Alps Electric Co., Ltd.

Yujiro Shimoyama

Hiroyuki Sato

Shinji Sasaki

Yoshinori Watanabe

Shinji Yanai

Soetsu Kamada

A switch device which is operated by movement of a knob coupled to a switch actuator. The knob comprises a projection from a center of an arc-like skirt, wherein the arc-like skirt has a rounded slope extending from the projection to a periphery of the arc-like skirt. A cover arranged over a switch element mounted on a printed substrate defines an opening and has projection walls formed at peripheral edges of the opening, wherein the opening acts to receive the switch actuator, and wherein the arc-like skirt co-acts with the projection walls for preventing water from entering the opening. Liquid contacting the knob flows down the arc-like skirt and is drained through a drain passage formed in the cover. Thus, the switch device is essentially made waterproof by the co-action of the arc-like skirt, the projection walls, and the drain passage.

Waterproof structure for a switch device

A switch device wherein components including an actuator bar and a spring can be installed one after another from above an upper opening of a casing, enabling automation of an assembling operation. The switch device includes a conductor plate mounted for rocking motion within a casing to cause switching of the switch device, and a switch operating member mounted for pivotal motion on the casing and including an actuator element and an operating element snap-coupled to each other. The actuator element has a vertical through-hole perforated therein while the operating element has formed thereon a depending projection which is received in the through-hole of the actuator element. An actuator bar and a compression spring are received in the through-hole of the actuator element such that the compression spring abuts at opposite ends thereof with an end of the projection of the operating element and an end of the acutator bar so that it normally urges the actuator bar to resiliently contact with the conductor plate for operation of the latter.

Seesaw-type switch device having a snap-coupled actuator

A switch device where the components include an actuator bar and a spring which can be installed one after the other from above through an upper opening of a casing, thereby enabling automation of a switch assembly operation. The casing, having a fixed contact, eccentrically supports a rockable conductor plate with a movable contact at one end. A switch operating member having an actuator element and an operating element is pivotally mounted in the casing. The actuator element has a vertical through-hole into which the actuator bar and spring are placed. The actuator bar extends out of the bottom end of the actuator element to contact the conductor plate. The operating element has a depending pressing projection formed on its bottom matching the location of the top of the through-hole into which the actuator bar and spring are placed. As the operating element and the actuator element of the switch operating member are assembled, the depending pressing projection of the operating element compresses the spring to press the actuator bar against the conductor plate. When the switch operating member is pivoted about its axis the actuator bar causes the conductor plate to rock, thereby causing the fixed and movable contacts move together or separate to effect a switching action.

Switch device

A switch device comprising an operating knob adapted to be selectively operated according to an operational amount and permit an automatic restoring condition and an automatic locking condition, a first selector member interlocking with the operating knob for effecting a switching operation of contacts, a second selector member engageable with the first selector member for selectively effecting the automatic restoring condition and the automatic locking condition of the operating knob, a switch wafer provided in opposed relationship to the first and second selector members, a locking member adapted to restrict movement of the second selector member, and a resilient member for biasing the locking member toward the second selector member. With this structure, the automatic locking condition may be maintained without the use of a solenoid, thereby reducing the power consumption and heat generation.

Switch device with automatic neutral point restoring position and

A switch device having a casing, an actuator swingably supported to the casing, a plurality of projections suspended down from the lower surface of the actuator for changing over a switch by pressing a plurality of switch elements arranged in the casing which has a partition plate for separating the actuator and the switch element in the casing, a plurality of operation openings perforated at the partition plate for the actuators of the switch elements, and rubber pressing gaskets which transfer movement of the actuator projections to movement of switch elements and seal the upper portion of the casing from the lower portion in which the switch elements are located. Thus, the switch device can provide high waterproofness with a simple construction.

Multiple switch device having waterproof structure

A push-button switch having an individual and interlocking action is provided which includes two operating members. The push-button switch comprises first and second sliders, each having a heart-shaped cam groove formed thereon. Actuator pins are provided for engagement with the cam grooves to provide the desired individual and interlocking action. The interlocking action is effectuated when the first slider is depressed while the second slider is locked at its depressed position. The invention allows the second slider to return to its unlocked nondepressed position while the first slider then becomes locked in its depressed position. The push-button switch has high versatility since the distance between the sliders can be easily changed. Further, common parts can be used individually for the sliders thus improving manufacturing efficiency.

Push-button switch device having individual/nterlocking action

A switch device which can surely prevent introduction of foreign articles past an opening at the top of a case without employing a cover made of a rubber material. The switch device includes a cover made of a synthetic resin material and mounted at the top of a casing on which a switch operating member is supported for pivotal motion and within which a conductor plate is mounted for rocking motion such that a tilting motion of the switch operating member will cause rocking motion of the conductor plate to make a switching operation of the switch device. The cover has an opening formed therein through which the switch operating member extends downwardly into the inside of the casing, and a pair of downwardly extending projected walls are formed on opposite peripheral edges of the opening of the cover while the switch operating member has a pair of semicylindrical flanges formed thereon which extend in a curve centered at the axis of pivotal motion of the switch operating member and are opposed to and engaged at upper faces thereof with the projected walls of the cover.

Switch having dust-proof cover

A switch device of the swing type comprising snap hooks provided with a slit extending from the foremost end to the base thereof, a part of the slit being made wider to form a bearing portion; a shaft fitted into the bearing portion in the snap hooks; and an operation piece freely swingable round the shaft. A stopper is arranged, adjacent and parallel to the snap hooks to stop the relative movement of the shaft toward the base of the snap hooks. The shaft cannot be pressed into a narrower portion of the slit which extends downward from the bearing portion thereof, thereby preventing the snap hooks from being spread out and broken.

Switch device of the swing type

Herein disclosed is a detent mechanism for a detent mechanism for use in a sliding electric part, in which an operation lever exposed to the outside from a casing is slid for operations, such as a slide switch or a volume control for audios. In the detent mechanism, a slide guide formed in a casing is formed with a series of cam crests. There is fixed to an operation lever an engaging member which engages with those cam crests. At least one of the slide guide and the engaging member is given such an elasticity as to tighten the engagement.

Detent mechanism for sliding electric parts

Disclosed is a detent mechanism for use in a control with a sliding lever, in which the lever is slid to desired operation positions, such as for example, a slide switch or a volume control of a radio. In the detent mechanism, a slide guide is formed with a series of cam crests. Fixed to the sliding lever is a spring member which carries a roller at its leading end which engages with and rolls on the cam crests.

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Furukawa, Japan

Yujiro Shimoyama