Rotary control switch with plural movable concave light reflectors
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorMac W. Branan, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A switch (10) comprises a rotary part (12, 14, 16 and 18) and a bracket (24) for supporting the rotary part. The rotary part comprises a knob (12), a shaft (14), attached to, or formed on, the knob, a detent cam (16) attached to, or formed on, the shaft, and a light director (18), attached to the shaft, for directing light from an external light source to a light receiver when the switch is in a first position and for directing light from the light source away from the light receiver when the switch is in a second position. The bracket comprises a detent spring (17) for making contact with the detent cam to provide operating positions for the switch.
Claims16
A switch comprising:
- a rotary part comprising:
- a knob;
- a shaft extending from the knob;
- a detent cam attached to, or formed on, the shaft;
- and
- a plurality of concave reflecting surfaces located on the shaft, attached to, or formed on, the shaft, for directing light from an external light source to a light receiver when the switch is in a first position and for directing light from the light source away from the light receiver when the switch is in a second position;
- and
- a bracket for supporting the rotary part, the bracket comprising a detent spring for making contact with the detent cam to provide operating positions for the switch.
A switch assembly comprising:
- a rotary part comprising:
- a knob;
- shaft means, extending from the knob;
- a detent cam attached to, or formed on, the shaft means;
- and
- a plurality of concave reflecting surfaces located on the shaft, or formed on, the shaft means, for directing light from an external light source to a light receiver when the switch is in a first position and for directing light from the light source away from the light receiver when the switch is in a second position;
- a bracket for supporting the rotary part, the bracket comprising a detent spring for making contact with detent cam to provide operating positions for the switch;
- and
- a circuit board having the bracket, the light source, and the light receiver mounted thereon.
A radio comprising:
- transceiver means;
- controller means for controlling the transceiver means;
- switch means coupled to the controller means, the switch means comprising:
- a rotary part comprising:
- a knob;
- shaft means, extending from the knob;
- a detent cam attached to, or formed on, the shaft means;
- and
- a plurality of concave reflecting surfaces located on the shaft, attached to, or formed on, the shaft means, for directing light from an external light source to a light receiver when the switch is in a first position and for directing light from the light source away from the light receiver when the switch is in a second position;
- a bracket for supporting the rotary part, the bracket comprising a detent spring for making contact with the detent cam to provide operating positions for the switch;
- and
- a circuit board having the bracket, the light source, and the light receiver mounted thereon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.