US 11,961,687 B2
Push switch
Akira Kaneko, Miyagi (JP); Katsutoshi Usui, Miyagi (JP); and Hiroshi Ohara, Miyagi (JP)
Assigned to ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD., Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Apr. 20, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/234,915.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-079268 (JP), filed on Apr. 28, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0335558 A1, Oct. 28, 2021
Int. Cl. H01H 13/14 (2006.01); H01H 13/04 (2006.01)
CPC H01H 13/14 (2013.01) [H01H 13/04 (2013.01)] 3 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A push switch comprising:
a case having a housing space with au upper opening;
fixed contacts provided at a bottom of the housing space in the case;
a movable contact member having a dome-shaped member, the movable contact member being disposed in the housing space, and having a central portion that is brought into contact with the fixed contacts by inverting the movable contact member in response to the movable contact member being pushed by an operator;
a pushing member is disposed above the movable contact member, the pushing member abuts a sloped portion of the movable contact member, and the pushing member is configured to push the sloped portion of the movable contact member upon being pushed by the operator,
wherein the pushing member moves straight downward in a vertical direction to push the sloped portion being situated outside of the central portion of the movable contact member so that the movable contact member becomes inverted due to elastic deformation,
wherein the fixed contacts include first fixed contacts and a second fixed contact, and the first fixed contacts are provided at respective ends in a lengthwise direction at the bottom of the housing space and the second fixed contact is provided in a center at the bottom of the housing space in the case,
wherein the pushing member does not come in contact with the central portion of the movable contact member when bringing the central portion of the movable contact member into contact with the second fixed contact,
wherein the pushing member has a pushing portion that protrudes downward toward a surface facing the movable contact member, and the pushing member pushes the sloped portion being situated outside of the central portion of the movable contact member through the pushing portion,
wherein the movable contact member is the dome-shaped member formed of a thin metal plate with an upward convex shape in the vertical direction,
wherein a stroke amount upon inverting the movable contact member near the central portion of the movable contact member is larger than an amount of movement of the sloped portion upon pushing down the movable contact member in the vertical direction, and
wherein the sloped portion of the movable contact member abutted and pushed by the pushing member is situated outside of the central portion of the movable contact member and outside of the second fixed contact at the bottom of the case.