Plural switch configuration in a recessed switch housing with an illuminated rocker and floatingly mounted actuation cap

The invention relates to a switch configuration that can be used in a receptacle that is equipped with a shield. In this case, the shield can be arranged offset relative to the receptacle within the framework of given tolerances. The novel switch arrangement is used to compensate for the offset of the shield relative to the receptacle with the aid of a cap that is mounted in a floating manner. In this case, the friction of an actuation cap, which actuates a switch via an actuator, is to be kept as low as possible relative to the guide surfaces of the corresponding shield opening.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to an electric switch configuration for installation 
in a receptacle, whereby the switch can be covered, except for a cutaway 
portion of the actuation cap, by a shield of the receptacle. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
For the installation of the switch in the receptacle, especially if several 
switches are to be installed, tolerances must be provided. In this case, 
the position of the shield that belongs to the receptacle can be moved by 
a certain amount relative to the latter. As a consequence, the actuation 
cap that is framed by the shield must also be moved correspondingly. This 
is not possible in switches that are commonly used, however, since the 
actuation cap is again rigidly connected to the switch housing, so that 
the position of the actuation cap is fixed by the position of the switch. 
As a consequence, the size of the shield opening for the actuation cap must 
be selected correspondingly wide. Another problem is that, especially in 
the case of illuminated switches, the actuation cap inside the shield 
opening is offset, which causes this receptacle that is equipped with 
switches to look wrong. 
It is known from DE-OS 42 14 794 to mount the actuation cap in a floating 
manner relative to the switch housing for the above-mentioned reasons. 
This means that the position of the actuation cap is able to adapt to the 
position of the shield opening within certain limits regardless of the 
position of the switch. In the known switch configuration, the actuation 
cap is mounted in a floating manner in pins in the switch housing. The cap 
itself rests with its bottom on an actuation element, so that the cap can 
act indirectly on the switch via the actuation element. In the known 
switch configuration, it is disadvantageous that the position areas 
between the actuation cap and the actuation device, on the one hand, and 
the actuation cap and the housing, on the other hand, are comparatively 
far apart, so that when fabrication is done with tolerances, undesirable 
tilting moments and material stresses can occur. Further, the actuation 
device is guided in grooves relative to the actuation cap, so that the 
actuation device cannot be held captive relative to the cap. 
Another drawback of the known switch configuration is considered to be the 
fact that the cap has comparatively large support openings to accommodate 
the housing pins, whereby the edge area of the support openings is used 
simultaneously for lateral support of the cap at the shield opening of the 
shield that surrounds the cap. Due to the relatively large support 
surfaces of the groove guideway as well as the large support surface of 
the openings at the shield, movement of the cap is associated with 
comparatively significant friction. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The object of the invention is to arrange the actuator in a captive manner 
relative to the cap and simultaneously to arrange the support positions 
among the cap, actuator and housing right next to one another to avoid 
undesirable tilting movements inside the switch. 
The object is achieved by the combination of features as recited. The 
invention thus basically consists in not squeezing the actuator between 
cap and housing, but rather mounting it directly on the housing. The 
advantage is that the component via which the switching forces that are 
directly imparted to the switch is mounted in the housing. Independently 
of this, provisions are also made to mount the actuation cap relative to 
the housing. 
To have force paths that are as short as possible among cap, actuator and 
the switch, the combination of features is advisable in further 
development of the invention. Accordingly, the lever for the force that is 
imparted via the two bearings is especially short, and the tilting 
movements produced are comparatively insignificant. 
To mount the actuator especially simply and to impart additional torque via 
the bearing between actuation cap and actuator, is a combination of 
features advisable in further development of the invention. In principle, 
it would also be conceivable for the cap to be connected to the actuator 
via a circular bearing. Torque in the bearing area cannot be imparted to 
the actuator from the cap in this way, however. 
In addition, the catch between actuation cap and actuator is ensured by 
such a design, since the supports of the actuator which are shaped like a 
partial circle are preferably located in such a way that they require as 
little expansion as possible for the overlooking side walls of the 
actuation cap in the direction of assembly of the two components. 
To increase the centering effect during assembly between actuation cap and 
actuator, the is a combination of features advisable in further 
development of the invention. Since the cutaway portions of the cap are 
only partially circular in shape and thus have the shape of, for example, 
a half ring, material approximately in the shape of a small semicircle 
remains on the side walls in an extension of the bearing axis of the 
actuation cap. This can be used advantageously for exploitation of the 
features. In this way, the friction that is produced can be minimized by 
attaching the side walls of the cap to the inside wall of the shield 
opening. On the one hand, namely the tips of the support projections are 
the extension of the axis of rotation of the actuation cap, so that the 
projection relative to the shield area executes only rotation, but not 
pivoting. On the other hand, the support surface of the projection on the 
shield area is dotlike, also making friction negligibly small. 
To simplify assembly between the actuator and the switch housing, is an 
advisable combination of features. In this case, the procedure should be 
such that the support openings of the actuator encompass the shaft end of 
the housing from the outside, so that the actuator can be locked on the 
shaft end and thus is mounted in a simple way so that it can rotate. Of 
course, it is also possible for the shaft ends which engage in the 
corresponding openings of the housing to be placed on the actuator. 
However, relatively small guide areas are then obtained for the part to be 
opened out, which can lead to damage to the support location. 
An especially simple shape is produced if, the supports are parts of an 
extending support opening for the actuator. The shaft ends of the housing 
can thus optionally come to rest on parts of the inside surface of the 
supports and thus increase the bearing surface. As a result, additional 
tolerance compensation is also achieved. 
To facilitate the locking assembly of the above-mentioned individual parts 
of the switch, is an advisable combination of features. Accordingly, the 
components that are to be locked are provided in principle with inclined 
impact surfaces, which result in the desired opening-out effect. After the 
opened-out position is achieved, the parts that are to be connected to one 
another are locked with one another via corresponding undercuts. The 
inclined impact surfaces are located in this case in such a way that in 
the direction of assembly, the surfaces that are to be locked with one 
another are bent out from their original position until they can spring 
back after reaching their end positions while receiving the corresponding 
bearing body. 
To simplify the mounting of the actuator on the housing, is an advisable 
combination of features. Accordingly, the force that is required between 
the actuator and the housing for assembly is reduced, in that the side 
surfaces of the actuator are given greater elasticity by means of webs, so 
that it is almost impossible for the actuator to break while being locked 
on the housing. 
In further development of the invention, the combination of features, 
according to which the actuator is used simultaneously as a reflector for 
lights that project from the switches that are to be actuated is 
advisable. In this case, it is advisable to make the actuator preferably 
out of bright plastic, especially by an injection-molding process. 
To increase the brightness in the space between actuator and cap and 
optionally to provide the cap with injected symbols, is a combination of 
features advisable in further development of the invention. 
To be able to use the same actuator regardless of the design of the cap and 
to be able to install the actuator in several installation positions, is a 
combination of features advisable in further development of the invention. 
Accordingly, the distance that is produced between the bottom and the face 
of the actuator is also bridged by webs in the bottom of the actuation 
cap. And at the same time the material thickness of the cap is otherwise 
left unaffected.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The switch configuration according to FIG. 1 has two switches 1, 2 and 
optionally a third switch 3, which are mounted on a base plate 4 and are 
connected electrically. Base plate 4 rests on a connecting plate 5, which 
has a connector 6 with connecting contacts 7, which are anchored to 
connecting plate 5 and project through base plate 4 and are connected 
there to electric lines. These lines then lead in a suitable way to the 
individual contacts of switches 1, 2 or 3. 
A housing 8 is mounted on connecting plate 5 and connected to the latter in 
a detachable manner. Likewise, base plate 4 is connected in a detachable 
manner to connecting plate 5 via a screw connection. A housing 8 that is 
equipped with switches, which can be engaged via locking tags 9 in a 
receptacle that is not depicted in FIG. 1, is thus obtained. Approximately 
at the level of upper edge 10 of housing 8, a shield 11 (FIG. 2), which 
has a shield opening, is held by the receptacle, which, viewed in FIG. 2 
from above, covers parts of the switch. 
Actuation sleeves 12, 13, which must be depressed to actuate switches 1, 2, 
are located on switches 1, 2. Light elements 14, 15, which are to 
facilitate the search for the switch and the recognition of their 
positions at the respective times, project from the middle of the 
actuation sleeves. 
The switch configuration is additionally provided with an actuator 16, 
which is mounted to pivot, on the one hand, at point G relative to the 
housing and is further used so as to be able to act on actuation sleeves 
12, 13, which is accomplished with the aid of the depending tips 27, 28 
located on the bottom surfaces of reflectors 18, 19 that are part of 
actuator 16. Reflectors 18, 19 have openings through which light elements 
14, 15 project and provide for the lighting of bottom surface 20 of an 
actuation cap 21. Actuation cap 21 acts via cross webs 22, 23 on actuator 
16, by virtue of the fact that in FIG. 1 the cross webs engage at the 
faces of reflectors 18, 19 perpendicular to the plane of the observer. In 
addition, center area 24 of actuation cap 16 rests on a section of 
actuator 16 that is configured in the shape of a lattice. 
The mounting between housing 8, actuator 16 and cap 21, which is shown most 
clearly in FIG. 3, is now especially important to the invention. 
FIG. 3 shows cap 21 and a part of reflector 19, into which light element 15 
projects. 
At the level of longitudinal axis K that penetrates point G in FIG. 1 
perpendicular to the plane of the observer, actuator 16 has two support 
openings 29, 30, which are aligned with one another, in which 
corresponding shaft ends 32, 33 of the housing engage. To facilitate 
engagement, shaft ends have inclined impact surfaces 34, 35, to which 
correspond inclined surfaces of actuator 16. 
Half-shell-shaped support projections 36, 37, which essentially have the 
shape of a half ring in section, extend outward from support openings 29, 
30. These half shells project through corresponding openings 38 and 39 of 
cap 21. Projections 36, 37 that form the support projections penetrate 
corresponding arc-shaped cutaway portions 38, 39 in cap 21, whereby these 
are segments of a circular arc, preferably a half-arc in the shape of a 
circle. 
Two hemispherical projections 40, 41, which extend from the actuation cap 
21, are provided on each side of the cap. The actuation cap that is 
mounted in a floating manner in the direction of bearing axis K via 
projections 36, 37 of actuator 16 is supported with projections 40, 41 on 
inside surfaces 42, 43 of the shield, which surrounds actuation cap 21. 
Accordingly, actuation cap 21, independently of the position of housing 8 
relative to shield 11, is always aligned exactly symmetrically with 
respect to inner surfaces 42, 43. 
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without 
departing from the spirit or essential attributes therefore and, 
accordingly, references should be made to appended claims, rather than to 
the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention.