Patent ID: 7427721

Claim:
A compound switch functioning as a multidirectional switch capable of obtaining a contact state corresponding to a slide direction sliding in a push-in direction and also functioning as a rotary shuttle switch capable of obtaining a contact state corresponding to a rotation direction by an operation for pushing in one operating portion in a transverse direction or an operation for turning the operating portion around an axis thereof, wherein the compound switch comprises: a multiple base in which a cup-shaped inner base and a cup-shaped outer base are arranged such that the cup-shaped inner base fits within the cup-shaped outer base and that the inner and outer base are turnable; a slider which is provided slidably on an upper surface of a bottom part of the outer base and is integrally mounted with the operating portion at an outer periphery; a guide means which is provided between the slider and the outer base to slidably guide the slider in multiple directions on the upper surface of the bottom part of the outer base; a first urging means for always urging the slider against a fixed position of neutrality; a second urging means for always urging the outer base against a fixed position of neutrality; an outer base fixed contact pattern provided integrally on the upper surface of the bottom part of the outer base; a slide brush integrally attached to a lower surface of the slider so as to face the outer base fixed contact pattern; a rotary brush integrally provided on the outer base so as to face an outer surface of a bottom part of the inner base; and an inner base fixed contact pattern integrally provided on an upper surface of the bottom part of the inner base so as to face the rotary brush, wherein when a transverse push-in force is applied to the operating portion, the slider slides in a push-in direction of the operating portion from the fixed position of neutrality against an urging force of the first urging means, and at this time, the slide brush and the outer base fixed contact pattern form a contact state corresponding to the slide direction, and when torque for turning the operating portion around an axis thereof is applied to the operating portion, the torque is transmitted to the outer base via the slider and the guide means, by which the outer base and the operating portion are rotatingly moved together in a rotation direction of the operating portion from the fixed position of neutrality against an urging force of the second urging means, and at this time, the rotary brush and the inner base fixed contact pattern form a contact state corresponding to the rotation direction.