# US 5,345,051 A · Push-button switch

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- Number: US 5,345,051 A
- Document ID: US5345051A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 07/918,735
- Filed: 1992-03-03
- Granted: 1994-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 1991-03-12
- Assignees: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Teruhisa Miike
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5345051A

## CPC

- H01H 13/70: having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard (mounting together a plurality of independent switches H02B)
- H01H 2215/012: Positioning of individual dome
- H01H 2221/026: Guiding or lubricating nylon
- H01H 2223/03: Separate key housing
- H01H 2227/036: Minimise height
- H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00)

## Abstract

A push-button switch which has a comparatively small overall thickness or height and rattling of a stem upon movement is eliminated or minimized. The push-button switch includes a stem having a flat plate and a plurality of legs each having a protruded portion at an end thereof. The flat plate of the stem is placed on a click rubber element accommodated in an insulating case while upper portions of the protruded portions of the stem are resiliently engaged with an open end of the insulating case to position the protruded portions within the insulating case. The insulating case has a plurality of relief grooves formed at a plurality of corner portions thereof, and when the stem is depressed, the protruded portions thereof are inserted into the relief grooves. Sliding surfaces for the protruded portions of the stem are formed at the corner portions of the insulating case between the open end of the insulating case and an inner bottom face of the relief grooves 25.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A push-button switch, comprising:
an insulating case having an inner bottom face and a plurality of walls extending from the inner bottom face, the plurality of walls defining an opening and a plurality of corner portions and a cover mounted over said opening, said cover having a peripheral flange defining an aperture;
a pair of fixed contacts provided on the inner bottom face;
a movable contact disposed in said insulating case for movement toward and away from said fixed contacts; and
a stem disposed on said insulating case for operating said movable contact, said movable contact being resiliently biased away from said fixed contact such that, when said stem is depressed, said movable contact is pressed into contact with said fixed contacts to put said push-button switch into an on-state;
said stem having a flat plate extending through said aperture and a plurality of legs, each leg having a protruded portion at an end thereof which defines an abutment surface, said flat plate of said stem being placed on said movable contact while said abutment surfaces of said protruded portions of said stem are abuttingly engaged with the peripheral flange of said cover to position said protruded portions within said insulating case;
said insulating case having formed at each of said corner portions thereof a guide hole extending from the inner bottom face to the case opening in which one said protruded portions of said stem are slidably received such that said protruded portions slide within said guide holes between the inner bottom face and the open end upon depression or returning of the stem.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A push-button switch according to claim 1, wherein aid movable contact is constituted from a click rubber element.

### Claim 3

A push-button switch, comprising:
an insulating case having an inner bottom face and a plurality of walls extending from the inner bottom face, the plurality of walls defining an opening and a plurality of corner portions and a cover mounted over said opening, said cover having a peripheral flange defining an aperture, said insulating case also having a raised holding portion located on the inner bottom face;
a pair of fixed contacts provided on the inner bottom face;
a click rubber element accommodated in said insulating case and placed on said raised holding portion of said insulating case, said click rubber element having a movable contact provided fixedly on an inner top face thereof; and
a stem slidably mounted in said insulating case, said click rubber element being operated, when said stem is depressed, by said stem into contact with said fixed contacts to put said push-button switch into an on-state;
said stem having a flat plate extending through said aperture abutting said click rubber element and a plurality of legs each having a protruded portion at an end thereof which defines an abutment surface, said flat plate of said stem being placed on said click rubber element while said abutment surfaces of said protruded portions of said stem are abuttingly engaged with the peripheral flange of said cover to position said protruded portions within said insulating case;
said insulating case having formed at said plurality of corner portions thereof a plurality of guide holes composed of recesses extending from an upper end of said case to the inner bottom face in which said protruded portions of said stem slide within the guide holes between the inner bottom face and the open end upon depression and returning of the stem.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A push-button switch according to claim 3 wherein said stem is positioned in the insulation case with said protruded portions being resiliently engaged with said guide holes.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A push-button switch according to claim 1 wherein said stem is positioned in the insulation case with said protruded portions being resiliently engaged with said guide holes.