← Back to Patent Explorer
US4207448A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Pushbutton switch

Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1978-06-22
•
Granted: 1980-06-10
•
Expires: 1998-06-22
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A pushbutton switch is disclosed which comprises a dome-shaped buckling plate spring between a fixed contact on a printed circuit board and a common conductive sheet. The curvature of the plate spring is reversed so as to obtain an electrical communication.

Inventors

  • 👤 Akira Furusawa
  • 👤 Yutaka Udagawa

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 08:09
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H13/00; H01H13/70; H01H13/7006

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 173 words
A pushbutton switch comprising a circuit board having a single fixed electrical contact embedded therein, a dome-shape conductive click spring positioned to touch said fixed electrical contact when said click spring curvature is reversed under influence of pressure, a common conductive sheet overlaying said click spring and forming an electrical contact to electrically connect with said embedded single electrical contact in said circuit board when the curvature of said click spring is reversed, a pushbutton located above said conductive sheet to bear on said dome-shape click spring to cause a reversal of said click spring curvature, spacer means located on said circuit board forming a recessed seating portion around said embedded electrical contact, said click spring having a circumferential edge seated in said recessed seating portion being retained therein to form said pushbutton switch, said recessed seating portion having a diameter larger than that of said click spring when said click spring is in its initial curvature so as to accommodate the enlarging diameter of said click spring when its curvature is reversed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 173 words
A pushbutton switch comprising a circuit board having a single fixed electrical contact embedded therein, a dome-shape conductive click spring positioned to touch said fixed electrical contact when said click spring curvature is reversed under influence of pressure, a common conductive sheet overlaying said click spring and forming an electrical contact to electrically connect with said embedded single electrical contact in said circuit board when the curvature of said click spring is reversed, a pushbutton located above said conductive sheet to bear on said dome-shape click spring to cause a reversal of said click spring curvature, spacer means located on said circuit board forming a recessed seating portion around said embedded electrical contact, said click spring having a circumferential edge seated in said recessed seating portion being retained therein to form said pushbutton switch, said recessed seating portion having a diameter larger than that of said click spring when said click spring is in its initial curvature so as to accommodate the enlarging diameter of said click spring when its curvature is reversed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 25 words
A pushbutton switch as set forth in claim 1, wherein the dome of said dome-shaped click spring is aligned with said fixed embedded electrical contact.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 32 words
A pushbutton switch of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the spacer is set so that a top portion of the click spring is higher than the upper surface of the spacer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 27 words
A pushbutton switch of claim 1, wherein the seating portion is made of a wear-proof plastic material to support the peripheral edge of the click spring uniformly.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 31 words
A pushbutton switch of claim 1, wherein the height of the click spring supported by the seating portion is set higher than that of the upper surface of the fixed contact.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 24 words
A pushbutton switch of claim 1, wherein the spacer comprises retaining plate with the retaining hole and the seating plate forming the seating portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 21 words
A pushbutton switch of claim 6, wherein the retaining plate and the seating plate comprise a wear-proof plastic material being coated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 29 words
A pushbutton switch of claim 1, wherein said board comprises a printed circuit board and the fixed contact is printed on the printed circuit board as a circuit pattern.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 20 words
A pushbutton switch of claim 8, wherein a contact protrusion is provided at a central portion of the click spring.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 26 words
A pushbutton switch of claim 1, wherein the common conductive sheet is constructed by attaching a conductive layer to a contact side of a plastic film.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 47 words
A pushbutton switch of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer comprises an assembly sheet comprising a contact portion for making contact with the click spring, a connecting portion with the outside, a coupling portion for making contact with each contact portion, and an other portion being blank.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 35 words
A pushbutton switch of claim 1, wherein a contact protrusion is provided at a central portion of the click spring, and a damper boss made of an elastic body is attached to said protruding portion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 25 words
A pushbutton switch of claim 1, further comprising a damper sheet located between the central portion of said click spring and the common conductive sheet.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3133170A Cited
US3950627A Cited
US4005293A Cited
US3973091A Cited
US3995126A Cited
US3996429A Cited
US4056700A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1983-06-10 1983-12-10 1984-06-10 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1987-06-10 1987-12-10 1988-06-10 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1991-06-10 1991-12-10 1992-06-10 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag