Patent ID: 6657141
Filing Date: 2003-12-02
Classification: H01H

Abstract:
A four-way slide switch comprising:a tiltable body formed of an insulating plate having a square opening in the center thereof, said tiltable body having recessed portions on the lower inner side in said square opening; resilient contact units, each formed of a base portion of a conductive resilient plate from which return spring pieces and contact spring pieces are protruded out in parallel; a tiltable member in which contact resilient units are embedded, said tiltable member having four peripheral sides each from which a set of a return spring piece and contact spring pieces is protruded out, the center of said opening of said tiltable body and the center of each of four sides of said square opening being aligned with the center of the base portion of each contact resilient unit; a control knob having a shaft, protruded portions, a knob, and a bulge, said shaft being slidably inserted into said square opening of said tiltable member, said protruded portions being formed at the lower end of said shaft and being detachably engaged in said recessed portions of said tiltable body, said knob extending upward from said shaft, said bulge being protruded from the center of the lower end of said shaft; a contact spring disc inserted into the center of a case, the fringe of said contact spring disc being disposed so as to contact with stationary contacts formed on the upper surface of said case, the center portion of said contact spring disc confronting a center stationary contact formed on the upper surface of said case; wherein said shaft of said control knob is inserted into the opening in said tiltable member; the structure in which said protruded portions and said recessed portions are engaged to each other is disposed inside said case; the center of the bulge of said control knob is aligned with the center of the upper surface of said contact spring disc; said return spring pieces are respectively placed on spring rests formed inside said case; and said contact spring pieces are respectively disposed over stationary contacts on the upper surface so as to be spaced away from each other; and a cover plate for covering the upper opening of said case, said cover plate having a center hole therein, the knob of said control knob protruding upward from the center hole of said cover plate, said cover plate pressing the inner surface around said center hole against the peripheral portion of said tiltable body, with said return spring pieces biased; wherein when said knob of said control knob is tilted in an intended direction, said control knob and said tiltable member are tilted together against the restoring force of said return spring pieces of a corresponding resilient unit so that the ends of said contact spring pieces are electrically contacted with corresponding stationary contacts disposed on the upper surface of the base substrate of said case; wherein when tilt of said knob is released, said knob returns to its original position by a restoring force of said return spring pieces; wherein when said knob of said control knob is depressed, only said control knob slidably descends into said square opening of said tiltable member, so that the bulge of said control knob depresses the center portion of said contact spring disc and thus electrically connects said center portion thereof to the center stationary contact; wherein when said knob is released from its depression, said knob returns to its original position by a restoring force of said contact spring disc.