Patent Publication Number: US-2016225553-A1

Title: Driver for an electrical switch and an electrical switch including such a driver

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD TO WHICH THE INVENTION RELATES 
     The present invention generally relates to field of electrical switches. 
     It relates more particularly to a driver for an electrical switch, which driver is adapted to move between two positions so as to make or break contact between a movable contact element and a stationary contact element, and which driver includes a top portion that includes a mount element with two outside faces that face away from each other, each provided with first catch means for mounting a first type of control button on the driver. 
     It also relates to an electrical switch including such a driver. 
     TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND 
     Electrical switches as specified above and adapted to receive a type of control button that is particularly arranged to be mounted on the driver are currently known. 
     However, various types of control button exist that differ from one another by their various shapes: some control buttons are wide, others are narrower. Some present two actuation zones at their longitudinal ends, whereas others present a central actuation lever. 
     Each driver is adapted to receive a particular type of control button by means of first catch means that are situated on the driver and that are adapted to mount that type of control button. 
     It is thus necessary to manufacture different types of driver so as to associate them with different types of control button, and the multiplicity of different stocks leads to high manufacturing costs. 
     OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to remedy the above-mentioned drawback of the prior art, the present invention proposes a novel driver for an electrical switch that is adapted to co-operate with control buttons of different types. 
     More particularly, the invention proposes a driver as defined in the introduction, in which said mount element includes second catch means that are distinct from said first catch means and that are accessible in an internal region that is situated between said outside faces, for mounting a second type of control button on said driver. 
     Thus, by means of the invention, a single driver can receive various types of control button. Manufacture is thus simplified and costs are thus reduced, and use of the electrical switch is simplified, since it is no longer necessary to manufacture different types of driver, and it is no longer necessary to have the driver that is specially adapted to a particular type of control button. 
     The driver of the invention has other characteristics that are non-limiting and advantageous, as follows: 
     each first catch means includes a first catch surface that is adapted to co-operate, in retention, with complementary first catch means of said first type of control button; 
     each first catch surface forms part of a catch tooth or of a rib that projects from one of said outside faces of the mount element; 
     each first catch surface forms part of a housing or of a groove that is set back in one of said outside faces of the mount element; 
     four first catch means are provided, each arranged at a respective one of the ends of said outside faces of the mount element of said driver; 
     each first catch means is arranged in the proximity of the front edge of the outside face of the corresponding mount element; 
     said mount element includes two mount walls that are arranged facing each other, each of the mount walls including an inside face that faces the other mount wall and that faces away from one of said outside faces of the mount element, said inside faces of the mount walls co-operating with a main wall of the driver to define a portion of said internal region; 
     each second catch means includes a second catch surface that is adapted to co-operate, in retention, with complementary second catch means of said second type of control button; 
     each second catch surface forms part of a catch tooth or of a rib that projects from one of said inside faces of said mount walls, into the internal region; 
     each second catch surface forms part of a housing or of a groove that is set back in one of said inside faces of said mount walls, and that opens out into said internal region; 
     each of said housings or grooves opens out into an opening of the inside face of the corresponding mount wall, in the proximity of said main wall of the driver; and 
     second catch means are provided in each mount wall, which second catch means are arranged in the middle of the inside face of the mount wall. 
     The invention also proposes an electrical switch comprising a base housing an electrical switch mechanism with a movable electrical contact element, a stationary electrical contact element, and a driver, the driver being adapted to move between two positions so as to make or break contact between said movable contact element and said stationary contact element. 
     The electrical switch of the invention has other characteristics that are non-limiting and advantageous, as follows: 
     it further comprises a first type of control button having a width that makes it suitable for housing said mount element of the driver, and including a front wall from which two partitions extend, each provided with complementary first catch means that are adapted to co-operate, in retention, with said first catch means of the driver; and 
     it further comprises a second type of control button having a width that makes it suitable for being housed, at least in part, between the outside faces of the mount element of the driver, and including a front wall from which two drop walls extend, each provided with complementary second catch means that are adapted to co-operate, in retention, with said second catch means of the driver. 
    
    
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT 
       The following description of non-limiting examples given with reference to the accompanying drawings makes it possible to understand what the invention consists of and how it can be reduced to practice. 
       In the accompanying drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded diagrammatic perspective view of an electrical switch of the invention with a first type of control button; 
         FIG. 2  is a partially-exploded diagrammatic view of the  FIG. 1  electrical switch; 
         FIGS. 3 and 4  are diagrammatic perspective views of two embodiments of a second type of control button adapted to catch on the driver of the  FIG. 1  electrical switch; 
         FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic perspective view of the driver of the  FIG. 1  electrical switch; 
         FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic plan view of the  FIG. 5  driver; 
         FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic section view on plane A-A of the  FIG. 5  driver; 
         FIG. 8  is a diagrammatic section view on plane B-B of the  FIG. 5  driver; 
         FIG. 9  is a diagrammatic view from below of the 
         FIG. 5  driver; 
         FIG. 10  is a diagrammatic perspective view of the first type of control button shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a diagrammatic larger-scale view of a detail C of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a diagrammatic rear view in perspective of the second type of control button shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a diagrammatic front view in perspective of the second type of control button shown in  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 14  is a diagrammatic plan view of the second type of control button shown in  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 15  is a diagrammatic section view of the second type of control button on section plane E-E of  FIG. 14 ; and 
         FIG. 16  is a diagrammatic larger-scale view of a detail F of  FIG. 15 . 
     
    
    
       FIG. 1  shows an electrical switch  100  of the invention. 
     The electrical switch of the invention may be of any type, externally actuated by a control button  110 ;  310 ;  410 . 
     The control button may be a one-way switch or a two-way switch, or a control switch for controlling any electrical appliance. 
     Each control button  110 ;  310 ;  410  comprises a front portion that is accessible to the user and that faces towards the user, and a control portion that faces towards the switch mechanism and that is adapted to co-operate with a driver  200  for controlling said switch mechanism, as explained in greater detail below. 
     This control button  110 ;  310 ;  410  is rockable so as to actuate the electrical switch mechanism (not shown in the figures) that is housed in the electrical switch  100 . 
     More precisely, the control button  110 ;  310 ;  410  is rockable about a rocking axis that is to extend parallel to the front face of a wall surface in which, or on which, said electrical switch is to be mounted. 
     However, it is possible to envisage that the control button is movable in translation: it could thus be an electrical switch of the push switch type. 
     The control button is thus movable in translation along a translation axis that is to extend perpendicularly to the front face of the wall surface in which, or on which, said electrical switch is to be mounted. 
     The electrical switch  100  is for housing in a box (not shown) for fitting on, or in, said wall surface, either by surface mounting the box on the wall or by flush mounting it in the wall. 
     It is then connected to the electricity network in order to power it. 
     In the description, the terms “front” and “rear” are thus used relative to the direction in which the user looks at the wall surface on which the electrical switch  100  is fitted. Thus, when the electrical switch is installed in a room, “front” means the face facing into the room, and “rear” means the face facing the opposite way, away from the room. 
     The electrical switch  100  comprises a switch assembly  160  comprising the electrical switch mechanism that is housed in an insulating base  140 , and a front-face assembly  170  that closes the front of said switch assembly  160 . 
     The base  140  presents the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, and comprises a side wall  141  that is closed at the rear by a rear wall  142  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ). The base  140  is open at the front, and in its rear wall, internally houses its connection means for connecting to the local electricity network. 
     The electrical switch  100  further comprises an accessory-mechanism support  150 , referred to below as a “support”, for mounting the base  140  inside the box ( FIG. 1 ). 
     To this end, the support  150  is in the form of a flat frame of shape that is square, defined by an inner peripheral edge  151  and an outer peripheral edge  152  ( FIG. 1 ). The inner peripheral edge  151  defines a central opening that is also square. The support  150  is thus formed of four branches corresponding to the four sides of the square frame. 
     The support  150  includes blocking means for fastening the base  140  of the accessory mechanism in its central opening, and securing means for fastening it to the reception box. 
     In the example shown in  FIG. 1 , the blocking means comprise firstly an inner collar  153  against which there bears a rim  145  of the base  140  that is engaged in the central opening of the support, and secondly a rib that forms the inner peripheral edge  151 , and on which snap-fastener means  144  provided on the base  140  are adapted to catch so as to block the base  140  of the accessory mechanism rigidly inside the central opening of the support  150  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ). 
     In the embodiment shown, on two opposite sides of the side wall  141  of the base  140 , the snap-fastener means  144  comprise a tab that is cut out in the side wall  141 , and that is provided at its free end with a catch tooth. 
     In a variant, the support and the base may be formed as a single part, e.g. by molding a plastics material. 
     At the center of each of the four branches of the frame forming the support  150 , the securing means for securing the support  150  include an orifice  154  in the shape of a key hole. 
     Two fastener screws are for engaging through two of the keyhole-shaped orifices  154  situated on two opposite branches of the support  150 , so as to fasten the support  150  on its corresponding box (not shown). 
     In conventional manner, the connection means housed in the base  140  comprise two, three, or four electrical-connection terminals for connecting to the local electricity network, depending on the mode of operation of the electrical switch. 
     In conventional manner, the electrical-connection terminals may be automatic-connection terminals, such that each of them is operable by a disconnection lever that passes through an opening formed in the wall of the base  140  so as to act on a spring blade of the corresponding terminal, which spring blade is adapted to flatten the stripped end of the electrical conductor against the cage of the connection terminal. Each disconnection lever includes a user-accessible control lever  155  on the outside of said base ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ). The connection means are not the subject of the present invention, and they are not described in greater detail herein. 
     In conventional manner, the switch mechanism housed inside the base  140  includes a brush that is adapted to rock about a rocking axis between two extreme positions, so as to make or break contact between a movable contact element, e.g. a movable contact stud, and at least one stationary contact element, e.g. a stationary contact stud. 
     By way of example, the movable contact stud may be carried by the brush, and the stationary contact studs may be carried by contact blades that are electrically connected to respective ones of the electrical-connection terminals. 
     The switch mechanism also includes drive means for causing the brush to rock by actuating the control button  110 . 
     In particular, the drive means comprise the driver  200  that is mounted to move relative to the base  140  ( FIGS. 1, 2, and 5 to 9 ). 
     The driver  200  is adapted to move between two positions so as to make or break contact between the movable contact element and the stationary contact element. The driver  200  is moved by the user actuating the control button  110 ;  310 ;  410 . 
     The driver  200  is mounted to rock relative to the base  140  about a rocking axis that is defined by two pins  217  ( FIG. 5 ). 
     In a variant, it may be envisaged that the driver is mounted to move in translation on the base. 
     The control button  110 ;  210 ;  310  is mounted in stationary manner on the driver  200  that is mounted to move relative to the base  140 , thereby causing the control button  110 ;  210 ;  310  to move. 
     The electrical switch  100  also includes resilient rocking means that, after passing through a hard point, are suitable for urging the brush towards one or the other of its extreme positions when the driver is rocked. The driver  200  thus presents two stable positions, and the movable contact stud remains alternately in contact with one and then the other of the stationary contact studs. 
     In a variant, the switch mechanism may also include resilient return means that tend to return the driver continuously towards a rest position. The movable contact stud thus establishes transitory electrical contact with one of the stationary contacts when the control button is actuated by the user. It then breaks contact when the control button is released. The switch mechanism is thus referred to as a monostable mechanism. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the front-face assembly  170  of the electrical switch  100  of the invention comprises the control button  110 , a trim plate  120 , and a finishing plate  130 . 
     The control button  110  is attached to the driver  200 , whereas the trim plate  120  is mounted on the base  140  of the switch assembly  160 , and the finishing plate is mounted on the support  150 . 
     In conventional manner, the trim plate  120  comprises a plate that is provided with a central opening that surrounds the control button  110 . Ignoring clearance, its internal peripheral outline  121  corresponds to the external outline of the control button  110 . Its external outline is bordered by a drop wall  122  and presents a shape that is circular, in this embodiment. 
     The trim plate  120  covers a front portion of the base  140 . 
     The finishing plate  130  comprises a plate that is provided with a central opening that surrounds the trim plate  120 . Ignoring clearance, its internal peripheral outline  131  corresponds to the external outline of the trim plate  120 . Its external outline  132  is bordered by a drop wall and presents a shape that is substantially square, in this embodiment. 
     It covers the remainder of the base  140  and the front portion of the support  150  left uncovered by the trim plate  120 , and it is for extending over a portion of the wall surface on which the electrical switch is fitted, so as to finish off the assembly. 
       FIG. 1  shows the front-face assembly  170  associated with a first type of control button  110 . However, a similar front-face assembly is associated with the control buttons of a second type shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . For control buttons of the second type, the associated trim plate covers not only a front portion of the base, but also a portion of the driver left uncovered by the control button. 
     The first and second types of control buttons differ only by their shapes and/or their dimensions. They are both accessible to the user only via the front face of the corresponding electrical switch. 
     As shown more precisely in  FIG. 5 , in the preferred embodiment shown, the driver  200  includes a top portion  210  with a main wall  211  from which there extends two facing mount walls  212 ,  213 , having inside faces  212 A,  213 A that face towards each other, and having outside faces  212 B,  213 B that face away from said inside faces  212 A,  213 A. 
     The mount walls  212 ,  213  form a mount element having outside faces that are the outside faces  212 B,  213 B of the two mount walls  212 ,  213 . 
     Said main wall  211  of the top portion  210  of the driver  200  presents an elongate shape that is generally rectangular, as can be seen in  FIG. 6 . 
     The main wall  211  includes a front face  211 A and a rear face  211 B ( FIGS. 6 and 9 ). A longitudinal groove  218  is set back in the front face  211 A of the main wall  211 . 
     The mount walls  212 ,  213  extend from the front face  211 A of the main wall  211 , substantially perpendicularly to the main wall  211 . They extend lengthwise over a central portion of said front face  211 A. Their outside faces face away from each other and are parallel. 
     More precisely, the mount walls  212 ,  213  border the longitudinal groove  218  formed in the front face  211 A of the main wall  211 . 
     The driver  200  also includes an actuator pillar  216  that extends towards the rear, substantially perpendicularly to the rear face  211 B of the main wall  211  of the top portion  210  of the driver  200  (see in particular  FIGS. 6, 7, and 9 ). 
     The actuator pillar  216  co-operates in conventional manner with the resilient rocking means and the brush of the electrical switch mechanism. Such co-operation is not the subject of the present invention, and is not described in greater detail herein. 
     The driver  200  is preferably made as a single piece made of molded plastics material. 
     The mount element formed by the mount walls  212 ,  213  allows a first type of control button  110  to be mounted on the driver  200 . 
     To this end, each mount wall  212 ,  213  includes, on its outside face  212 B,  213 B, first catch means  214  for mounting said first type of control button  110  on said driver  200  ( FIGS. 2, 5, 6, and 8 ). 
     The first catch means are accessible via the outside of the mount element. 
     The first catch means  214  includes a first catch surface  214 A ( FIG. 8 ). 
     The first catch surface  214 A forms part of a snap-fastener tooth  214  that projects from the outside face  212 B,  213 B of the corresponding mount wall  212 ,  213 . 
     Four first catch means  214  are provided including four snap-fastener teeth  214 , which catch means are arranged at respective ones of the longitudinal ends of the outside faces  212 B,  213 B of the mount walls  212 ,  213 . 
     Each first catch means is arranged in the proximity of the front edge of the outside face  212 B,  213 B of the corresponding mount element  212 ,  213 , i.e. along the free edge of the corresponding mount wall  212 ,  213 . 
     In a variant, the first catch surface forming the first catch means may form part of a rib that extends along the outside face of the corresponding mount wall, or indeed a housing that is set back in the outside face locally, or even a groove that is set back in the outside face along its entire length. 
     Whatever the configuration, the first catch surface  214 A is accessible from the outside of the driver  200 , i.e. on the corresponding outside face  212 B,  213 B of the mount element formed by the mount walls. It is accessible exclusively on the outside face  212 B,  213 B. 
     The first type of control button corresponds to a first embodiment of the control button  110 , as shown in  FIGS. 1, 2, 10, and 11 . 
     The control button  110  in this first embodiment presents an overall width that is greater than the distance between the outside faces  212 B,  213 B, such that the control button  110  is adapted to cover the driver  200  entirely, at least in width. 
     Preferably, in this first embodiment, the control button  110  covers the mount element, formed of two mount walls  212 ,  213 , so as to cover the mount element entirely. The mount element is thus housed, at least in part, in the control button  110 . 
     More precisely, the control button  110  comprises a front wall  111  that is bordered along its entire periphery with a side drop wall  112 . The side drop wall  112  extends towards the rear, substantially perpendicularly to said front wall  111 . 
     The front wall  111  presents a shape that is rectangular along a longitudinal axis X 1  ( FIG. 2 ). 
     In this embodiment, it is substantially plane. In a variant, the front wall may be slightly convex towards the front, or slightly depressed. 
     Whatever the shape of the control button  110 , the front face  111 A of its front wall  111  is accessible to the user for actuating the electrical switch  100 . 
     Two partitions  113 ,  114  extend from a rear face  111 B of the front wall  111  ( FIG. 10 ), in such a manner as to be framed by the side drop wall  112 . The two partitions  113 ,  114  extend facing each other, parallel to the longitudinal axis X 1  of the front wall  111 . 
     Each of them comprises an inside face  113 A,  114 A and an opposite outside face  113 B,  114 B. The inside faces  113 A,  114 A of the two partitions  113 ,  114  face towards each other. Ignoring clearance, their spacing is equal to the spacing between the outside faces  212 B,  213 B of the mount walls  212 ,  213  of the driver  200 . 
     The control button  110  is provided with complementary first catch means  115  that are adapted to co-operate, in retention, with said first catch means  214  of the driver  200 . 
     In this embodiment, on its inside face  113 A,  114 A, each partition  113 ,  114  of the control button includes two housings  115  ( FIGS. 10 and 11 ), each adapted to receive one of the snap-fastener teeth  214  of the driver  200 . Each of the housings  115  of the control button  110  includes a complementary first catch surface  116  that is adapted to co-operate, in retention, with the first catch surface  214 A of the corresponding snap-fastener tooth  214 , so as to hold the first type of control button  110  on the driver  200 . 
     Remarkably, said mount element of the driver  200 , formed by said mount walls  212 ,  213 , includes second catch means  215  that are accessible in an internal region R ( FIG. 5 ) that is situated between said outside faces  212 B,  213 B, for mounting a second type of control button  310 ;  410  ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ) on said driver  200 . 
     More precisely, as for the first catch means  214 , each second catch means  215  includes a second catch surface  215 A (see  FIG. 7 ) that is adapted to co-operate, in retention, with complementary second catch means of said second type of control button  310 ;  410  for fitting on said driver  200 . 
     In the examples shown, the first and second catch means are distinct, and the first and second catch surfaces are separate. In other words, the first and second catch surfaces are disjoint, in the sense that they extend at a distance from each other. 
     The first type of control button  110  co-operates exclusively with said first catch means, whereas the second type of control button  310 ;  410  co-operates exclusively with the second catch means. 
     Said internal region R comprises an internal portion  220  of the driver  200 , which internal portion is defined by the inside faces  212 A,  213 A of the mount walls  212 ,  213 , and by the front face  211 A of the main wall  211  of the top portion  210  of the driver  200 . 
     In the example shown in the figures, each second catch surface  215 A forms part of a housing  215  that is set back in the inside face  212 A,  213 A of one of the mount walls  212 ,  213 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the housing  215  is set back in the corresponding mount wall  212 ,  213 , and opens out via an opening  219  ( FIG. 5 ) onto the inside face  212 A,  213 A of the corresponding wall, in the internal portion  220  of the driver  200 , that forms part of the internal region R. 
     The opening  219  of the housing  215  extends in the proximity of the front face of the main wall  211  of the top portion  210  of the driver  200 . 
     It is arranged in the middle of the inside face  212 A,  213 A of the corresponding mount wall  212 ,  213 . 
     There are thus two facing housings  215 . Each mount wall  212 ,  213  thus includes a single second catch means arranged in the middle of the corresponding mount wall  212 ,  213 . 
     Consequently, the second catch surface  215 A is accessible from the internal region R of the driver  200 . It is accessible only from the internal portion  220  of the driver, situated in the internal region R. 
     In practice, since the first catch surfaces  214 A are accessible via the outside of the mount walls  212 ,  213 , and the second catch surfaces  215 A are accessible via the inside of the mount walls  212 ,  213 , said first catch surfaces  214 A are spaced apart from each other by an average distance D ( FIG. 8 ) that is greater than the average distance D′ between the second catch surfaces  215 A ( FIG. 7 ). 
     In a variant, it may be envisaged that each second catch surface forms part of a groove that is set back in one of said inside faces of said mount walls, and that opens out into said internal region that extends along the entire inside face of the corresponding mount wall. 
     It is also possible to envisage that it forms part of a catch tooth or of a rib that projects from one of said inside faces of said mount walls, into the internal region of the driver. 
     Said second catch means  215  of the driver  200  are adapted to co-operate, in retention, with complementary second catch means of the second type of control button  310 ;  410  ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ) for fitting on said driver  200 . 
     The second type of control button  310 ;  410  comprises two embodiments shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  respectively. 
     The second type of control button  310 ;  410  includes a front wall  311 ;  411  that is bordered along its entire periphery by a drop wall  314 ,  414  that extends towards the rear, substantially perpendicularly to said front wall  311 ;  411 . The front wall  311 ;  411  presents a shape that is rectangular, and elongate along a longitudinal axis X 2 ; X 3 . 
     In these embodiments, it is slightly convex towards the front of the control button  311 ;  411 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     In a variant, the front wall may be plane or slightly depressed. 
     At least one portion of the front wall  311 ;  411  is accessible to the user for actuating the electrical switch  100 . The control button  310 ;  410  presents a width that makes it suitable for housing, at least in part, between the outside faces  212 B,  213 B of the mount element of the driver  200 . 
     More precisely, the width of the control button  310 ;  410  is such that most of said control button is housed between the mount walls  212 ,  213  of the driver  200 . This width is much smaller than the width of the control button  110  of the first embodiment. 
     The drop wall  314 ;  414  includes two longitudinal walls portions  312 ,  313 ;  412 ,  413  that border the front wall  311 ;  411  longitudinally, along the longitudinal axis X 2 ; X 3  of the front wall  311 ;  411 . Each of the longitudinal walls portions  312 ,  313 ;  412 ,  413  comprises an outside face  312 A,  313 A;  412 A,  413 A that faces outwards from the control button  310 ;  410 , and an inside face  312 B,  313 B that faces inwards from the control button (see  FIGS. 3 and 12 to 16 , not shown in  FIG. 4 ). 
     Each longitudinal wall portion  312 ,  313 ;  412 ,  413  is provided with complementary second catch means  315 ;  415  that are adapted to co-operate, in retention, with said second catch means  215  of the driver  200  ( FIGS. 3, 4 , and  12  to  16 ). 
     More precisely, each longitudinal wall portion  312 ,  313 ;  412 ,  413  of the control button  310 ;  410  includes two slots  317  that cut out, in this portion, a snap-fastener tab  316 ;  416  that is provided at its free end with a snap-fastener tooth  315  that faces outwards from the control button  310 ;  410 . Thus, each snap-fastener tooth  315 ;  415  projects from the outside face  312 A,  313 A;  412 A,  413 A of each longitudinal wall portion  312 ,  313 ;  412 ,  413  of the control button  310 ;  410  ( FIGS. 3, 4, and 12 to 16 ). 
     Each snap-fastener tooth  315 ;  415  of the control button  310 ;  410  includes a complementary catch face  315 A;  415 A that faces towards the front of the control button  310 ;  410 , and that is adapted to co-operate, in retention, with the second catch face  215 A of the housing  215 , forming the second catch means of the driver  200  ( FIGS. 3, 4, and 16 ). 
     The two embodiments of the second type of the second control button  310 ;  410  differ only by the fact that one of them includes a front wall  311  that is smooth ( FIGS. 3 and 12 to 16 ), whereas the other includes a front wall  411  that includes a control lever  418  that projects towards the front ( FIG. 4 ). 
     In the second embodiment shown in  FIG. 3  and in  FIGS. 12 to 16 , the control button  310  thus includes two actuation zones that are accessible at each of the ends of a front face  311 A of the front wall  311  of the button, so as to enable the user to actuate it. 
     In the third embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , the control button  410  includes the actuation lever  418  that projects from a central portion of a front face  411 A of the front wall  411  of the control button, and that is accessible to the user for actuating the electrical switch  100 . 
     Whatever the embodiment of the control button  110 ;  210 ;  310 , it is adapted to act on the top portion  210  of the driver  200  of the switch mechanism when it is actuated by the user. 
     Each control button  110 ;  310 ;  410  may be made as a single piece by molding a plastics material, e.g. acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or polycarbonate. In a variant, it may be made of wood or of porcelain. 
     In the two embodiments of the second type of control button  310 ;  410 , bumps  319 ;  419  that project from the edge of the longitudinal wall portions  312 ,  313 ;  412 ,  413  constitute centering elements for centering the control button on the driver  200  ( FIGS. 3, 4, 12 ). 
     By means of the driver  200  of the invention, it is possible to manufacture various types of electrical switch  100  including various types of control button associated with the driver  200 . 
     More precisely, the user may alternatively mount the control button  110  of the first type or one of the control buttons  310 ;  410  of the above-described second type. 
     In order to mount the first type of control button  110  on the driver  200 , the user fits the control button  110  on the mount walls  212 ,  213  of the driver  200 . 
     The user then presses on the front face  111 A of the front wall  111 . The partitions  113 ,  114  elastically deform in such a manner as to move apart, so as to allow the mount walls  212 ,  213  of the driver  200  to pass between the partitions  113 ,  114 . 
     When the partitions  113 ,  114  are pressed sufficiently against the mount walls of the driver  200  for the snap-fastener teeth  214  of the mount walls  212 ,  213  to reach the housings  115  of the partitions  113 ,  114  of the control button  110 , the partitions  113 ,  114  return to their initial shape, and each housing  115  comes to surround a snap-fastener tooth  214  of the driver. 
     The control button  110  is thus clipped on the driver  200 . Each snap-fastener tooth  214  projecting from the outside face  212 B;  213 B of each mount wall  212 ;  213  of the driver  200  is thus housed in the housing  115  set back in the inside face  113 A,  114 A of each partition  113 ,  114  of the first control button  110 . 
     To make clipping easier, each snap-fastener tooth  214  includes a sloping panel that makes it easier for the partitions  113 ,  114  of the control button to deform elastically, and that makes it easier for the snap-fastener tooth  214  of the driver to pass towards the housing  115  of the corresponding partition. 
     After snap-fastening each snap-fastener tooth  214  of the driver  200  in the corresponding housing  115  of the control button  110 , when the control button  110  is pulled towards the front, the catch face  214 A of the snap-fastener tooth  214 , that is directed towards the rear of the driver  200 , comes into abutment against the complementary catch face  115 A of the housing  115  of the control button  110 , that faces towards the front of the driver  200 . 
     The control button  110  is thus held on the driver  200 . 
     Advantageously, the control button  110  catches on the outside face  212 B,  213 B of the mount walls of the driver  200 . 
     Specifically, the first catch means  214  of the driver  200  are accessible on the outside face  212 B,  213 B of the mount element of the driver. 
     Consequently, the internal region R of the driver  200 , covered by the front wall  111  of the control button  110 , forms a closed empty housing that may advantageously receive an indicator lamp. The indicator lamp (not shown) is in the form of a printed circuit including a light-emitting diode and a thickness of plastics material overmolded on the diode. Two connection pins pass through the printed circuit and are guided through two orifices  270  of the main wall  211  of the top portion  210  of the driver  200 , for electrically connecting to the connection means housed in the base  140  ( FIGS. 6 and 9 ). 
     In order to mount the second type of control button  310 ;  410  on the driver  200 , the user fits the control button  310 ;  410  on the mount walls  212 ,  213  of the driver  200 . 
     The user then presses on the front face  311 A;  411 A of the front wall  311 ;  411 . The snap-fastener tabs  316 ;  416  of the longitudinal wall portions  312 ,  313 ;  412 ,  413  elastically deform towards the inside of the control button  310 ;  410  so as allow the longitudinal wall portions  312 ,  313 ;  412 ,  413  of the control button  310 ;  410  to pass between the mount walls  212 ,  213  of the driver  200 . 
     When the longitudinal wall portions  312 ,  313 ;  412 ,  413  of the control button  310 ;  410  are pressed in sufficiently against the mount walls of the driver  200  so that the snap-fastener teeth  315 ;  415  of the snap-fastener tabs  316 ;  416  of the control button  310 ;  410  reach the opening  219  of the housings  215  of the driver  200 , the snap-fastener tabs  316 ;  416  return to their initial shape, and the snap-fastener tooth  315 ;  415  of each snap-fastener tab  316 ;  416  becomes inserted in the housing  215  of the corresponding driver. 
     To make insertion easier, each snap-fastener tooth  315 ;  415  includes a sloping panel that makes it easier for the snap-fastener tooth to pass towards the corresponding housing. 
     Thus, each snap-fastener tooth  315 ;  415  projecting from the outside face  312 A,  313 A;  412 A,  413 A of each longitudinal wall portion  312 ,  313 ;  412 ,  413  of the control button is housed in the corresponding housing  215  set back in the inside face  212 A,  213 A of each mount wall  212 ,  213  of the driver  200 . The control button  310 ;  410  is thus clipped on the driver  200 . 
     After snap-fastening each snap-fastener tooth  315 ;  415  of the control button  310 ;  410  in the housing  215  of the driver  200 , when the control button  310 ;  410  is pulled towards the front, the complementary catch face  315 A;  415 A of the snap-fastener tooth  315 ;  415 , that is directed towards the front of the driver  200 , comes into abutment against the catch face  215 A of the housing  215  of the driver  200 , that faces towards the rear of the driver  200 . 
     The control button  310 ;  410  is thus held on the driver  200 . 
     Advantageously, the second control button catches from the internal region R of the mount walls of the driver  200 . In this configuration, the inner portion  220  of the driver  200  receives a portion of the second control button  310 ;  410 . The control button may thus present a width that is very small. 
     The driver  200  may thus receive a first type of control button, possibly with an indicator lamp for backlighting the button, and a second type of control button that is much narrower, making it possible to have a very different finish to the electrical switch without imposing the use of a dedicated driver. 
     A driver is described above having a mount element that is formed by two mount walls, the second catch means being accessible through an opening of the inside face of one of the mount walls, or being formed projecting from the inside face. 
     In a variant, the second catch means, accessible via the internal region of the driver, may be formed projecting from the main wall of the top portion of the driver. They may be snap-fastener teeth carried by pegs projecting from the main wall. They may equally be housings that open out onto an opening that is formed in the front face of the main wall, and that is accessible through the main wall. 
     In a variant, it may be envisaged that the mount element is formed as a single block that projects from the front face of the main wall of the driver, substantially perpendicularly to said driver. In this configuration, two opposite side faces of the block that project from the front face of the main wall of the driver constitute the outside faces of the mount element. They may include first catch means similar to the first catch means described above. 
     In this configuration, and by way of example, the second catch means may include a housing set back in the block, and defining one or more catch surfaces that are adapted to co-operate with one or more catch teeth of a control button. By way of example, each catch tooth of the control button thus extends from a mount projecting from the front wall of the button, towards the rear.