US3857000A - Multi-position slide switch assembly with housing means holding common conductive rail in fixed abutting relationship with end terminals of fixed contact array - Google Patents

Multi-position slide switch assembly with housing means holding common conductive rail in fixed abutting relationship with end terminals of fixed contact array Download PDF

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Publication number
US3857000A
US3857000A US00376638A US37663873A US3857000A US 3857000 A US3857000 A US 3857000A US 00376638 A US00376638 A US 00376638A US 37663873 A US37663873 A US 37663873A US 3857000 A US3857000 A US 3857000A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
contact
row
housing
movable contact
slide member
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00376638A
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English (en)
Inventor
H Boulanger
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Texas Instruments Inc
Original Assignee
Texas Instruments Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Texas Instruments Inc filed Critical Texas Instruments Inc
Priority to US00376638A priority Critical patent/US3857000A/en
Priority to AU70273/74A priority patent/AU7027374A/en
Priority to GB2738974A priority patent/GB1470225A/en
Priority to NL7408598A priority patent/NL7408598A/xx
Priority to FR7423104A priority patent/FR2236265A1/fr
Priority to DD179680A priority patent/DD114880A5/xx
Priority to ES427957A priority patent/ES427957A1/es
Priority to DK359974A priority patent/DK359974A/da
Priority to JP49076864A priority patent/JPS5048472A/ja
Priority to IT51917/74A priority patent/IT1016302B/it
Priority to BR5521/74A priority patent/BR7405521D0/pt
Priority to RO7479457A priority patent/RO70448A/ro
Priority to DE2432317A priority patent/DE2432317A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3857000A publication Critical patent/US3857000A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H15/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for actuation in opposite directions, e.g. slide switch
    • H01H15/24—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for actuation in opposite directions, e.g. slide switch having a single operating part only protruding from one side of the switch casing for alternate pushing and pulling
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H15/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for actuation in opposite directions, e.g. slide switch
    • H01H15/02—Details
    • H01H15/06—Movable parts; Contacts mounted thereon

Definitions

  • a desktop keyboard for data encoders, calculators and the like comprises an electrically insulative board having a plurality of contact members and mounting clusters of key switches to provide electrical engagement between pairs of contact members.
  • a plurality of multiposition point switches are also mounted on the board and comprise a contact element slidably movable to any one of a plurality of contact members to provide a selected mode of operation.
  • An electrically conductive retainer plate is held in fixed abutting relationship with the outermost printed circuit board fixed contacts by means of attachment of the housing to the printed circuit board. The contact element is retained in each mode of operation by indexing means and is continuously electrically connected with the retainer plate.
  • This invention relates to keyboards and more particularly to keyboards having multiposition switches.
  • FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on lines 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing a key switch in its normally open or contacts disengaged position;
  • FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the key switch in its closed or contacts engaged position;
  • FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a movable bridge member used in the key switches of FIGS. 1-3;
  • FIG. 5 is a cross section taken through a portion of the printed circuit board showing a contact member
  • FIG. 6 is a cross sectional plan view taken on lines 66 of FIG. 1 through multiposition point switch 6;
  • an electrically insulative board has a printed circuit disposed on one surface and a plurality of staple like U-shaped members inserted through apertures from the opposed surface with the free ends of the staples terminating in electrical engagement with selected portions of the printed circuit.
  • a plurality of multiposition point switches are disposed on the circuit board adapted to make electrical engagement between a first and any other one of a row of staples.
  • a transversely slidable member has a plurality of detents formed on a surface thereof.
  • a spring biased spherical member is urged into a detent as the detent comes into alignment with the spherical member as the member is moved to give a plurality of stable positions to the slide member.
  • contact retainer extends across the row of staples and is in fixed electrical connection with the first staple of the row.
  • a leg depends from the slide member and captures a resilient contact between the retainer and the board and is slidable with the slide member so that at any of the stable positions the resilient contact is in electrical engagement with another one of the row of staples and the retainer.
  • Movable bridge member 36 is disposed in a switch chamber with contact section 38 in engagement with bight 52 of staple 20.
  • a helical coil spring member 58 is also disposed in switch chamber 56 and extends from a spring seat 60 formed by the intersection of slot 30 and .bore 32 in keybody 28 to the movable contact member 36 with the second leg 46 and upwardly bent portion 50 extending into the space defined by spring 58 forming a seat for the spring.
  • Keybody 28 is formed with a laterally projecting U- shaped portion 62 formed by legs 64 (only one being shown) integrally attached to keybody 28 and joined by a bight portion 66.
  • a beveled surface 68 is formed in bight portion 66 which is adapted to engage distal end 44 of leg 42 of movable contact member 36 which is trained through the opening in U-shaped portion 62.
  • spring 58 reacts against bight 52 and the wall of housing 14 through the extreme end portion 70 of contact section 38 and biases keybody 28 upwardly with bight portion 66 camming leg 42 upwardly lifting contact section 40 out of engagement with bight 54 of staple 18.
  • the cam 66 is moved downwardly allowing leg 42 and contact section 40 to move downwardly until contact portion 40 comes into engagement with bight 54 of staple 18.
  • the keybody has approximately 0.150 inches overall travel. Contact engagement occurs after approximately 0.075 inches followed by 0.075 inches overtravel with surface 66 moving away from distal end 44 and spring 58 being further compressed. While bridge member 36 is pivoting on bight portion 52 of staple there is a slight contact wiping occurring at that section since end 70 forces bridge member 36 to slide slightly to the left as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, upon contact engagement. However, once contact section 40 comes into engagement with bight 54 there is no further sliding movement and hence no electrical noise after contact engagement.
  • Multiposition point switches 6, 7 and 8 shown in FIG. 1 are of identical construction and hence only one will be discussed in detail.
  • FIG. 6 a multiposition point switch is illustrated.
  • the switch is shown having six positions, however the particular number of positions is a matter of choice.
  • Housing 80 mounts a slide member 82 thereon and is formed with opposed lips 84 to confine slide 82 to linear sliding movement (right and left as seen in FIG. 6).
  • Integrally formed with slide member 82 is a knob 86 extending from a raised platform 88 on which a series of serrations 90 is preferably provided to facilitate handling.
  • a series of detents 92 are formed in the bottom surface of slide 82 each being adapted to receive therein a spherical member 94 received in bore 96 formed in housing 80 and biased toward the slide member by a coil spring 98 disposed in bore 96 intermediate member 94 and a bottom wall of the bore forming a spring seat 100.
  • Grooves 102, 104 are formed on opposite sides of housing 80 on the end of the housing received on printed circuit board 16 and receive therein respective opposite ends 106, 108 of an electrically conductive retainer plate 110.
  • a bore 112 is formed in slide member 82 and lockingly receives the shank 114 of leg 116 depending from slide member 82 to mount leg 116 in housing 80.
  • Leg 116 extends through a longitudinally extending slot 118 formed in plate and is received in a slot 120 of a resilient electrically conductive member 122.
  • Resilient member 122 so that sliding movement of slide member 82 causes concomitant sliding movement of resilient conductive member 122 is generally wave shaped having, an undulated convex and and concave top and bottom surface.
  • the design of the keyboard described above is particularly suitable for mass manufacturing techniques.
  • the printed circuit is plated on a surface thereof, the electrical contacts in the form of staples are inserted through apertures provided in the board, the connections are soldered by flow soldering and then the entire board is scrubbed clean with appropriate detergents.
  • the board acts as a support for the several key clusters and multiposition switches which are locked into place, as mentioned supra, as by use of screw fasteners. No jumpers or other connectors are required so that hand work on the keyboard is kept to an absolute minimum.
  • the keyboard is assembled with its switches thereon it is placed in a receiving bezel of a desk top calculator and the circuit board is electrically connected to the other component parts of the apparatus such as for instance a read only memory (ROM), program counter (PC), instruction register (IR), control decoders, and other desired components.
  • ROM read only memory
  • PC program counter
  • IR instruction register
  • control decoders and other desired components.
  • a multiposition switch comprising a base, a plurality of stationary contacts mounted on the base electrically separated from one another and arranged in a row, a housing mounted on the base over the row of stationary contacts, a slide member, means for slidably mounting the slide member on the housing, the slide member slidable to and from a plurality of stable positions, an electrically conductive retainer mounted in the housing and electrically connected to one of the contacts in the row, a movable contact member disposed in the housing, the movable contact member in continuous electrical connection with the electrically conductive retainer, means operatively connecting the movable contact member with the slide member for movement therewith, the movable contact member being in electrical engagement with another respective stationary contact when the slide member is in each of its stable positions.
  • a multiposition switch in which a row of detents is formed in a surface of the slide member and movable spring biased retaining means is mounted in the housing and is aligned with the row of detents so that the retaining means moves into each detent upon presentation of each detent to the retaining means.
  • a multiposition switch according to claim 1 in which the electrically conductive contact retainer is disposed over the row of stationary contacts and the movable contact member is resilient and is located intermediate the contact retainer and the row of stationary contacts.
  • a multiposition switch comprising a base, a plurality of stationary contacts mounted on the base electrically separated from one another and arranged in a row, a housing mounted on the base over the row of stationary contacts, a slide memberslidably mounted on the housing, the slide member slidable to and from a plurality of stable positions, an electrically conductive contact retainer disposed in the housing, the contact retainer being an elongated plate having an L shaped portion at each end, each L-shaped portion comprising first and second legs, the first leg supporting the plate and the second leg spacing the plate above the base, a movable contact member disposed in the housing, the movable contact member in continuous electrical connection with the electrically conductive retainer, means mounted in the housing operatively connecting the movable contact member with the slide member for movement therewith, the movable contact member being in electrical engagement with a respective stationary contact when the slide member is in each of its stable positions.
  • a multiposition switch in which a longitudinally extending slot is formed in the elongated plate and the means operatively connecting the movable contact member with the slide member includes a leg depending from the slide member through the slot and terminating at the movable contact.
  • a multiposition switch in which the movable contact has two convex undulated surfaces joined by a concave undulated surface, the convex undulations in wiping contact with the contact retainer plate, the bottom surface of the concave undulation adapted to engage the row of stationary contacts,
  • a multiposition switch in which the base comprises an electrically insulative board having first and second opposed surfaces, two rows of apertures extend from the first to the second surface, the row of stationary contacts comprises electrically conductive staple elements having a bight portion connecting legs, the legs received in respective apertures.
  • a multiposition switch in which a printed circuit is disposed on the second surface of the base and the legs of the staples terminate in electrical connection with selected portions of the circuit.
  • a multiposition point switch comprising a housing, an electrically insulative board having first and second opposed surfaces, a row of pairs of apertures extending from the first to the second surfaces, a printed circuit formed on thelsecond surface, electrically conductive U-shaped contact elements having a bight portion joining two legs, the legs of the Ushaped element received in respective pairs of apertures, at least certain ones of the legs terminating in electrical connection with selected portions of the printed circuit, a movable contact retainer plate disposed in the housing having a tab portion at two opposite ends, means for mounting the retainer plate so that the tab portions are received on the bight of the two extreme U-shaped contact elements of the row, a portion of the movable contact retainer plate intermediate the tabs being spaced above the bights of the remainder of the U-shaped contact elements of the row, a resilient movable generally wave shaped contact plate disposed intermediate the retainer plate and the board in wiping contact with the retainer plate and the board, the movable contact plate adapted to engage any single selected b
  • a multiposition switch in which the means for moving the movable contact includes a slide member mounted in the housing, a leg depending from the slide member connected to the movable contact plate for movement therewith, and in dexing means to indicate the position of the slide when the movable contact plate is in electrical engagement with a selected bight of the said remainder of Ushaped contact elements of the row.
  • a multiposition switch according to claim 10 in which the indexing means also includes movable retaining means to render a plurality of stable positions of the slide member.

Landscapes

  • Slide Switches (AREA)
  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
  • Input From Keyboards Or The Like (AREA)
US00376638A 1973-07-05 1973-07-05 Multi-position slide switch assembly with housing means holding common conductive rail in fixed abutting relationship with end terminals of fixed contact array Expired - Lifetime US3857000A (en)

Priority Applications (13)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US00376638A US3857000A (en) 1973-07-05 1973-07-05 Multi-position slide switch assembly with housing means holding common conductive rail in fixed abutting relationship with end terminals of fixed contact array
AU70273/74A AU7027374A (en) 1973-07-05 1974-06-20 Key switch apparatus
GB2738974A GB1470225A (en) 1973-07-05 1974-06-20 Slide operated electric switch apparatus
NL7408598A NL7408598A (nl) 1973-07-05 1974-06-26 Schakeltoetsinrichting.
DD179680A DD114880A5 (de) 1973-07-05 1974-07-03
FR7423104A FR2236265A1 (de) 1973-07-05 1974-07-03
ES427957A ES427957A1 (es) 1973-07-05 1974-07-04 Un dispositivo conmutador de posiciones multiples.
DK359974A DK359974A (de) 1973-07-05 1974-07-04
JP49076864A JPS5048472A (de) 1973-07-05 1974-07-04
IT51917/74A IT1016302B (it) 1973-07-05 1974-07-04 Perfezionamento nei dispositivi di commutazione elettrica in parti colare per tastiere per calcolato ri e simili
BR5521/74A BR7405521D0 (pt) 1973-07-05 1974-07-04 Comutador de multiposicao
RO7479457A RO70448A (ro) 1973-07-05 1974-07-05 Intrerupator multipozitional
DE2432317A DE2432317A1 (de) 1973-07-05 1974-07-05 Tastatur

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US00376638A US3857000A (en) 1973-07-05 1973-07-05 Multi-position slide switch assembly with housing means holding common conductive rail in fixed abutting relationship with end terminals of fixed contact array

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3857000A true US3857000A (en) 1974-12-24

Family

ID=23485839

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00376638A Expired - Lifetime US3857000A (en) 1973-07-05 1973-07-05 Multi-position slide switch assembly with housing means holding common conductive rail in fixed abutting relationship with end terminals of fixed contact array

Country Status (13)

Country Link
US (1) US3857000A (de)
JP (1) JPS5048472A (de)
AU (1) AU7027374A (de)
BR (1) BR7405521D0 (de)
DD (1) DD114880A5 (de)
DE (1) DE2432317A1 (de)
DK (1) DK359974A (de)
ES (1) ES427957A1 (de)
FR (1) FR2236265A1 (de)
GB (1) GB1470225A (de)
IT (1) IT1016302B (de)
NL (1) NL7408598A (de)
RO (1) RO70448A (de)

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4152565A (en) * 1978-02-01 1979-05-01 Amp Incorporated BCD slide-switch
US4178487A (en) * 1978-06-07 1979-12-11 Fairchild Camera And Instrument Corporation Switch selector and actuator
US4210791A (en) * 1978-12-26 1980-07-01 Carlingswitch, Inc. Slide switch
US4291210A (en) * 1978-09-12 1981-09-22 Gebruder Junghans Gmbh Slide switch
US4348564A (en) * 1979-10-17 1982-09-07 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Slide switch
US4608467A (en) * 1983-12-14 1986-08-26 Elmec Corporation Switch device
US4609793A (en) * 1983-12-13 1986-09-02 Itt Industries, Inc. Electrical slide switching device
US5231254A (en) * 1991-12-11 1993-07-27 Texas Instruments Incorporated Automobile transmission mode sensing apparatus
US5293103A (en) * 1990-02-12 1994-03-08 Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. Quiet fan speed control with linear adjustment actuator
US5389754A (en) * 1993-11-08 1995-02-14 United Technologies Automotive, Inc. Printed circuit board mounted guide system
US5557081A (en) * 1994-11-14 1996-09-17 Prince Corporation Vehicle lamp slide switch including detent assembly
US5864186A (en) * 1998-03-20 1999-01-26 Cts Corporation Slide actuated audio volume control assembly
US5977499A (en) * 1998-04-16 1999-11-02 Cts Corporation Slide selector switch
US20040020752A1 (en) * 2002-08-02 2004-02-05 Defond Manufacturing Limited Electrical switch
US20040179370A1 (en) * 2002-12-26 2004-09-16 Yazaki Corporation Switch structure of lamp unit
US20090121661A1 (en) * 2007-11-08 2009-05-14 Cooper Technologies Company Electrical control device
USD783543S1 (en) * 2015-04-14 2017-04-11 Hanchett Entry Systems, Inc. Actuator module for an electric strike assembly
USD873271S1 (en) * 2019-08-07 2020-01-21 Shenzhen Qianhai Patuoxun Network And Technology Co., Ltd. Keyboard

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP6082547B2 (ja) * 2012-09-04 2017-02-15 株式会社アテックス バスバーインサート樹脂成形品の製造方法

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2185071A (en) * 1939-12-26 Electric switch
US2453498A (en) * 1947-04-15 1948-11-09 Gen Electric Electric switch
US3493706A (en) * 1968-06-19 1970-02-03 Cherry Electrical Prod Slide switch actuator
US3632909A (en) * 1970-04-06 1972-01-04 Robertshaw Controls Co Slide selector matrix keyboard switch assembly with improved contact structure
US3652813A (en) * 1971-01-13 1972-03-28 Ariel R Davis Cordless electric cross connect panel with improved reciprocating contact assembly
US3707609A (en) * 1971-10-27 1972-12-26 Texas Instruments Inc Diaphragm pushbutton switch array for keyboards

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2185071A (en) * 1939-12-26 Electric switch
US2453498A (en) * 1947-04-15 1948-11-09 Gen Electric Electric switch
US3493706A (en) * 1968-06-19 1970-02-03 Cherry Electrical Prod Slide switch actuator
US3632909A (en) * 1970-04-06 1972-01-04 Robertshaw Controls Co Slide selector matrix keyboard switch assembly with improved contact structure
US3652813A (en) * 1971-01-13 1972-03-28 Ariel R Davis Cordless electric cross connect panel with improved reciprocating contact assembly
US3707609A (en) * 1971-10-27 1972-12-26 Texas Instruments Inc Diaphragm pushbutton switch array for keyboards

Cited By (21)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4152565A (en) * 1978-02-01 1979-05-01 Amp Incorporated BCD slide-switch
US4178487A (en) * 1978-06-07 1979-12-11 Fairchild Camera And Instrument Corporation Switch selector and actuator
US4291210A (en) * 1978-09-12 1981-09-22 Gebruder Junghans Gmbh Slide switch
US4210791A (en) * 1978-12-26 1980-07-01 Carlingswitch, Inc. Slide switch
US4348564A (en) * 1979-10-17 1982-09-07 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Slide switch
US4609793A (en) * 1983-12-13 1986-09-02 Itt Industries, Inc. Electrical slide switching device
US4608467A (en) * 1983-12-14 1986-08-26 Elmec Corporation Switch device
US5293103A (en) * 1990-02-12 1994-03-08 Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. Quiet fan speed control with linear adjustment actuator
US5231254A (en) * 1991-12-11 1993-07-27 Texas Instruments Incorporated Automobile transmission mode sensing apparatus
US5389754A (en) * 1993-11-08 1995-02-14 United Technologies Automotive, Inc. Printed circuit board mounted guide system
US5557081A (en) * 1994-11-14 1996-09-17 Prince Corporation Vehicle lamp slide switch including detent assembly
US5864186A (en) * 1998-03-20 1999-01-26 Cts Corporation Slide actuated audio volume control assembly
US5977499A (en) * 1998-04-16 1999-11-02 Cts Corporation Slide selector switch
US20040020752A1 (en) * 2002-08-02 2004-02-05 Defond Manufacturing Limited Electrical switch
US6759608B2 (en) * 2002-08-02 2004-07-06 Defond Manufacturing Limited Electrical switch
US20040179370A1 (en) * 2002-12-26 2004-09-16 Yazaki Corporation Switch structure of lamp unit
US6930264B2 (en) * 2002-12-26 2005-08-16 Yazaki Corporation Switch structure of lamp unit
US20090121661A1 (en) * 2007-11-08 2009-05-14 Cooper Technologies Company Electrical control device
US7728240B2 (en) 2007-11-08 2010-06-01 Cooper Technologies Company Electrical control device
USD783543S1 (en) * 2015-04-14 2017-04-11 Hanchett Entry Systems, Inc. Actuator module for an electric strike assembly
USD873271S1 (en) * 2019-08-07 2020-01-21 Shenzhen Qianhai Patuoxun Network And Technology Co., Ltd. Keyboard

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
RO70448A (ro) 1982-07-06
DE2432317A1 (de) 1975-01-23
DD114880A5 (de) 1975-08-20
AU7027374A (en) 1976-01-08
ES427957A1 (es) 1976-12-01
JPS5048472A (de) 1975-04-30
IT1016302B (it) 1977-05-30
GB1470225A (en) 1977-04-14
NL7408598A (nl) 1975-01-07
BR7405521D0 (pt) 1975-05-13
FR2236265A1 (de) 1975-01-31
DK359974A (de) 1975-02-24

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