Control switch with single actuator

Abstract

Operating switch, comprising:• an operating lever (2),• a housing structure (3), in the upper part of which said operating lever (2) is fixed so that it can rotate about a first pivot point (O);• a plunger (4), fixed on one side to the operating lever (2) and moving with it so that it can slide along a first axis (X) of said operating lever (2), supported by an elastic device (41);• a printed circuit board (5) consisting of at least two push buttons (51) mounted in the lower part of said housing structure (3); each push button (51) consists of at least one silicone dome (511) and at least one electrical contact (512) adapted so that when the dome (511) is pressed, an electrical circuit is closed;said housing structure (3) consists, in its inner part (3'), of a free-standing structure (31) consisting of two inclined contact surfaces (311), mirrored along a second vertical axis (Z), thus forming a first obtuse angle (α) on which said pushbutton (4) can slide along its path; said free-standing structure (31) is structurally fixed to the housing structure (3); said control switch comprises at least one actuator (6) positioned along said free-standing structure (31) to be pressed by the pushbutton (4) and to trigger the electrical commutation of at least one of the pushbuttons (51);characterized in that the at least one actuator (6) is monolithic and consists of two contact parts (65), each of which is positioned along one of the inclined contact surfaces (311) on which the plunger (4) acts along its path on said inclined contact surfaces (311), and has two actuating parts (63), each of which is positioned near a push button (51) and is intended to actuate the respective push button (51) by exerting a force on the corresponding silicone dome (511); said contact parts (65) are located between the two actuating parts (63); each actuating part (63) of the actuator (6) lies on top of a respective silicone dome (511), so that said actuator (6) rests only on the silicone domes (511);and in that,depending on the action exerted directly by the plunger (4) on one of said contact parts (65), the corresponding actuator (6) can rotate about one of two axes of rotation (T, T');each of said two axes of rotation (T, T') is located on one of the actuating parts (63) of the actuator (6) itself;depending on the direction of rotation of the operating lever (2), the axis of rotation (T, T') is located on the actuating part (63) opposite the actuating part (63) which must actuate the push button (51);

Claims

[1] Control switch, consisting of: • an operating lever (2), • a housing structure (3), in the upper part of which said operating lever (2) is fixed so that it can rotate about a first pivot point (O); • a push rod (4) fixed on one side to the operating lever (2) and moving with it so as to be able to slide along a first axis (X) of said operating lever (2), supported by an elastic device (41); • a printed circuit board (5) comprising at least two push buttons (51) mounted in the lower part of said housing structure (3); each push button (51) comprises at least one silicone dome (511) and at least one electrical contact (512) adapted to close an electrical circuit when the dome (511) is pressed; said housing structure (3) consists in its inner part (3') of a free-standing structure (31) consisting of two inclined contact surfaces (311), mirrored along a second vertical axis (Z), thus forming a first obtuse angle (α) on which said plunger (4) can slide along its path; said free-standing structure (31) is structurally attached to the housing structure (3); said operating switch comprises at least one actuator (6) positioned along said free-standing structure (31) to be pressed by the plunger (4) and to trigger the electrical commutation of at least one of the push buttons (51); characterized byin that the at least one actuator (6) is monolithic and consists of two contact parts (65), each of which is positioned along one of the inclined contact surfaces (311) on which the plunger (4) acts along its path on said inclined contact surfaces (311), and has two actuating parts (63), each of which is positioned near a push button (51) and is intended to actuate the respective push button (51) by exerting a force on the corresponding silicone dome (511); said contact parts (65) are located between the two actuating parts (63); each actuating part (63) of the actuator (6) lies on top of a respective silicone dome (511), so that said actuator (6) rests only on the silicone domes (511); and in that, depending on the action exerted directly by the plunger (4) on one of said contact parts (65), the corresponding actuator (6) can rotate about one of two axes of rotation (T, T'); each of said two axes of rotation (T, T') is located on one of the actuating parts (63) of the actuator (6) itself; depending on the direction of rotation of the operating lever (2), the axis of rotation (T, T') on the actuating part (63) is located opposite the actuating part (63) which must actuate the push button (51). [2] Operating switch according to claim 1, wherein each contact part (65) of the at least one actuator (6) is an inclined surface; said contact parts (65) are mirrored along said second axis (Z), thereby forming a second free-standing structure with a second obtuse angle (φ). [3] Operating switch according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said actuating parts (63) are located at the outermost ends of the actuator (6) with respect to the longitudinal axis (K) of the at least one actuator (6). [4] Control switch according to claim 1, comprising at least one retaining element (67) for insertion into a suitable frame (33), for example in the inner part (3') of the housing structure (3), in order to prevent the actuator (6) from moving longitudinally along said longitudinal axis (K). [5] An operating switch according to claim 4, wherein said holding member (67) is a projection included in the actuator (6) and placed near the operating part (63).

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