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:
May. 08, 2018
Filed:
Mar. 04, 2015
Shin-etsu Polymer Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Noriaki Okada, Shiojiri, JP;
Toshihiro Motoki, Shiojiri, JP;
Shin-Etsu Polymer Co., Ltd., , JP;
Abstract
A switch apparatus has a pressing section that is formed of a rubber-like elastic material and has a pressing region that is pressed in a predetermined pressing direction; and a capacitance sensor for detecting the pressing of the pressing region on the basis of capacitance. The capacitance sensor is positioned apart from the pressing section in the pressing direction, and is configured so that when the pressing region is not being pressed, a space (clearance) is maintained between the part (the lowermost surface of a protruding section of the pressing section on the side towards the capacitance sensor corresponding to the pressing region and another member (base housing disposed in the vicinity of the pressing region along the pressing direction, the space (clearance) allowing the part on the side towards the capacitance sensor to move in the pressing direction.