Switch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9607793-B2
Application number	US-201314430951-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2013
Priority date	Oct 4, 2012
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

A switch includes a fixed contact part including a fixed contact, a movable contact part including a movable contact, a control button, an operation part including a first end and a second end, and a lock. When the first end is pressed, the control button is pressed by the operation part, the movable contact touches the fixed contact, and the switch becomes an ON state. While the movable contact and the fixed contact are in contact with each other, a first protrusion of the lock touches an engaging part of the control button to limit movement of the control button and maintain the ON state. When the second end is pressed, the operation part touches a second protrusion of the lock and moves the lock in such a direction that the first protrusion moves away from the engaging part, and the switch becomes the OFF state.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A switch, comprising:
a fixed contact part including a fixed contact;
a movable contact part including a movable contact;
a control button that supports the movable contact part and includes an engaging part;
an operation part including a first end and a second end; and
a lock including a first protrusion and a second protrusion,
wherein the switch is configured such that
when the first end is pressed, the control button is pressed by the operation part, the movable contact contacts with the fixed contact, and the switch becomes an ON state;
while the movable contact and the fixed contact are in contact with each other, the first protrusion of the lock touches the engaging part of the control button to limit movement of the control button and maintain the ON state; and
when the second end is pressed, the operation part touches the second protrusion of the lock and moves the lock in such a direction that the first protrusion moves away from the engaging part, the movable contact moves away from the fixed contact, and the switch becomes an OFF state.

2. The switch as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the switch is configured such that the first protrusion remains in contact with the engaging part and the ON state is maintained even when the operation part and the control button are separated from each other while the switch changes from the ON state to the OFF state.

3. The switch as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a return spring that contacts with the control button and has a restoring force in a direction to move the control button from the ON state to the OFF state.

4. The switch as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a lock spring having a restoring force in a direction to move the lock toward the engaging part of the control button.

5. The switch as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a case having an opening through which the operation part is exposed, and
a raised part provided on the case on each side of a central portion of the operation part.

6. A switch, comprising:
two fixed contact parts each of which includes a fixed contact;
a movable contact part including two movable contacts;
a control button including an engaging part;
an operation part including a first end, a second end, and a contacting part, and configured to be manually operated; and
a lock including a protrusion, wherein
the movable contact part contacts with the control button; and
the switch is configured such that
when the first end is pressed, the control button is pressed, each of the two movable contacts contacts a corresponding fixed contact, and the switch becomes an ON state,
while each of the movable contacts is in contact with the corresponding fixed contact, the protrusion touches the engaging part to maintain the ON state, and
when the second end is pressed, the lock is pressed and moved by the contacting part, the protrusion moves away from the engaging part, each of the movable contacts moves away from the corresponding fixed contact, and the switch becomes an OFF state.

7. The switch as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the switch is configured such that the protrusion remains in contact with the engaging part and the ON state is maintained even when the operation part and the control button are separated from each other while the switch changes from the ON state to the OFF state.

8. The switch as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising:
a return spring that is in contact with the control button and has a restoring force in a direction to move the control button from the ON state to the OFF state.

9. The switch as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising:
a lock spring having a restoring force in a direction to move the lock toward the engaging part of the control button.

10. The switch as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising:
a magnet that is disposed between the two fixed contacts and applies a magnetic field between the fixed contacts and the movable contacts.

11. The switch as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising:
a case having an opening, wherein
the operation part protrudes through the opening of the case; and
a raised part is provided on the case on each side of a central portion of the operation part.

Assignees

• Fujitsu Component Ltd
• Ntt Facilities Inc

Inventors

• Beak Seungseok
• Kiryu Koichi
• Yuba Takashi
• Noritake Masatoshi
• Hirose Keiichi

Classifications

• H01H23/12 Primary

  Movable parts; Contacts mounted thereon · CPC title

• H01H2221/016

  Lever; Rocker · CPC title

• H01H23/04

  Cases; Covers · CPC title

• H01H9/443

  using permanent magnets · CPC title

• H01H5/045

  making use of cooperating spring loaded wedging or camming parts between operating member and contact structure · CPC title