Button and light pipe mechanism and assembly

A button and light pipe assembly comprising:

• a housing that receives a switch and a light source, the housing having a panel;
• a unitary button and light pipe mechanism disposed adjacent to the housing such that the panel is disposed between the unitary button and light pipe mechanism and the switch and light source, the unitary button and light pipe mechanism including:
• a frame having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an opening that extends between the upper and lower surfaces,
• a first arm extending toward the opening and having a distal end,
• a button disposed adjacent to the distal end, and
• a light pipe disposed adjacent to the frame and having a first end portion disposed below the lower surface and a second end portion disposed above the upper surface;
• wherein the first arm flexes to permit the button to actuate the switch when sufficient force is applied to the button and the light pipe internally reflects light received by the first end portion toward the second end portion.

A button and light pipe assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

• a substrate having a switch and a light source;
• a housing that receives the substrate and includes a panel having a light pipe aperture and a button post aperture;
• a unitary button and light pipe mechanism disposed adjacent to the housing such that the panel is disposed between the unitary button and light pipe mechanism and the substrate, the unitary button and light pipe mechanism including:
• a frame having an opening, an upper surface, a lower surface, a perimeter surface, and a groove extending from the perimeter surface toward the opening,
• first and second cantilever arms extending generally parallel to each other from the frame into the opening, the first and second cantilever arms each having a distal end,
• a button extending from the distal ends of the first and second cantilever arms, the button including a post extending from the button and through the button post aperture toward the switch, and
• a light pipe at least partially disposed between the button, the frame, and the first and second cantilever arms, the light pipe having a first end portion extending through the light pipe aperture and a second end portion extending from the frame away from the upper surface;
• wherein the first and second cantilever arms flex to permit the post to actuate the switch when sufficient force is applied to the button and the light pipe internally reflects light received by the first end portion from the light source toward the second end portion to illuminate the second end portion.