Navigation switch device

• US 6,958,454 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2003
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2002
• 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: Kume, Shingo, Oohira, Akinori, Sekine, Takeshi, Tabata, Taichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, James R.
• Application Number:
  US10/504,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20050110805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5.R, 200/5.A, 200/6.A, 200/18, 200/314, 200512-517, 200237-292, 200/308, 200/310, 200/313
• US Class Current: 200/6.00A
• 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 2219/062 Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/012 Joy stick type
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/041 having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls

Abstract

A navigation switch apparatus with simple construction is capable of operating in eight directions including longitudinal, lateral and diagonal directions. The apparatus has a printed circuit board having four conductors provided thereon with small spaces between each conductor. Together the conductors are shaped like a doughnut. A cap-shaped body arranged opposite the printed circuit board is provided with short-circuiters for making contact with the respective four conductors when a navigation lever is operated in the eight directions. Each conductor includes two opposing comb-shaped conductive layers. The central portion of one conductive layer has a diametrically directed comparatively-coarse comb shape. Both of the end portions of the other conductive layer have a circumferentially directed comparatively-fine comb shape, and the cap-shaped body has a thin-walled portion on its outer periphery. Thick-walled portions extending in the eight directions, and together forming a substantially regular octagon are formed in the vicinity of the thin-walled portion.

Claims

1. A navigation switch apparatus comprising:

a circuit board having four conductors in the form of a circular arc, arranged thereon with a small space between each conductor so that whole the conductors form a doughnut-like shape; and

a cap-shaped body arranged opposite to the printed circuit board, provided with short-circuiters which are capable of making contact with the respective four conductors and formed on the inner surface of the cap-shaped body, and a navigation lever formed on the outer surface thereof,

wherein each of the four conductors is formed with two opposed comb-shaped conductive layers,

wherein the cap-shaped body has a thin-walled portion on its outer periphery, and

wherein thick-walled portions extending in the longitudinal, lateral and diagonal directions, thus forming a substantially regular octagon as a whole, are formed in the vicinity of the thin-walled portion.

2. The navigation switch apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein each of the conductors disposed longitudinally and laterally is formed with the two opposed conductive layers such that the central portion of the one conductive layer is in a diametrically directed comparatively-coarse comb shape, whereas both the end portions of the other conductive layer are in a circumferentially directed comparatively-fine comb shape.

3. The navigation switch apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the cap-shaped body is formed of a transparent material and light emitted by a light-emitting body is introduced into the cap-shaped body from an end portion, and

wherein the light introduced into the navigation lever is then emitted outside from the periphery of the navigation lever excluding a shading portion formed in the end portion.