Low Current Switching Apparatus Having Detent Structure Providing Tactile Feedback

This invention relates to switching apparatus for low current switching, e.g. microprocessor level signals. More particularly, this invention relates to such apparatus having a detent structure which provides tactile feedback to the operator. Still more particularly, the invention pertains to improved detent apparatus wherein the tactile feedback can readily be varied during manufacture to assimilate that of power current switch apparatus.

The increasing use of computers has made multiplexing attractive in many consumer applications, and as a result, a need exists for switches interfaceable with microprocessor level signals. An automotive passenger car provides a good example of such application, although the switching apparatus of this invention is not limited to that application. Convenience functions in passenger cars such as the adjustment of windows, seats, mirrors, etc., are controlled by multiple switches ganged within a single package commonly located in the arm rest of a door. Such switches are designed to switch power directly to the actuators such as motors and solenoids for these items and require large, heavy cable harnesses to pass through the passenger door hinge area to be routed throughout the chassis and into other doors.

The state of the art passenger car has on-board computers for the monitoring and control of several operational functions of the engine and related components. Since the computer is already on-board, it is desirable to incorporate multiplexing of the convenience function controls with the computer. However, it is preferred to maintain the heavy duty feel, i.e. size, shape and detent characteristics, of the state of the art power switches presently being used, particularly in certain regions of the car such as the door arm rest. It is also desirable to provide such switch designs which can be readily and predictably varied during manufacture as to the tactile feedback provided in operation to meet varying specifications of the automobile manufacturers. Another feature to be considered is the capability for back lighting within the switch package that can provide a common look with the styling in other regions of the car. These features must be incorporated in a package that does not increase the footprint, i.e. the square inch surface area, and in many cases the depth and/or volume over present switches and that may be assembled at a competitive cost with present power switches which have been refined over a long time for mass production at low cost.

This invention provides low current switching apparatus having a detent for providing a tactilely discernible reduction-in-force feel to the operator, which detent can be readily and predictably changed during manufacture to provide greater or lesser force versus displacement reaction upon operation. The switching apparatus of this invention may comprise a single switch or a plurality of switches arranged in a unitary housing, assembled by stacking components in a layered manner. The switch contacts comprise spaced conductive elements of a printed circuit or the like which are bridged by a block of conductive rubber compressed thereagainst into a current conducting relationship upon switch operation. The detent structure comprises a modular block having opposed angular slots for firmly receiving the ends of one or more flat beam leaf springs to fixedly position the spring(s) in a bowed shape over a hole in an intermediate portion of the block. A separate detent support plate is provided with locating means for positioning a plurality of such modular detent blocks over respective switch contacts and in corresponding alignment with switch actuating means mounted in the cover of the unit. The force versus displacement characteristics may be predictably changed by providing alternative detent block and spring combinations wherein the parameters of spring material, thickness per beam, width, length, number of beams, clamp angle of the ends of the spring(s) and the initial arc height of the springs vary. By readily substituting the detent block assembly during assembly of the switch, more or less tactile feedback may be provided. Another parameter that can vary the tactile feedback is the travel path of the portion of the actuator that bears upon the spring. A light pipe member constitutes still another layer disposed between the interior of the cover and the detent support plate, the light pipe also functioning as a bearing support member, if necessary, for switch actuators. These and other features and advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent when reading the following description and appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a multiple switch low current switching apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 2--2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the cover and switch actuators of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded isometric view of components of the switching apparatus of this invention which are assembled in a layered arrangement;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view through one switching element taken along the line 5--5 in FIG. 1 and drawn to an enlarged scale;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are semi-schematic views of the switch, detent and a portion of the actuator as viewed in FIG. 5, but drawn to a still greater scale, sequentially depicting actuation of the switch;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of an alternate detent block assembly incorporating a plurality of flat beam leaf springs stacked upon each other;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of another alternate detent block assembly similar to FIG. 9 incorporating stub springs stacked at each end of a full beam spring;

FIG. 11 is a force versus displacement graph for the operator of the switching apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of the beam spring and end supports of this invention illustrating certain parameters utilized in the construction of the detent assembly thereof; and

FIG. 13 is a flow chart diagram representing the process for designing and changing the detent assembly to produce different tactile feedback characteristics thereof.

By way of example, the low current switching apparatus of this invention is described in a convenience package switch embodiment for use in a passenger car door arm rest or the like, although it is to be understood that such switching apparatus may be used in other low current switching applications. With particular reference to FIGS. 1-3 and 5 of the drawings, a convenience switch package 2 comprises a molded insulating cover 4 to which actuator/operator assemblies for five switches 6-14 are pivotally attached. Switch 6 is a two-position lockout switch which, when the switch package 2 is used as a window control, may be operated to prevent local operation of remote door windows. The particular detent structure for the two-position switch 6 is different from the detent structure to be described in conjunction with this invention, and therefore switch 6 is not described in detail herein. The switches 8-14 are identical and therefore only switch 14 will be described in detail.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 3 and 5, an actuator 16 having trunnions 18 is pivotally supported in semicylindrical bearing journals 20 formed on the interior of cover 4, the journals 20 being open to the bottom. Actuator 16 has a peg 16a projecting through an opening 4a in cover 4. A rocker button 22 has a hollow stem 22a which is pressed onto peg 16a to assemble button 22 to actuator 16. As seen in FIG. 2, the lower lateral edges of rocker button 22 rest upon a crowned formation 4b on cover 4 for rocking movement thereon in conjunction with pivoting of the actuator 16 within the journal 20. Actuator 16 has a hole 16b extending therethrough transversely to the axis of trunnions 18 through which a leaf spring 24 may extend as seen in FIG. 3 and in dot-dash line in FIG. 5. Spring 24 functions to maintain actuator 16 in its center position. As will be noted hereinafter, the detent structure of this invention functions to bias actuator 16 to the center position and therefore spring 24 is not necessary. Actuator 16 also comprises a pair of fingers 16c and 16d extending in opposite directions from the axis of trunnions 18 and from opposite lateral sides of the actuator as seen in FIG. 3. As thus far described, the cover and actuator/operator assemblies represent a state of the art structure used in higher current switches which switch power directly to the window motors.

The switching apparatus of this invention is particularly designed to switch microprocessor level signals. The contacts for the respective switches comprise spaced conductive elements of a printed circuit which are bridged by pressing a conductive elastomer block thereagainst. Referring particularly to FIG. 4, the switch components for all five switches of convenience switch package 2 are provided on common elements which constitute a layered assembly of the switch of this invention. A molded insulating base 26 provides a support layer. A printed circuit is embodied in a planar switch 28 which rests upon a flat upper surface of base 26. The printed circuit is formed on a flexible substrate such as a Mylar sheet 30 and is covered by an insulator film 32 which may be a discrete element or applied directly to the printed circuit and Mylar sheet. Insulator 32 is provided with a plurality of openings 32a, 32b arranged in pairs aligned with the respective switches 8-14 and a single opening 32c at the left-hand end as seen in FIG. 4, which is in alignment with switch 6. Each of the openings 32a, 32b and 32c expose spaced conductive elements of the printed circuit which comprise stationary contacts of the respective switches. Planar switch 28 has a flexible ribbon conductor 28a extending therefrom having a multiple pin connector 28b attached at the end thereof.

Bridging contact elements of the switching apparatus of this invention comprise a conductive elastomer block disposed over the conductive switch contact elements on planar switch 28 and compressed thereagainst to effect current conduction. The conductive elastomer comprises a polymer or rubber material which incorporates a high concentration of filamentary conductive material into the otherwise electrical insulating material. The electrical properties of these materials are usually defined in terms of volume and surface resistivity. Such properties rely on the meshwork of conductive material and the pressure applied thereon. The conductive bridging contact may be formed as a molded sheet of rubber or polymer 34 which has a plurality of pairs of bosses 34a and 34b aligned with the switch contacts defined by the respective openings 32a, 32b of the planar switch 28. The entire sheet 34 may be made of conductive rubber or polymer or it may be made of an electrically insulating rubber or polymer coated at the undersurface of the bosses 34a and 34b with the aforementioned conductive rubber or polymer. Alternatively, any conductive material could be bonded to the undersurface of bosses 34a and 34b. Still another alternative is to provide individual blocks of conductive rubber or polymer positioned over the respective switch contacts. A single boss 34c is formed at the left-hand end as viewed in FIG. 4 and is aligned with the contacts defined by opening 32c on the planar switch.

A molded plastic detent support plate 36 is disposed on the elastomer sheet 34. Support plate 36 is provided with a plurality of pairs of offset rectangular apertures 36a, 36b into which the respective bosses 34a, 34b of elastomer sheet 34 project. The left-hand end of support plate 36 has a hole 36c into which boss 34c projects. The opposite ends of rectangular apertures 36a, 36b are provided with recessed shelves 36d which combine with the rectangular outline of the respective aperture to locate modular detent blocks 38 therein. The detent blocks 38, only one of which is shown in FIG. 4, are molded of insulating material and have a rectangular outline complementary to the shape of apertures 36a, 36b and are positioned therein with the opposite ends resting on the shelves 36d. The block 38 is provided with a depending central portion 38a which is disposed between the shelves 36d within the respective apertures. It is also provided with a hole 38b which extends upward through the center of the block to surround the respective boss 34a, 34b of elastomer sheet 34. The upper surface of the intermediate portion of detent block 38 is recessed to provide a pair of opposed upstanding surfaces which have slots 38c formed therein. The slots 38c are formed at opposite angles which converge over the intermediate portions of the detent block to define an obtuse angle therebetween. A flat beam leaf spring 40 is assembled to the detent block 38 in a bowed condition by sliding the opposite ends of the spring 40 into the respective slots 38c. The relative dimensions of the slot and spring thickness are preferably selected to permit the spring to be slid into the slot from the side to minimize stress in the spring at the entry point while maintaining a firm fit between these members. Each of the apertures 36a, 36b receives a detent block 38 and leaf spring 40 assembly therein. As will be discussed hereinafter, the angle of the slots 38c, the distance between the ends of those slots, and the length, thickness, width, material and number of springs are parameters which may be varied as well as the path of the operator/actuator to produce individual detent block assemblies which provide different tactile feedback qualities to the operator.

The multi-layer assembly comprising base 26, planar switch 28 having insulator 32 integral therewith, conductive rubber sheet 34, detent support plate 36 and the respective assemblies comprising detent blocks 38 and springs 40, is snapped into place within cover 4 by tabs 26a on base 26 which snap into rectangular holes 4c (FIG. 2) in cover 4. Base 26 is provided with a peripheral step 26b which engages a complementary shoulder 4d (FIG. 3) within cover 4 to positively locate base 26 to the cover 4. When so assembled, fingers 16c and 16d bear upon the leaf springs 40 of the respective detent blocks 38, the leaf springs supplying an initial bias of the actuator 16 to its center position and holding the trunnions 18 within the journals 20. Support plate 36 is also provided with four upstanding bearing posts 36e which align with the journals 20 in the peripheral wall of cover 4 to close off the open side of the respective journals 20. The heights of posts 36e may be closely dimensionally controlled with respect to the depth of shelves 36 d for precisely positioning the detent blocks 38 and springs 40 with respect to the actuator 16. Moreover, the engagement of actuator fingers 16c and 16d with springs 40 holds the detent block assemblies firmly in place within the respective apertures in support plate 36.

It will be noted in FIG. 4 that no upstanding posts similar to 36e are provided in the center portion of support plate 36 to cooperate with the respective journals 20 at the center of cover 4. This area is intentionally left open to permit the switching apparatus to be appropriately back lit where desired. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, a light pipe 42 or a bearing block 44 are trapped between the interior of the cover 4 and support plate 36. Light pipe 42 is provided with a rectangular recess 42a and bearing block 44 is provided with a rectangular recess 44a in their respective upper surfaces adjacent the cover 4 to overlie the respective center journals 20, thereby closing off the open sides of the journals.

Convenience switch packages such as the package 2 of this invention, particularly when utilized in a passenger car, are preferably illuminated to indicate the function or location of the respective switches. It is preferable that the illumination be in the form of back lighting which can be readily matched to the instrumentation lighting scheme within the respective vehicle. To this end, the switch apparatus of this invention provides windows such as 4e and 4f in cover 4 and a molded transparent light pipe 42 having transverse bars 42b and 42c (FIGS. 2 and 3) aligned with the windows 4e and 4f, respectively. Indicia bearing films 46 and 48 are positioned between the cover and the cross bars 42b, 42c to be visible in the respective windows 4e and 4f. The central body of light pipe 42, which extends longitudinally between switches 8 and 10, has a hole 42d formed therein for receiving a lamp or LED 50 to provide illumination to the light pipe. The lamp 50 is provided on a microprocessor board 52 which will be described hereinafter and projects upwardly through hole 26c in base 26, hole 28c in planar switch 28, hole 34a in conductive rubber sheet 34 and hole 36e in detent support plate 36, all of which are aligned with hole 42d in light pipe 42. The opposite ends of the light pipe are provided with V-shaped notches 42e and 42f to reflect light rays within the central body of the light pipe outwardly along transverse bars 42b and 42c, respectively. The lower surfaces of the transverse bars are provided with serrations for evenly dispersed diffraction of the light within the respective transverse bars.

When illumination is desired at the right-hand side of switches 12 and 14, the light pipe 42 may be made to extend along the full length of the cover 4. However, in the embodiment illustrated, illumination at the right-hand side of switches 12 and 14 is not required and therefore a bearing block 44 is secured between the interior surface of cover 4 and support plate 6 solely for the purpose of closing off the open bottom of journals 20 and providing a bottom bearing surface for the trunnions 18 of actuators 16 associated with switches 12 and 14.

As seen in FIG. 2, the sides and one end wall of cover 4 extend downwardly beyond the base 26 to provide a skirt area for mounting and protecting the microprocessor board 52. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the microprocessor board has a plurality of components affixed on both the upper and lower surfaces, the lower surface having a microprocessor 54, various chips for functions such as sensors, relay drivers and power supply protection and filtering, multi-pin connectors such as 60 and 62, and the like affixed thereto while the upper surface has various resistors and capacitors surface mounted thereon. The lamp 50 has its leads connected in the circuitry of the microprocessor board and projects upwardly therefrom to extend through the aforementioned aligned holes into the light pipe 42. Board 52 has a plurality of lateral tabs 52a which extend into corresponding holes 4g in the side walls of cover 4 to secure the microprocessor board 52 in place. The connection between planar switch 28 and microprocessor board 52 is made through the ribbon conductor 28a which extends between the side wall of cover 4 and base 26 and microprocessor board 52 out the bottom of the switch assembly and is then rolled upwardly and plugged into the multi-pin connector 62 on board 52. It should be recognized that the printed circuit of planar switch 28 could be applied directly to the upper surface of base 26 and the circuitry and components of microprocessor board 52 could be incorporated directly on the lower surface of base 26, connecting the switching printed circuit to the microprocessor printed circuit directly by vias or plated through holes when the same can be justified by economy of scale.

Referring next to FIGS. 5-8, the conductive rubber block in the form of boss 34a shown in FIG. 5, is offset upwardly from the bottom surface of rubber sheet 34 to provide a small space over conductive elements 28d and 28e forming the switch contacts. Boss 34a extends upwardly through hole 38b in detent block 38 which is disposed within aperture 36a of detent support plate 36. The slots 38c fix the opposite ends of leaf spring 40 at a predetermined angle such that it spans the intermediate recessed portion of block 38, the spring being bowed upwardly, spaced from the conductive rubber block 34a a predetermined amount. Finger 16c of actuator 16 bears upon the upper surface of spring 40 substantially at the crest of its bowed area, but somewhat offset from the true center. Similarly, finger 16d bears upon the upper surface of the spring 40 of detent block 38 which is disposed within aperture 36b located in the background as viewed in FIG. 5. Inasmuch as the switches 8-14 are double pole, double throw switches, springs 40 bias actuator 16 to its center position and the centering springs 24 may be omitted.

As the actuator 16 is pivoted from its center position shown in FIG. 5 to a second position such as clockwise as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the tip of finger 16c translates arcuately downward and to the left along the upper surface of spring 40 to deflect the intermediate portion of that spring from an upwardly bowed, convex condition to a reversed, downwardly bowed, concave condition as can be seen to be starting in FIG. 6 and is shown successively in FIGS. 7 and 8. The spring 40 is driven into engagement with the upper surface of boss 34a (FIG. 7) and thereafter compresses the boss 34a against the stationary contact elements 28d, 28, (FIG. 8), establishing bridging current conduction (switching) therebetween. As indicated previously, spring 40 applies a return bias to actuator 16, resisting the movement of actuator 16 from the center position (FIG. 5) to the clockwise second position (FIG. 8). This movement is also opposed by the rubber boss 34a after it is engaged by finger 16c through spring 40. The force of spring 40 resisting this movement increases throughout approximately the first half of travel of operator button 22 and changes to a decreasing force at a point in the actuator travel preceding, but substantially concurrent with, the establishment of current conduction (switching) between contact elements 28d and 28e. The resistive force applied to the operator 22 through actuator 16 by spring 40 and rubber boss 34a is depicted at curve 64 in the force versus displacement graph shown in FIG. 11. As can be seen, the changeover point B from an increasing force to a decreasing force occurs at approximately 1.5 millimeters in operator/actuator travel. The point at which current conduction is established between elements 28d and 28e (switching point) is a band S at between 1.7 and 1.9 millimeters in travel. It is desirable to have the force changeover point B slightly precede or be concurrent with the switching point so that the operator can sense actuation of the window.

The use of an elastomer as a switch making and breaking element contacted by the actuator also provides cushioning and sound deadening for the switching apparatus. No audible clicks occur from the mechanism as a result of the spring 40 changing from a convex to concave condition or the actuator finger 16c sliding along the surface of the spring 40. The resiliency of boss 34a creates little or no sound as spring 40 abuts the upper surface, and as the boss engages the contacts 28d and 28e. The travel of actuator 16 is positively limited by abutment of the right-hand end of rocker button 22 with cover 4, at which time the external force on the button increases steeply as shown at T on the curve. The slope of this portion of the curve can be made to be a more gentle slope by decreasing the stiffness of the rubber. If the rubber boss 34a is sufficiently stiff, for example, it can arrest actuator movement before the rocker button 22 strikes cover 4, eliminating noise of such impact.

A major advantage of this invention is the ability to readily redesign the detent block 38 and/or spring 40 to obtain a desired force versus displacement curve, therefor satisfying changing specifications. Using standard beam analysis such as in Marks Engineering Handbook-Mechanical Engineering sections or following the Bernoulli-Euler Law and assuming thin beam approximation, i.e. the length of the beam remains constant throughout its movement, simple design relationships can be derived to relate a change in geometric parameter to a desired affect on the force versus displacement curve. With reference to FIG. 12, the following parameters are utilized in the beam design:

Also considered in the overall design of the detent structure are certain parameters of the rubber block, e.g. boss 34a, that is compressed on the conductive segments 28d, 28e to effect switching. The Young's modulus of the rubber, Poisson's ratio, pressure required to achieve current conduction between the conductive segments 28d, 28e, the dimensions of the block, its location with respect to spring 40 and the constraints that position it above the conductive segments 28d, 28e, are each such parameter.

With reference to FIGS. 11 and 13, the design is determined with an elastic analysis software program such as ANSYS (trademark of Swanson Analysis Systems, Inc.), a self-contained general purpose finite element analysis program. Due to the simplicity of the configuration, it is recognized that simpler software tools can be developed specifically dedicated to this task, but such development is not dealt with herein. The design is initiated by defining a target force versus displacement curve F/D such as 64 using the specifications, switching point S and tolerances provided by the customer. The materials of the rubber (block 34a) and the beam (spring 40) are selected. The rubber is measured to determine its Young's modulus and the force necessary to effect switching. Parameters of the rubber, namely, the aforementioned dimensions and location, are inputted to the elastic analysis program. The location of the upper surface of the rubber block is defined by the earliest allowable closure (switching) point in the travel. The dimensions of the rubber block are selected from Young's modulus, the force required to effect closure (switching), the latest allowable closure point in the travel, and the desired rubber restoring force that combines to the overall F/D curve. Also inputted to this program are the beam parameters defined above in conjunction with the defined F/D curve. Certain of the beam parameters are given. Using scaling equations developed from simple beam spring theory, reasonable choices to one skilled in the art are selected for the unknown or unestablished parameters. The program produces outputs that are compared to the F/D curve for compliance with the permitted tolerances. If not, it cycles to a redesign mode for changes in selected parameters. Another output of the analysis program compares the maximum stress of the beam to the working stress known from the selected material to determine that the maximum stress is less than the working stress. If not, the program cycles to the redesign mode.

If yes answers are obtained from both output comparisons, a physical model of the switch and detent structure are fabricated. The physical model is tested and compared to the F/D curve, and if it does not meet the tolerances of the curve, redesign is required. If it does fall within the F/D curve, it is then checked to determine that switching point S is within the tolerances. If these tolerances are not met, the dimensions and/or location of the rubber block are re-analyzed, changes selected and new parameters of the rubber block are again fed into the program. When yes answers are obtained to both of the latter comparisons, the switch and detent structure are subjected to cycle life tests to finalize the design.

When the basic design is established, new designs to meet different F/D curves can be readily accomplished by variations in one or a few of the parameters. As mentioned hereinabove, the Bernoulli-Euler Law which states that

at all points along the beam where

E=Young's modulus

I=Area moment of inertia about the neutral axis of the beam ##EQU1## Scaling laws general to any beam clamped in some manner can be developed from the foregoing, and used in practical design tradeoffs.

Assume, for example, an initial design has been developed and some change is required to increase the force. In general, a force is specified by the customer in terms of specific travel. This is equivalent to specifying a stiffness (force.div.travel). The scaling laws for beams of uniform width and thickness are: ##EQU2## where: E=Young's modulus

W=beam width

n=number of beams

t=beam thickness

l=beam length ##EQU3## As an example, if it is desired to reduce stress and increase force for the same amount of travel and same beam material, then ##EQU4## Substituting (6) into (5): ##EQU5## resulting in ##EQU6## This method trades-off either the width w, length l or number of beams n to achieve desired results. In the resulting equation above, thickness was eliminated from the initial solution. Therefore, thickness must subsequently be calculated from the formula. Alternately, length could have been eliminated to calculate thickness t in which case l would need to be subsequently calculated from the equation: ##EQU7## Thus, the thickness t of the spring 40 may be changed, the length l may be changed giving rise to an increased height h of the arc, etc. As seen in FIG. 9, one or more additional spring 40' may be used, with the thickness of the slots 38c' correspondingly increased. To avoid an inventory of blocks having different thickness slots 38c', the slots can be standardized to accommodate the multiple thickness and shims such as stub springs 40" (FIG. 10).

The low current switching apparatus described hereinabove provides the size, shape and feel of state of the art power current switching devices for similar applications, but switches signals at microprocessor levels to enable the switch to be used in a multiplexing application, thereby providing the OEM customer the advantages of multiplexing. The modular detent enables the tactile feedback of the switch to be changed readily and quickly during manufacture, to satisfy varying requirements. The switching apparatus incorporates a layered assembly concept for economic advantage in assembly, including a light pipe layer where specified. Although the switch has been shown in a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that it is susceptible of various modifications without departing from the scope of the appended claims.