BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a switch apparatus and, particularly, to a switch apparatus with Light Emitting Diode.
2. Description of Related Art
Buttons are typically used in electronic devices to control the power to start up an operation of the electronic device. An indication light is usually positioned adjacent to the button to indicate a working state of the electronic device. The indication light and the button are separate parts. It needs a plurality of accessories and occupies large space.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with references to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
FIGS. 1-3 are schematic views of a first embodiment of a switch apparatus.
FIGS. 4-6 are schematic views of a second embodiment of the switch apparatus.
FIGS. 7-9 are schematic views of a third embodiment of the switch apparatus.
FIGS. 10-14 are schematic views of alternative embodiments of a top portion of a light guide pole of the switch apparatus.
FIGS. 15-21 are schematic views of alternative embodiment of the light guide pole and an LED housing of the switch apparatus.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a switch apparatus in a first embodiment includes a light guide pole 10 and a Light Emitting Diode (LED) housing 20. The light guide pole 10 is an integral part gradually tapered from a bottom portion 17 inside the LED housing 20 to a top portion 18 outside the LED housing 20. The light guide pole 10 having diameters gradually increase from the top portion 18 outside the LED housing 20 to the bottom portion 17 inside the LED housing 20. An oblique dissymmetric curved edge 15 is defined at an end of the bottom portion 17. A recess 16 is defined under the oblique dissymmetric curved edge 15, and the least one LED light source is located in the recess 16. A pressing portion 11 projects from the bottom portion 17 of the light guide pole 10 at a bottom end of the oblique dissymmetric curved edge 15. The light guide pole 10 is embedded in the LED housing 20. The LED housing 20 includes a LED 21 and a resilient metal piece 22 adjacent to the LED 21. The LED 21 and the metal piece 22 are located under the light guide pole 10. The LED 21 emits light in a single color. The LED housing 20 defines a pole hole 25. The light guide pole 10 has a coniform configuration. The light guide pole 10 extends through the pole hole 25. The light guide pole 10 is movably inserted through the pole hole 25 of the LED housing 20 such that the light guide pole 10 is engaged with the pole hole 25 when the light guide pole 10 abuts the resilient metal piece 22 before the light guide pole 10 presses the resilient metal piece 22 to trigger the LED 21. The LED 21 and the resilient metal piece 22 are substantially located at a same plane extending along a direction substantially perpendicular to a moving direction of the light guide pole 25 relative to the LED housing 20.
The LED housing 20 may be encapsulated by dual in-line package (DIP). In microelectronics, a dual in-line package (DIP), is an electronic device package with a rectangular housing and two parallel rows of electrical connecting pins. The LED housing 20 may be encapsulated by Surface-mount technology (SMT). Surface-mount technology (SMT) is a method for constructing electronic circuits in which the components (SMC, or Surface Mounted Components) are mounted directly onto the surface of printed circuit boards (PCBs).
The LED housing 20 has four pins, pin 1, pin 2, pin 3, and pin 4. The LED light source 21 is connected between the pin 1 and the pin 2. A switch is connected between the pin 3 and the pin 4 to turn on the LED light source 21. The pressing portion 11 resists against the metal piece 22 to light the LED light source 21.
Referring to FIGS. 4-6, a switch apparatus in a second embodiment includes six pins and two parallel LED light sources 21 in the LED housing 20. When a first LED light source is connected between the pin 1 and the pin 2, the first LED light source emits a first light color. When a second LED light source is connected between the pin 3 and the pin 4, the second LED light source emits a second light color. The switch is connected between the pin 5 and the pin 6. The LED light sources 21 can be controlled by Pulse-width modulation (PWM) to emit different light colors.
Referring to FIGS. 7-9, a switch apparatus in a third embodiment includes three LED light sources 21 and six pins in the LED housing 20. The LED light sources 21 emit light in red, green, and blue colors correspondingly. A first LED light source is connected between the pin 1 and the pin 4. A second LED light source is connected between the pin 2 and the pin 4. A third LED light source is connected between the pin 3 and the pin 4. The pin 4 is a common pin. The switch is connected between the pin 5 and the pin 6 to light the LED light sources 21. The LED light sources 21 are controlled by PWM to light multiple colors light consisting of red, green, blue colors.
Referring to FIGS. 10-14, in alternative embodiments, different patterns are formed on a top portion of the light guide pole 10 to direct the corresponding functions. For example, power function, decreasing function, adding function, playing function, and so on.
Referring to FIGS. 15-21, in alternative embodiments, heights and shapes of the light guide pole 10 and the LED housing 20 may be changed according to need and/or preference. For example, decrease the height of the light guide pole 10, decrease the height of the LED housing 20, and so on. The light guide pole 10 may be generally transparent, translucent, fogged, or dyed.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
Patent Grant
8242397
