Patent Publication Number: US-4317974-A

Title: Switch protecting and adjusting arrangement

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     This invention relates to a switch protecting and adjusting arrangement for use in a switch operating mechanism which is capable of preventing possible peeling of a circuit pattern from a printed board or breakage of a switch attached to the printed board. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Where a slide switch is attached to a printed board and subjected to a remote control for operation thereof, an excessive force is liable to be applied to a circuit pattern of the printed board or the switch. Therefore, a conventional switch operating mechanism has been suffering from such a problem that the pattern is possibly peeled and the switch is possibly broken due to the excessive force applied to the circuit pattern or the switch. Furthermore, where a metal sheet with a switch operating slot punched out therefrom is employed as a switch operating member, there have been disadvantages; for example, as many sheets must be prepared as there are kinds of configurations of switch knobs so as to adapt to the configurations of the switch knobs, and a switch resetting mechanism having a spring means cannot be provided. 
     OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a switch protecting and adjusting arrangement for a switch operating mechanism which is capable of preventing possible peeling of a circuit pattern or possible breakage of a switch on a printed board. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a switch protecting and adjusting arrangement which comprises: 
     an operating lever; 
     a movable member connected to one end portion of said operating lever; 
     a slide member provided on said movable member so as to be displaceable relative thereto; 
     a spring connecting said movable member to said slide member; 
     a switch knob held between said movable member and said slide member; and 
     a switch adapted to be closed and opened upon displacement of said switch knob. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is an elevational view of one form of switch protecting and adjusting arrangement in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a view showing an application example of the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a main part of the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1; and 
     FIGS. 4 to 6 are elevational views of other forms of switch protecting and adjusting arrangement in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is illustrated one preferred embodiment of the invention. A movable member 1 has an opening 2 for disposing a spring 5 therein and an adjusting elongated slot 3. A slide member 4 formed in substantially ]--shape is disposed over the movable member 1 so as to slide thereon and connected to the movable member 1 by the spring 5. Numeral 6 designates a switch operating case and numeral 7 designates a slide bar disposed laterally within the case 6 and formed with a stopper 8. An operating lever 9 has a projection 10 adapted to engage with and disengage from the slide bar 7 within the case 6. An inner end of the operating lever 9 is adjustably connected to the movable member 1 through the opening 3. Numeral 11 designates a slide switch, 12 a printed board, and 13 a switch knob. 
     The operation of the arrangement in accordance with the present invention will now be described. Upon depression of the operating lever 9 in a direction of arrow A, a switch condition is changed over, e.g., the switch 11 is closed, at B. When the operating lever 9 is further depressed, the projection 10 of the lever 9 is moved to the stopper 8 of the slide bar 7. At this time, the movable member 1 is displaced while the spring 5 provided between the movable member 1 and the slide member 4 is thereby compressed. Therefore, an excessive force can be well prevented from being applied to a circuit pattern on the printed board 12 or to the slide switch 11. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention wherein a slide switch is disposed laterally. An operating lever 9a is adapted to pivot or tilt when actuated. Upon actuation of the operating lever 9a, a movable member 1a is displaced in a lateral direction together with a pair of slide members 4a connected to the movable member 1a through a pair of springs 5a, respectively, to operate a switch knob 13a. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a third embodiment of the present invention wherein an arrangement of the invention is applied to a push switch 11. 1b is a movable member, 4b is a slide member, 5b is a spring, and 13b is a switch knob. 
     FIG. 6 is a fourth embodiment of the invention wherein slots 15 are formed on a slide member 4c and pins 14 are received in the slots 15 respectively. 1c is a movable member, 5c a spring, 9c an operating lever, and 13c is a switch knob. 
     In accordance with the invention as mentioned above, peeling of the pattern of the printed board and breakage of the switch can effectively be prevented. Furthermore, since the switch knob is held between the movable member and the slide member, it becomes unnecessary to prepare switch operating members each adapted for respective switch knob configurations. Thus, the cost of the manufacturing of the switch operating member can be reduced. Moreover, a switch resetting mechanism having a spring can be provided.