US4433222A — Miniaturized push button switch

Claim 1

Independent Claim 321 words

A push button switch comprising a switch body defining an enclosure; support surface means disposed within said enclosure; a pivotable converter disposed above and supported by said support surface means, one of said converter and said support surface means having a projection formed thereon and the other one of said converter and said support surface means having a depression formed therein for cooperating with said projection such that said converter pivotably engages said support surface means and is pivotable between first and second positions with respect to an imaginary fulcrum plane, said projection and said depression defining a pivot joint and a pivot axis; an operator actuable push rod extending through said switch body into said enclosure with a base which is spaced from said converter, said push rod being axially displaceable with respect to a displacement axis and having a depending, elongated converter actuator spaced from and substantially parallel to said displacement axis for pushing against said converter at a single predetermined location thereon so as to pivot said converter in the direction of said second position when said push rod is displaced from an unactuated limit position; compression spring means disposed between said push rod and said converter for biasing said push rod toward said limit position and said converter toward said support surface means; three spaced stationary contact members aligned in a row, said row extending transversely with respect to said fulcrum plane and being axially spaced from said pivot joint with respect to said pivot axis; and an elongated movable contact member fixedly mounted on said converter relatively above said pivot axis and in relative alignment with said stationary contact members such that said movable contact member bridges the central one of said stationary contact members and is arcuately displaced into and out of sliding contact with the respective end ones of said stationary contact members as said converter is pivoted between said first and second positions.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 321 words

A push button switch comprising a switch body defining an enclosure; support surface means disposed within said enclosure; a pivotable converter disposed above and supported by said support surface means, one of said converter and said support surface means having a projection formed thereon and the other one of said converter and said support surface means having a depression formed therein for cooperating with said projection such that said converter pivotably engages said support surface means and is pivotable between first and second positions with respect to an imaginary fulcrum plane, said projection and said depression defining a pivot joint and a pivot axis; an operator actuable push rod extending through said switch body into said enclosure with a base which is spaced from said converter, said push rod being axially displaceable with respect to a displacement axis and having a depending, elongated converter actuator spaced from and substantially parallel to said displacement axis for pushing against said converter at a single predetermined location thereon so as to pivot said converter in the direction of said second position when said push rod is displaced from an unactuated limit position; compression spring means disposed between said push rod and said converter for biasing said push rod toward said limit position and said converter toward said support surface means; three spaced stationary contact members aligned in a row, said row extending transversely with respect to said fulcrum plane and being axially spaced from said pivot joint with respect to said pivot axis; and an elongated movable contact member fixedly mounted on said converter relatively above said pivot axis and in relative alignment with said stationary contact members such that said movable contact member bridges the central one of said stationary contact members and is arcuately displaced into and out of sliding contact with the respective end ones of said stationary contact members as said converter is pivoted between said first and second positions.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 14 words

The switch of claim 1 wherein said projection and said depression are triangularly shaped.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 86 words

The switch of claim 1 wherein said predetermined location is on a first side of said fulcrum plane in the direction of said converter second position, and said spring means is mounted at a first end to said push rod base at the center thereof and is mounted at a second end to said converter at a location spaced from said fulcrum plane on a second side thereof in the direction of said converter first position, such that said converter is biased toward said first position.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 18 words

The switch of claim 3 wherein said converter is formed with an actuator recess which receives said actuator.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 53 words

The switch of claim 4 wherein said push rod base is formed with a recess which receives said spring means first end, and said converter is formed with a spring recess having a bottom projection and said spring means second end is received by said spring recess in engagement with said bottom projection.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 89 words

The switch of claim 1 wherein said support surface means comprises resilient means which is pivotably engaged at a central location thereon by said converter and which is of such resilience that when said converter reaches a pivot position intermediate said first and second positions as said push rod is depressed, the force of said spring means on said resilient means causes said resilient means central location to shift from a raised position to a lower position with respect to said push rod, thereby producing a snap-action switching effect.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 45 words

The switch of claim 6 wherein said resilient means comprises an angular planar resilient member defining a depression at said central location and first and second oppositely directed and downwardly inclined legs, the distal ends of which abut corresponding interior walls of said switch body.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 72 words

The switch of claim 1 wherein said displacement axis of said push rod and said fulcrum plane are substantially coplanar and said spring means extends substantially coaxially between said push rod and said converter with respect to said displacement axis, such that said converter snaps into said first or second position when said converter is pivoted from the other position and reaches a central pivot position intermediate said first and second position.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 29 words

The switch of claim 8 further comprising second spring means disposed between said converter and said support surface means such that said converter is biased toward said first position.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 35 words

The switch of claim 1 wherein said movable contact member has two spaced resilient legs which engage said stationary contact members with a clipping action when said movable and stationary contact members are in contact.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1987-02-20	1987-08-22	1988-02-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1991-02-20	1991-08-22	1992-02-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1995-02-20	1995-08-22	1996-02-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Miniaturized push button switch

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