BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a conventional pushbutton switch.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective cut off view of an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the invention.
FIGS. 6A through 6D are sectional views and top views of an embodiment of the invention in operating conditions.
FIGS. 7A through 7D are sectional views and top views of a second embodiment of the invention in operating conditions.
FIGS. 8A through 8D are sectional views and top views of a third embodiment of the invention in operating conditions.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Please refer to FIGS. 2 through 5 for an embodiment of the invention. The simplified pushbutton switch of the invention includes a circuit board 30, a main bracket 10, a conductive member 20 and a sub-bracket 13. The circuit board 30 has a signal circuit consisting of a common contact 31 and a signal contact 32. The main bracket 10 has an anchor end 10a on one end to be coupled with the circuit board 30, and a force receiving end 10b on another end formed by extending the anchor end 10a through at least one bend point that is movable reciprocally about the anchor end 10a which serves as an axis. The reciprocal movement of the force receiving end 10b forms a free position and a forced conductive position. The circuit board 30 has a first anchor hole 34. The anchor end 10a of the main bracket 10 has a first retaining portion 15 corresponding to the first anchor hole 34. The main bracket 10 further has a depressing portion 11 formed by extending the force receiving end 10b upwards. The conductive member 20 is located on the main bracket 10 which has a holding space to hold the conductive member 20. The holding space includes a first holding trough 16 and a second holding trough 17, an anchor portion 12 and an anchor strut 12a. The conductive member 20 is located between the anchor portion 12 and the anchor strut 12a, and has a first holding portion 21 and a second holding portion 22 corresponding to the first and second holding troughs 16 and 17. The conductive member 20 further has at least two legs 23 and 24 corresponding to the signal circuit. While the force receiving end 10b receives an external force and moves towards the circuit board 30 about the bend point, the two legs 23 and 24 are driven in contact with the common contact 31 and the signal contact 32 to form a conductive condition to output a command signal. The sub-bracket 13 has a first pressing portion 18 and a second pressing portion 19 corresponding to the main bracket 10. While the force receiving end 10b of the main bracket 10 is moved, the first pressing portion 18 is driven synchronously to press the second pressing portion 19 to generate a click feeling for the pushbutton switch. The sub-bracket 13 also has a second retaining portion 14 corresponding a second anchor hole 33.
Refer to FIGS. 6A through 6D for the embodiment of the invention set forth above in operating conditions. While the force receiving end 10b is moved about the bend point under the external force towards the circuit board 30, the two legs 23 and 24 of the conductive member 20 are driven to connect the common contact 31 and the signal contact 32 to form a conductive condition to output a command signal. Meanwhile, the first pressing portions 18 is driven to press the second pressing portion 19 to generate a click feeling for the pushbutton switch after the conductive condition is formed. The sub-bracket 13 has a bucking portion 13a to limit the moving displacement of the first pressing portion 18 to prevent the force receiving portion 10b from bending too much and broken.
Refer to FIGS. 7A through 7D for a second embodiment of the invention in operating conditions. While the force receiving end 10b is moved about the bend point under the external force towards the circuit board 30, the two legs 23 and 24 of the conductive member 20 are driven to connect the common contact 31a and the signal contact 32a to form a conductive condition to output a command signal. Meanwhile, the first pressing portions 18 is driven to press the second pressing portion 19 to generate a click feeling for the pushbutton switch before the conductive condition is formed.
Refer to FIGS. 8A through 8D for a third embodiment of the invention in operating conditions. The sub-bracket 13 has a third pressing portion 19a and a fourth pressing portion 19b. The circuit board 30 has three sets of signal contacts 32a, 32b and 32c spaced from one another. The force receiving end 10b can receive external forces at three different stages of conductive positions to generate and output three different command signals. While the force receiving end 10b is moved about the bend point under the external forces towards the circuit board 30, the two legs 23 and 24 of the conductive member 20 are driven to connect the common contact 31a and the signal contacts 32a, 32b and 32c respectively to form three stages of conductive conditions to output three different command signals. The force receiving end 10b drives the first pressing portion 18 at the same time to press the second pressing portion 19, third pressing portion 19a and fourth pressing portion 19b in this order to generate three stages of click feeling corresponding to the three stages of conductive positions.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Patent Application
20080053807
