Switch having light generator

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6771253
  • Patent Number
    6,771,253
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, November 27, 2001
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, August 3, 2004
    19 years ago
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.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Number Name Date Kind
4431879 Fujita et al. Feb 1984 A
6096985 Ritter et al. Aug 2000 A
6335500 Chi et al. Jan 2002 B1
6377823 Higuchi et al. Apr 2002 B1