Multiple state switch assembly

Abstract

An electrical multiple stage switch assembly includes an assembly casing, a first component carrier, and at least one multiple stage switch including a first disc contact, at least one second disc contact, and an actuator. The first and second disc contacts are positioned with their centers substantially aligned, and the first and second disc contact are adapted to flex into an electrical connection when the actuator is pressed and to flex back into a non-electrical connection when the actuator is released. A controlling member includes a controlling part for each switch, and the controlling part includes a spacing member adapted to limit the smallest possible distance between adjacent component carriers.

Claims

1. An electrical multiple stage switch assembly comprising: an assembly casing; a first component carrier; at least one second component carrier; at least one multiple stage switch, wherein each multiple stage switch comprises: a first disc contact positioned on the first component carrier; at least one second disc contact, each of the at least one second component carrier carrying a respective second disc contact, wherein each of the first and the at least one second disc contacts is a convex disc contact; and an actuator; and at least one controlling member, wherein said first and second disc contacts in each multiple stage switch are positioned with their centers substantially aligned, respective actuators are positioned in said assembly casing and adapted to compress said first and second disc contacts, said first and second disc contacts are adapted to flex into an electrical connection when said actuator is pressed and to flex back into a non-electrical connection when said actuator is released, and said first disc contact is positioned on said first component carrier in a fixed electrically conductible manner, and wherein each second component carrier is electrically connected to said first component carrier, each second disc contact is connected to a respective second component carrier in a flexible electrically conductible manner, each controlling member comprises a plurality of controlling parts, one for each switch, each controlling member is positioned between any two adjacent component carriers of said first and second component carriers in a way so that said first disc contact and said at least one second disc contact in each multiple stage switch are facing a respective controlling part, each controlling part comprises a spacing member adapted to limit the smallest possible distance between a respective one of said any two adjacent component carriers, and said smallest possible distance is a distance set to limit the compression from said actuator on said first disc contact and said at least one second disc contact, and wherein the spacing member is arranged radially outside of said first and second disc contacts and is configured to directly contact the said first and second component carriers when the actuator is continuously pressed.

2. The switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein each controlling part comprises a counter protrusion facing a respective disc contact, and said counter protrusion is recessed at the center of the disc for concentrating the applied pressure on said disc contact with its convex shape.

3. The switch assembly according to claim 2, wherein adjacent disc contacts are facing each other, each controlling part comprises a first counter protrusion facing one disc contact and a second counter protrusion facing the other disc contact, and each counter protrusion is recessed at the center of the disc for concentrating the applied pressure on the respective disc contact with its convex shape.

4. The switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein each controlling part is connected to said at least one controlling member in a flexible manner.

5. The switch assembly according to claim 4, wherein Polyoxymethylene (POM) is used as material in said at least one controlling member.

6. The switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein each second disc contact is connected to a respective second component carrier by means of a flexible circuit carrier.

7. The switch assembly according to claim 2, wherein each surface area and recess of a respective counter protrusion is adapted to a size and a curvature of the disc contact that the respective counter protrusion is facing.

8. The switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein each disc contact in a multiple stage switch is adapted to flex into an electrical connection at a force from said actuator that is different from the force required to flex any other disc contact in the same multiple stage switch into an electrical connection.

9. The switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first and each second component carrier are made out of one flexible component carrier that is folded to form said first and each second component carrier positioned on top of each other.

10. The switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first and each second component carrier are sealed.

11. The switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein said assembly casing and actuator are weatherproof.

12. The switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein said assembly casing and actuator are adapted to requirements for mechanical strength.

13. The switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein said switch assembly is a unit which is sealed and weatherproof.

14. The switch assembly according to claim 2, wherein each controlling part is connected to said at least one controlling member in a flexible manner.

15. The switch assembly according to claim 3, wherein each controlling part is connected to said at least one controlling member in a flexible manner.

16. The switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the spacing member is formed on a distal end of the controlling part, and prevents, at a time point during pressing the actuator, a further compression from the actuator to said first disc contact and said at least one second disc contact upon a further pressing of the actuator after said time point.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) A multiple state switch assembly according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic and simplified illustration of an inventive switch assembly,

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first component carrier, a second component carrier and a controlling member,

(4) FIG. 3 is a top view of a first component carrier,

(5) FIG. 4 is a top view of a first component carrier with a controlling member,

(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment with a flexible component carrier,

(7) FIG. 6 is a top view of a first component carrier with a second component carrier,

(8) FIG. 7 is a sectional view along line 7-7 of FIG. 6,

(9) FIG. 8 is a detailed view of the portion identified by circle 8 in FIG. 7, which is a detailed view of a multiple stage switch, and

(10) FIG. 9 is a schematic and simplified illustration of a multiple stage switch with three disc contacts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(11) In the following, the present invention will be described with a reference to FIG. 1 showing an electrical multiple stage switch assembly 1 comprising an assembly casing 11, a first component carrier 12, and at least one multiple stage switch 21, 22, . . . , 2n. The invention is not limited to a specific number of switches, the invention can be implemented with only one switch or with several switches depending on application. In the following one multiple stage switch will be described and it should be understood this description is applicable to any one of the multiple stage switches being a part of an inventive multiple stage switch assembly.

(12) Each multiple stage switch 21 comprise a first disc contact 21a, at least one second disc contact 21b, and an actuator means 21c, where respective disc contact is a convex disc contact. The first and second disc contact 21a, 21b are positioned with their centers substantially aligned. The actuator means 21c is positioned in the assembly casing 11 and adapted to compress the first and second disc contact 21a, 21b.

(13) For the sake of simplicity the invention will be exemplified with only one second disc contact in most of the following detailed description. However, the invention can be implemented with several second disc contacts and in some parts of the description several second disc contacts will be described in order to show specific measures that are taken in order to achieve a multiple stage switch with more than one second disc contact.

(14) The first and second disc contact 21a, 21b are adapted to flex into an electrical connection when the actuator means 21c is pressed and to flex back into a non-electrical connection when the actuator means 21c is released.

(15) The first disc contact 21a is positioned on the first component carrier 12 in a fixed electrically conductible manner.

(16) FIG. 1 also shows that the switch assembly 1 comprises one second component carrier 13 for each second disc contact and at least one controlling member 3.

(17) FIG. 2 is a more detailed perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of an inventive switch assembly, showing the first and a second carrier 12, 13. FIG. 3 is a top vie of a first carrier 12 with a number of first disc contacts 21a, 22a, . . . , 2na. The first carrier has an electrical contact 15 adapted to provide an electrical connection with the second carrier 13.

(18) FIG. 4 shows the controlling member 3 positioned on the first carrier 12. The controlling member 3 comprises a number of controlling parts 31a, 32a, . . . , 3na, one for each first disc contact 21a, 22a, . . . , 2na and switch.

(19) A controlling member is positioned between the component carriers 12, 13 in a way so that each disc contact 21a, 21b is facing a controlling part 31a.

(20) According to one embodiment it is proposed that the controlling member 3 also has a connection 4 through which the second component carrier 13 can be electrically connected with the electrical contact 15 of the first component carrier 12. The skilled person understands that the connection 4 can be anything that allows an electrical contact between the first and second component carrier 12, 13, such as an opening allowing contact means from the first and second carrier to reach each other or a contact connecting both to a contact on the first component carrier and to a contact on the second component carrier.

(21) It is also possible that an electrical connection between the first and second component carrier 12, 13 is provided outside of the controlling member 3, in which case no connection is required through the controlling member 3.

(22) Another proposed embodiment, schematically illustrated in FIG. 5, teaches that the first and each second component carrier 12, 13 are made out of one flexible component carrier 12A that is folded to form said first 12 and each second 13 component carrier positioned on top of each other, thereby enabling the required electrical contact between the first component carrier 12 and every second component carrier 13.

(23) FIG. 6 shows the second component carrier 13 with a number of second disc contacts 21b, 22b, . . . , 2nb, which are connected to the second component carrier 13. When the disc contacts are activated or deactivated there is a movement of the parts in the switch and with the purpose to enable respective second disc contact 21b, 22b, . . . , 2nb to follow the movement of the first and any other second disc contact as the contacts are pressed by the actuator means and as they flex back when released it is proposed that respective second disc contact is connected to its component carrier in a flexible, yet electrically conductible, manner 21b, 22b, . . . , 2nb.

(24) FIG. 7 is a sectional view along line 7-7 of FIG. 6, FIG. 8 is a detailed view of the portion identified by circle 8 in FIG. 7. In this exemplifying embodiment it can be seen that the first disc contact 21a is facing the second disc contact 21b and that the second disc contact 21b is facing the first disc contact 21a. The controlling part 31a is positioned between the first and second disc contact 21a, 21b in a way so that each disc contact 21a, 21b is facing the controlling part 31a.

(25) When the disc contacts are activated or deactivated there is a movement of the parts in the switch and in order to enable the controlling part 31a to follow the movement of the first and second disc contact 21a, 21b as the contacts are pressed by the actuator means and as they flex back when released it is proposed that the controlling part 31a is connected to the controlling member 3 in a flexible manner, also illustrated in FIG. 4 by the thin flexible connection 31a between the controlling part 31a and the body of controlling member 3. It is proposed that the controlling member 3, or at least the flexible connection 31a, is made out of a flexible material in order to provide the flexible connection 31a of the controlling part, which has to be a material that can endure the required number of actuations with a maintained mechanical flexibility. An example of a flexible material that can be used is Polyoxymethylene (POM).

(26) The disc contacts 21a, 21b are specified to manage a number of actuations before wearing out with a specification that is only valid as long as the disc contact is not compressed with a force that would be destructive to the contact. Hence, with the purpose of protecting respective disc contact from destructive compression when pressed by the actuator means, the present invention also teaches that the controlling part 31a comprises a spacing member 312 adapted to limit the smallest possible distance d between adjacent component carriers, which in FIG. 8 are the first component carrier 12 and the second component carrier 13. The smallest distance d is set to limit the compression from the actuator means and thereby prevent any destructive pressure on the disc contacts 21a, 21b.

(27) In an embodiment where adjacent disc contacts are facing each other it is also proposed that the controlling part 31a comprises a first counter protrusion 313 facing one disc contact 21a and a second counter protrusion 314 facing the other disc contact 21b, where respective counter protrusion 313, 314 is recessed 313a, 314a at the center of the disc for concentrating the applied pressure on the respective disc contact 21a, 21b, thereby enabling a concentration of the applied pressure to the respective disc contact with its convex shape.

(28) FIG. 9 shows an example of an embodiment with a multiple stage switch 20 having one first disc contact 20a, a first and a second second disc contact 20b1, 20b2, and an actuator means 20c. The first disc contact 20a is connected to the first component carrier 12 and each second disc contact 20b1, 20b2 is connected to its respective second component carriers 131, 132.

(29) In this exemplifying embodiment two controlling members 3, 3 are used, where a first controlling member 3 is positioned so that the first disc contact 20a and the first second disc contact 20b1 are both facing a controlling part 30a belonging to the first controlling member 3. The controlling part 30a belonging to the first controlling member 3 comprises a spacing member 302 adapted to limit the smallest possible distance between first component carrier 12 and the first second component carrier 131

(30) A second controlling member 3 is positioned so that the second second disc contact 20b2 is facing a controlling part 30a belonging to the second controlling member 3. The controlling part 30a belonging to the second controlling member 3 comprises a spacing member 302 adapted to limit the smallest possible distance between second second component carrier 132 and the first second component carrier 131.

(31) With renewed reference to FIG. 8 it proposed that the controlling part 31a comprises a counter protrusion 313 facing the disc contact 21a, which counter protrusion 313 is recessed 131a at the center of the disc for concentrating the applied pressure on the disc contact 21a with its convex shape.

(32) It is proposed that each second disc contact 21b, 22b, . . . , 2nb is connected to respective second component carrier 13 by means of a connector 21b, 22b, . . . , 2nb that will allow the required movement of the second disc contact 21b, 22b, . . . , 2nb during the actuation of the contact, where this connector 21b, 22b, . . . , 2nb is exemplified by a flexible circuit carrier in FIG. 6.

(33) It is important that the second component carrier, or at least the part of the second component carrier that provides the flexibility, the connector 21b, 22b, . . . , 2nb, allows required movement of the second disc contact and can endure the required number of actuations with a maintained electrical conductivity, mechanical strength and flexibility.

(34) An example of a flexible circuit carrier that can be used is PI SF305C 1025. This material can be used for the complete second component carrier 13 or only for the connector 21b, 22b, . . . , 2nb, in which case the rest of the second component carrier 13 could be made out of a more rigid material, such as FR4 IT180A.

(35) The skilled person understand that this flexible electrically conductible connection also can be realised in other ways, such as through an electrically conducting wire.

(36) The present invention teaches that the surface area and recess 313a, 314a of the respective counter protrusion 313, 314 is adapted to the size and curvature of the disc contact 21a, 21b that it is facing, thereby optimising the function and working conditions of respective disc contact 21a, 21b.

(37) With the purpose of providing a clear and distinct multiple step tactile feedback to the operator it is proposed that each disc contact 21a in a multiple stage switch is adapted to flex into an electrical connection at a force from the actuator means 21c that is different from the force required to flex any other disc contact 21b in the same multiple stage switch into an electrical connection.

(38) The invention teaches that one or several of different measures can be taken to reach requirements that can be made on a switch assembly, such as that the first and each second component carrier 12, 13 are sealed where possible, that the assembly casing 11 and actuator means (21c) are weatherproof, that the assembly casing 11 and actuator means 21c are adapted to requirements for mechanical strength, and that the switch assembly 1 is a sealed 1a, weatherproof and EMC certified unit.

(39) It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the aforedescribed and illustrated exemplifying embodiments thereof and that modifications can be made within the scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying Claims.