Push-button switch

Abstract

A push-button switch comprises a housing having a substantially cylindrical interior portion. It also includes a movable switching member, disposed substantially within the interior of the housing and having a reciprocally movable plunger with successive released, latched and depressed positions relative to the housing interior portion. Functional surfaces of substantially cylindrical form are disposed adjacent and in a substantially fixed position relative to the interior portion of the housing and include guiding surfaces aligned in the direction of movement of the plunger. The plunger has members, interengaging with the guiding surfaces, for preventing rotation of the plunger during reciprocal movement of the plunger. The movable switching member also includes a rotatable latch ring, preferably C-shaped, disposed on the plunger and having a radially extending lug. The plunger also has members for holding the rotatable ring in a fixed latitudinal position about a portion of the plunger. The functional surfaces also include radially spaced lug directing surfaces disposed so that when the plunger is moved into its depressed position, a lug directing surface contacts the lug to rotate the ring. The functional surfaces further include radially spaced lug latching surfaces, circumferentially offset from the lug directing surfaces and disposed so that every other time the plunger is moving from its depressed toward its released position, a lug latching surface contacts the lug to restrain the plunger in its latched position. The radially spaced lug directing surfaces are preferably molded integrally on a base of the switch and the radially spaced lug latching surfaces are preferably molded integrally on the housing interior portion. The lugs preferably have a first surface which is aligned with the direction of movement of the plunger and second and third surfaces which are inclined relative to the first surface.