Patent ID: 6967291

Claim:
A double-pass pushbutton assembly for mounting in a button panel and able to act successively on one or both of two independent microswitches housed in the button panel, said pushbutton assembly comprising: (a) a body shell for mounting in the button panel; (b) a pushbutton mounted in the body shell for axial movement within the body shell between successive positions, the successive positions being a standby position, a first operation position, and a second operation position, the pushbutton having a portion that extends upwardly above the body shell, the portion of the pushbutton that extends above the body shell having a perimeter groove therein; c) a leaktight and flexible sleeve which forms an hermetic seal between the body shell and the pushbutton without interfering with an axial movement of the pushbutton, one end of the sleeve mates with the perimeter groove in the pushbutton and an other end of the sleeve mates with the exterior of the body shell to form the seal, whereby the successive positions of the pushbutton are detectable; (d) two contact stops mounted in the body shell for moving linearly therein, the contact stops mounted below the pushbutton, the contact stops having two different heights so that the contact stops make successive contact with the microswitches; and (e) operating means for holding the pushbutton in each of the successive positions in said body shell, the operating means housed in the pushbutton.