Patent · US Expired

Push button switch covering assembly including dome contact

US5881866A · kind A · utility

78Cited by
11References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 13, 1998
Grant dateMar 16, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 13, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01H2221/07
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The push button switch covering assembly of the invention comprises a push button switch covering member made from a transparent rubbery material and a clicking member with a clicking diaphragm below the covering member which imparts the operator's finger tip with a sharp feeling of clicking when the key top of the covering member is depressed. Different from a conventional push button switch covering assembly of this type, in which the pushing load on the key top is transmitted to the top of the clicking diaphragm through a downward protrusion on the lower surface of the key top, the pushing load on the key top in this invention is transmitted to the clicking diaphragm by means of an upwardly raised part formed on the top of the upper surface of the upwardly convex clicking diaphragm so that the flat lower surface of the key top is fully available for forming a layer of indicia to indicate the particular function of the push button switch through the transparent key top without the disadvantage of wearing of the indicia as in the case where the indicia layer is formed on the upper surface of the key top.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.