Patent ID: 8044313

Claim:
A push button switch, comprising: a switch casing; a printed circuit board within said switch casing; a switching element disposed on said printed circuit board, said switching element configured to be switched between an ON state and an OFF state; and a push button disposed in an opening of the switch casing, said push button comprising; a pushing portion configured to be pushed by a user, a pushing projection disposed on an inner surface of the pushing portion, and projecting toward an inner portion of the switch casing, wherein the pushing projection is configured to come into and out of contact with the switching element, and an annular wall portion surrounding a periphery of the pushing projection, wherein the pushing portion, the pushing projection, and the annular wall portion are integrally configured of elastic material, wherein the annular wall portion and the pushing projection are disposed in an interior of the switch casing such that the pushing portion projects outwardly from the opening portion of the switch casing, and wherein a distal end portion of the pushing projection is directed toward the switching element, said push button switch further comprising a guide member configured to restrict movement of the pushing projection, said guide member disposed inside the annular wall portion of the push button, wherein the guide member comprises a sleeve portion extending along an inner side of the annular wall portion, and a ceiling portion configured to cover an opening of the sleeve portion, extending along an inner side of the pushing portion with a gap therebetween, and extending over the switching element, wherein the guide member is arranged outside the switching element in a surrounding manner, and comprises a lower end portion thereof mounted on the printed circuit board, and wherein the pushing projection is configured to be moved into and out of an opening in the ceiling portion.