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US 6,531,669 B1Granted
Method and system for illuminating a mechanical rotary push-button switch
AssigneeRockwell Collins, Inc.
InventorsRobert E. Miller, Jason Bunge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for illuminating a push-button type avionics mechanical-to-electrical rotary switch, which includes an optical fiber extending through a hollow shaft in said switch, and where said optical fiber provides illumination of the push button when depressed.
Claims19
An apparatus comprising:
- a mounting assembly;
- a light source coupled to said mounting assembly;
- a fiber optic cable coupled to said light source;
- a mechanical-to-electrical rotary switch assembly having a central channel therein;
- said fiber optic cable at least partially disposed in said central channel;
- said fiber optic cable having a light projection end, which is opposite of a light source end adjacent to said light source;
- a rotary knob;
- said fiber optic cable at least partially disposed in said rotary knob;
- an illuminated push button having a viewing surface thereon;
- said illuminated push button being coupled to and partially disposed within said rotary knob when said illuminated push button is deployed in one of a plurality of spatial configurations with respect to said rotary knob;
- and,
- said illuminated push button having a push button channel therein containing said light projection end of said fiber optic cable.
9 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- means for providing a light from a first location inside a box;
- a button disposed in a rotary knob;
- means for changing an electrical signal in response to twisting said rotary knob;
- and,
- means for transmitting light from said first location, through said means for changing and on to a second location.
2 more elements
An illumination apparatus, comprising:
- a light source;
- a rotary knob;
- a push button coupled to and partially disposed within the rotary knob when the push button is deployed in one of a plurality of spatial configurations with respect to the rotary knob;
- and
- a fiber optic cable having a light source end adjacent the light source, the fiber optic cable also having a light projection end that is disposed within the push button to illuminate the push button.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.