Push-button switch with display screen

• US 8,304,673 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2009
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elgato Idisplay Limited
• Original Assignee: Jen-Wen Sun
• Inventors: Sun, Jen-Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke, Renee S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Caroc, Lheiren Mae
• Application Number:
  US12/591,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20110127149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 200/314
• US Class Current: 200/314
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/012 programmable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/062 Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/0622 only an illuminated ring around keys
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/181 using a programmable display, e.g. LED or LCD

Abstract

A push-button switch with display screen includes a seat having an open-topped recess, a top cover located in the recess, a display screen, such as an LCD, an OLED or a TFT-LCD, located in below the top cover, an actuating member located in the recess below the display screen and connected to a microswitch located below the seat, a frame-like light-guiding member located in the recess around a periphery of the top cover, and a circuit board with light-emitting diodes located in the recess below the light-guiding member. The display screen is connected to an external circuit for displaying different dynamic or non-dynamic indicating images. When the light-emitting diodes are turned on to emit light onto the light-guiding member, a bright rim is generated along the periphery of the top cover to highlight the indicating images on the display screen and give the push-button switch a beautiful eye-catching appearance.

Claims

1. A push-button switch with display screen, comprising:

a seat having an open-topped recess of a predetermined depth defined therein, and a sleeve extending downward from a center of the recess by a predetermined length;

an actuating member located in the recess of the seat and having a hollow post extending downward from a center thereof;

a top cover located in the recess of the seat above the actuating member;

a display screen located below the top cover and above the actuating member to connect with a first circuit board, and the first circuit board connected to an external circuit via a cable;

a light-guiding member located in the recess of the seat around a periphery of the top cover;

a second circuit board provided with a plurality of light-emitting diodes spaced along a periphery of a top of the second circuit board corresponding to the light-guiding member and the seat for emitting light to irradiate on the light-guiding member and the seat; and

a microswitch fixedly mounted on a mounting base below the seat, an upper end of the microswitch connected to the post of the actuating member, such that the microswitch is on when the top cover is pushed downward;

whereby when the display screen is driven by the externally connected circuit, different dynamic or non-dynamic indicating images are displayed on the display screen; and

when the light-emitting diodes on the second circuit board are turned on to emit light, the emitted light is irradiated on and guided by the light-guiding member to generate a bright rim along the periphery of the top cover to thereby enable an enhanced display effect of the display screen.

2. The push-button switch with display screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the post of the actuating member has a spring fitted therearound and is fitted in the sleeve of the seat to connect to the upper end of the microswitch;

whereby when the top cover is pushed downward, the spring is compressed and the microswitch is on, and when the top cover is released, the actuating member is returned to its home position by an elastic restoring force of the spring and the microswitch is off.

3. The push-button switch with display screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top cover is made of a transparent material, allowing the indicating images displayed on the display screen to be seen directly from outside of the top cover.

4. The push-button switch with display screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seat is made of a transparent material, allowing the light emitted by the light-emitting diodes to pass through and illuminate the seat.

5. The push-button switch with display screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second circuit board is located below the actuating member and the light-guiding member and is formed with a central opening, and the post of the actuating member is extended through the central opening of the second circuit board into the sleeve of the seat.