US 4,638,131 A · Steering wheel pad keyboard switch assembly · patentgrep

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Abstract

A steering wheel pad keyboard switch assembly is mounted on a steering wheel. The preassembled switch assembly comprises a base, a printed circuit board which has an array of open contact grids, an elastomeric switch member which has an array of movable contacts, a guide plate and a push button sub-assembly. The guide plate has a plurality of guide bosses and guide holes disposed in the same predetermined array for guiding the stem pieces of the push buttons into operative contact with the movable contacts of the switch member and a pad portion for supporting a horn switch. The push button sub-assembly comprises a frame member which is attached to the base to provide the unit handle switch assembly, a plurality of push buttons which are slideably retained in respective slide chambers of the frame and a soft decorative cover which includes a depressible horn switch pad to operate the horn switch and cut-outs to provide access to the push buttons. The guide plate and the stem pieces of the push buttons are made of a translucent material and form part of the back lighting system for the push button legends.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A steering wheel pad keyboard switch assembly for mounting on a steering wheel comprising:

a base having means for attaching the assembly to a steering wheel hub,
a printed circuit which is mounted on the base and which has a plurality of open contact grids disposed in a predetermined array,
a switch member which is mounted on the printed circuit and which has a plurality of movable contacts disposed in the same said predetermined array for selectively closing the contact grids,
a guide plate which is mounted on the switch member and which has a plurality of guide holes disposed in the same said predetermined array for guiding operators into operative contact with the movable contacts of the switch member for selectively moving the contacts of the switch member into engagement with the contact grids, and
a push button sub-assembly which overlies the guide plate and which is attached to the base to provide a unit handled assembly,
said push button sub-assembly comprising a frame member having a plurality of slide chambers disposed in the same said predetermined array and a plurality of push buttons slideably retained in the plurality of slide chambers respectively,
said push buttons having stem pieces which extend into the guide holes of the guide plate and act as the aforesaid operators for selectively moving the contacts of the switch member into engagement with the contact grids.

4 more elements

A steering wheel pad keyboard switch assembly for mounting on a steering wheel comprising:

a base having means for attaching the assembly to a steering wheel hub,
a printed circuit board which is mounted on the base and which has a plurality of open contact grids disposed in a predetermined array within a U-shaped area which borders three sides of the printed circuit board,
a U-shaped elastomeric switch member which is mounted on the U-shaped area of the printed circuit board and which has a plurality of hollow buttons each having a conductive disc inside to provide a plurality of movable contacts which are disposed in the same said predetermined array for selectively closing the contact grids,
a guide plate which is disposed over the printed circuit board with the switch member sandwiched therebetween,
said guide plate having a U-shaped peripheral portion which has a plurality of guide holes disposed in the same said predetermined array for guiding operators into operative contact with the movable contacts of the switch member for selectively moving the contacts of the switch member into engagement with the contact grids,
said guide plate further having a pad portion nested within the U-shaped peripheral portion,
a horn switch disposed on the pad portion of the guide plate, and
a push button sub-assembly which overlies the guide plate and which is attached to the base to provide a unit handled assembly,
said push button sub-assembly comprising a frame member having a plurality of slide chambers disposed in the same said predetermined array, a plurality of push buttons slideably retained in the plurality of slide chambers respectively, and a soft decorative cover member,
said push buttons having stem pieces which extend into the guide holes of the guide plate and act as the aforesaid operators for selectively moving the contacts of the switch member into engagement with the contact grids, and
said cover having a depressible portion for operating the horn switch and cut-outs providing access to the push buttons.

8 more elements

A steering wheel pad keyboard switch assembly for mounting on a steering wheel comprising:

a base having means for attaching the assembly to a steering wheel hub,
a printed circuit board which is mounted on the base and which has a plurality of open contact grids disposed in a predetermined array within a U-shaped area which borders three sides of the printed circuit board,
a U-shaped elastomeric switch member which is mounted on the U-shaped area of the printed circuit board and which has a plurality of hollow buttons each having a conductive disc inside to provide a plurality of movable contacts which are disposed in the same said predetermined array for selectively closing the contact grids,
a guide plate which is disposed over the printed circuit board with the switch member sandwiched therebetween,
said guide plate having a U-shaped peripheral portion which has a plurality of guide bosses and guide holes disposed in the same said predetermined array for guiding operators into operative contact with the movable contacts of the switch member for selectively moving the contacts of the switch member into engagement with the contact grids,
said guide plate further having a pad portion nested within the U-shaped peripheral portion,
said guide plate being made of a translucent material and having substantially its entire surface opaque except for selected translucent surfaces comprising the faces of the guide bosses and the cylindrical surfaces of the guide holes,
a horn switch disposed on the pad portion of the guide plate, and
a push button sub-assembly which overlies the guide plate and which is attached to the base to provide a unit handled assembly,
said push button sub-assembly comprising a frame member having a plurality of bezels which cooperatively define a plurality of slide chambers disposed in the same said predetermined array, a plurality of push buttons slideably retained in the plurality of slide chambers respectively, and a soft decorative cover,
said push buttons having opaque hollow caps which fit over the guide bosses, translucent stem pieces which extend into the guide holes of the guide plate and act as the aforesaid operator for selectively moving the contacts of the switch member into engagement with the contact grids, and legends on the stem pieces which are disposed in windows of the opaque hollow caps, and
said cover having a depressible portion for operating the horn switch and cut-outs fitted around the bezels to provide access to the push buttons.

9 more elements

A steering wheel pad keyboard switch assembly for mounting on a steering wheel comprising:

a base having means for attaching the assembly to a steering wheel hub,
a printed circuit board which is mounted on the base and which has a plurality of open contact grids disposed in a predetermined array within an area which borders at least one side of the printed circuit board,
an elastomeric switch member which is mounted on the area of the printed circuit board and which has a plurality of buttons each having a conductive portion to provide a plurality of movable contacts which are disposed in the same said predetermined array for selectively closing the contact grids,
a guide plate which is disposed over the printed circuit board with the switch member sandwiched therebetween,
said guide plate having a peripheral portion which has a plurality of guide holes disposed in the same said predetermined array for guiding operators into operative contact with the movable contacts of the switch member for selectively moving the contacts of the switch member into engagement with the contact grids,
said guide plate further having a pad portion bounded in part by the peripheral portion,
a horn switch disposed on the pad portion of the guide plate, and
a push button sub-assembly which overlies the guide plate and which is attached to the base to provide a unit handled assembly,
said push button sub-assembly comprising a frame member having a plurality of slide chambers disposed in the same said predetermined array, a plurality of push buttons slideably retained in the plurality of slide chambers respectively, and a soft decorative cover member,
said push buttons having stem pieces which extend into the guide holes of the guide plate and act as the aforesaid operators for selectively moving the contacts of the switch member into engagement with the contact grids, and
said cover having a depressible portion for operating the horn switch and cut-outs providing access to the push buttons.

8 more elements

A steering wheel pad keyboard switch assembly for mounting on a steering wheel comprising:

a base having means for attaching the assembly to a steering wheel hub,
a printed circuit board which is mounted on the base and which has a plurality of open contact grids disposed in a predetermined array within an area which borders at least one side of the printed circuit board,
an elastomeric switch member which is mounted on the area of the printed circuit board and which has a plurality of buttons each having a conductive portion to provide a plurality of movable contacts which are disposed in the same said predetermined array for selectively closing the contact grids,
a guide plate which is disposed over the printed circuit board with the switch member sandwiched therebetween,
said guide plate having a peripheral portion which has a plurality of guide bosses and guide holes disposed in the same said predetermined array for guiding operators into operative contact with the movable contacts of the switch member for selectively moving the contacts of the switch member into engagement with the contact grids,
said guide plate further having a pad portion bounded in part by the peripheral portion,
said guide plate being made of a translucent material and having substantially its entire surface opaque except for selected translucent surfaces comprising the faces of the guide bosses and the cylindrical surfaces of the guide holes,
a horn switch disposed on the pad portion of the guide plate, and
a push button sub-assembly which overlies the guide plate and which is attached to the base to provide a unit handled assembly,
said push button sub-assembly comprising a frame member having a plurality of bezels which cooperatively define a plurality of slide chambers disposed in the same said predetermined array, a plurality of push buttons slideably retained in the plurality of slide chambers respectively, and a soft decorative cover,
said push buttons having opaque hollow caps which fit over the guide bosses, translucent stem pieces which extend into the guide holes of the guide plate and act as the aforesaid operators for selectively moving the contacts of the switch member into engagement with the contact grids, and legends on the stem pieces which are disposed in windows of the opaque hollow caps, and
said cover having a depressible portion for operating the horn switch and cut-outs fitted around the bezels to provide access to the push buttons.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.