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:
Dec. 25, 2001
Filed:
Aug. 14, 2000
Masaki Kontani, Fukui, JP;
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
The operation is silent when manipulating the lever switch. Further, a lever switch having a favorable sensation of manipulation is obtained. The lever switch includes a sliding element, an operation lever, a moderator pin, a moderator plate, and a switch contact point. The moderator plate is disposed at a position where the leading end of the moderator pin elastically contacts with the moderator plate. The moderator plate has a moderation ditch in a concave shape, moderation protrusions positioned at both ends of the moderation ditch, and a sliding surface linking the moderation ditch and moderation protrusions. The sliding surface has a thin portion so as to be deflected by pressure of the moderator pin. When the operation lever is manipulated, while the sliding element is rotating, the moderator pin slides on the surface of the moderation protrusions, sliding surface, and moderation ditch, the sliding surface is deflected by the pressure of the moderator pin, and at the same time, the switch contact point opens or closes electrically depending on the rotation of the sliding element. The compound switch has a plurality of lever switches, and each lever switch of the plurality of lever switches is the lever switch as described above. Such lever switches are used in a vehicle.