Multidirectional switch whose stem can be tilted and pushed

• US 20010047926A1
• Filed: 05/25/2001
• Published: 12/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kozuma, Hiromichi
• Granted Patent: US 6,348,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/6A
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/008 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being perpendicular to the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/04 Operating part movable angularly in more than one plane, e.g. joystick

Abstract

A multidirectional switch including a housing having disposed at an inside bottom portion thereof a central fixed contact, a common contact, and a plurality of peripheral fixed contacts; and a plurality of metallic movable contact springs disposed so as to oppose the central fixed contact and the peripheral fixed contacts, respectively. In the multidirectional switch, the movable contact springs are always in electrical conduction with the common contact, the movable contact springs being connected by a metallic connecting portion in order to form an integral structure. In addition, by operating an operating rod, at least one of the movable contact springs is brought into electrical conduction with the opposing central fixed contact or the corresponding one of the peripheral fixed contacts. Accordingly, the multidirectional switch makes it possible to prevent the movable contact springs from becoming displaced from their predetermined locations even if the multidirectional switch is tilted, and has the plurality of movable contact spring not separately but integrally formed, so that the number of component parts is reduced.

Claims

1. A multidirectional switch comprising:

a housing having disposed at an inside bottom portion thereof a central fixed contact, a common contact, and a plurality of peripheral fixed contacts; and

a plurality of metallic movable contact springs disposed so as to oppose the central fixed contact and the peripheral fixed contacts, respectively;

wherein the movable contact springs are always in electrical communication with the common contact, the movable contact springs being connected by a metallic connecting portion in order to form an integral structure; and

wherein, by operating an operating rod, at least one of the movable contact springs may be brought into electrical communication with the opposing central fixed contact or the corresponding peripheral fixed contact.

2. A multidirectional switch according to

claim 1

, wherein the plurality of movable contact springs are dome-shaped springs having invertible bulging portions, the plurality of movable contact springs being integrally formed so as to be separately invertible and restorable.

3. A multidirectional switch according to

claim 1

, wherein the housing is substantially rectangular in shape and the plurality of peripheral fixed contacts are disposed at the four corners of the inside bottom portion of the housing.

4. A multidirectional switch according to

claim 1

, wherein the plurality of movable contact springs are integrally formed from a single metallic piece.

5. A multidirectional switch according to

claim 1

, wherein the movable contact springs comprise a central movable contact spring disposed so as to oppose the central fixed contact, and peripheral movable contact springs disposed so as to oppose the corresponding peripheral fixed contacts, wherein a pair of the connecting portions that oppose each other extend from an outer peripheral edge of the central movable contact spring, and wherein connecting portions are provided, one branching and extending from each connecting portion, with the peripheral movable contact springs being connected at ends of the branched connecting portions.

6. A multidirectional switch according to

claim 1

, wherein the operating rod comprises a first stem which has a guide hole formed in the center thereof and which is rockably supported with respect to the housing, and a second stem which is slidably fitted to the guide hole and which protrudes from the first stem, wherein, by tilting the first stem in a predetermined direction through the second stem, a desired one of the peripheral fixed contacts is brought into electrical conduction with the common contact through the corresponding movable contact spring and the connecting portion, and wherein, by pushing the second stem, the central fixed contact is brought into electrical conduction with the common contact through the corresponding movable contact spring.

7. A multidirectional switch comprising:

a housing having an inside bottom portion

a central fixed contact;

a plurality of peripheral fixed contacts;

a metallic member having a plurality of moveable metallic contact springs integrally formed thereon, the contact springs each being positioned opposite an associated one of the fixed contacts;

at least one common contact in electrical communication with the metallic member thereby electrically connecting each of the contact springs with the common contact; and

an actuator assembly arranged to permit any selected one of the movable contact springs to be brought into electrical communication with the opposing fixed contact.

8. A multidirectional switch according to

claim 7

, wherein the actuator assembly includes:

a first stem having a guide hole formed in the center thereof, the first stem being rockably supported relative to the housing; and

a second stem slidably received by the guide hole and arranged to protrude from the first stem, the first and second stems being arranged such that a desired one of the peripheral fixed contacts may be brought into electrical communication with the common contact through the desired peripheral fixed contact'"'"'s associated movable contact spring by tilting the stems, and the central fixed contact may be brought into electrical communication with the central fixed contact by pushing the second stem.

9. A multidirectional switch according to

claim 8

wherein each of the movable contact springs are substantially dome-shaped.