Switch arrangement operable in both slide and push directions and its assembling method

A multidirectional switch operable in both slide and push directions comprising:

• a boxlike casing with an open top, having an opening partly formed on a front wall thereof and a plurality of stationary contacts provided on an inner bottom surface thereof;
• a slider installed in said casing and slidable in a predetermined slide direction, having a rod guide portion provided at a predetermined portion thereof and spring receive portions provided at left and right ends thereof;
• a rod installed in said rod guide portion and slidable in a push direction normal to said slide direction, having an operating lever protruding forward from said opening of said casing and a push portion extending rearward;
• at least one elastic contact piece fixed to at least one of lower surfaces of said slider and said rod for electrically connecting or disconnecting said stationary contacts;
• and
• two L-shaped springs having proximal portions held by spring holders stationarily provided at predetermined left and right portions, said two springs having first arms and second arms, said first arms having distal ends supported by said spring receive portions of said slider movable in said slide direction and mesial portions received by arm receive portions stationarily provided independent of the slide movement of said slider, and said second arms being pressed by said push portion of said rod movable in said push direction.

A multidirectional switch operable in both slide and push directions comprising:

• a boxlike casing with an open top, having an opening partly formed on a front wall thereof and a plurality of stationary contacts provided on an inner bottom surface thereof;
• a slider installed in said casing and slidable in a predetermined slide direction, having a rod guide portion provided at a predetermined portion thereof as well as spring holders and arm receive portions provided at left and right ends thereof;
• a rod installed in said rod guide portion and slidable in a push direction normal to said slide direction, having an operating lever protruding forward from said opening of said casing and a push portion extending rearward;
• at least one elastic contact piece fixed to at least one of lower surfaces of said slider and said rod for electrically connecting or disconnecting said stationary contacts;
• and
• two L-shaped springs having proximal portions held by said spring holders of said slider movable in said slide direction, said two springs having first arms and second arms, said first arms having distal ends supported by spring receive portions stationarily provided at a predetermined portion independent of the slide movement of said slider and mesial portions received by said arm receive portions of said slider, and said second arms being pressed by said push portion of said rod movable in said push direction.

An assembling method for a multidirectional switch,

• said multidirectional switch comprising:
• a boxlike casing with an open top, having an opening partly formed on a front wall thereof and a plurality of stationary contacts provided on an inner bottom surface thereof;
• a slider installed in said casing and slidable in a predetermined slide direction;
• a rod installed in a rod guide portion provided at a predetermined portion of said slider and slidable in a push direction normal to said slide direction, said rod having an operating lever protruding forward from said opening of said casing and a push portion extending rearward;
• at least one elastic contact piece fixed to at least one of lower surfaces of said slider and said rod for electrically connecting or disconnecting said stationary contacts;
• two L-shaped springs having proximal portions held by spring holders, first arms having distal ends supported by spring receive portions and mesial portions received by arm receive portions, and second arms being pressed by said push portion of said rod movable in said push direction, and
• said assembling method comprising the steps of:
• installing a united spring into said casing, said united spring having a connecting portion where said two L-shaped springs are integrally connected at distal ends of said second arms;
• and
• pushing said connecting portion of said united spring by said rod to separate said united spring into two independent L-shaped springs.