US 4,771,725 AGranted

Push button indicating device

AssigneeAlps Electric Co., Ltd.

InventorsHiroyuki Miyaguchi, Soetsu Kamada

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Abstract

In a push button indicating device including a first slide member having an operational portion formed with an indicating portion on a front surface thereof, a second slide member slidably supported to the first slide member and having a substantially sectional L-shaped rotational member rotatably mounted on the side of the indicating portion, the rotational member having a light transmitting plate and a light shielding plate, a frame for slidably supporting the first slide member, and a lock for restricting a sliding position of the first slide member, wherein at least two positions of the first slide member are selected between a depressed position where the light transmitting plate faces the indicating portion and an undepressed position where the light shielding plate faces the indicating portion; the improvement comprises a light guiding member provided in the second slide member for guiding light to the rotational member, and a light transmitting hole formed through at least both of the first slide member and the frame for forming a light path leading to the light guiding member when the first slide member is in the undepressed position.

In a push button indicating device including a first slide member which is slidable in a longitudinal direction between an undepressed position and a depressed position and having a front operational portion formed with a light transmissive, indicating portion on a front surface thereof and an abutting member carried therein, a second slide member slidably supported inside said first slide member and having a rotatable, sectional L-shaped member rotatably mounted toward a front end thereof facing said indicating portion of said first slide member, said rotatable member having a light transmitting plate and a light shielding plate and being rotatably abutted by said abutting member to bring said light shielding plate facing said indicating portion when said first slide member is moved longitudinally to the undepressed position, and to bring said light transmissive plate facing said indicating portion when said first slide member is moved longitudinally from said undepressed position to said depressed position, a frame for slidably supporting said first slide member, and locking means for locking said first slide member at and for releasing it from said depressed position,

the improvement wherein a light guide member is mounted in said second slide member having a front end portion facing toward said rotatable member, said frame has a light transmitting hole formed therein, said first slide member also has a light transmitting hole formed therein leading to said light guide member of said second slide member, wherein said light transmitting holes of said frame and said first slide member are positioned to substantially align with each other when said first slide member is longitudinally moved to the depressed position relative to said frame, thereby allowing transmission of light from an external source into said frame, said first slide member, and said light guide member of said second slide member, and through the light transmissive plate of said rotatable member to illuminate said indicating portion of said said first slide member at said depressed position, and conversely cutting off transmission of light to said indicating portion from the external source when said first slide member is not in said depressed position.

Abstract

Claims5