Patent ID: 7307229

Claim:
A push switch with self-cleaning contacts, in particular for activating horns on steering wheels of motor vehicles, having at least two contacts located one opposite the other, a movable contact of which can be placed in contact with a corresponding contact by means of an activation element, wherein the contacts slide against one another during the contact-making process for the purpose of self-cleaning by the contact which is assigned to the activation element being attached to a carrier element having ends thereof, the carrier element being elastically deformable and secured at one of the ends thereof while the other end is freely movable, characterized in that the carrier element has oblique sections with one of the oblique sections extending obliquely with respect to the direction of activation from the secured, one end of the carrier element in the direction of the activation element, and another one of the oblique sections extends obliquely with respect to the direction of activation towards the freely moveable, other end of the carrier element and away from the activation element, wherein each oblique section of the carrier element and the direction of movement of the activation element form respective angles therebetween that become larger when said activation element is pressed down on to the carrier element.