Elastomeric Rocker Switch Bezel

This invention relates generally to sealing of a movable switch actuator in its housing, and deals more particularly with an elastomeric switch bezel for a rocker switch that is adapted to be secured to the top of the switch housing defining the rocker opening. The bezel includes a bead for engaging the side walls and end walls of the rocker so that the rocker is free to move relative to the bezel and the bead. However, the bead maintains a seal between the rocker and the switch housing.

In accordance with the present invention, the switch housing defines an upwardly open rocker opening and suitable means for pivotably supporting the rocker therein. The rocker is assembled with the housing preferably by means of complementary shaped openings and axle stubs, and the switch housing preferably includes a flange for receiving a marginal edge portion of the elastomeric bezel. The bezel surrounds the switch housing and includes a bead for engaging the side walls and end walls of the rocker.

The primary object of the invention is to protect the contacts and other components inside the switch housing from environmental damage due to moisture and other contaminants.

Other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an end view with portions broken away to reveal the cross-sectional configuration of the elastomeric bezel, and its interaction with both the rocker side wall and a flange provided in the switch housing;

FIG. 1A is an enlarged view of the relevant portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the rocker switch illustrated in FIG. 1 together with its elastomeric bezel;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view thereof; and

FIG. 4 is an end view without portions broken away as illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the elastomeric bezel.

Turning now to the drawings in greater detail, a rocker switch, according to the present invention, may be similar to that shown and described in prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,981 and assigned to the Assignee herein, which prior patent is incorporated by reference herein.

Such a rocker switch generally includes an upwardly open switch housing 10 and may include upper and lower portions joined together by a structure 10e that defines wings to engage the underside of a panel when the switch housing is to be mounted in a panel opening as suggested in FIG. 2 by the panel P. Alternatively, the wings 10e might also be formed directly on a unitary one-piece housing (not shown) such as described in another prior art U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,827, also incorporated by reference herein.

Typically, such a switch housing includes a plurality of fixed contacts which are provided in the lower wall of the housing and electrically connected to or integrally formed with terminals, such as those indicated at T.sub.1, T.sub.2 and T.sub.3 in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. As suggested in FIGS. 1 and 4, two such sets of terminals are provided in the double pole style switch illustrated, the second bank or set of terminals being illustrated at T'.sub.1 through T'.sub.3.

As shown in the above-mentioned patents, a rocker 12 is pivotably supported in the switch housing, and more particularly in a rocker opening 10a provided in the housing for this purpose. Typically, such a rocker 12 may be supported by axle defining portions cooperating with openings in one of the other of these two components, and as suggested in FIG. 1, axle defining stubs 10b are defined in the side walls of the switch housing 10 for entry in openings 12c provided for this purpose in depending side walls or skirts of the rocker 12. The rocker 12 has a concave top wall 12a integrally formed with these depending side walls 12b and with integrally defined end walls to provide a generally rectangularly shaped rocker 12, as best shown in FIG. 3. However, the corners of the rectangular rocker 12 are rounded to facilitate assembly with an elastomeric bezel that defines an internal shape and size such that it is snugly fitted to that of the external contour for the rocker 12. More particularly, and as best shown in FIG. 1A, the bezel 14 defines a bead 14a that engages the side walls and the end walls of the rocker 12 for purposes of sealing the clearance C provided between the rocker 12 and the housing 10, as but shown in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1 shows the rocker 12 as including a depending integrally formed post 12f that is used to connect or couple the rocker to the internal movable components of the switch, namely: a movable contact or an associated plunger that in turn engages such a movable contact. The reader is referred to either one of the above-mentioned prior U.S. patents for a more detailed description of the internal workings of these components of the rocker switch.

The rocker 12 also includes depending tabs 12e that are adapted to abut shoulders 10f provided for this purpose in the switch housing 10 in order to aid in the pivotable support of the rocker 12 in the switch housing 10. The switch housing 10 includes an integrally formed bridge portion 10g that defines the shoulders and serves to interconnect the switch housing side walls in the region of the pivotable support for the rocker 12 and increase the rigidity of the resulting structure. The plunger portion 12f of the rocker 12 is freely received in an opening provided for this purpose in the bridge 10g so as to avoid any interference between the rocker and housing during rocker movement between its limit positions (one of which positions in shown in FIG. 2).

With further reference to the elastomeric bezel 14, and as best shown in FIG. 5, the bezel 14 includes side skirt portions 14b that are snugly received against the side walls of the housing that define the rocker opening. The skirt portions 14b of bezel 14 include an inwardly formed flange 14c that is stretched over and around a peripherally extending flange 10h of the housing as shown in FIG. 1. This flange 10h is also shown by the broken lines in FIGS. 2 and 3. The depending skirt 14b of the elastomeric bezel 14 extends around the entire bezel and the integrally formed inturned flange 14c on its lower marginal edge serves to anchor the bezel to the housing in a stretched condition. This flange or seal is preferably trapped between the bracket 10 and a panel (not shown) in which the switch is mounted. The bead 14a, best shown in FIG. 1A, extends around the bezel to seal the clearance provided between the housing 10 and the rocker 12 as mentioned previously. A second bead 14d anchors the top of bezel 14 to the bracket 10, as best shown in FIG. 1A.