EP0118131A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tactile feel switch with positive switch actuation
Assignee: Oak Industries Inc
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Filing: 1984-03-07
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-03-07
Abstract
Abstract A switch for use in keyboards and the like has a housing mounted on a baseplate, with a set of electrical contacts associated with the housing. There is a reciprocative plunger mounted in the housing. An actuator is operatively connected to the electrical contacts for closing them in response to movement of the plunger. A first spring is located between the plunger and the actuator biasing these components apart. A reciprocative coupler is mounted in the housing, and is engageable with the plunger during a first portion of the plunger stroke. The coupler includes a blocking tang which engages the actuator during the first portion of the plunger stroke to prevent movement of the actuator. A second spring is located between the coupler and the housing to bias the coupler upwardly, this force being also transferred to the plunger when the coupler and plunger are engaged. After a predetermined amount of plunger travel, a trip mechanism separates the coupler from the plunger with the resulting decrease in resistance to the plunger stroke providing a tactile feedback to the operator. Simultaneously, the blocking tang disengages the actuator so the first spring is able to cause the actuator to close the switch.
Inventors
- 👤 Ronald S. Denley
- 👤 Anthony J. Van Zeeland
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 17:35
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H13/00; H01H13/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
162 words
A switch having tactile feedback, comprising: a housing; a set of electrical contacts associated with the housing; a reciprocative plunger mounted in the housing and movable through a stroke including an initial rest position, an actuator set portion, a trip motion, a switch closure point, an overtravel portion and a return portion; a first spring engaging the plunger and operatively connectable to the contacts; blocking means for isolating the first spring from the contacts during the actuator set portion of the plunger stroke; a second spring engagable between the housing and the plunger, the plunger compressing both the first and second springs during the actuator set portion,of the stroke; and, trip means, operative when the plunger stroke reaches the switch closure point, for simultaneously releasing the compression of the second spring and deactivating the blocking means so that the compression of the first spring acts upon the contacts to close them while the sudden decrease in the plunger resistance provides tactile feedback.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
162 words
A switch having tactile feedback, comprising: a housing; a set of electrical contacts associated with the housing; a reciprocative plunger mounted in the housing and movable through a stroke including an initial rest position, an actuator set portion, a trip motion, a switch closure point, an overtravel portion and a return portion; a first spring engaging the plunger and operatively connectable to the contacts; blocking means for isolating the first spring from the contacts during the actuator set portion of the plunger stroke; a second spring engagable between the housing and the plunger, the plunger compressing both the first and second springs during the actuator set portion,of the stroke; and, trip means, operative when the plunger stroke reaches the switch closure point, for simultaneously releasing the compression of the second spring and deactivating the blocking means so that the compression of the first spring acts upon the contacts to close them while the sudden decrease in the plunger resistance provides tactile feedback.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The switch of claim 1 wherein the blocking means comprises a blocking tang connected to a coupler, the coupler being carried by the plunger during the actuator set portion of the plunger stroketo a point where the blocking tang engages the actuator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
The switch of claim 2 further comprising an actuator in the housing, and wherein the second spring biases the coupler and blocking tang away from the actuator, and the trip means is operative to separate the coupler from the plunger so the second spring will move the blocking tang out of engagement with the actuator, thereby allowing the actuator to close the switch.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The switch of cliam 1 wherein the electrical contacts are in a membrane switch located under the housing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The switch of cliam 1 wherein the electrical contacts are in a membrane switch located under the housing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The switch of claim 1 wherein the plunger engages the second spring during overtravel to cushion the plunger down stop.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
172 words
A switch having tactile feedback, comprising a . housing, a set of electrical contacts associated with the housing, a reciprocative plunger mounted in the housing, an actuator in the housing for closing the electrical contacts, a first spring located between the plunger and actuator biasing the plunger upwardly and the actuator downwardly, a reciprocative coupler in the housing, the coupler including blocking means and being engageable with the plunger during initial downward motion of the plunger, the blocking means engaging the actuator during said initial downward plunger motion to prevent operation of the actuator, a second spring lpcated between the coupler and the housing biasing the coupler upwardly, and trip means responsive to continued downward motion of the plunger for disengaging the coupler from the plunger, whereupon the second spring moves the coupler blocking means out of engagement with the actuator which is then operated by the compressed first spring, the tactile feedback being created by the sudden decrease in plunger resistance due to uncoupling of the second spring from the plunger.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
172 words
A switch having tactile feedback, comprising a . housing, a set of electrical contacts associated with the housing, a reciprocative plunger mounted in the housing, an actuator in the housing for closing the electrical contacts, a first spring located between the plunger and actuator biasing the plunger upwardly and the actuator downwardly, a reciprocative coupler in the housing, the coupler including blocking means and being engageable with the plunger during initial downward motion of the plunger, the blocking means engaging the actuator during said initial downward plunger motion to prevent operation of the actuator, a second spring lpcated between the coupler and the housing biasing the coupler upwardly, and trip means responsive to continued downward motion of the plunger for disengaging the coupler from the plunger, whereupon the second spring moves the coupler blocking means out of engagement with the actuator which is then operated by the compressed first spring, the tactile feedback being created by the sudden decrease in plunger resistance due to uncoupling of the second spring from the plunger.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The switch of claim 6 wherein the plunger engages the second spring directly prior to bottoming on the housing so as to cushion the plunger down stop.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The switch of claim 6 wherein the electrical contacts are in a membrane switch located under the housing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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