Patent Application
20080169176
The present invention relates to a push-button switch structure with an illumination, and more particularly to a switch structure having the functions of producing an illumination and indicating the position of a switch in the dark, regardless of the normal or abnormal condition of an external power supply.
Referring to
However, when the foregoing structure of the traditional push-button switch and its panel is used in practical applications, the light of the indicating light 511 can roughly indicate the position of the push-button switch only, but it cannot indicate the overall condition at the surrounding of the switch, so that users have to search for the push-button switch 51 and switch panel 53 by hands in an environment with insufficient light or at a dark place, and users generally stain the wall surface around the switch panel 53 by touches and thus affecting the artistic look of the switch. Further, the function of the traditional push-button switch is limited to be used for switching a power switch only with no other additional function and thus such switch is not competitive in the market.
In view of the shortcomings of the structure of a traditional push-button switch and its panel, the inventor of the present invention conducts researches and experiments to overcome the shortcomings, and finally invented the present invention.
It is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a push-button switch structure with an illumination function, comprising: a main frame having a panel at central area, an installing portion disposed on the panel and installing at least one switch; a circuit board connected between the panel and the main frame for using a result of the external light detected by a light sensor to drive at least one light emitting unit installed around the periphery of the circuit board; and a transparent cover for combining a lateral side of the main frame to form a cover, and combining the switch; wherein a planned area is disposed on the surface of the transparent cover for changing the angle of refraction of the light and enhancing the effect of indicating the switch position by the light emitting unit. The circuit board further installs a second power supply unit for providing users the required electric power supplied to the light emitting unit, and providing an emergency illumination and a position indication when the electric power is disconnected or an emergency such as a power failure, a disaster drill, or even a fire occurs, or the utility power cannot be supplied normally.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawing.
Referring
The light emitting unit 21 installed at the periphery of the circuit board 2 emits light through an interval 112 formed between the panel 11 and the reflecting surface 13 and corresponds to a reflecting surface 13 extended obliquely inward at an internal periphery of the main frame 1 to produce a bright light source to the outside. In a preferred embodiment, a planned area 41 is disposed on a surface of the transparent cover 4 and gone through a transparent surface process such as a prism cutting, a wavy cutting, a fish-eye processing or a surface nebulization to form a special refractive surface for changing the angle of refraction of the light, and thus achieving the effects of enhancing the indication of a switch position and beautifying the overall artistic look of the switch.
Taking a preferred embodiment into consideration, the circuit board 2 installs a break switch 23, and the break switch 23 is passed through a through hole 113 of the panel 11 and an aperture 43 of the transparent cover 4 and exposed from the surface of a cover body for turning on or off the power supplied to the light emitting unit 21, and compulsorily shut down the light indication function of the push-button switch panel by operating the break switch 23 when a user does not need the lamp indication, such as sleeping in the nighttime or playing movies in a theater that requires complete darkness and no interference of lights. In the foregoing structure in accordance with a preferred embodiment, a configuration of having at least one battery compartment for containing related batteries to build a second power supply unit 14; wherein at least one battery compartment is disposed at an area on the surface at a periphery of the installing portion 12 of the panel 11 for providing an overall configuration to facilitate users to change batteries.
Referring to
Referring to
In summation of the description above, the present invention effectively overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art, enhances the performance over the conventional structure and complies with the patent application requirements.
The present invention provides users a way of locating the position of a switch push-button in the dark under a normal use, and working together with a transparent cover 4 covered onto the exterior of the main frame 1 to achieve the effects of enhancing the light and making the cleaning easier. The invention further supplies electric power to maintain the illumination and indication functions in a power failure. Unlike the traditional panel of the push-button switch structure, the invention also shows a significant improvement of the configuration and effect of a power switch.
While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.
