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US 4,977,298 AGranted
Panel switch
AssigneeMatsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
InventorTerumi Fujiyama
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A panel switch according to the present invention has a switching unit comprising a plurality of switches which are not provided with individual click means and at least one click mechanism for the switching unit. Because the switching unit does not incorporate individual click mechanisms, the panel switch can be formed into a small size. In addition, by the integration of the provided click mechanism, the degree of freedom on the design of the panel switch is enlarged, and a small-sized panel switch which is excellent in switching feeling can be offered.
Claims8
A panel switch comprising:
- a casing;
- a switch unit carrying thereon a plurality of touch switches, each touch switch which is operated when the touch switch is depressed by a light force and which is sprung back after said light force is removed;
- a means for holding said switch unit in said casing, movably in directions in which said touch switches are depressed and sprung back, respectively;
- a click mechanism normally urging said switch unit in the directions in which said touch switches are sprung back, said click mechanism giving a click feeling when a manipulating force which is greater than said light force is applied to any one of said touch switches, which has been depressed by said light force, so as to move the switch unit in the direction in which said touch switches are depressed;
- and
- at least one enabling switch which is operated in association with said click mechanism giving said click feeling, for making operation of any one of said touch switches which has been depressed, effective when said enabling switch is operated.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.