2227/024 Spacer elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2227/032 Operating force
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/03 Avoiding erroneous switching

Abstract

A membrane switch which can be opened and closed with a small pushing load. A fixed contact point 4 is formed on one surface of a first sheet 3. Flexible movable contact points 7 opposed to the fixed contact point 4 via a space in a manner movable to and way from the fixed contact point 4 are formed on one surface of a second sheet 6, opposed to the one surface of the first sheet 3. Insulators are arranged on the flexible movable contact points at locations except for the locations of push portions of the flexible movable contact points 7.

Claims

1. A membrane switch comprising:

a first sheet;

at least one fixed contact point provided on a surface of said first sheet;

a second sheet opposed to said first sheet;

a spacer which is provided between the first sheet and the second sheet, and which has a hole that exposes the fixed contact point;

at least one flexible movable contact point which;

(i) is provided on a surface of said second sheet so as to be located entirely within the hole and so as to be opposed to said fixed contact point via a space, (ii) is movable toward and away from said fixed contact point, and (iii) includes a push portion which is pushed to contact said fixed contact point; and

at least one insulator provided at one of;

(i) on said at least one flexible movable contact point at a location that does not overlap with said push portion of said flexible movable contact point, and (ii) on said at least one fixed contact point at a location opposed to said location that does not overlap with said push portion, wherein no insulator is provided in a location coinciding with said push portion.

2. The membrane switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said insulator is formed by printing.

3. The membrane switch as claimed in claim 2, wherein said insulator has a thickness of not more than 70 μ

m.

4. The membrane switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said insulator has a thickness of not more than 70 μ

m.

5. The membrane switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulator is provided on said flexible movable contact point at a location that does not overlap with said push portion of said flexible movable contact point.

6. The membrane switch as claimed in claim 5, wherein the insulator comprises a plurality of insulator portions, which are provided at a periphery of the flexible movable contact point;

and

wherein the push portion comprises a center of the flexible movable contact point.

7. The membrane switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulator is provided on said fixed contact point at a location opposed to said location that does not overlap with said push portion.

8. The membrane switch as claimed in claim 7, wherein the insulator comprises a plurality of insulator portions, which are provided at locations corresponding to a periphery of the flexible movable contact point;

and

wherein the push portion comprises a center of the flexible movable contact point.

9. The membrane switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one flexible movable contact point comprises a plurality of said flexible movable contact points.

10. The membrane switch as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one insulator comprises a plurality of insulators, which are respectively provided on said flexible movable contact points at locations that do not overlap with said push portions of said flexible movable contact points.

11. The membrane switch as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one fixed contact point comprises a single fixed contact point corresponding to the plurality of flexible movable contact points.

12. the membrane switch as claimed in claim 11, wherein the at least one insulator comprises a plurality of insulators, which are provided on said fixed contact point so as to correspond respectively to said plurality of flexible movable contact points, at locations opposed to said locations that do not overlap with said push portions.

13. The membrane switch as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one fixed contact point comprises a plurality of said fixed contact points, which correspond respectively to the plurality of flexible movable contact points.

14. The membrane switch as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one insulator comprises a plurality of insulators, which are respectively provided on said fixed movable contact points at locations opposed to said locations that do not overlap with said push portions.

15. A membrane switch comprising:

a first sheet;

a plurality of fixed contact points provided on a surface of said first sheet;

a second sheet opposed to said first sheet;

a spacer which is provided between the first sheet and the second sheet, and which has a hole that exposes the fixed contact point;

a flexible movable contact point which;

(i) is provided on a surface of said second sheet so as to be located entirely within the hole and so as to be opposed to said plurality of fixed contact points via a space, (ii) is movable toward and away from said fixed contact points, and (iii) includes a plurality of push portions, each of which is adapted to be selectively pushed to contact a corresponding one of said fixed contact points; and

a plurality of insulators provided on said fixed contact points at locations that are opposed to locations of said movable contact point that do not overlap with said push portions, wherein no insulator is provided in locations coinciding with said push portions.

16. The membrane switch as claimed in claim 15, further comprising an additional insulator which is provided on said flexible movable contact point in between two of said push portions, so as to prevent said two push portions from simultaneously coming into contact with the fixed contact points corresponding thereto.

17. A membrane switch comprising:

a first sheet;

at least one fixed contact point provided on a surface of said first sheet;

a second sheet opposed to said first sheet;

at least one substantially circular flexible movable contact point which;

(i) is provided on a surface of said second sheet so as to be opposed to said fixed contact point via a space, (ii) is movable toward and away from said fixed contact point, and (iii) includes a push portion which is pushed to contact said fixed contact point; and

at least one insulator which is provided on said substantially circular flexible movable contact point around an entire periphery of said flexible movable contact point, and which includes an opening corresponding to said push portion of said flexible movable contact point.

18. The membrane switch as claimed in claim 17, wherein said opening in said insulator is substantially square.