Electric push-button switch, and operating element having an electric push-button switch

Abstract

An electric pushbutton switch includes a pushbutton, a rocker, and a housing. The pushbutton has a substantially rectangular actuating surface. The pushbutton is received within the housing and is displaceable connected to the housing. The pushbutton displaces with respect to the housing by way of a pressure actuation onto the actuating surface, thus triggering an electrical switching element. The rocker is box-shaped and is arranged within the housing beneath the pushbutton body and is at least partially encompassed by the pushbutton. The rocker is mounted on an inner longitudinally extending wall of the housing by a pivot bearing. By actuating the actuating surface, the rocker pivots about the pivot bearing while supporting the pushbutton along the longitudinal extension of the pushbutton.

Claims

1. An electric pushbutton switch comprising: a housing having a rectangular, box-shape; a pushbutton including an actuating surface having a rectangular shape, the pushbutton further including a pair of longitudinally extending side walls and a pair of shorter length, laterally extending side walls extending perpendicular from the actuating surface, the pushbutton arranged within the housing and is connected to the housing to be linearly displaceable relative to the housing while being pivotably constrained; a rocker having a rectangular, box-shape, the rocker arranged within the housing and at least partially encompassed by the pushbutton, the rocker supported on an inner surface of a longitudinally extending side wall of the housing by at least one pivot bearing to be pivotable relative to the housing, the rocker further having an elevated contact edge; an electrical switching element adjacent to the rocker; the pushbutton supported on the rocker and contacting the elevated contact edge of the rocker to rest uneven against the rocker along a longitudinal extension of the pushbutton such that pivoting of the rocker relative to the housing is enabled without the pushbutton having to pivot when the pushbutton is linearly displaced relative to the housing; and wherein the rocker, in response to the pushbutton being linearly displaced relative to the housing upon a pressure actuation onto the actuating surface, pivots relative to the housing thus triggering the electrical switching element.

2. The electric pushbutton switch of claim 1 wherein: the rocker has a length and a width that are smaller than but substantially correspond respectively to a length of the pair of longitudinally extending side walls of the pushbutton and a length of the pair of laterally extending side walls of the pushbutton; and the housing has a length and a width that are greater than but substantially correspond respectively to the length of the pair of longitudinally extending side walls of the pushbutton and the length of the pair of laterally extending side walls of the pushbutton.

3. The electric pushbutton switch of claim 1 wherein: the pair of laterally extending side walls of the pushbutton have guide ribs which cooperate respectively with guide grooves of laterally extending side walls of the housing to form linear guides, the pushbutton being displaceable connected to the housing via the linear guides such that the pushbutton displaces along the linear guides relative to the housing upon a pressure actuation onto the actuating surface.

4. The electric pushbutton switch of claim 1 wherein: the pair of laterally extending side walls of the pushbutton have guide grooves which cooperate respectively with guide ribs of laterally extending side walls of the housing to form linear guides, the pushbutton being displaceable connected to the housing via the linear guides such that the pushbutton displaces along the linear guides relative to the housing upon a pressure actuation onto the actuating surface.

5. The electric pushbutton switch of claim 1 wherein: the pair of laterally extending side walls of the pushbutton overlap the rocker.

6. The electric pushbutton switch of claim 1 wherein: the elevated contact edge of the rocker has at least two elevated contact sites situated along a connecting line in parallel to a direction of the longitudinal extension of the pushbutton.

7. The electric pushbutton switch of claim 1 wherein: the elevated contact edge of the rocker has two contact sites situated on an upper longitudinal edge of the rocker facing away from the at least one pivot bearing and along a connecting line in parallel to a direction of the longitudinal extension of the pushbutton.

8. The electric pushbutton switch of claim 1 wherein: the pushbutton further includes one of a positioning groove and a positioning rib on one of the longitudinally extending side walls of the pushbutton.

9. The electric pushbutton switch of claim 1 wherein: each pivot bearing has at least one film hinge.

10. The electric pushbutton switch of claim 1 wherein: the electrical switching element is a switch dome, a snap disk, or a short-stroke pushbutton.

11. The electric pushbutton switch of claim 1 wherein: the pushbutton includes a pushbutton cover and a pushbutton body which are connected together via locking elements to form the pushbutton, the pushbutton cover including the actuating surface and the pushbutton body including the pair of longitudinally extending side walls and the pair of laterally extending side walls extending perpendicular from the actuating surface.

12. The electric pushbutton switch of claim 11 wherein: the pushbutton cover includes a plurality of capacitive sensor fields arranged as part of the actuating surface.

13. The electric pushbutton switch of claim 12 wherein: a switching function is preselected by touching one of the capacitive sensor fields and triggered by pressing the actuating surface.

14. An electric pushbutton switch comprising: a housing; a pushbutton including an actuating surface having a rectangular shape, the pushbutton further including a pair of longitudinally extending side walls and a pair of shorter length, laterally extending side walls extending perpendicular from the actuating surface, the pushbutton being arranged within the housing and being connected to the housing to be linearly displaceable relative to the housing while being pivotably constrained; a rocker having a box-shape, the rocker arranged within the housing and at least partially encompassed by the pushbutton, the rocker being supported on an inner surface of a longitudinally extending side wall of the housing by at least one pivot bearing to be pivotable relative to the housing, the rocker further having an elevated contact edge; wherein the rocker has a length and a width that are smaller than but substantially correspond respectively to a length of the pair of longitudinally extending side walls of the pushbutton and a length of the pair of laterally extending side walls of the pushbutton; an electrical switching element adjacent to the rocker; the pushbutton supported on the rocker and contacting the elevated contact edge of the rocker to rest uneven against the rocker along a longitudinal extension of the pushbutton such that pivoting of the rocker relative to the housing is enabled without the pushbutton having to pivot when the pushbutton is linearly displaced relative to the housing; and wherein the rocker, in response to the pushbutton being linearly displaced relative to the housing upon a pressure actuation onto the actuating surface, pivots relative to the housing thus triggering the electrical switching element.

15. The electric pushbutton switch of claim 14 wherein: the pair of laterally extending side walls of the pushbutton have guide ribs which cooperate respectively with guide grooves of laterally extending side walls of the housing to form linear guides, the pushbutton displaces along the linear guides relative to the housing upon a pressure actuation onto the actuating surface.

16. The electric pushbutton switch of claim 15 wherein: the elevated contact edge of the rocker has at least two elevated protrusions situated along a connecting line in parallel to a direction of the longitudinal extension of the pushbutton.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Functional principles and exemplary embodiments of an electric pushbutton switch and an operating element having an electric pushbutton switch are explained in greater detail below with reference to the drawings, which show the following:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of an electric pushbutton switch in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of a pushbutton body of a pushbutton of the pushbutton switch within a housing of the pushbutton switch; and

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of an operating element having an electric pushbutton switch in accordance with another exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) Detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

(6) Referring now to FIG. 1, an electric pushbutton switch in accordance with an exemplary embodiment will be described. The pushbutton switch includes a pushbutton 1, a rocker 2, and a housing 3. Pushbutton 1 includes a pushbutton body 9 and a pushbutton cap 10. Pushbutton cap 10 is a cover for pushbutton 1 and includes an actuating surface 21. Actuating surface 21 of pushbutton cap 10 is substantially rectangular shaped. Pushbutton body 9 and pushbutton cap 10 are connected to one another via interlocking elements to form the assembled pushbutton 1. The interlocking elements include locking tabs 11 on pushbutton body 9 and locking latches 12 on pushbutton cap 10.

(7) Pushbutton body 9 is semi box-like and has a relatively long longitudinal extension (i.e., length) and a relatively short lateral extension (i.e., width). Pushbutton body 9 extends through an opening of housing 3 and is received within housing 3. Pushbutton body 9 is displaceable with respect to housing 3.

(8) Pushbutton body 9 has side walls 25 on its width sides. Side walls 25 include integrally molded guide ribs 6. Housing 3 includes guide grooves 7. Guide grooves 7 are molded onto inner walls of housing 3.

(9) Referring now to FIG. 2, with continual reference to FIG. 1, a top view of pushbutton body 9 within housing 3 is shown. Guide ribs 6 of pushbutton body 9 and guide grooves 7 of housing 3 interact with one another to form respective linear guides for pushbutton 1. In particular, a first guide rib 6 of a first side wall 25 of pushbutton body 9 is received within a first guide groove 7 of housing 3 to form a linear guide A at the first side wall 25 of pushbutton body 9; and a second guide rib 6 of a second side wall 25 of pushbutton body 9 is received within a second guide groove 7 of housing 3 to form a linear guide B at the second side wall 25 of pushbutton body 9.

(10) Referring now back to FIG. 1, with continual reference to FIG. 2, pushbutton body 9 is vertically displaceable along linear guides A and B in the direction of the z axis relative to housing 3. Pushbutton 9 is displaceable with respect to housing 3 by way of a pressure actuation onto actuating surface 21 of pushbutton cap 10, thus triggering an electrical switching element 5.

(11) Rocker 2 is substantially box-shaped. Rocker 2 is slightly shorter in length and narrower in width than pushbutton body 9. Rocker 2 is arranged beneath pushbutton body 9 and is arranged within housing 3. Side walls 25 of pushbutton body 9 overlap rocker 2. In this installed state, rocker 2 is mounted on an inner longitudinally extending wall (i.e., on one of the two length walls (sides) of housing 3). Rocker 2 is mounted on the inner surface of the inner longitudinally extending wall of housing 3 by two pivot bearings 8. Rocker 2 is pivotable about pivot bearings 8.

(12) Rocker 2 includes two film hinges 19 molded on the outer surface of a length wall of rocker 2. This length wall of rocker 2 faces the inner longitudinally extending wall of housing 3. Housing 3 includes two guide tracks 20 mounted on the inner surface of the inner longitudinally extending wall of housing 3. Film hinges 19 of rocker 2 are respectively pushed into guide tracks 20 of housing 3. Film hinges 19 of rocker 2 fastened in this way to guide tracks 20 of housing 3 respectively form the two pivot bearings 8, about which rocker 2 is pivotable. As such, each pivot bearing 8 is formed by a respective film hinge 19 of rocker 2 and a respective guide track 20 of housing 3.

(13) The bottom side of pushbutton body 9 rests against rocker 2 at two or more contact sites 22. Contact sites 22 are situated on a single connecting line. If more than two contact sites 22 are provided, then all of the contact sites are situated on a single connecting line so that the connecting lines of the contact sites do not span an area between pushbutton 1 and rocker 2. Namely, if pushbutton body 9 rested flatly against rocker 2, then pushbutton 1 could not bring about pivoting of rocker 2. This is because in this case pushbutton 1 itself would have to undergo a tilting movement which is not desirable and is precluded by linear guides A and B.

(14) Contact sites 22 are illustrated by two protrusions molded onto the top side of rocker 2. These two protrusions 22, unlike what is shown in FIG. 1, may be widened enough along the direction of longitudinal extension of pushbutton 1 so that overall they form a single narrow, elevated contact edge extending over the entire length of rocker 2, and thus also over approximately the entire length L of pushbutton 1.

(15) Alternatively, contact sites 22, or the contact edge (not shown), may be mounted on the bottom side of pushbutton body 9. Contact sites 22 are thus fixedly molded on, either to rocker 2 or to pushbutton 1, and rest lightly against the respective counterpart 1, 2, which allows pivoting of rocker 2 when pushbutton 1 undergoes a displacement movement along linear guides A and B.

(16) In FIG. 1, the protrusions which form contact sites 22 are situated at the outer ends of an upper longitudinal edge of rocker 2. The transmission of force to rocker 2 thus always takes place between contact sites 22 when actuating surface 21 of pushbutton cap 10 is pressed, regardless of the selected actuation site. This thus precludes tilting of pushbutton 1 about one of protrusions 22. The distance S between contact sites 22 that are farthest apart, or the length of the contact edge, corresponds exactly to the length of rocker 2.

(17) The front longitudinal wall of rocker 2 includes a projection 17. Projection 17 is supported on a switching element 5 and triggers switching element 5 when rocker 2 pivots. Switching element 5, for example, a switch dome of a silicone safety mat, a snap disk, a short-stroke pushbutton, etc., allows pressure actuation over a relatively short actuating path. Switching element 5 either has an elastic design or has a spring and thus generates a restoring force which acts on rocker 2 under the action of pressure.

(18) Switching element 5 is fastened to a printed circuit board (PCB) 4 via which the electrical connection of switching element 5 is established. Triggering of switching element 5 by an action of pressure closes or opens an electrical contact.

(19) FIG. 2 depicts the guides of pushbutton 1 within housing 3. A top view of pushbutton body 9 situated within housing 3 is shown. Apparent at the two narrow sides of pushbutton body 9 and of housing 3 are the linear guides A and B. In each case, linear guides A and B are made up of a guide rib 6 on a narrow side of pushbutton body 9 and a guide groove 7 on an inner side of housing 3. Conversely, guide ribs may be situated on housing 3 and guide grooves may be situated on pushbutton body 9.

(20) With regard to the coordinate axes x, y, z depicted in the FIGS., linear guides A and B position the location of pushbutton 1 with respect to the y axis, and at the same time prevent pushbutton 1 from twisting about the x axis and about the vertical axis z. A positioning groove 23 molded onto a longitudinal side of housing 3 and a positioning rib 24 molded onto pushbutton body 9 which engages with positioning groove 23, also prevent displacements of pushbutton body 9 along the x axis.

(21) Due to the solid rocker 2 pivotably supported on housing 3, pushbutton 1 is supported over approximately its entire length in each actuation phase. Rocker 2 tilts about its pivot bearing(s) 8 a small distance about the x axis and at the same time moves downwardly in the z direction, but does not rotate about the y axis. As such, pushbutton 1 supported on rocker 2 likewise is not able to pivot about the y axis. During an actuation, pushbutton 1 thus moves downwardly in the z direction precisely in parallel to the walls of housing 3, regardless of the particular location at which the actuating pressure acts on actuating surface 21 of pushbutton 1.

(22) Referring now to FIG. 3, with continual reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, an exploded view of an operating element having an electric pushbutton switch in accordance with another exemplary embodiment is shown. The operating element, which may be used in motor vehicles, for example, has multiple (e.g., four) capacitive sensor fields 13 on pushbutton cap 10. In order to form capacitive sensors (not shown), sensor fields may be situated on a flexible circuit carrier. For example, the flexible circuit carrier may be a thin conductive foil. The conductive foil is bordered between pushbutton cap 10 and pushbutton body 9. The conductive foil may additionally bear the components of an evaluation electronics system, or may be connected to an evaluation electronics system present at some other location, for example on PCB 4.

(23) Touching one of the sensor fields 13 allows one of multiple functions to be preselected. This is then confirmed and thus triggered by pressure actuation of pushbutton 1. Pushbutton 1 is generally pressed at the location at which sensor field 13 associated with the function selected at that moment is also present. In order to obtain an actuation feel when pushbutton 1 is pressed, which is independent of the particular function selection, it is desirable for the actuation haptics to be independent from the actuation site of pushbutton 1. This is achieved by the design according to the exemplary embodiments of the pushbutton switch.

(24) Sensor fields 13 situated on pushbutton cap 10 may have an illuminable design for displaying the function that is preselected or triggered by actuating pushbutton 1. For this purpose, four lighting elements (e.g., LEDs) 14, corresponding to the amount of sensor fields 13 provided on pushbutton 1, are situated on PCB 4. A recess 18 is introduced into the top side of pushbutton body 9 in the longitudinal direction to allow the light from lighting elements 14 to reach pushbutton cap 10. Rocker 2 has multiple dividing walls 15. Dividing walls 15 form multiple chambers 16 within rocker 2 which are open at the top and bottom. Dividing walls 15 take over the function of a diaphragm in order to limit the light from lighting elements 14 in each case to the area of individual associated sensor fields 13. Dividing walls 15 also provide reinforcement, and thus a relatively more stable design, of rocker 2.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(25) 1 Pushbutton 2 Rocker 3 Housing 4 Circuit carrier (printed circuit board) 5 Switching element 6 Guide ribs 7 Guide grooves 8 Pivot bearing 9 Pushbutton body 10 Pushbutton cap 11 Locking tabs 12 Locking latches 13 Sensor fields 14 Lighting elements 15 Dividing walls 16 Chambers 17 Projection 18 Recess 19 Film hinge 20 Guide tracks 21 Actuating surface 22 Contact sites (protrusions) 23 Positioning groove 24 Positioning rib 25 Side walls A, B Linear guides L Longitudinal extension S Distance x, y, z (Coordinate) axes

(26) While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the present invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the present invention.