Electrical tactile switch with axial positioning of the actuating section of the deformable actuator

An axially actuated tactile electrical switch comprising:

• a casing made of insulating material comprising a lower base delimiting a housing open vertically upwards;
• a plurality of independent fixed electrical contacts which are arranged in a surface of said base which is oriented vertically upwards, and which comprise at least a first fixed electrical contact and a second fixed electrical contact;
• an elastically deformable movable electrical contact which is arranged above said surface of the base and which comprises a peripheral portion in electrical contact with the first fixed electrical contact, and a central portion which is movable, vertically downwards, towards the second fixed electrical contact;
• a single piece actuating body of elastic material which is arranged in the casing, and which comprises:
• i) a central actuating portion comprising:
• a lower actuating portion for actuating the movable electrical contact which is directed downwardly toward the movable portion of the movable electrical contact, and
• an upper actuating force receiving portion which is arranged to receive a generally vertically downwardly directed force,
• ii) a peripheral part, connected to the central part, supporting the elastic actuating body with respect to the casing;
• and
• iii) an intermediate part which connects the peripheral part and the central actuating part to each other,
• wherein:
• the casing made of insulating material comprises an upper cover which extends axially upwards above the lower base and an upper wall of which has a hole through which a free upper end section of the upper portion of the central part of the actuating body axially extends, forming an actuating push-button of the electric switch;
• the upper cover has an internal retaining surface;
• the intermediate part does not contact the upper cover;
• and
• the upper portion of the central part of the actuating body has an abutment surface which cooperates with said internal retaining surface, towards which it is elastically biased, to determine an upper rest position of the upper portion of the central part of the actuating body with respect to the casing.

An axially actuated tactile electrical switch comprising:

• a casing made of insulating material comprising a lower base delimiting a housing open vertically upwards;
• a plurality of independent fixed electrical contacts which are arranged in a surface of said base which is oriented vertically upwards, and which comprise at least a first fixed electrical contact and a second fixed electrical contact;
• an elastically deformable movable electrical contact which is arranged above said surface of the base and which comprises a peripheral portion in electrical contact with the first fixed electrical contact, and a central portion which is movable, vertically downwards, towards the second fixed electrical contact;
• a single piece actuating body of elastic material which is arranged in the casing, and which comprises:
• i) a central actuating portion comprising:
• a lower actuating portion for actuating the movable electrical contact which is directed downwardly toward the movable portion of the movable electrical contact, and
• an upper actuating force receiving portion which is arranged to receive a generally vertically downwardly directed force,
• ii) a peripheral part, connected to the central part, supporting the elastic actuating body with respect to the casing;
• and
• iii) an intermediate part which connects the peripheral part and the central actuating part to each other,
• wherein:
• the casing made of insulating material comprises an upper cover which extends axially upwards above the lower base and an upper wall of which has a hole through which a free upper end section of the upper portion of the central part of the actuating body axially extends, forming an actuating push-button of the electric switch;
• the upper cover has an internal retaining surface;
• the upper portion of the central part of the actuating body has an abutment surface which cooperates with said internal retaining surface, towards which it is elastically biased, to determine an upper rest position of the upper portion of the central part of the actuating body with respect to the casing;
• and
• the upper portion of the center part of the actuating body is a stepped portion having at least two adjacent axial sections delimited by a shoulder whose transverse annular surface constitutes an abutment surface which cooperates with the internal retaining surface of the cover, towards which the abutment surface is resiliently biased, to determine an upper rest position of the upper portion of the central part of the actuating body with respect to the casing.