Push Button Switch

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a push button switch and, more particularly, to a push button switch suitable for use in a terminal machine of a computer or in an electric typewriter.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Generally speaking the push button switch of the kind mentioned above has, as disclosed in the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 3,969,600, an inversion leaf spring member made of a thin plate of beryllium copper or the like material is disposed on the bottom plane so as to extend in a horizontal plane. In operation, the inversion leaf spring member is inversed as it is depressed vertically by a depression of key top, so as to bring the movable contact into contact with a fixed contact, thereby to close the switch.

This switch however has disadvantages such as a limited stroke of the keytop. In addition, the contact mechanism is so weak that it may be broken by a large depressing force exerted on the key top.

In order to avoid the breakage of the contact mechanism, U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,998 proposes a push button switch incorporating a coiled spring. This switch, however, cannot provide a distinctive feel to the user of the switch.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a push button switch capable of affording a light switching operation and yet provide a distinctive feel to the user of the switch.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a push button switch which allows an optional selection of the stroke of switch lever to some extent, and which is free from the problem of breakage of the contact mechanism.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a push button switch in which the frame of the switch has a space ample enough to accomodate, as required, a plurality of contact mechanisms.

To these ends, according to the present invention, there is provided a push button switch comprising a plurality of fixed terminals, an inversion leaf spring member provided to be opposed to the fixed terminals, an actuator lever for actuating said inversion leaf spring member and pivotally supported by a switch block, the switch block extending in parallel with the direction of movement of the switch lever, and a coiled spring disposed between the switch lever and the actuator lever.

The push button switch may be provided with two contact mechanisms housed by its frame, such that the depression strokes of the switch lever for operating these contact mechanisms are different. At the same time, these contact mechanisms are adapted to be operated with different magnitudes of power. According to this arrangement, the push button switch can perform two different functions.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a first switch block incorporated in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first switch block as shown in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the first switch block as shown in FIG. 3, as viewed from the rear side thereof,

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a second switch block incorporated in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the second switch block as shown in FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of embodiment of the FIG. 1,

FIG. 8 is a drawing for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the present invention, and

FIG. 9 is another drawing for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 which is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the invention, a case 1 is provided with a slit 11 formed in its upper surface, as well as a pair of retaining grooves 12, 13. A switch lever 2 is provided at its upper end with a projection 21 to which a push button is adapted to be fitted, and at its lower portion with a groove 22. The switch lever further has a spring retaining portion 23 formed at the upper end of the groove 22 and an actuating projection 24 formed at its one side. Reference numerals 3 and 4 denote, respectively, a coiled spring and a lower case. Retaining tabs 42 and 43 are formed at both sides of a bottom plate 41 of the lower case. The bottom plate 41 is provided with rectangular bores 44, 45, 46 and 47 adapted to loosely receive terminals of later-mentioned two contact mechanisms, and a central recess 48. A columnar projection 49 and diode retaining pieces 49a, 49b are formed on the bottom plate 41 within the area of the central recess 48. Reference numerals 5 and 6 denote contact mechanisms adapted to perform different switching functions. These mechanisms will be described later in more detail. A rubber seat 7 has a retaining bore 71. Reference numeral 8 denotes an accessory diode.

As shown in FIG. 2, the contact mechanism 5 has an actuator lever 51, shaft 52, inversion leaf spring member 53, carrier plate 54, first terminal 55, second terminal 56 and a spring retainer 57 made of rubber.

The actuator lever 51 consists of legs 51a, bore 51b, recesses 51c and a back portion 51d. The inversion leaf spring member 53 is made of a thin plate of beryllium copper, and has frame portions 53a, 53b, movable contact 53c, movable plate 53d, tab 53e and a tab 53f provided with a bore 53g. In press-forming the inversion leaf spring member 53, the frame portions 53a and 53b are so bent that the movable plate 53d, to which the movable contact 53c is attached, is bent in an arcuate form. The movable plate 53d is adapted to be inversed as it is pressed and moved in the direction of the arrow, by a predetermined distance. At the time of this inversion, a distinctive click sound is generated by the movable plate 53d. Similarly, as the movable plate 53d is released from the depressing force, it comes to resume the original position, making a click sound. The carrier plate is provided with projections 54a, 54b, recesses 54c, 54d, a bore 54e and a rectangular 54f. The first terminal 55 has a small bore 55a and a bent end 55b, while the second terminal 56 has a small bore 56a, and a fixed contact 56b.

The contact mechanism 5 is adapted to be assembled in the following manner. At first, the second terminal 56 is attached to the carrier plate 54 by inserting the projection 54a of the carrier plate 54 into the small bore 56a and then heat-deforming the end of the projection 54a. At the same time, the first terminal 55 is attached to the carrier plate 54 by inserting the projection 54b of the carrier plate and the bent end 55b of the first terminal into the small bore 55a of the first terminal 55 and the rectangular bore 54f of the carrier plate 54, respectively, and then heat-deforming the end of the projection 54b.

Subsequently, the tabs 53e and 53f of the inversion leaf spring member 53 are fitted into the recesses 54c and 54d of the carrier plate 54. Consequently, the end 55b of the first terminal 55 which projects into the recess 54c, is made to pass through the bore 53g of the tab 53f. Then, the end 55b is bent or twisted so that the inversion leaf spring member 53 and the first terminal 55 are electrically connected to each other.

Then, after inserting the legs 51a of the actuator lever 51 into the slits between the frame portions 53a, 53b and the movable plate 53d of the inversion leaf spring member 53, the shaft 52 is inserted into the bore 54e of the carrier plate 54 and into the bore 51b of the actuator lever 51, thereby to pivotally attach the actuator lever 51 to the carrier plate 54. Finally, the spring retainer 57 made of rubber is fitted to the recesses 51c of the legs 51a of the actuator lever 51.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the contact mechanism 5 in the assembled state, as viewed from the front and rear side, respectively.

Another contact mechanism 6 has, as shown in FIG. 5, a movable leaf srping 61, carrier plate 62, first terminal 63, and a second terminal 64. The movable leaf spring 61 is made of a thin plate of beryllium copper punched out of a blank, and has small bores 61b and a cross-shaped bore 61f formed in its base portion 61a.

The central contact portion 61c is bent at its upper end portion to form a U-shaped portion 61d. The extreme end of the U-shaped portion is bent to extend upward and carries a movable contact 61e. The carrier plate 62 is provided at its one side with projections 62a and 62b, and at its other side with a projection (not shown) for fixing the movable leaf spring. The carrier plate 62 further has a rectangular bore 62c.

The first terminal 63 is provided with small bores 63a and an end portion 63b, while the second terminal 64 is provided with small bores 64a and a fixed contact 64b.

The contact mechanism 6 is assembled in the following manner. At first, the second terminal 64 is fixed to the carrier plate 62, by inserting the projections 62b of the carrier plate 62 into the small bores 64a of the second terminal 64, and then heat-deforming the end of the projections 62b. At the same time, the first terminal 63 is attached to the carrier plate 62 by inserting the projection 62a of the carrier plate 62 and the end 63b of the first terminal 63 into the small bores 63a of the first terminal 63 and the rectangular bore 62c of the carrier plate 62, respectively, and then heat-deforming the ends of the projections 62a. Subsequently, the movable leaf spring 61 is attached to the carrier plate 62. This is done by at first inserting projections (not shown) formed on the opposite side of the carrier plate 62 from the first and second terminals into the small bores 61b of the movable leaf spring 61, and then heat-deforming the ends of the projections. Then, the end 63b of the first terminal 63, projected through the cross-shaped bore 61f of the movable leaf spring 61, is bent or twisted so as to electrically connect the movable leaf spring 61 and the first terminal 63 to each other. In FIG. 1, this contact mechanism is shown in a perspective view as viewed from the front side, while FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the contact mechanism as viewed from the rear side.

Hereinafter, a description will be made as to how the push button switch of the invention is assembled, with reference to FIG. 1.

At first, a diode or other electrical component 8 is inserted into the space between the retaining pieces 49a and 49b formed in the recess 48 of the lower case 4. Then, the projection 49 is inserted into the retaining bore 71 of the rubber seat 7, so that the rubber seat 7 comes to be received by the recess 48 of the lower case 4.

Then, after inserting the first and second terminals 55, 56 of the contact mechanism 5 into rectangular bores 46, 47 formed in the bottom plate 41 of the lower case 4, these terminals are caulked at the downside surface of the bottom plate 41, so that the contact mechanism 5 is fixed to the lower case 4.

Then, the coiled spring 3 is placed on the rubber spring retainer 57 of the contact mechanism 5, and the switch lever 2 is mounted on the coiled spring 3 such that the coiled spring 3 is received by the groove 22 of the switch lever 2. In this state, the spring retaining portion 23 provided at the upper end of the groove 22 of the switch lever 2 engages the upper end of the coiled spring 3.

Finally, the case 1 is put on the lower case 4, such that the retaining grooves 12, 13 of the case 1 are engaged by the retaining tabs 42, 43 of the lower case 4. In this state, the projection 21 of the switch lever 2 projects out of the slit 11 of the case 1.

FIG. 7 shows in section the push button switch in the assembled state.

Hereinafter, the operation of the push button switch in accordance with the present invention will be described.

As the projection 21 of the switch lever 2 is depressed downward, the coiled spring 3 is compressed, so that the pressing force is transmitted to the spring retainer 57 made of rubber, thereby to depress the legs 51a of the actuator lever 51 downward. Consequently, a pressing force is applied to the movable plate 53d of the inversion leaf spring member 53, through the actuator lever 51. However, the inversion leaf spring member 53 is not inversed until the depressing force comes to exceed a predetermined threshold, because the coiled spring 3 is compressed to absorb the depressing force. As the force exerted by the back portion 51d of the actuator lever 51 on the movable plate 53d of the inversion leaf spring member 53 grows large enough to cause the inversion of the latter, the inversion leaf spring member 53 is inversed generating a click sound, so that a light feel of click is transmitted to and sensed by the operator's hand. Thus, the movable contact 53c is brought into contact with the fixed contact 56b, and the contact mechanism 5 is turned on.

Then, as the depressing force on the switch lever 2 comes to be weakened, the coiled spring 3 commences to expand. However, the inversion leaf spring member 53 is kept in the inversed position, until the force exerted by the back portion 51d of the actuator lever 51 is weakened enough to allow the self-resetting of the inversion leaf spring member 53. Till then, only the lever 2 is moved upward, allowing the coiled spring 3 to expand. Then, as the pressing force on the movable plate 53d is reduced to a predetermined threshold, the inversion leaf spring member 53 is returned to the original posture, generating again a click sound. Thus, the movable contact 53c is moved away from the fixed contact 56d to turn the contact mechanism into "off" state, which is confirmed through a light feel of click transmitted to the operator's hand.

Thus, the motion of the contact mechanism 5 in the first region includes such a hysteresis, due to the combined action of the coiled spring 3 and the inversion leaf spring member 53, that the position of the lever at which the contact mechanism is turned on is different from that at which the contact mechanism is turned off. This hysteresis operation is illustrated by full-line in FIG. 8.

When, the contact mechanism 5 is kept in the on state by the depression of the switch lever 2, the lower end 25 of the lever 2 is in slight contact with the surface of the rubber seat 7. In this state, as the lever 2 is further depressed without being loosened, the lower end 25 of the lever 2 strongly presses the rubber seat 7 to deform the latter, so as to allow the depression of the lever 2. Then, as the lever 2 is fully depressed, the operating projection 24 formed at the side of the lever 2 comes into contact with the U-shaped portion of the movable leaf spring 61 of the contact mechanism 6, so as to move the same. Consequently, the movable contact 61e provided at the end of the movable leaf spring 61 is brought into contact with the fixed contact 64b, so that the contact mechanism is turned on. As the large depressing force on the lever 2 is suspended, the lever 2 is moved upward by the restoring force of the rubber seat 7, so that the actuating projection 24 clears the U-shaped portion to turn the contact mechanism 6 off. In FIG. 8, the broken line curves shows the operation of the push button switch of the invention in the second region, in which the contact mechanism 6 is turned on and off.

FIGS. 9A and 9B shows the states of the contact mechanisms 5 and 6 in relation with the position of the lever 2.

The stroke of the switch lever for actuating the switches can be adjusted to some extent, by selecting the force of the coiled spring 3 suitably.