Patent ID: 7851714

Claim:
A switch comprising: a fixed contact provided to a board, and a movable contact slidable on the fixed contact provided to a movable piece reciprocable in the right and left direction, wherein the fixed contact comprises a first fixed contact provided at center thereof, second and third fixed contacts provided to one of the right and left sides of the first fixed contact, and fourth and fifth fixed contacts provided to other side, the second and fifth fixed contacts are aligned with one another in a sliding direction of the movable contact, the third and fourth fixed contacts are aligned with one another in a sliding direction of the movable contact, wherein, in the sliding direction, distance between the second fixed contact and the first fixed contact is set to be shorter than distance between the third fixed contact and the first fixed contact, wherein, in the sliding direction, distance between the fourth fixed contact and the first fixed contact is set to be shorter than distance between the fifth fixed contact and the first fixed contact, the first fixed contact is configured such that a side portion thereof near to the second and fourth fixed contacts is concaved with respect to a side portion thereof near to the third and fifth fixed contacts, wherein when the movable contact slides in one of the right and left direction from an initial state in which the movable contact contacts none of the first, second, and third fixed contacts to a final state in which the movable contact contacts all of the first, second, and third fixed contacts, the movable contact moves through a transitional state in which the movable contact only contacts the first fixed contact but neither the second nor third fixed contact, and wherein when the movable contact slides in the other of the right and left direction from an initial state in which the movable contact contacts none of the first, fourth, and fifth fixed contacts to another final state in which the movable contact contacts all of the first, fourth, and fifth fixed contacts, the movable contact moves through another transitional state in which the movable contact only contacts the first fixed contact but neither the fourth nor fifth fixed contact.