Patent ID: 6080941
Filing Date: 2000-06-27
Classification: G05G,H01H

Abstract:
A multi-directional key switch assembly capable of selectively actuating a plurality of switches, said assembly comprising:a substrate board having disposed thereon first fixed contacts and second fixed contacts for a plurality of first stage switches and a plurality of second stage switches of a different kind, and having a different type of actuation than that of said first stage switches, said first fixed contacts and second fixed contacts being alternately arrayed on a common circle;first and second roof portions disposed over the first and second fixed contacts, each of said first and second roof portions having a circumference elastically supported on said substrate board;first and second movable contacts attached to undersides of said first and second roof portions in opposition to said corresponding first and second fixed contacts and being cooperative with the first and second fixed contacts to define said first stage and second stage switches, respectively;a rolling means having first and second actuating means disposed in overlying relation to said first and second movable contacts, respectively, said first and second actuating means being operative in response to external forces applied in a desired direction about the center of said common circle to actuate corresponding one or more of said first stage and second stage switches; anda key top mounted on said rolling means and adapted in response to external forces applied to said key top to roll said rolling means, whereby rolling said rolling means in any desired direction will cause the corresponding first stage switch or switches to be turned ON, and further continued rolling of said rolling means in the same direction will actuate the corresponding second switch or switches to turn it or them ON;said first actuating means including slide members disposed over said first movable roof portions, respectively, slide member receiving bores formed in said rolling member for receiving the slide members slidably in a direction parallel to a central axis of said rolling means, and stroke producing springs for imparting, to the corresponding slide members, a biasing force to push the slide members against said first movable roof portions away from said slide member receiving bores; andsaid second actuating means including engaging protrusions protruding from said rolling member for actuating said second movable roof portions.