FR2793067A1 - Single handed telephone multiple action electrical switch having camber shaped spring sections switch handles pushed onto contact base separately/together. - Google Patents

Abstract

The electrical switch (10) has a switch unit (12) with two moving contacts (34A,34B) which return elastically to a stable position. Each moving contact is a camber shaped spring inserted in a holder (26A,26B). Each contact section is operated by contacting a base contact (28A,28B) allowing a switch handle (50) to activate one in turn, or both by pushing down on the switch.

Description

B462 The present invention relates to an electrical switch.

  The invention relates more particularly to an electrical switch making it possible, by means of a single actuating member, to carry out separate electrical switching operations with a view in particular to controlling a function of an electronic device following a prior choice made by scrolling through a menu

  or a list on a display screen.

  io Such a function must for example be provided in a portable telephone set which includes means allowing for example the user to memorize in a register a series of telephone numbers which he can then call directly without having to dial on the keyboard.

number of his correspondent.

  For this purpose, the telephone has a display screen on which the user can scroll, in two opposite scrolling directions, the list of correspondents, with each

  its number, previously memorized.

  According to a known design, this scrolling display operation requires two electrical switches on one or the other of which the user presses, by separate pulses or continuously, to scroll the list.

  in either of the two scrolling directions.

  Once the user has selected the correspondent he wishes to call, he must then confirm this selection and initiate the call operation by automatic dialing in

  acting on a third electrical switch.

  This design therefore requires the provision of three electrical switches which, in known products, are produced in the form of separate components which must be

  mounted on a telephone circuit board.

  B462 Such solutions are therefore particularly expensive in that they require a large number of components, in that they require the components to be mounted, for example by flat lay, on the printed circuit board and in that 'they require, for each switch, to use a separate actuation button. In addition, the function for selecting and calling a stored number must offer the user the most

great ergonomics possible.

  Indeed, it is particularly desirable that the user can handle his telephone set with one hand, that is to say with the hand with which he holds his phone. For this purpose, it has already been proposed to arrange the various switches along one of the lateral edges of the telephone so that the user can manipulate them with one or

several fingers.

  However, it is easily understood that it is necessary to arrange the three switches adjacent so that the corresponding actuation buttons are located close to one another to facilitate handling by the user, without the latter having to move

  his hand compared to the cellphone.

  Such an adjacent arrangement of the switches along an edge of the printed circuit board is not easy to achieve given the current design of miniaturized switches which are fixed to the board by the

technique of the flat transfer.

  In addition, given the increasing number of electronic functions integrated into a portable B462 telephone, it is desirable to minimize the bulk of the

  switches on the printed circuit board.

  The document FR-A-2,733,085 proposes a single electrical switch of reduced size and comprising a single actuating member which can be handled in a particularly easy manner by a user, and in particular with the aid of his thumb, while ensuring functionality identical to that previously obtained in

  using three separate switches.

  io In this document, the electrical switch comprises a switch housing in which are slidably mounted two parallel release pushers, each of which drives a movable contact which cooperates with a fixed contact element carried by the housing and each of which is biased i5 elastically towards its stable rest position by a return spring, and comprises a common actuating member for the pushers which is pivotally mounted relative to the housing, about an axis perpendicular to the plane of sliding of the pushers, so as to act on one or the other of the two pushers by means of two actuating arms, each of which cooperates with one of the two pushers, and which is slidably mounted relative to the housing, in a direction parallel to that of the pushers, so as to act simultaneously on one

and the other of the two pushers.

  Thanks to such a design, the user can, using his thumb, cause the common actuation member to pivot in one or the other direction to obtain the actuation of one or the other. '' other of the two pushers, and therefore scrolling in one or the other direction of the display of a function menu, or a list of telephone numbers, then provoking a validation of the selection operation by acting, still using his thumb, to cause the B462 to trigger the two pushers simultaneously by sliding the common actuating member on which it exerts a

  unique push action resulting in the establishment almost

  two electrical switches simultaneously.

  However, it can be seen that this design uses a particularly large number of components and that, moreover, the interaction of the various components does not make it possible to reliably and simply control the tripping forces and the tripping strokes of each of the components. unit switches and especially when the two

are operated simultaneously.

  In order to overcome these drawbacks, the invention provides an electrical switch comprising a switch housing in which are mounted two opposite movable contacts i each of which cooperates with a fixed contact element carried by the housing and each of which is resiliently returned to its position stable at rest, and comprising a common member for actuating the movable contacts which is pivotally mounted relative to the housing, about an axis perpendicular to the plane in which the movable contacts move, so as to act on one or the other other of the two movable contacts by means of two actuating arms, each of which cooperates with one of the two movable contacts, and which is slidably mounted relative to the housing, in said plane so as to act simultaneously on one and the other of the two movable contacts, characterized in that each movable contact is a is a cambered spring arranged inside the housing and which extends sel there is a transverse direction substantially perpendicular to the sliding direction of the common actuating member, one end of which cooperates with the

  convex central part of the arched spring.

  According to other characteristics of the invention B462 - each spring is a helical spring - each of the ends of each spring is received in a housing whose axis is inclined relative to the direction of sliding of the common actuating member so as to give the spring a camber stable at rest, the convexity of which is turned towards the common actuating member - the pivot axis of the common actuating member is arranged between the two movable contacts, and where in that it comprises two opposite actuation arms which extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to its sliding direction the free end of each actuation arm extends opposite the convex central part of the corresponding arched contact spring The free end of each actuating arm bears against the convex central part of the corresponding cambered contact spring so that each contact spring constitutes a return spring of the common actuating member towards a stable rest position - the value of the return force exerted by each spring on its associated actuating arm decreases when the deformation stroke of the spring exceeds a predetermined value - each actuating arm is constituted by an actuating blade, elastically deformable, which is capable of bending, under the effect of the force applied to

  the common actuator, when the spring corresponds

  dant of contact is in abutment against its associated fixed contact - the free end of each actuating blade is shaped in a loop to constitute a convex free end of actuation of the associated contact spring; B462 - the two actuating blades belong to an elastic actuating part made of cut and folded sheet metal attached to the body of the common actuating member - the common actuating member comprises a rectilinear sliding guide light which extends in the sliding direction and in which a housing guide finger is received - the common actuating member comprises a circular pivot guide light which is centered io around the pivot axis and in which is received the guide finger of the housing - the stable rest position of the common actuating member is determined by the cooperation of the guide finger with a longitudinal end of the straight guide light - the switch has means to prevent pivoting nuisance of the common actuating member when it is actuated slidingly to act simultaneously on the two contact springs - said means c omit the rectilinear guide light formed in the actuating member in a direction parallel to the sliding direction and a stop member of the housing which is slidably received in the rectilinear guide lumen when the common actuating member is sliding actuated - the straight guide light opens into the circular guide light, and the stop element is constituted by the guide finger which, when the actuating member occupies its rest position, extends opposite rectilinear guide light B462 - the common actuating member is produced in the form of a plate mounted to move in a housing of the housing. Other characteristics and advantages of the invention

  will appear on reading the detailed description which will

  follow for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the main components of an electrical switch produced in accordance with the teachings of the invention; - Figure 2 is a top view, on a large scale, of the switch of Figure 1 in which the various components are illustrated in the assembled position, with the exception of the cover for closing and fixing the switch, the latter being illustrated in its rest position; - Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 in which the switch is illustrated in another position of use corresponding to the simultaneous actuation of the two contact springs, by sliding of the common actuating member; - Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 in which the switch is illustrated in a position of use corresponding to the actuation of one of the two contact springs, by pivoting of the common member

actuation.

  In the following description, components

  identical or similar are designated by the same numbers

  of reference in the various figures.

  The embodiment of an electric switch illustrated in the figures presents a symmetry of design and construction with respect to a median vertical plane whose B462 trace X-X corresponds to the sliding axis of the member

  common actuation (considering figure 2).

  All the components, elements or parts situated on the left with respect to the median plane will be indicated with the letter A, while identical or similar elements situated on the right with the median plane will be designated by the same reference numbers indexed with the letter B. The switch 10 has a housing 12 which is a

  plastic molded part.

  o0 The underside 14 of the housing 12 is a planar face which is designed to bear on a portion facing a printed circuit board (not shown) when the

  switch is mounted in place on this board.

  The housing 12 also includes an upper planar face 16 which comprises a large main central housing 18 delimited by a horizontal bottom 20 parallel to the upper face 16 and which is open axially, along the axis XX, in the rear transverse edge 22 of the housing 12. The main housing 18 is delimited laterally by two opposite edges in the shape of a cylinder arc 24A and 24B and it opens out forwards into two contact housings 26A and 26B. Each contact housing 26A, 26B is delimited axially towards the front by a transverse bottom 28A, 28B in which is flush with a fixed metallic contact 30A, 30B which extends

  thus in a plane perpendicular to the X-X axis.

  Each fixed contact 30A, 30B is connected to an external connection tab 32A, 32B which also constitutes a fixing tab, by welding, of the switch 10 on the card

with printed circuit.

  B462 Each contact housing 26A, 26B receives a cambered contact spring 34A, 34B which, in the preferred embodiment shown in the figures, is a coil spring

  constituting a movable contact spring within the meaning of the invention.

  Each contact spring 34A, 34B is mounted cambered, by its two opposite transverse ends 36A, 38A, 36B, 38B in two sections of opposite housings inclined with respect to the direction XX so that each helical contact spring 34A, 34B is, in the mounted position in its housings, slightly compressed and arched with its convexity 40A, 40B oriented axially towards the rear and with its concave face 42A, 42B oriented axially towards the front in

  look of the corresponding fixed contact 30A, 30B.

  The transversely inner end 38A, 38B of each contact spring 34A, 34B is in abutment against a fixed contact element 44A, 44B which are electrically connected together to form a common contact which is itself connected to two external tabs of connection 46A, 46B which, like the legs 32A, 32B, also constitute the welding legs of the switch 10

on the printed circuit board.

  Each contact spring 34A, 34B, when it is in its rest position illustrated in particular in FIG. 2 for the two springs, is liable to be deformed from this position by biasing it generally parallel to the direction XX for the deform from back to front, that is to say from top to bottom by considering FIG. 2, so that its concave face 42A, 42B comes to bear against the corresponding fixed contact 30A, 30B to establish an electrical circuit for switching between terminal 32A and common terminal 46A, 46B and between terminal 32B and common terminal 46A, 46B respectively. B462 The orientation of the opposite inclined housings 37A, 39A, 37B, 39B determines the initial camber, that is to say at rest

contact springs 34A and 34B.

  This inclination, as well as the structure and the elastic constant of each contact spring 34A, 34B, is preferably chosen so that during its deformation, each contact spring 34A, 34B changes state to occupy its contact position. in which it is respectively in abutment against the fixed contact 30A, 308 in

  io providing a tactile sensation or effect.

  Each contact spring 34A, 34B in association with its fixed contact 30A, 30B thus constitutes a unitary switch. For the actuation of one or the other of these two unit switches, or for their simultaneous actuation, the switch 10 according to the invention comprises a single actuating member 50 which will now be described in detail. In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the common actuating member 50 is produced in the form of a plastic molded part generally in the form of a plate whose shapes and dimensions are generally complementary to those of the main housing 18 and

contact housings 26A, 26B.

  Thus, the common actuating member 50 comprises a rear tail 52 of generally rectangular outline which projects axially towards the rear outside the housing 12 through the opening 23 formed in the rear transverse edge.

22 of the latter.

  The main central part 54 of the common actuating member 50 is of circular peripheral contour delimited by two opposite edges 56A and 56B which extend B462 It parallel and with play opposite the lateral edges

concaves 24A and 24B.

  The lower face 58 of the main central part 54 has a double guide light for the pusher formed in the hollow and in which is received a guide finger 60 which is made integrally with the housing 12 and which extends vertically from the bottom 20 being arranged close to

the rear transverse face 22.

  The double lumen is constituted by a first rectilinear guiding lumen 62 which extends from back to front substantially along the axis X-X and in which the guiding finger 60 can be slidably received so as to guide the sliding movements in both directions of the common actuating member 50 along the axis XX. The rectilinear guide light 62 is delimited longitudinally by a rear transverse bottom 64 and it emerges at its front longitudinal end, that is to say downwards when considering FIG. 2, in a curvilinear light formed by two transversely opposite sections 66A and 66B, the guide finger 60 being capable of being received in circular sliding in this curvilinear lumen 66A, 66B to allow pivoting in both directions of the common actuating member 50 around the pivot center C indicated in particular in Figure 2 which is also located on the axis XX. In its rest position illustrated in FIG. 2, the common actuating member 50 is centered and it is in the rear rear position in which the guide finger 60 is in axial support against the front longitudinal end bottom

68 of rectilinear light 62.

  B462 The dimensions of the guide finger 60 are of course complementary to those of the slots 62, 66A and 66B so as to allow the various relative movements of the common actuating member 50 mentioned above with respect to the housing 12. In addition to the movement of axial sliding in both directions along the axis XX, the common actuating member 50 can thus tilt or pivot in both directions around the center C to actuate one or the other of the two springs

mobile contacts 34A, 34B.

  To this end, the common actuating member 50 comprises two opposite transverse actuating arms A, 70B, each of which is produced in the form of an elastic actuating blade belonging to a metal part.

  of actuation 72 reported on the common organ of action-

ment 50.

  The metal actuating part 72 is a cut and folded sheet metal part comprising a central branch 74 for its attachment to the actuating member 50 which comprises two parallel legs 76 folded horizontally and each of which is received in a complementary recess 78 d 'one of the opposite parallel faces of the main part 54

  of the common actuator 50.

  The legs 76, by pinching effect, ensure the attachment of the part 72 on the main part 54 of the actuating member 50 with the central connecting branch 74 in axial support on the rear against the front transverse face in

opposite 80 of part 54.

  Each branch or actuating tab 70A, 70B 3o extends transversely outward from the central branch 74 at an acute angle relative to the facing portion 82A, 82B of the front transverse face of the central part B462 54 of the actuating member 50 and its free end 84A, 84B is folded in the shape of a cylinder arc so as to present a convex cylindrical surface 86A, 86B which is in contact with the corresponding convex surface 40A, 40B of the associated contact spring 34A, 34B. As will be explained later, each blade

  actuator 70A, 70B may bend elastic-

  is lying. The arrangement and sizing of the various components are such that, in the rest position illustrated in FIG. 2, the contact springs 34A, 34B provide an elastic return function of the actuating member 50, through the part 72, so as to maintain the guide finger in the position illustrated in FIG. 2 in which it is

  centered on the X-X axis opposite the rectilinear light 62.

  Starting from this rest position illustrated in FIG. 2, if it is desired to simultaneously actuate the two unit switches (that is to say simultaneously deform the two contact springs 34A, 34B) it suffices to apply to the shank 52 from the common actuating member 50 a thrust force F illustrated in FIG. 3 and which is oriented generally

  along the X-X axis from back to front.

  This pushing force causes the axial sliding, from top to bottom considering Figures 2 and 3, of the actuating member 50, sliding which is guided by the guide finger 60 which is received sliding in the light

straight 62.

  By means of the part 72 with its two opposite actuating arms 70A and 70B, the actuating member 50 causes the simultaneous deformation of the two contact springs 34A, 34B to thus apply a selection order of B462 that of the type previously mentioned in the preamble of

the description.

  The capacity of the actuating arms 70A and 70B to deform elastically by bending makes it possible to guarantee the insertion of the two springs and to absorb the overtravel

possible depression.

  When it is desired to actuate only one of the two unit switches, and for example the right switch comprising the contact spring 34B (as is illustrated in FIG. 4), it suffices, starting from the rest position illustrated in FIG. 2, applying to the tail 52 of the common actuating member 50 a force F tending to rotate, clockwise by considering FIGS. 2 and 4, the common actuating member 50 around of the pivoting or tilting center C. This pivoting movement is guided by the guide finger 60 which is received here in the section 66A of the light

curvilinear guide.

  The deformation of the contact spring 34B is caused

  by the arm 70B of the actuating part 72.

  In all cases, that is to say whatever the type of actuation chosen, it is the contact springs 34A and 34B which constitute the elastic return springs of the common actuation member 60 up to its rest position illustrated in FIG. 2, the elastic return taking place automatically as soon as the user releases the force F

  applied to the tail 52 of the common actuating member 50.

  Whatever the contact spring considered 34A, 34B, the maximum actuation stroke is determined by the coming into contact of this spring 34A, 34B with the associated fixed contact 30A, 30B, a slight actuation overtravel being B462 authorized by the made of corresponding elastic deformation

  of the associated actuating arm 70A, 70B.

  In order to facilitate the relative movements of the common actuating member 50 with respect to the housing 12, some parts or all of the components can be coated or produced with a layer of material with a low coefficient of friction. This is particularly the case of the actuator 50 while the housing 12 is preferably molded in

io high temperature material.

  The invention is not limited to the embodiment which

has just been described.

  The helical contact springs 34A, 34B can in particular be produced in another form, for example in the form of leaf springs arranged in the housings

contact 26A and 26B.

  According to a known arrangement, to keep all of the components and elements inside the housing 12, the latter is closed by a metal cover 13 comprising lugs for its mounting by elastic interlocking on the plastic housing 12, these lugs which can also serve as fixing lugs by welding the switch 10 on the

printed circuit board.

B462

Claims (17)

  1. Electric switch (10) comprising a switch housing (12) in which are mounted two opposite movable contacts (34A, 34B) each of which cooperates with a fixed contact element (30A, 30B) carried by the housing (12) and each of which (34A, 34B) is resiliently returned to its stable rest position, and comprising a common actuating member (50) of the movable contacts (34A, 34B) which is pivotally mounted relative to the housing (12), around d 'an axis (C) perpendicular to the plane in which the movable contacts move, so as to act on one (34A) or the other (34A) of the two movable contacts by means of two actuating arms ( 70A, 70B) each of which cooperates with one of the i two movable contacts, and which is slidably mounted (XX) relative to the housing (12), in said plane, so as to act simultaneously on one and the other two movable contacts (34A, 34B), characterized in that each movable contact is a cambered spring (34A, 34B) disposed inside the housing (26A, 26B)) and which extends in a transverse direction substantially perpendicular to the sliding direction (XX) of the common actuating member (50), one end of which cooperates with the convex central part of the spring arched (34A, 34B).   2. Electric switch according to the preceding claim, characterized in that each spring is a helical spring.   3. Electric switch according to claim 2, characterized in that each of the ends (36A, 38A, 36B, 38B) of each spring (34A, 34B) is received in a housing (37A, 39A, 37B, 39B), the axis is tilted relative to the   sliding direction (X-X) of the joint action member-   B462 ment (50) so as to give the spring (34A, 34B) a camber stable at rest, the convexity of which is turned towards   the common actuator (50, 70A, 70B).   4. Electric switch according to any one of   previous claims, characterized in that the axis (C) of   pivoting of the common actuating member (50) is arranged between the two movable contacts, and in that it comprises two opposite actuating arms (70A, 70B) which extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to   1o its sliding direction (X-X).   5. Electric switch according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the free end (84A, 86A, 84B, 86B) of each actuating arm (70A, 70B) extends opposite the convex central part (40A, 40B) of the corresponding arched contact spring. 6. Electric switch according to one of   claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the free end   of each actuating arm (70A, 70B) bears against the convex central part of the corresponding cambered contact spring (34A, 34B) so that each contact spring constitutes a return spring for the common member   actuator (50) to a stable rest position.   7. Electric switch according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the value of the restoring force exerted by each spring (34A, 34B) on its associated actuating arm (70A, 70B) decreases when the stroke   deformation of the spring exceeds a predetermined value.   8. Switch according to any one of   previous claims, characterized in that each   actuating arm consists of an actuating blade (70A, 70B), elastically deformable, which is liable to bend under the effect of the force (F) applied to the common actuating member B462 (50 , 52), when the corresponding contact spring (34A, 34B) is in contact with its fixed contact associated (30A, 30B).   9. Switch according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the free end of each actuating blade is shaped in a loop (86A, 86B) to constitute a convex free actuating end of the associated contact spring.   10. Switch according to one of claims 8 or 9,   io characterized in that the two actuating blades (70A, B) belong to an elastic actuating part (72) made of cut and folded sheet metal attached to the body (54) of   the common actuating member (50).   11. Electric switch according to any one of   is previous claims, characterized in that the member   common actuator (50) comprises a rectilinear light (62) sliding guide which extends in the direction (X-X) of sliding and in which is received a finger guide (60) of the housing (12).   12. Electric switch according to claim   previous, characterized in that the common organ of action-   nement (50) comprises a circular light (66A, 66B) for pivoting guide which is centered around the pivot axis (C) and in which is received the guide finger (60) of the housing (12).   13. Electric switch according to claim 12, characterized in that the stable rest position of the common actuating member (50) is determined by the cooperation of the guide finger (60) with a longitudinal end (68)   rectilinear guide light (62).   14. Electric switch according to any one of   previous claims, characterized in that it comprises   B462 means for preventing inadvertent pivoting of the common actuating member (50) when it is slidably actuated to act simultaneously on the two springs contact (34A, 34B).   15. Electric switch according to claim 14,   taken in combination with one of claims 12 or 13,   characterized in that said means comprise the rectilinear guide light (62) formed in the actuating member (50) in a direction parallel to the direction of sliding (XX) and a stop element (60) of the housing ( 12) which is received in sliding in the rectilinear guide light when the common actuating member (50) is sliding actuated (X-X).   16. Electric switch according to claim 15, i5 characterized in that the rectilinear guide light (62) opens into the circular guide light (66A, 66B), and in that the stop element is constituted by the finger ( 60) guide which, when the actuating member (50) occupies its rest position, extends opposite the rectilinear light of guide (66A, 66B).   17. Electric switch according to any one of   previous claims, characterized in that the member   actuation unit (50) is produced in the form of a   plate mounted movable in a housing of the housing.