Source: https://patents.justia.com/patent/6900402
Timestamp: 2019-11-18 10:01:44
Document Index: 276478901

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30']

US Patent for Pushbutton switch with LED indicator Patent (Patent # 6,900,402 issued May 31, 2005) - Justia Patents Search
Justia Patents Push Button TypeUS Patent for Pushbutton switch with LED indicator Patent (Patent # 6,900,402)
Pushbutton switch with LED indicator
Jan 6, 2004 - Jeckson Electric Co., Ltd.
Latest Jeckson Electric Co., Ltd. Patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,621,025 to Yei et al., (“Yei” hereinafter) entitled “Rocker Switch with LED Indicators” proposed a switch assembly that comprise a base having two pairs of L-shaped members received therein and each of the L-shaped members has a spring connected thereon. Two V-shaped members are respectively located between the two pairs of L-shaped members. A frame is mounted on the base and has an open top. A flange extends from an inside of the open top and has four apertures defined there through. A circuit board is supported on the flange in the frame and two LEDs are connected on the circuit board.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,534 to Beukema (“Beukema” hereinafter) discloses an integrally molded switch lighting and electronics, including a cover 70 with translucent indicia 84 directly above phosphorous electro luminescent pad 67, as shown in FIG. 1. Beukema's arrangement uses the resilience of the polycarbonate cover 70 to bias the return of the switch in a cantilever-like arrangement. While Beukema integrates the display part and the switch, it does not save space. Also, since this switch is used on a flexible circuit, it makes the manufacture complicated.
Chinese Utility Model Patent No. CN 2433724Y (“CN Patent” hereinafter) taught an improved pushbutton switch including a upper shell, a pushbutton pole, a spring, and a lower shell. On the upper shell are arranged an accommodation room, two hole, a “□” control pole and a plurality of tenon slots. The pushbutton pole is of a control track and a groove for the use of two connectors. On the lower shell are a LED, a base trough for setting up the LED, a tenon slot for coupling to the upper shell. By pressing the switch, the circuit is connected and through the LED imbedded in the pushbutton switch, the on or off state is displayed. This patent also exists the problems of needs of many parts and bulk structure. It is hard to be used in portable electrical products and lacks aesthetic feelings.
In the other embodiment in accordance with the present invention, elastic part 30 may have only one pin 306 instead of two. In this case, pin 306 is inserted into receipt hole 506 to couple elastic part 30 to circuit board 50 so that elastic part 30 becomes conductively coupled to the first conductive section 502 while its body section 304 is not in contact with the second conductive section 504 of the circuit board 50, keeping pushbutton switch at an “off” state. Optionally, other available means in current market or its equivalents may be used to couple elastic part 30 to circuit board 50.
The circuit board 50 in accordance with the present invention is PCB in which elastic part 30 is an integrated one, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. On elastic part 30 opening 310 is arranged. Through opening 310 LED 40 aligns with transparent cover 20. Alternatively, elastic part 30 may have a “U” shape. In this case, LED 40 installed on circuit board 50 runs through the “U” opening of elastic part 30 and aligns with transparent cover 20.
Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, LED 40 is fixedly coupled to circuit board 50. By the insertion of pins 306 and 308 of elastic part 30 into receipt holes 506 and 508 on circuit board 50, elastic part 30 is installed on circuit board 50. In this case, elastic part 30 is conductively coupled to the first conductive section 502 while its body section 304 is not in contact with the second conductive section 504 of the circuit board 50, so pushbutton switch is at an “off” state.
The operation principle of the switch assembly in accordance with the present invention is described in cooperation with FIG. 12. When a user pushes pushbutton 10 down, the force is transferred to elastic part 30, which results in a flexible distortion of elastic part 30. As a result, body section 304 of elastic part 30 becomes in contact with second conductive section 504 of the circuit board 50, conductively coupling first conductive section 502 to second conductive section 504. Thus, the drive circuit of circuit board 50 drives LED indicator 40 on and the light emitted from LED indicator 40 goes through transparent cover 20, showing the “on” state of switch assembly.
It is understood that the switch assembly in accordance with the present invention is not only used in chargers, but also in all kinds of electrical products, in particular, in mini electrical products being able to indicate “on” or “off” state and requiring a switch assembly to take small space.
a pushbutton having a first opening;
a transparent cover installed in the first opening;
a circuit board having a circuit, said circuit board defining a first conductive section and a second conductive section, and said first conductive section being insulated with the second conductive section;
a conductive elastic part having at least one contact being coupled to said first conductive section, a body section being separated from said first conductive section and said second conductive section and contacted by said pushbutton, wherein said circuit board has at least one aperture for receipt of said one contact of said conductive elastic part;
when said pushbutton applies a force to the conductive elastic part, said body section is forced to contact said second conductive section so that said first conductive section is conductively coupled with said second conductive section to provide an on state;
when said pushbutton does not apply a force to the conductive elastic part, said body section separates from said second conductive section so that said first conductive section is insulated with said second conductive section to provide an off state; and
a LED installed between said transparent cover and said circuit board, said LED being conductively coupled to the circuit of said circuit board so that by the trigger of the on state, the LED becomes light.
2. The switch assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said circuit board is a PCB.
a conductive elastic part having at least one contact being coupled to said first conductive section, a body section being separated from said first conductive section and said second conductive section and contacted by said pushbutton, a second opening being aligned with said first opening, wherein said circuit board has at least one aperture for receipt of said one contact of said conductive elastic part;
a LED installed between said transparent cover and said circuit board, said LED being conductively coupled to the circuit through said first and second openings so that by the trigger of the on state, the LED becomes light.
7. The switch assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein said circuit board is a PCB.
5697493 December 16, 1997 Sach et al.
6040534 March 21, 2000 Beukema
6552289 April 22, 2003 Kawaguchi et al.
6621025 September 16, 2003 Yei
2433724 June 2001 CN
Patent number: 6900402
Patent Publication Number: 20040129544
Assignee: Jeckson Electric Co., Ltd. (Kowloon)
Inventors: Yuk Nam Lam (Kowloon), King Mo Shum (Kowloon)
Application Number: 10/707,717
Current U.S. Class: Push Button Type (200/314); Including Raised Flexible Snap Element (e.g., Dome) (200/406); Push Button (200/341)