The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 08, 1997
Filed:
Nov. 15, 1994
Tetsuo Yamamoto, Yokkaichi, JP;
Yoshikazu Taniguchi, Yokkaichi, JP;
Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Mie, JP;
Abstract
A pressing operation while an operation lever is tilted is inhibited by causing an enlarged portion of the operation lever to butt against a stopper. A tilting operation while an operation lever is pressed is inhibited by causing the enlarged portion to butt against the stopper. Therefore, the two operations can not be concurrently performed so that a set switch and a select switch are inhibited from being simultaneously turned on. Furthermore, the operation lever is supported in a tiltable manner by forming support shafts and rotation shafts whose axes perpendicularly intersect each other. Even when foreign substances are trapped in rotation portions of the support shafts and the rotation shafts, therefore, there is little fear that the foreign substances will remain trapped between the mating or contacting portions, thereby ensuring that the operation lever can be tilted smoothly and returned to the neutral position. In addition, a switch matrix ensures that signals from adjacent switches are accurately processed. A switch element also ensures simultaneous activation of circuits to avoid transient signaling errors.