Lighted module applicable to a pushbutton-type switch assembly, and a pushbutton-type switch assembly with a lighted module

Abstract

A lighted module applicable to a pushbutton-type switch assembly and pushbutton-type switch assembly with lighted module is described. The module comprises a receptacle housing a printed circuit board having several LEDs and connection means. The receptacle includes at least one translucent or transparent portion, aperture or hole through which light is emitted from said LEDs towards a translucent or transparent portion of a base body of a pushbutton-type switch assembly, and an orifice through which the connection means are connected to an electric circuit. The receptacle and said printed circuit board comprising respective mutually aligned apertures for insertion of a stem of said base body so that the receptacle with the printed circuit board can be jointly installed with the pushbutton-type switch assembly internally or externally to a panel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The previous and other advantages and features will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first example of a previous art pushbutton-type switch assembly;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a second example of a previous art pushbutton-type switch assembly;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a lighted module according to a first embodiment of the present invention to be applied to the first example of previous art pushbutton-type switch assembly shown in FIG. 1 as per a first installation example;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a lighted module according to a second embodiment of the present invention to be applied to the second example of previous art pushbutton-type switch assembly shown in FIG. 2 as per a first installation example;

FIG. 5 is a lower perspective view showing a box and a printed circuit board of the second embodiment of the lighted module shown in FIG. 4 facing a panel suitable for a second installation example;

FIG. 6 is an upper perspective view showing a mounting arrangement of the box and printed circuit board of FIG. 4 by means of securing strips;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a lighted module according to a variant of the first embodiment of the present invention to be applied to a variant of the previous art pushbutton-type switch assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a cross-section of the first exemplary embodiment of the lighted module of FIG. 3 assembled and coupled in an operative situation to the first example of previous art pushbutton-type switch assembly as per said first installation example;

FIG. 9 is a cross-section of the second embodiment of the lighted module of FIG. 4 assembled and coupled in an operative situation to the second example of previous art pushbutton-type switch assembly of FIG. 2 as per said first installation example;

FIG. 10 is a cross-section of the second embodiment of the lighted module of FIG. 4 assembled and coupled in an operative situation to the second example of previous art pushbutton-type switch assembly of FIG. 2 as per said second installation example; and

FIGS. 11A and 11B are side and top views, respectively, of another example of pushbutton-type switch assembly coupled to the lighted module according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A lighted module applicable to a pushbutton-type switch assembly, where said pushbutton-type switch assembly is of the type comprising a base body defining at one end a bezel adapted to receive a pushbutton of an actuator assembly and a stem adapted to pass through an aperture of a panel, said stem having an outer configuration adapted for joining said base body to said panel, said actuator assembly being mounted so as to be moved through said stem from an extended position to a retracted position against the thrust of an elastic element to operate an actuating element of a switch attached to said stem, said lighted module comprising: a receptacle inside of which a printed circuit board is installed, said printed circuit board having a circuit including at least one LED and connection means, said receptacle including at least one translucent or transparent portion, aperture or hole through which light can be emitted from said LED towards a translucent or transparent portion of the base body, andat least one orifice through which said connection means can be connected to an electric circuit, the receptacle and said printed circuit board comprising respective mutually aligned apertures and for insertion of the stem of the base body, so that the receptacle with the printed circuit board can be jointly installed with the pushbutton-type switch assembly either internally or externally to the panel.

2. The module according to claim 1, wherein said circuit of the printed circuit board includes a number of LEDs distributed around said aperture on a first face of the printed circuit board, while said connection means comprises connection pins extending from a second face of the printed circuit board opposite said first face.

3. The module according to claim 2, wherein the receptacle comprises a box adapted to house the printed circuit board and a cover adapted to close said box, said apertures of the receptacle being formed in said box and in said cover, respectively.

4. The module according to claim 3, wherein the box is made of a translucent or transparent material and has a bottom wall adjacent to the first face of the printed circuit board, whereas the cover is adjacent to said second face of the printed circuit board, said orifice being formed in the cover to allow said connection pins pass through.

5. The module according to claim 4, wherein depressions and/or holes adapted to accommodate the LEDs and/or other elements projecting from the first face of the printed circuit board are formed in an inner surface of said bottom wall of the box.

6. The module according to claim 3, wherein the box has a bottom wall adjacent to the second face of the printed circuit board whereas the cover is adjacent to said first face of the printed circuit board, said orifice being formed in said bottom wall of the box to allow said connection pins pass through, said aperture of the cover being configured to encompass the LEDs within its perimeter.

7. The module according to claim 6, wherein the box has some walls adapted to conform at least in part to the contour of the printed circuit board and the cover forms a perimetrical step adapted to interiorly fit into said lateral walls of the box.

8. The module according to claim 2, wherein the LEDs are arranged on the printed circuit board so as to emit light through corresponding holes existing in the panel adjacent to the aperture thereof when the lighted module is installed internally between a securing element fastened to the stem of the base body and the panel.

9. The module according to claim 2, wherein the connection pins are installed on the printed circuit board so as to pass through an orifice existing in the panel adjacent to the aperture thereof when the lighted module is installed externally between the panel and the bezel of the base body.

10. The module according to claim 2, wherein the receptacle comprises a box with a bottom wall to which the printed circuit board is attached and lateral walls adapted to conform at least part to the contour of the printed circuit board, said aperture of the receptacle being formed in said bottom wall.

11. The module according to claim 10, wherein the bottom wall of the box is adjacent to the second face of the printed circuit board, said orifice being formed in the bottom wall to allow said connection pins to pass through and said lateral walls defining an aperture configured to encompass the LED switch in its perimeter.

12. The module according to claim 11, wherein said lateral walls of the box have a free axial edge adapted to rest on the panel around said aperture when the lighted module is installed internally between a securing element attached to the stem of the base body and the panel, and in that the lighted module includes an adapter of a translucent or transparent material having an aperture adapted to fit to an outer contour of the stem of the base body and a perimetrical edge adapted to fit to an inner edge of the aperture of the panel, said aperture and said perimetrical edge being configured to encompass said number of LEDs within its perimeter.

13. The module according to claim 12, wherein the box comprises inner walls that radially extend inwards from said lateral walls, said inner walls having free axial surfaces adapted to support the bezel of the base body when the lighted module is installed externally between the panel and the bezel of the base body, in which case the connection pins are arranged so that they pass through an orifice formed in the panel and aligned with the orifice of the box.

14. The module according to claim 13, wherein the perimetrical edge of the adapter includes an outer perimetrical surface adapted to fit inside free radial surfaces of the inner walls of the box, said perimetrical edge having a height that is less than the distance between the first face of the printed circuit board and the free axial surfaces of the inner walls.

15. The module according to claim 13, wherein the adapter has a notch formed in an edge of said aperture to fit into a projection formed on the rear surface of the bezel of the base body.

16. The module according to claim 13, wherein the printed circuit board has slots around its contour to accommodate the inner walls of the box, securing strips being adapted to be held between two of said inner walls and interiorly backed onto the lateral walls of the box above a portion of the printed circuit board adjacent to its contour to hold the printed circuit board to the box.

17. The module according to claim 12, further comprising a support washer having a first face adapted to be backed onto a rear surface of the bottom wall of the box, a second face adapted to receive a pressure surface of the securing elements, and an aperture adapted to fit to an outer contour of the stem of the base body, a notch being formed in an edge of said aperture to fit to a projection formed on the rear surface of the bottom wall of the box, the thickness of said support washer being equal to or greater than the axial length of said projection.

18. The module according to claim 2, wherein the circuit of the printed circuit board is adapted to be controlled by an electronic control circuit associated with said electric circuit to which the connection pins on the printed circuit board are connected to consecutively switch the LEDs on and off so as to produce a rotating luminous signal.

19. The module according to claim 2, wherein the LEDs are installed on the printed circuit board so as to emit said rotating luminous signal through a peripheral zone of the bezel of the base body, at least said peripheral zone being made of a translucent or transparent material.

20. A pushbutton-type switch assembly with a lighted module, said pushbutton-type switch assembly being of the type comprising a base body defining at one end a bezel adapted to receive a pushbutton of an actuator assembly and a stem adapted to pass through an aperture in a panel, said stem having an outer configuration adapted to be coupled to a securing element for joining said base body to the cited panel, said actuator assembly being mounted so as to be moved through said stem from an extended position to a retracted position against the thrust of an elastic element to operate an actuating element of a switch attached to said stem, said pushbutton-type switch assembly being associated with a lighted module according to claim 1 and in that the base body has at least one translucent or transparent portion through which light from said lighted module is emitted.