Patent Publication Number: US-10770243-B2

Title: Push-button switch with good balance

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/CN2017/117911, filed on Dec. 22, 2017, which claims the benefit of priority from Chinese Application No. 201611219898.7, filed on Dec. 26, 2016. The entirety of each of the above-mentioned patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a push-button switch, and more particularly to a push-button switch with good balance. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Push-button switch is generally used as an input means for operating an electronic equipment. The quality of the push-button switch determines the experience of an relating input device, which requires the push-button switch to be made with a good touch feeling and acoustic feeling. The existing thin push-button switch using a metal piece as a moving contact piece lacks a touch feeling like a large push-button switch because of the limitation of the internal space in the switch. Moreover, due to the unreasonable internal structure design, the compression stability of the existing switch is poor, resulting in unsmooth pressing and affecting normal use. Furthermore, the existing switch often generates unsmooth stagnation during pressing, which affects the press feeling. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to solve the above deficiencies, an object of embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a push-button switch with good balance, which has a reasonable structure, thereby significantly improving the press balance and press stability, eliminating the unsmooth stagnation, and enhancing the press feeling. 
     One embodiment of the present invention provides a push-button switch with good balance, including a base and a cover covering the base. The cover is provided with an orifice. The push-button switch further includes a press core, a torsion spring, a conductive assembly and a press core slider, which are respectively arranged on the base. A guide pillar is protruded upwardly from a center position of an upper end of the base, and a guide hole is arranged in a center of the guide pillar. One end of the base is provided with a conductive assembly slot configured to accommodate the conductive assembly, the other end of the base is provided with a torsion spring slot configured to accommodate the torsion spring. Two baffles are arranged on the upper end of the base and at each of opposite sides of the guide pillar. A gap is provided between the two baffles, such that an annular receiving slot is formed around the baffles and the guide pillar. The press core slider is arranged at a side of the press core. An annular slot is formed at a lower end of the press core. A cylinder is protruded downward from a center position of the annular slot. The cylinder is inserted into the guide hole of the base, and the guide pillar of the base is inserted into the annular slot. The guide pillar and the outer side of the cylinder are sleeved with a spring. A balance rod assembly is arranged in the annular receiving slot. The balance rod assembly is split-type and formed by a first balance rod and a second balance rod cross-connected with each other. The first balance rod and the second balance rod are both clamped at the lower end of the press core. Two crossing junctions of the first balance rod and the second balance rod are limited by a positioning slider arranged in the annular receiving slot and in the gap between the two baffles at the same side. During the process of moving up and down of the press core, the first balance rod and the second balance rod swing up and down under the limit of the positioning slider, thereby keeping a press balance. 
     As a further improvement of the present invention, a side edge of the positioning slider is provided with a limiting slot for clamping the first balance rod and the second balance rod. The limiting slot is provided with an opening. An upper portion and a lower portion of the opening are respectively bent inwardly to form protrusions. 
     As a further improvement of the present invention, the limiting slot has an arc shape. 
     As a further improvement of the present invention, each end face of the protrusions has an angle. 
     As a further improvement of the present invention, a convex rib is arranged on a side wall of the positioning slider and faces the side edge of the press core. 
     As a further improvement of the present invention, a groove is formed in a lower end surface of the press core, such that a plurality of convex corners are formed in the lower end surface of the press core. 
     As a further improvement of the present invention, a plurality of relief slots for being inserted by the convex corners or a plurality of relief holes for being passed through by the convex corners are provided on the base and outside of the guide pillar. 
     As a further improvement of the present invention, an upper end of the cylinder of the press core is formed with a mounting hole, and an LED lamp is arranged in the mounting hole. 
     As a further improvement of the present invention, the first balance rod and the second balance rod are both U-shaped. An open end of the first balance rod and an open end of the second balance rod are arranged to cross each other. The first balance rod includes a first transverse rod and first longitudinal rods respectively connected to two ends of the first transverse rod. An end of each of the first longitudinal rods is provided with a first hook bent outwardly. The second balance rod includes a second transverse rod and second longitudinal rods respectively connected to two ends of the second transverse rod. An end of each of the second longitudinal rods is provided with a second hook bent inwardly. The first transverse rod is arranged at a lower end of one side of the press core, and the second transverse rod is arranged at a lower end of the other side of the press core. 
     As a further improvement of the present invention, the conductive assembly includes a static piece and a movable piece. 
     The invention has the following beneficial effects. 
     (1) The first balance rod and the second balance rod are built-in and split-type. The first balance rod and the second balance rod swing up and down under the limit of the positioning slider to achieve a press balance, thereby significantly improving press balance and press stability. 
     (2) The convex corners and the relief slots or the relief holes serving as the relief positions of the base are adopted to provide a relief space for the convex corners. The length of fit before the sliding between the press core and the base is lengthened, which eliminates the unsmooth stagnation. Meanwhile, the height of the push-button switch is lowered, so that the overall thickness of the push-button switch is thinner. 
     (3) The torsion spring is adopted to enhance the press feeling and make a press sound. 
     The above illustration is an overview of the technical solutions of the present invention, and the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an assembly diagram according to embodiment 1. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a base according to embodiment 1. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view according to embodiment 1. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a balance rod assembly according to embodiment 1. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a positioning slider according to embodiment 1. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing a push-button switch of the present invention in a free state. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the push-button switch of the present invention in a free state. 
         FIG. 8  is another cross-sectional view of the push-button switch of the present invention in a free state. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing the push-button switch of the present invention in a pressed state. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of the push-button switch of the present invention in a pressed state. 
         FIG. 11  is another cross-sectional view of the push-button switch of the present invention in a pressed state. 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic diagram of the positioning slider according to embodiment 2. 
         FIG. 13  is a schematic diagram of a bottom of the press core according to embodiment 3. 
         FIG. 14  is a schematic diagram of a bottom of the base according to embodiment 3. 
         FIG. 15  is another schematic diagram of the bottom of the base according to embodiment 3. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions and merits of the present invention, the specific embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments. 
     Embodiment 1 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-11 , the present embodiment provides a push-button switch with good balance, including a base  1  and a cover  2  covering the base  1 . The cover  2  is provided with an orifice  21 . The push-button switch further includes a press core  3 , a torsion spring  4 , a conductive assembly  5  and a press core slider  6 , which are respectively arranged on the base  1 . A guide pillar  11  is protruded upwardly from a center position of an upper end of the base  1 , and a guide hole  12  is arranged in a center of the guide pillar  11 . One end of the base  1  is provided with a conductive assembly slot  14  configured to accommodate the conductive assembly  5 , the other end of the base  1  is provided with a torsion spring slot  15  configured to accommodate the torsion spring  4 . Two baffles  17  are arranged on the upper end of the base  1  and at each of opposite sides of the guide pillar  11 . A gap is provided between the two baffles  17 , such that an annular receiving slot  13  is formed around the baffles  17  and the guide pillar  11 . The press core slider  6  is arranged at a side of the press core  3 . An annular slot  31  is formed at a lower end of the press core  3 . A cylinder  32  is protruded downward from a center position of the annular slot  31 . The cylinder  32  is inserted into the guide hole  12  of the base  1 , and the guide pillar  11  of the base  1  is inserted into the annular slot  31 . The guide pillar  11  and the outer side of the cylinder  32  are sleeved with a spring  7 . A balance rod assembly  8  is arranged in the annular receiving slot  13 . The balance rod assembly  8  is split-type and formed by a first balance rod  81  and a second balance rod  82  cross-connected with each other. The first balance rod  81  and the second balance rod  82  are both clamped at the lower end of the press core  3 . Two crossing junctions of the first balance rod  81  and the second balance rod  82  are limited by a positioning slider  9  arranged in the annular receiving slot  13  and in the gap  171  between the two baffles  17  at the same side. During the process of moving up and down of the press core  3 , the first balance rod  81  and the second balance rod  82  swing up and down under the limit of the positioning slider  9 . The positioning slider  9  can only move vertically, but cannot move laterally, thereby keeping a press balance. 
     In the present embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 5 , a side edge of the positioning slider  9  is provided with a limiting slot  91  for clamping the first balance rod  81  and the second balance rod  82 . The limiting slot  91  is provided with an opening  911 . An upper portion and a lower portion of the opening  911  are respectively bent inwardly to form protrusions  912 . Each end face of the protrusions  912  has an angle  9121 , which is set according to the height of the push-button switch. Meanwhile, the limiting slot  91  has an arc shape. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a convex rib  92  is arranged on a side wall of the positioning slider  9  and faces the side edge of the press core  3 . The convex rib  92  is configured to reduce a contact area between the positioning slider  9  and the press core  3 , thereby reducing the friction between the positioning slider  9  and the outer wall of the press core  3 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , an upper end of the cylinder  32  of the press core is formed with a mounting hole  321 , and an LED lamp  10  is arranged in the mounting hole  321  to achieve alight-emitting function in the center of the push-button switch. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the first balance rod  81  and the second balance rod  82  are both U-shaped. An open end of the first balance rod  81  and an open end of the second balance rod  82  are arranged to cross each other. The first balance rod  81  includes a first transverse rod  811  and first longitudinal rods  812  respectively connected to two ends of the first transverse rod  811 . An end of each of the first longitudinal rods  812  is provided with a first hook  813  bent inwardly. The second balance rod  82  includes a second transverse rod  821  and second longitudinal rods  822  respectively connected to the two ends of the second transverse rod  821 . An end of each of the second longitudinal rods  822  is provided with a second hook  823  bent inwardly. The first transverse rod  811  is arranged at a lower end of the press core  3 , and the second transverse rod  821  is arranged at a lower end of the other side of the press core  3 . In the present embodiment, the first balance rod  81  and the second balance rods  82  are built-in and split-type. The positioning sliders  9  at the two crossing junctions slide up and down in the annular receiving slot  13  of the base  1 , so that the first balance rod  81  and the second balance rods  82  are slidably connected, thereby achieving the press balance. 
     In the present embodiment, the conductive assembly  5  includes a static piece  51  and a movable piece  52 . 
     Embodiment 2 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , a side edge of the positioning slider  9 ′ of the present embodiment is also provided with an arc limiting slot  91 ′ for clamping the first balance rod  81  and the second balance rod  82 . The limiting slot  91 ′ has an opening  911 ′, and the upper portion and the lower portion of the opening  911 ′ are respectively bent inwardly to form protrusions  912 ′. However, the main difference between the present embodiment and the embodiment 1 is that the end faces of the protrusions  912 ′ in the present embodiment have no angle. The thickness of the positioning slider  9 ′ of the present embodiment is thinner than that of the positioning slider  9  of the embodiment 1. 
     Embodiment 3 
     As shown in  FIGS. 7, 10, 13-15 , the main difference between the present embodiment and the embodiment 1 is, that a groove is formed in a lower end surface of the press core  3 , such that a plurality of convex corners  33  are formed in the lower end surface of the press core  3 . Meanwhile, a relief space is provided for the convex corners  33  by two manners. In one manner, a plurality of relief slots  16  for being inserted by the convex corners  33  are provided on the base  1  and outside of the guide pillar  11 . In the other manner, a plurality of relief holes  16 ′ for being passed through by the convex corners  33  are provided on the base  1  and outside of the guide pillar  11 . 
     In the present embodiment, the relief slots  16  and the relief holes  16 ′ have the same number as that of the convex corners  33 . In the present embodiment, the number of the convex corners  33  is four, while the convex corners  33  may also be set to two or more according to specific needs. 
     Moreover, the height of the convex corners  33  can be set according to specific needs. In the present embodiment, preferably, the height of the convex corners  33  is 0.4 mm. Through the matching of the convex corners  33  and the relief slots  16  or the relief holes  16 ′, the relief slots  16  or the relief holes  16 ′ are used as the avoidance position of the base  1 , so that length of fit before the sliding between press core  3  and the base  1  is lengthened, which eliminates an unsmooth stagnation of the press core  3  when pressed. Meanwhile, the height of the push-button switch is lowered, so that the overall thickness of the push-button switch is thinner. 
     The working principle of the invention is as follows. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 9-11 , when the press core  3  is pressed down, the cylinder  32  of the press core  3  is inserted into the guide hole  12  of the base  1 , and the convex corners  33  at the lower end of the press core  3  are inserted into the relief slots  16  or the relief holes  16 ′ of the base  1 . Meanwhile, the guide pillar  11  of the base  1  is inserted into the annular slot  31  of the press core  3 , and the spring  7  is compressed to make the static piece  51  of the conductive assembly  5  touch with the movable piece  52  so as to perform a turn-on operation of the push-button switch. Meanwhile, the lower end of the press core  3  respectively applies a downward force on the first transverse rod  811  of the first balance rod  81  and the second transverse rod  821  of the second balance rod  82 . The first balance rod  81  and the second balance rod  82  swing up and down under the limit of the positioning slider  9  to keep the press balance. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6-8 , when the press force on the press core  3  is removed, the press core  3  is moved upward and the upper end of the press core  3  passes through the orifice  21  of the cover  2  to return to the original position by the elastic force of the spring  7 . Meanwhile, the static piece  51  of the conductive assembly  5  is separated from the movable piece  52  so as to perform a turn-off operation of the push-button switch. 
     The key points of the invention are as follows. 
     (1) The first balance rod and the second balance rod are built-in and split-type. The first balance rod and the second balance rod swing up and down under the limit of the positioning slider to achieve a press balance, thereby significantly improving press balance and press stability. 
     (2) The convex corners and the relief slots or the relief holes serving as the relief positions of the base are adopted to provide a relief space for the convex corners. The length of fit before the sliding between the press core and the base is lengthened, which eliminates the unsmooth stagnation. Meanwhile, the height of the push-button switch is lowered, so that the overall thickness of the push-button switch is thinner. 
     (3) The torsion spring is adopted to enhance the press feeling and make a press sound. 
     The above description is only the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present technical disclosure. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, and alterations made within the spirits and principles of the present technical disclosure shall be included in the scope of the present disclosure.