Patent ID: 7582841

Claim:
A control button of a control panel for manipulating a rotary switch, the control button comprising: a button securing part, including a securing body having a fitting hole formed at a center of the securing body, a securing portion extending from one side of the securing body and having a rack formed on an outer surface of the securing portion, and a coupling hole formed inside the securing portion so as to be in communication with the fitting hole, the coupling hole being coupled to the rotary switch; a button operating part, including an operating portion open at one end and having an operating trough and a pinion corresponding to the rack disposed inside the operating portion, a guide member disposed at one side of the operating portion, and an operating body integral to one end of the guide member and to an opposed end of the operating portion; an elastic member having one end mounted between the operating body and the operating portion, and the other end mounted on the button securing part; and a cylindrical button adjusting part provided on the control panel and having the operating body press-fitted into the button adjusting part, wherein the guide member comprises: a guide protruding piece formed at one side of an outer peripheral surface of the operating portion and having a guide-piece guiding portion defined therein; a guide-piece controlling protrusion formed on the guide-piece guiding portion which divides the guide-piece guiding portion, the guide-piece controlling protrusion including a guide groove which faces the operating body, the guide groove having a V-shape such that the guide groove comprises a first slope and a second slope; and a guide-piece having a moving end and a fixed end, the moving end capable of moving along the guide-piece guiding portion to control operation of the button operating part, and the fixed end secured to the button securing part, and wherein the guide-piece controlling protrusion has a corner facing the guide-piece and biased to one side of an imaginary straight line extending along a longitudinal axis of the guide-piece, the guide groove is formed on the imaginary straight line, and the elastic member is a cylindrical coil-spring having a diameter slightly smaller than that of the cylindrical button adjusting part.