Operating switch mechanism

• US 7,465,895 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2007
• Issued: 12/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Asahi Matsushita Electric Works Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedhofer; Michael A
• Application Number:
  US11/797,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20070261944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 200/1.R, 200/5.R, 200/17.R, 200/18, 200/43.16, 200/43.18, 200/43.19, 200/43.22, 200/296, 200/297, 200/329, 200/330, 200/331, 200/332.1, 200/332.2, 200333-335, 200/338, 361/601, 361/602, 361627-629, 361/631, 361/633, 361/641, 361/643, 361/644, 361/647
• US Class Current: 200/310
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/161 comprising light emitting elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/287 wherein the operating part is made inaccessible or more difficult to access by a lid, cover or guard, e.g. lockable covers

Abstract

Provided is an operating switch mechanism having a handle cover with enhanced rigidity. The operating switch mechanism has a chassis 1 in which individual switches 21 and a group switch are exposed from the front side. An indicator hole for passing light is formed in the chassis 1 to at locations facing light-emitting diodes indicating operation states of lighting apparatuses in association with the group switch. A handle body 4 is rotatably attached on the front side of the chassis 1 so as to press the group switch. An indicator hole is formed at the location corresponding to the indicator hole formed in the chassis 1. A handle cover 5 is rotatably attached on the front side of the handle body 4. An indicator hole is formed at the location corresponding to the indicator hole formed in the handle body 4. A concave groove 44 for attaching an indicator window 8 is formed on the front side. A protrusion 45 is formed on the rear side of the handle cover 5 so that a portion corresponding to the concave groove 44 protrudes towards the handle body 4.

Claims

1. A operating switch mechanism comprising:

a chassis of which a front side is provided with first and second switches for respectively turning on/off corresponding loads and a first light indicator for indicating an operation state of a load corresponding to the first switch;

a handle body which has an insertion hole for exposing a manipulator of the second switch formed at a location corresponding to the second switch and is rotatably attached on a front side of the chassis in so as to press the first switch towards the chassis accordance with the rotation thereof, and

a handle cover which is rotatably attached on a front side of the handle body between an opening position for exposing the manipulator and a closing position for covering the manipulator,

wherein first and second indicator holes for passing light are respectively formed in the handle cover and the handle body at the locations corresponding to the first light indicator, an attaching groove for attaching an indicator member having a light transmission property is formed on the front side of the handle cover at the location corresponding to the first indicator hole so as to transmit light emitted from the first light indicator, and a rear side of the attaching groove formed on the handle cover protrudes towards the handle body.

2. The operating switch mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a pivot portion of the handle cover, which rotatably pivots towards the handle body, is thicker than other portions of the handle cover.

3. The operating switch mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a trench in which a name card for indicating a load item in association with the first switch is formed on the surface of the handle body of the handle cover, a light transmitting portion is formed in a bottom of the trench so that the name card can be viewed from the front side, and a holding element for holding a name sheet in the handle body of the handle cover is formed in the handle cover in a state that the name card in the trench is held between the name sheet, which indicates a load item in association with the second switch, and the bottom of the trench.

4. The operating switch mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a second light indicator for indicating an operation state of a load in association with the second switch is formed on the front side of the chassis, a third indicator hole for passing light is formed in the handle body at the location corresponding to the second light indicator, and an optical spread member for spreading light is formed at the locations corresponding to the second and third indicator holes in a light transmitting direction with respect to the first and second light indicators.

5. The operating switch mechanism according to claim 3, wherein a second light indicator for indicating an operation state of a load in association with the second switch is formed on the front side of the chassis, a third indicator hole for passing light is formed in the handle body at the location corresponding to the second light indicator, and an optical spread member for spreading light is formed at the locations corresponding to the second and third indicator holes in a light transmitting direction with respect to the first and second light indicators.