Patent US5164554A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5164554A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pivotable pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly
Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
•
Filing: 1991-03-14
•
Granted: 1992-11-17
•
Expires: 2011-03-14
Abstract
Abstract A plurality of switches are arranged in a polygon on a printed circuit board and each of the switches is beneath or under a switch activating portion formed at the center of a pushbutton operation receiver portion. The pushbutton operation receiver portions are each supported over the corresponding switches through resilient arms that are integrally formed with a stay, which is secured to the printed circuit board at the center of the polygon. The pushbutton has a plurality of pushbutton operation transmission portions, each of which conveys the pressing force to the facing ends of the adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions. When the pushbutton is depressed at a point between two switches, the pushbutton operation transmission portion nearest the depression point is lowered, pushing down the facing ends of the adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions. Since only one end of each of the two adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions is pushed down, these pushbutton operation receiver portions are inclined but not lowered, so that the switch activting portion at the center of each pushbutton operation receiver portion is not lowered, leaving the corresponding switches inactivated. in this way no two or more switches can be operated simultaneously.
Inventors
- 👤 Takahiro Ikunami
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 01:12
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H25/00; H01H25/04; H01H25/041; H01H13/00; H01H13/70; H01H13/702; H01H2221/00; H01H2221/008; H01H2221/012; H01H2221/052; H01H2239/00; H01H2239/03
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
399 words
A pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly comprising: a print circuit board; a stay secured to the printed circuit board; a plurality of switches arranged on the printed circuit board at predetermined intervals and at a predetermined distance from the stay; a plurality of U-shaped pushbutton operation receiver portions each having a central portion and two depending leg portions, each leg portion being positionable above the printed circuit board with a space being defined therebetween, a switch activating portion being formed at the central portion and being placed over a corresponding switch, the switch activating portion being movable to depress the corresponding switch and the leg portions then engaging the printed circuit board, said pushbutton operation receiver portions being formed integral with, and suspended by, the stay through resilient arms that extend from the stay; a pushbutton supported by the stay, the stay preventing a central portion of the pushbutton from being depressed, the pushbutton having a plurality of first and second areas, each of the first areas overlying a switch and the second areas overlying a position between adjacent switches; and a plurality of pushbutton operation transmission portions placed between the pushbutton and the pushbutton operation receiver portions, each of said pushbutton operation transmission portions being engaged with ends of two adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions above one of the depending leg portions of the two adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions, each of the pushbutton operation transmission portions being beneath one of the second areas of the pushbutton, and depression of one of the second ares of the pushbutton moving said pushbutton operation transmission portion to twist the two adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions such that only one leg portion of each operation receiver portion adjacent the operation transmission portion is depressed while the other leg portion of each of the adjacent operation receiver portions remains above and out of engagement with the printed circuit board, whereby a switch is activated by the switch activating portion of one of the pushbutton operation receiver portions when the pushbutton is depressed in the first area overlying the switch and whereby a switch fails to be activated when the pushbutton is depressed in a second area due to one of the pushbutton operation transmission portions engaging the two adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions to prevent depression of the switch activating portion of either adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portion with the corresponding switches.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
399 words
A pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly comprising: a print circuit board; a stay secured to the printed circuit board; a plurality of switches arranged on the printed circuit board at predetermined intervals and at a predetermined distance from the stay; a plurality of U-shaped pushbutton operation receiver portions each having a central portion and two depending leg portions, each leg portion being positionable above the printed circuit board with a space being defined therebetween, a switch activating portion being formed at the central portion and being placed over a corresponding switch, the switch activating portion being movable to depress the corresponding switch and the leg portions then engaging the printed circuit board, said pushbutton operation receiver portions being formed integral with, and suspended by, the stay through resilient arms that extend from the stay; a pushbutton supported by the stay, the stay preventing a central portion of the pushbutton from being depressed, the pushbutton having a plurality of first and second areas, each of the first areas overlying a switch and the second areas overlying a position between adjacent switches; and a plurality of pushbutton operation transmission portions placed between the pushbutton and the pushbutton operation receiver portions, each of said pushbutton operation transmission portions being engaged with ends of two adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions above one of the depending leg portions of the two adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions, each of the pushbutton operation transmission portions being beneath one of the second areas of the pushbutton, and depression of one of the second ares of the pushbutton moving said pushbutton operation transmission portion to twist the two adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions such that only one leg portion of each operation receiver portion adjacent the operation transmission portion is depressed while the other leg portion of each of the adjacent operation receiver portions remains above and out of engagement with the printed circuit board, whereby a switch is activated by the switch activating portion of one of the pushbutton operation receiver portions when the pushbutton is depressed in the first area overlying the switch and whereby a switch fails to be activated when the pushbutton is depressed in a second area due to one of the pushbutton operation transmission portions engaging the two adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions to prevent depression of the switch activating portion of either adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portion with the corresponding switches.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a recovering means is provided for returning the pushbutton to an original position when a depressing force is released.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said recovering means includes a cushion provided between an upper surface of the pushbutton and a decorative panel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said recovering means comprises: resilient arms formed integrally with the pushbutton; and projections fitted to a decorative panel at both ends of said resilient arms for receiving said resilient arms.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance for each of the switches form the stay is uniform and wherein spacing between adjacent pushbutton operation receiver portions is generally uniform.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein four switches, four pushbutton operation receiver portions and four pushbutton operation transmission portions are provided.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein only one pushbutton is provided and wherein four first areas are provided on the pushbutton generally above the four switches.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient arms extending from the stay are generally uniformly distributed around the stay.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The pushbutton operated multiple switch assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch activating portion is located between the leg portions and the switch activating portion points downwardly, the corresponding switch being located beneath the switch activating portion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JPS5168726A
Cited
US4029915A
Cited
US4401864A
Cited
US4439648A
Cited
US4486629A
Cited
US4687200A
Cited
US4520240A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-11-17 | 1996-05-18 | 1996-11-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-11-17 | 2000-05-18 | 2000-11-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-11-17 | 2004-05-18 | 2004-11-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |