Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6771253
-
Patent Number
6,771,253
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, November 27, 200122 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, August 3, 200420 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 345 156
- 345 160
- 345 168
- 345 169
- 345 172
- 345 161
- 345 170
- 200 5 R
- 200 6 R
- 200 6 A
- 200 341
- 463 36
- 463 37
- 463 38
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A switch comprises a seat, a key body, a first elastomer, a second elastomer, and a cover. A neck portion of the key body has an assembling portion, and the assembling portion is installed with the light generator. As the key body is pushed, the second elastomer will contact the cover; the positive (negative) power connected to a conductive piece will be transferred to the positive (negative) end of the light generator. At the same time, the first elastomer contacts internal wires of a first receiving portion so as to provide negative (positive) power to the negative (positive) ends of the light generator. Then, electric signals are outputted and the light generator lights up.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a switch, and particularly to a switch having a light generator that lights up as the switch is actuated.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Currently, switches are widely used in computer devices and mobile phones for switching the functions on a window or selecting icons on the windows.
Generally, the prior switch includes a seat, a key body, a first elastomer, a second elastomer, and a cover for controlling the switching of various functions or selection desired items. In operation, as the key body is pushed, a neck portion
22
of the key body
2
will move in a space of the seat
1
so as to drive the rotary portion
23
to rotate. When the rotary portion
23
rotates, the free ends of the second elastomer
4
extend toward a second receiving portion
13
. A contact end of the first elastomer
3
firmly secured to the back surface of the rotary portion
23
contacts the interior of the first receiving portion
12
. Then, an electric signal is outputted, this signal is used for switching the functions on a window or selecting icons on the windows.
Although this switch serves for switching the functions on a window or selecting icons on the windows, the user cannot know whether this switch has faults. It must be monitored by a window. Sometimes, disabling of the window is not induced from the destroy of the switch.
The seat
1
has a solid portion
11
. The solid portion
11
is formed with a first receiving portion
12
and a second receiving portion
13
. The bottom of the first receiving portion
12
has a conductive wires
121
. This conductive wires
121
is communicated with a pin
14
so as to form an power input and an output of control signal. The solid portion
11
is installed with a space
15
at position with respect to the first receiving portion
12
for operating the key body
2
. The first receiving portion
12
has a pivotal shaft
16
pivotally connected to the key body
2
. Moreover, the bottom of the solid portion
11
has a buckling portion
17
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a switch with a light generator. As the switch is actuated, the light generator will light up to inform the condition of the switch and to present a vivid feeling.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a switch having a light generator with two displaying colors which is used for displaying a correction operation and an incorrect operation.
To achieve above object, the present invention provides a switch comprising a seat, a key body, a first elastomer, a second elastomer, and a cover. A neck portion of the key body has an assembling portion, and the assembling portion is installed with the light generator. As the key body is pushed, the second elastomer will contact the cover; the positive (negative) power connected to a conductive piece will be transferred to the positive (negative) end of the light generator; at the same time, the first elastomer contacts internal wires of a first receiving portion so as to provide negative (positive) power to the negative (positive) ends of the light generator; then, electric signals are outputted and the light generator lights up.
The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a schematic perspective view of the switch of the present invention.
FIG. 2
is an exploded perspective view of FIG.
1
.
FIG. 3
is an assembled schematic view of
FIG. 2
, wherein the cover is uncovered.
FIG. 4A
is a schematic view showing the operation of FIG.
3
.
FIG. 4B
is another schematic view showing the operation of FIG.
3
.
FIG. 5
is a schematic view showing another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6
is a schematic view showing the utilization of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, the perspective view and exploded schematic view of the present invention are illustrated. The switch of the present invention includes a seat
1
, a key body
2
, a first elastomer
3
, a second elastomer
4
, and a cover
5
for controlling the switching of various functions or selection desired items. In operation, a light generator
24
is arranged within the key body
2
. As the key body
2
is pushed, the light generator
24
will generate light for representing that the switch is actuated. At the same time, the light increases the activity of the application.
The seat
1
has a solid portion
11
. The solid portion
11
is formed with a first receiving portion
12
and a second receiving portion
13
. The bottom of the first receiving portion
12
has a conductive wires
121
. The conductive wires
121
are communicated with a pin
14
so as to form an power input and an output of control signal. The solid portion
11
is installed with a space
15
at position with respect to the first receiving portion
12
for operating the key body
2
. The first receiving portion
12
has a pivotal shaft
16
pivotally connected to the key body
2
. Moreover, the bottom of the solid portion
11
has a buckling portion
17
.
The key body
2
has a cambered key cap
21
. The key cap
21
is connected with a neck portion
22
. The neck portion
22
is connected to a rotary portion
23
. The rotary portion
23
is installed with a pivotal portion
231
pivotally connected to the pivotal shaft
16
. One periphery of the pivotal portion
231
is formed with a movable portion
232
. The neck portion
22
is formed with an assembling portion
221
penetrating through the surface of the key cap
21
. The assembling portion
221
is extended with an embedding portion
222
. The embedding portion
222
is embedded with a conductive piece
25
. After the embedding portion
222
is embedded with the conductive piece
25
, a hollow engaging portion
251
at one end of the conductive piece
25
is assembled to the assembling portion
221
. The contact portion
252
at another end of the conductive piece
25
is adhered to the bottom of the neck portion
22
. One end of the contact portion
252
has a buckling portion
253
. The buckling portion
253
can be buckled to the lateral side of the bottom of the neck portion
22
for preventing the conductive piece
25
from releasing or loosing. The light generator
24
formed by light emitted diodes or bubbles is arranged within the engaging portion
251
. The negative (positive) end of this light generator
24
is connected to the engaging portion
251
of the conductive piece
25
. The positive (negative) end of the light generator
24
is connected to the first elastomer (floating contact point)
3
.
The first elastomer (floating contacting point)
3
has a set of symmetrical positioning portions
31
for positioning the concave portion
233
at the back surface of the rotary portion
23
. A pair of symmetric contact ends
32
extends from the first elastomer
3
. The contact ends rotate with the rotary portion
23
to contact the wire
121
in the first receiving portion
12
. Thereby, a signal of keying is outputted.
The second elastomer
4
is arranged in the movable portion
232
and has a winding portion
41
. The winding portion
41
is arranged at an outer edge of the pivotal portion
231
. Two free ends
42
of the winding portion
41
are pivotally connected to the second receiving portion
13
. The second elastomer
4
is arranged in the movable portion
232
. The top portion of the winding portion
41
is in contact with the contact portion
252
of the conductive piece
25
.
The cover
5
has a plurality of buckling portions
51
which are buckled to the buckling portion
17
of the seat
1
. Thereby, the cover
5
is firmly secured to the seat
1
. Then a connecting piece
52
is extended from any one of the buckling portion
51
. Thereby, the connecting piece is connected with a positive or a negative polarity. Therefore, a switch is formed.
Referring to
FIGS. 3
,
4
A,
4
B, the schematic views showing the structure of
FIG. 1
without any cover and the application of FIG.
3
. As shown in the figures, the key body
2
, light generator
24
, first elastomer (floating contact point)
3
, second elastomer
4
are assembled to the seat
1
. The connecting piece
52
of the cover
5
is conductive with positive (negative) power, while the wire
121
in the first receiving portion
12
is conductive with negative (positive) power. As the key cap
21
of the key body
2
moves due to a force applying thereon, the rotary portion
23
is driven to rotate. As the rotary portion
23
rotates, the free ends
42
of the second elastomer
4
extend toward the second receiving portion
13
. Then, the winding portion
41
of the second elastomer
4
will incline slightly to contact the cover
5
. The positive (negative) current from the connecting piece
52
transfers to the second elastomer
4
, and then to the contact portion
252
of the conductive piece
25
through the winding portion
41
. Then, the positive (negative) end
242
of the light generator
24
acquires negative (positive) power. Thus, the contact end
32
of the first elastomer (floating contact point)
3
connected to the back surface of the rotary portion
23
contacts the wire
121
in the first receiving portion
12
so as to provide negative (positive) power. The power is transferred to the negative (positive) end
241
of the light generator
24
through the first elastomer (floating contact point)
3
. Therefore, a signal is outputted. At the same time, the light generator
24
is lighted up so as to control the items in a window or switching the functions.
Furthermore, a limiting resistor (not shown) can be connected to the switch at positions having positive power so as to prevent an overlarge current to destroy the light generator
24
. Thereby, the light generator
24
is protected well.
Referring to
FIG. 5
, a schematic view showing another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. As shown in the figure, the engaging portion
251
of the conductive piece
25
of the present invention can be divided into two halves
254
,
255
. The second half
255
is connected to a conductive wire
256
and the first elastomer
3
. The second half
255
is connected to the negative (positive) end
241
of the light generator
24
. Besides, the first half
254
is connected to the positive (negative) end
242
of the light generator
24
. When the key body
2
of the switch is driven by a force, the electric power is transferred to the light generator
24
so that the light generator
24
lights up.
Referring to
FIG. 6
, a schematic view showing the application of the present invention is illustrated. As shown in the figure, the switch of the present invention can be used in a keyboard, a notebook computer, or a palmtop computer, or a mobile phone
6
. As the key body
2
of the switch is pushed, it can be used to select the functions on a window or switching the operation. Meanwhile, the light from the light generator
24
may present a vivid feeling to the user.
Moreover, other than using light emitting diode or bubble, the light generator
24
of the present invention may be a fluorescent plate. Furthermore, a light generator
24
with two displaying colors can be used for displaying a correction operation and an incorrect operation.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details described thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have been suggested in the foregoing description, and others will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Claims
- 1. A switch comprising a seat, a key body, a first elastomer, a second elastomer, and a cover, wherein as the key body is pushed, an electric signal is outputted for switching various functions or selecting various operations;a neck portion of the key body has an assembling portion, the assembling portion is installed with an embedding portion; a conductive piece is embedded into the embedding portion; one end thereof has an engaging portion connected to the assembling portion; and another end thereof has a contact portion arranged on a bottom of the neck portion; a light generator is arranged on the engaging portion; the light generator has a positive end and a negative end which are capable of being connected to the embedding portion or the first elastomer; the cover is installed with a plurality of buckling portions, one of the buckling portions is connected to a conductive piece; thereby, as the key body is pushed, the second elastomer will contact the cover; the positive (negative) power connected to the conductive piece will be transferred to the positive (negative) end of the light generator; at the same time, the first elastomer contacts internal wires of a first receiving portion so as to provide negative (positive) power to the negative (positive) ends of the light generator; then, electric signals are outputted and the light generator lights up.
- 2. The switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein a positive end of the switch is connected to a current limiter.
- 3. The switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light generator is one of a light emitting diode, a bubble, and a florescent plate.
- 4. The switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light generator with two displaying colors is used for displaying a correction operation and an incorrect operation.
- 5. The switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein one end of the contact portion has a buckling portion.
- 6. The switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch is used in one of a keyboard, a notebook computer, a palmtop computer, and a mobile phone.
- 7. A switch comprising a seat, a key body, a first elastomer, a second elastomer, and a cover, wherein as the key body is pushed, an electric signal is outputted for switching various functions or selecting various operations;a neck portion of the key body has an assembling portion, the assembling portion is installed with an embedding portion; a conductive piece is embedded into the embedding portion; one end thereof has an engaging portion formed by a first half and a second half; the second half is connected to a conductive wire connected to the first elastomer; and another end thereof has a contact portion arranged on a bottom of the neck portion; a light generator is arranged on the engaging portion; the light generator has a positive end and a negative end which are capable of being connected to the first and second halves; and the cover is installed with a plurality of buckling portions, one of the buckling portions is connected to a conductive piece; thereby, as the key body is pushed, the second elastomer will contact the cover; the positive (negative) power connected to the conductive piece will be transferred to the positive (negative) end of the light generator; at the same time, the first elastomer contacts internal wires of a first receiving portion so as to provide negative (positive) power to the negative (positive) ends of the light generator; then, electric signals are outputted and the light generator lights up.
- 8. The switch is claimed in claim 1, wherein the positive (negative) power is transferred to the positive (negative) end of the light generator through the second elastomer, and the negative (positive) power to the negative (positive) ends of the light generator is transferred through the first elastomer.
- 9. The switch is claimed in claim 7, wherein the positive (negative) power is transferred to the positive (negative) end of the light generator through the second elastomer, and the negative (positive) power to the negative (positive) ends of the light generator is transferred through the first elastomer.
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Feb 1984 |
A |
6096985 |
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Aug 2000 |
A |
6335500 |
Chi et al. |
Jan 2002 |
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6377823 |
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Apr 2002 |
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