Illuminated push button switch

• US 8,247,722 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2010
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Ominato, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Girardi, Vanessa
• Application Number:
  US12/662,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20100314229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 200/314, 200/310
• US Class Current: 200/314
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 69/04 Manual drives
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 79/00 Incorporations or adaptations of lighting equipment
• CPC Class Codes: D05D 2205/08 Buttons, e.g. for pattern selection; Keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/023 Light-emitting indicators for multi-layer switches H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/014 LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/056 Diffuser; Uneven surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/07 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/046 Multi-colour or double shot injection moulding
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/014 Sewing machine

Abstract

A push button switch device includes a push button disposed on a cover constituting an outer surface of an equipment body and light-transmissible, a switching element behind the push button so that its operation axis substantially corresponds with a central axis of the push button, light sources around the switching element to illuminate the push button and operated by the push button, and an incidence surface on a rear surface of the push button so that light from the light sources is incident on it and including a concave curved surface located so as to face the light sources and a convex curved surface located outside and continuous to the concave curved surface. The push button has a recess in a central rear surface so as to be located inside the incidence surface and a light scattering surface on an inner surface of the recess so as to scatter light.

Claims

1. A push button switch device which is provided on an equipment body, comprising:

a push button member which is disposed on a cover constituting an outer surface of the equipment body so as to be depressible, the push button member being configured to be light-transmissible and having an outer surface and a rear surface;

a switching element provided behind the push button member so that an operation axis thereof substantially corresponds with a central axis of the push button member;

a plurality of light sources which is disposed around the switching element to illuminate the outer surface of the push button member, the light sources being operated by the push button member; and

an incidence surface which is provided on the rear surface of the push button member so that light from the light sources is incident thereon, the incidence surface including a concave curved surface that is located so as to substantially face the light sources and a convex curved surface that is located outside the concave curved surface and is continuous to the concave curved surface,

wherein the push button member has a recess which is formed in a central rear surface so as to be located inside the incidence surface and a light scattering surface which is provided on an inner surface of the recess so as to scatter light.

2. The push button switch device according to claim 1, wherein the push button member includes a transparent member constituting a rear surface of the push button member including the incidence surface and a light scattering member which scatters light through the transparent member to at least an outer surface of the push button member.

3. The push button switch device according to claim 1, wherein the incidence surface is formed into such an inclined surface that an outer part thereof is spaced farther away from the light sources.

4. The push button switch device according to claim 3, wherein the push button member includes a transparent member constituting a rear surface of the push button member including the incidence surface and a light scattering member which scatters light through the transparent member to at least an outer surface of the push button member.

5. A sewing machine comprising:

a sewing machine body; and

a push button switch device provided on the sewing machine body and including;

a push button member which is disposed on a cover constituting an outer surface of the equipment body so as to be depressible, the push button member being configured to be light-transmissible and having an outer surface and a rear surface;

a switching element provided behind the push button member so that an operation axis thereof substantially corresponds with a central axis of the push button member;

a plurality of light sources which is disposed around the switching element to illuminate the outer surface of the push button member, the light sources being operated by the push button member; and

an incidence surface which is provided on the rear surface of the push button member so that light from the light sources is incident thereon, the incidence surface including a concave curved surface that is located so as to substantially face the light sources and a convex curved surface that is located outside the concave curved surface and is continuous to the concave curved surface,

wherein the push button member has a recess which is formed in a central rear surface so as to be located inside the incidence surface and a light scattering surface which is provided on an inner surface of the recess so as to scatter light.

6. The sewing machine according to claim 5, wherein the push button member includes a transparent member constituting a rear surface of the push button member including the incidence surface and a light scattering member which scatters light through the transparent member to at least an outer surface of the push button member.

7. The sewing machine according to claim 5, wherein the incidence surface is formed into such an inclined surface that an outer part thereof is spaced farther away from the light sources.

8. The sewing machine according to claim 7, wherein the push button member includes a transparent member constituting a rear surface of the push button member including the incidence surface and a light scattering member which scatters light through the transparent member to at least an outer surface of the push button member.