US3855439A - Key switch - Google Patents

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Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
  • H03K—PULSE TECHNIQUE
  • H03K17/00—Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking
  • H03K17/94—Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking characterised by the way in which the control signals are generated
  • H03K17/965—Switches controlled by moving an element forming part of the switch
  • H03K17/97—Switches controlled by moving an element forming part of the switch using a magnetic movable element
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07C—ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
  • C07C49/00—Ketones; Ketenes; Dimeric ketenes; Ketonic chelates
  • C07C49/76—Ketones containing a keto group bound to a six-membered aromatic ring
  • C07C49/80—Ketones containing a keto group bound to a six-membered aromatic ring containing halogen
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
  • H01H13/02—Details
  • H01H13/023—Light-emitting indicators
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
  • H01H13/50—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a single operating member
  • H01H13/56—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a single operating member the contact returning to its original state upon the next application of operating force
  • H01H13/562—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a single operating member the contact returning to its original state upon the next application of operating force making use of a heart shaped cam
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10S310/00—Electrical generator or motor structure
  • Y10S310/03—Hall effect generators and converters

Definitions

• ABSTRACT A Hall generator located in a housing of a key switch is actuated to produce a signal by magnetic actuating means carried on a plunger which is movable in an opening of the housing to an actuating position.
• the plunger is releasably secured to the housing by a pair of resilient holders which are received through corresponding openings in a wall of the plunger, and the plunger is urged from the actuated position to a normal raised position by a coiled compression spring disposed in the housing.
• the key switch may be converted to'a detainable switch by removably securing a detaining spring to the plunger for acting in cooperation with a preformed detaining slot in the housing, and the key switch may be converted to an illuminated switch with the addition of a lamp.
• the leads of the lamp may be inserted through preformed openings in the plunger and the housing for suitable connections below, and the light produced from the lamp is visible 'through a transparent cap removably secured to the plunger.
• This invention relatesto a key switch for use in a data processing system, and more particularly to a key switch having a depressible plunger which is movable in a housing to actuate an electric switch means to produce a signal.
• key switches of many different types are often required. For exaple,'in entering data the key switches are only required to provide signals of short duration. In other instances, a signal of longer duration is required and accordingly a detainable key switch is desirable. In still other. applications, it is desirable to provide a key switch which is illuminated upon actuation.
• an object of the present invention is to provide akey switch which may be adapted to provide a detainable signal or a visable indicationvof switch actuation.
• FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic perspective view of a key switch constructed in accordance with the present invention
• FIG 2 is a partial fragmentary exploded view of the key'switch shown in FIG.l;
• F 16.3 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of the key switch shown'in FIG; 2.
• a key switch for producing a signal which is usable a data processing
• the housing 15 is provided with with a hook 37 formed on the end for being received in the plunger 25 through a pair of openings 39, 41 formed in a transverse wall 43.
• the openings 39, 41 are spacedapart a sufficient distance for enabling the plunger to move freely through the opening 23 of the housing 15 but are arranged so as to require the holding members 33, 35 to be flexed relativeto each other before passing through the spaced-apart openings 39, 41.
• the plunger 25 is provided with a pair of depending legs 45, 47 having beveled end portions 49 for suitably flexing the corresponding holding members '33, 35 toward the openings 39 41 in the transverse wall 43.
• the depending legs 45, 47 are received in corresponding recesses 51, 53 respectively, formed in the housing 15 and serve to guide the plunger 25 when the key 13 is depressed.
• the plunger 25 maybe provided with other depending guide tabs 52 which are received in other suitable recesses 54 in the housing 15.
• suitable electrical switch means 19 are located insidethe housing 15 of the key switch 11 for producing a signal when the key 13 is depressed.
• the switch means 19 is in-the form of a Hall generator having leads 55 which extend through the bottom of the housing 15, and the Hall generator is operated by the actuating means 17 carried by the key 13.
• the actuating means includes a permanent mangnet 57'suitably secured to a bracket 59 which is suitably'attached to the plunger 25.
• the key is normally maintained in a raised position by the coiledcompression spring 21, and the coiled spring 21 is positioned in the housing 13 with one of the coiled ends receiving a suitable conical projection 61 formed on the base of the system.
• the keys'witch l l' hasa depressible key,'generally' indicated 13', whichis movable in a housing 15 which may 'be" placed in a suitable holder, not shown, of an input keyboard, and thekey 13 carries actuating means, generally indicated'l7, for operating'suitable electrical switch means, generally indicated 19, located in the housing 15.
• the key 13 is norm-allyheld in a raised position by resilient biasing means in the form of a coiled compression spring 21, and upon depression of the key 13 to an actuating position the actuating means so as to produce a signal.
• resilient biasing means in the form of a coiled compression spring 21, and upon depression of the key 13 to an actuating position the actuating means so as to produce a signal.
• To provide a return path for 17 operates the switch means 19 to produce a signal.
• the top of the cap 29 may have a suitable finger depression and bear indicia of its associated function.
• bracket 59 When the key13 ismoiied to the actuating positionpthe permanent mag v net is brought alongside the Hall generator to effect a change in electrical condition in awe" known-manner the magnetic flux associated with the magnet 57, the bracket 59 has a bent-over arm 65 with a surface spaced from the magnet 57 so as to be broughtalong the opposite side of the Hall generator.
• the key switch 11 will produce a signal'only when the key 13 is depressed to an actuating position so as to bring the magneticactuating means 17 into operating proximity I l l n with the Hall generator, and it is further apparent that the signal will be produced only for a'period of time in which the key 13 is manually depressed.
• the above-described key switch 11 may be easily converted to a detainable switch so as to continue to produce a signal without being manually held in the actuated position.
• a detaining spring 67 is added to the above-described key assembly. As shown, the
• the depending end portion 71 has a bent end 79 which is resiliently received in a detaining slot 81 which may be preformed in a suitable inside wall of the housing 15.
• the detaining slot 81 has a shunt 83 directing the end 79 of the detaining spring 67 into a first portion 85 which leads to a holding detent 87 when the key 13 is depressed to the actuated position.
• the depending end 79 of the detaining spring 67 moves from the holding detent 87 to another portion of the detaining slot 81 leading from the actuating position to enable the key 13 to return to the raised position.
• the key switch 11 may also be easily converted to provide an illuminated indication of the actuation of the switch.
• a lamp 91 may be placed in the housing 15 by inserting the associated lead wires 93 througha suitable opening 95 in the transverse wall 43 of the plunger 25 and through suitable holes 97in the bottom of the housing where they may be connected so as to energize the lamp 91 when the Hall generator is operated.
• the cap 13 may be formed from a suitable transparent material.
• a key switch construction convertible from a momentary to a latching switch comprising an upwardly open box-like housing
• a downwardly open box-like plunger telescopically a resilient plunger latching element removably mountable on said plunger whenever conversion from a momentary to a latching switch is desired
• said latching element having an end depending into said housing
• a removable cap on said plunger providing for access into the interior of said plunger for releasing said plunger from said housing for withdrawal therefrom and for mounting said latch element
• a permanent magnet movable into proximity with said Hall generatorupon depression of said plunger, and r a magnetically conductive bracket secured to said permanent magnet and providing a return path for the flux associated with said magnet.
• said pair of holding members being spaced apart and resilient with a hook portion formed on the free end thereof
• said plunger having spaced-apart openings formed therein for receiving said holding members,-
• camming means on said plunger for flexing said holding members toward one another for reception through said openings formed in said plunger as the plunger is mounted in said housing and latch said plunger in said housing, and
• said holding members serving to guide plunger movement.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Push-Button Switches (AREA)

Abstract

Description

Claims (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=5849866

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (12)

Families Citing this family (2)

Citations (4)

• 1972
  • 1972-07-06 DE DE2233170A patent/DE2233170A1/en active Pending
  • 1972-10-02 CH CH1436772A patent/CH538185A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1972-11-16 IT IT31737/72A patent/IT970935B/en active
  • 1972-11-28 SE SE7215481A patent/SE386537B/en unknown
  • 1972-12-07 FR FR7243649A patent/FR2191232B1/fr not_active Expired
• 1973
  • 1973-05-15 GB GB2313773A patent/GB1436962A/en not_active Expired
  • 1973-07-06 US US00377038A patent/US3855439A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime

Patent Citations (4)

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