Push-button switch having improved locking structure to inhibit withdrawal of a slidable switch body from its associated casing

Claim 2

A push-button switch comprising a casing, a body inserted into the casing and biased in a direction to be withdrawn therefrom, contacts carried by that portion of the body which is located within the casing, a plurality of terminals mounted within the casing for switching contact with the contacts upon movement of the body against said bias, a stop integrally formed with the body as a projection therefrom at a position forwardly of the terminals, a recess formed in the inner surface of the casing and in which the stop is receivedly engaged to prevent withdrawal of the body from the casing, a rib integrally formed on one surface of the body and extending lengthwise thereof, and a guide groove formed in the inner surface of the casing and extending from the forward end thereof for receivedly guiding the rib, said stop being formed on both lateral sides of the rib, and part of the guide groove being laterally extended to provide said recess.

Claim 3

A push-button switch comprising a casing, a body inserted into the casing and biased in a direction to be withdrawn therefrom, contacts carried by that portion of the body which is located within the casing, a plurality of terminals mounted within the casIng for switching contact with the contacts upon movement of the body against said bias, a stop integrally formed with the body as a projection therefrom at a position forwardly of the terminals, a recess formed in the inner surface of the casing and in which the stop is receivedly engaged to prevent withdrawal of the body from the casing, a flange integrally formed with that portion of the body which projects out of the casing, and a coiled spring disposed about the projecting portion of the body between said flange and the front end surface of the casing to bias the body in a direction to project from the casing.

Claim 4

A push-button switch comprising a casing, a body inserted into the casing and biased in a direction to be withdrawn therefrom, contacts carried by that portion of the body which is located within the casing, a plurality of terminals mounted within the casIng for switching contact with the contacts upon movement of the body against said bias, a stop integrally formed with the body as a projection therefrom at a position forwardly of the terminals, a recess formed in the inner surface of the casing and in which the stop is receivedly engaged to prevent withdrawal of the body from the casing, a flange integrally formed with that portion of the body which projects out of the casing, and a coiled spring disposed about the projecting portion of the body between said flange and the front end surface of the casing to bias the body in a direction to project from the casing.

Claim 5

A push-button switch comprising an elongated casing of rectangular cross-section having three side plates integral with one another and molded from a synthetic resin material and a separate side plate fabricated of a flexible insulating material, said casing having an open front end, an elongated body of insulating material extending through the open front end of the casing, said body being movable axially of the casing and having a portion projecting outwardly of the front end of the casing, a plurality of terminals extending through said separate side plate and through the oppositely located side plate of the casing to mechanically secure said separate side plate to the molded part of the casing, said terminals being disposed along the inner surfaces of their associated side plates in an array extending in the direction of axial movement of the body, a plurality of contacts carried by said body and disposed in an axial array adjacent the terminals for switching contact with said terminals, a button attached to the end of the body which projects out of the casing, a coiled spring disposed around said body between said button and the casing for biasing the body in a direction to project outwardly from the casing, a recess formed in the inner surface of that one of the side plates which is located opposite to said separate side plate, said recess being positioned between said button and said terminals; and a stop formed on the body as a projection therefrom, said stop being engageable with a portion of said recess to lock the body against withdrawal from the casing, the height of said stop being such that the stop can be disengaged from the recess by an elastic deformation of said separate side plate when said separate side plate and the molded part of said casing are secured together by said terminals.

Claim 6

A push-button switch comprising an elongated casing of rectangular cross-section having three side plates integral with one another and molded from a synthetic resin material and a separate side plate fabricated of a flexible insulating material, said casing having an open front end, an elongated body of insulating material extending through the open front end of the casing, said body being movable axially of the casing and having a portion projecting outwardly of the front end of the casing, a plurality of terminals extending through said separate side plate and through the oppositely located side plate of the casing to mechanically secure said separate side plate to the molded part of the casing, said terminals being disposed along the inner surfaces of their associated side plates in an array extending in the direction of axial movement of the body, a plurality of contacts carried by said body and disposed in an axial array adjacent the terminals for switching contact with said terminals, a button attached to the end of the body which projects out of the casing, a coiled spring disposed around said body between said button and the casing for biasing the body in a direction to project outwardly from the casing, a recess formed in the inner surface of that one of the side plates which is located opposite to said separate side plate, said recess being positioned between said button and said terminals; and a stop formed on the body as a projection therefrom, said stop being engageable with a portion of said recess to lock the body against withdrawal from the casing, the height of said stop being such that the stop can be disengaged from the recess by an elastic deformation of said separate side plate when said separate side plate and the molded part of said casing are secured together by said terminals.

Claim 7

A push-button switch according to claim 3 in which portion of the stop located nearer the rear end of the casing is formed with a tapered surface having a reduced thickness as the rear end is approached.

Claim 8

A push-button switch according to claim 3 in which the forward portion of the casing is mounted on a rack in a manner such that said separate side plate is held together with the molded part of the casing as a result of such mounting.

Claim 9

A push-button switch according to claim 3 in which the rear end surface of the casing is closed by a rear plate which is integral with said three integral side plates of the casing.

Claim 10

A push-button switch according to claim 3 in which a part of the separate side plate is inserted into the coiled spring, whereby said part is held against the remainder of the casing by the coiled spring.

Claim 11

A push-button switch comprising an elongated casing of rectangular cross-section having three side plates integrally molded from a synthetic resin material and a separate side plate fabricated of a flexible insulating material, said casing having an open front end, an elongated body of an insulating material extending through the open front end of the casing, said body being movable axially of the casing and having a portion projecting outwardly of the front end of the casing, a plurality of terminals extending through the separate side plate and through the oppositely located side plate of the casing to mechanically secure the separate side plate and the molded part of the casing together, said terminals being diSposed along the inner surfaces of their associated side plates in an array extending in the direction of movement of the body, a plurality of contacts carried by the body and disposed in an axial array adjacent said terminals for switching contact with the terminals, a button attached to the projecting end of the body, a coiled spring disposed around the body intermediate the button and the casing for biasing the body in a direction to project outwardly from the casing, a recess formed in said body at a position between said button and said contacts, and a stop formed on said casing as a projection therefrom adjacent the open front end of the casing, said stop being engageable with the recess to lock the body against withdrawal from the casing, the height of said stop being such that the stop can be disengaged from the recess by an elastic deformation of said separate side plate when said separate side plate and the molded part of said casing are secured together by said terminals.

Claim 12

A push-button switch comprising an elongated casing of rectangular cross-section having three side plates integrally molded from a synthetic resin material and a separate side plate fabricated of a flexible insulating material, said casing having an open front end, an elongated body of an insulating material extending through the open front end of the casing, said body being movable axially of the casing and having a portion projecting outwardly of the front end of the casing, a plurality of terminals extending through the separate side plate and through the oppositely located side plate of the casing to mechanically secure the separate side plate and the molded part of the casing together, said terminals being diSposed along the inner surfaces of their associated side plates in an array extending in the direction of movement of the body, a plurality of contacts carried by the body and disposed in an axial array adjacent said terminals for switching contact with the terminals, a button attached to the projecting end of the body, a coiled spring disposed around the body intermediate the button and the casing for biasing the body in a direction to project outwardly from the casing, a recess formed in said body at a position between said button and said contacts, and a stop formed on said casing as a projection therefrom adjacent the open front end of the casing, said stop being engageable with the recess to lock the body against withdrawal from the casing, the height of said stop being such that the stop can be disengaged from the recess by an elastic deformation of said separate side plate when said separate side plate and the molded part of said casing are secured together by said terminals.