Lever switch with support walls for supporting movable contact points and method of detecting an operating direction of a lever switch

U.S. Patent Number: 5744765

Abstract: A selecting switch operating section provided to support movable contact points includes circular elastic support walls disposed along an arrangement circle of selecting stationary contact points, and a pushing portion. When the selecting switch operating section is pushed by an operating portion tilted integrally with the operating lever, at least one of movable contact points comes into contact with at least one of the selecting stationary contact points. Thus, it is not necessary to provide accommodation space for other members between the adjacent selecting stationary contact points. Also, it is possible to reduce the spacing interval between adjacent selecting stationary contact points in the arrangement circle, so that the diameter of the arrangement circle can be reduced and the entire lever switch can be reduced in size.

Inventors: Yamamoto; Tetsuo (Yokkaichi, JP)

Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. (Yokkaichi, JP)

Application Number: 08/661,377

Issued: 1998-04-28

Expired: 2006-04-28

Classes: 200/6A ; 200/339; 200/5A; 200/5R

Field of search: 200/153,9,5A,6A,5R,339 345/156

Click the image above to view patent images at uspto.gov within a frame.

Click here for the fulltext page on uspto.gov within a frame.