ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AN ELECTRICAL SWITCH INTEGRATED IN A MOUNT AND ITS CONNECTION TO A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD

Abstract

The present invention relates to an assembly (1000) comprising a mount (100) comprising a housing (128) for an electrical switch (10) and a finger (180) for retaining the electrical switch (10) in its housing (128); an electrical switch (10) which comprises a contact-carrying body (12) made of insulating material which carries at least one electrical connection blade (48, 49), which comprises a part (28) for mounting the electrical switch (10) in the housing (128) by longitudinal sliding and which comprises at least one lug (80) for longitudinally retaining the electrical switch (10) in the mounted position in its housing (128) which cooperates with the retaining finger (180) carried by the mount (100), characterized in that the at least one retaining lug (80) is made in one piece with the at least one electrical connection blade (48, 49). Figure for the abstract: 4

Description

Title of the invention: ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AN ELECTRICAL SWITCH INTEGRATED IN A MOUNT AND ITS CONNECTION TO A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrical or electromechanical switch designed to be positioned and fixed on a mount and capable of being connected to a printed circuit board. Technical background

[0002] The invention relates in particular to the assembly of an electrical switch in which a movable contact member of generally curved shape makes it possible, for example but not exclusively, in a first stable rest state, to interrupt a switching path between a first fixed contact and a second fixed contact and then, in a second elastically deformed state corresponding to a low switching position, to establish an electrical switching path between the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact. The invention relates to the assembly of such an electrical switch using a movable contact member of generally curved shape which is elastically deformable under the action of an actuating member, for example a push button, which acts on a central part or section of the triggering member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bottom of the housing in which the two fixed contacts are arranged.

[0003] Such an electrical switch, of small dimensions, is of the type comprising an insulating contact-carrying support which carries one or more contact blades, each of which comprises a fixing section which constitutes an insert embedded in the molded material constituting the body of the switch.

[0004] Thus, the parameters to be controlled to guarantee determined conditions of actuation and / or release of the switch include in particular the position and the travel of the actuation member which is for example produced in the form of a push button of which a lower end acts, directly or indirectly, on the domed trigger member.

[0005] These conditions must in particular be mastered, reliably and repetitively in the case of large-scale production, when the switch is mounted in a frame, or chassis, on which the actuating member is slidably mounted.

[0006] The invention aims to propose an assembly comprising such a switch and such a mount which makes it possible to guarantee this control.

[0007] According to another aspect of the invention, it may be desirable to also ensure that electrical connection legs of the connector establish reliable contact with conductive tracks of a printed circuit board whose position relative to the mount may have dimensional dispersions. Summary of the invention

[0008] The invention proposes an assembly comprising: - a mount comprising a housing for an electrical switch and a finger for retaining the electrical switch in its housing; - an electrical switch which comprises a contact-carrying body made of insulating material: — which carries at least one electrical connection blade; — which comprises a part for mounting the electrical switch in said housing by longitudinal sliding; — and which includes a longitudinal retaining tab for the electrical switch in the mounted position in its housing which cooperates with the retaining finger carried by the mount, characterized in that the retaining tab is made in one piece with the at least one electrical connection blade.

[0009] According to other characteristics of the invention: the mount includes a front stop for positioning the electrical switch relative to the mount, and the retaining tab cooperates with the retaining finger to retain the electrical switch rearward relative to the mount; - the housing has an open rear end for inserting the mounting part of the electrical switch into the housing, and the front end of the housing is closed at least partially by the front stop; - at least one electrical connection blade includes: — an intermediate section embedded by molding in the insulating material constituting the contact-carrying body; — and a first end section which extends the intermediate section to constitute the retaining tab; - the first end section extends the intermediate section longitudinally forward to constitute the retaining tab; and the at least one electrical connection blade comprises a second end section which extends the intermediate section longitudinally rearward to constitute a flexible electrical connection tab; - the retaining tab extends in a plane parallel to the longitudinal sliding direction, and the retaining finger comprises a ramp capable of cooperating with a front free end section of the retaining tab to deform the retaining tab and allow the retaining finger to pass through the retaining tab when the electrical switch is inserted longitudinally into the housing of the mount; - the retaining tab comprises a retaining beak which, in the mounted position of the electrical switch in the housing of the mount, at least partially surrounds the retaining finger; - the retaining tab comprises two parallel opposite branches arranged symmetrically with respect to a median longitudinal plane and, in the mounted position of the electrical switch, the retaining finger is received between the two opposite branches of the retaining tab; - the electrical switch has two electrical connection blades, each of which has: — an intermediate section embedded by molding in the insulating material constituting the contact-carrying body; — and a first end section which extends the intermediate section to constitute one of the two opposite branches of the retaining tab; - the assembly comprises a printed circuit board, in particular an electronic card comprising at least one conductive track, and said second end section of the at least one electrical connection blade constituting a flexible electrical connection tab bears elastically on the at least one associated conductive track, whereby the correct positioning of the electrical switch relative to the mount is guaranteed, and the electrical contact between the flexible electrical connection tab and the associated conductive track is guaranteed. Brief description of the figures

[0010] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear during the reading of the detailed description which follows for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

[0011] [Fig-1] - [Fig.l] is a perspective view from above and three-quarters rear of a first example of embodiment of an assembly according to the invention;

[0012] [Fig.2] - [Fig.2] is a perspective view from below and three-quarters rear of the whole of [Fig.l];

[0013] [Fig.3] - [Fig.3] is a partially exploded view of the various elements and components of the assembly shown in Figures 1 and 2;

[0014] [Fig.4] - [Fig.4] is a bottom view of the elements and components shown in [Fig.3];

[0015] [Fig.5] - [Fig.5] is a perspective view from above, three-quarter front and in section through a median vertical and longitudinal plane of the assembly shown in the figures 1 and 2;

[0016] [Fig.6] - [Fig.6] is a rear longitudinal view of the assembly shown in figures 1 and 2;

[0017] [Fig.7] - [Fig.7] is a large-scale detail view illustrating the cooperation of the retaining finger carried by the mount with the retaining tab of the electrical switch in the mounted position in its housing;

[0018] [Fig.8] - [Fig.8] is a sectional view through the median vertical and longitudinal plane of the detail shown in [Fig.8];

[0019] [Fig.9] - [Fig.9] is a top view of the electrical switch which illustrates the cooperation of the retaining finger carried by the mount with the retaining tab of the electrical switch in the mounted position in its housing and the design of the two electrical connection blades, each of which comprises one of the two opposite branches of the retaining tab;

[0020] [Fig. 10] - [Fig. 10] is a schematic representation comprising three diagrams A, B and C which represent three distinct relative positions of the electrical switch with respect to the mount corresponding to three successive stages of mounting the electrical switch in its housing in the mount;

[0021] [Fig. 11] - [Fig. 11] is a three-quarter front perspective view of a second example of embodiment of the front part of the electrical switch including in particular a design variant of the two opposite branches of the retaining tab;

[0022] [Fig. 12] - [Fig. 12] is a perspective view from below of the front part of the electrical switch of [Fig.l 1]; and

[0023] [Fig. 13] - [Fig. 13] is a view similar to that of [Fig.8] illustrating the co operation of the retaining finger carried by the mount with the retaining tab of the electrical switch of figures 11 and 12 which is shown in the mounted position in its housing. Detailed description of the invention

[0024] For the description of the invention and the understanding of the claims, the vertical, longitudinal and transverse orientations according to the reference V, L, T indicated in the figures, the longitudinal L and transverse T axes of which extend in a horizontal plane, will be adopted as a non-limiting example and without limiting reference to Earth's gravity.

[0025] By convention, the longitudinal axis L is oriented from back to front and the transverse axis is oriented from right to left, considering for example [Fig.9], while the vertical axis V is oriented from bottom to top.

[0026] In the following description, identical, similar or analogous elements will be designated by the same reference numbers.

[0027] First example of realization Figures 1 to 4 show an assembly 1000 which is essentially made up of an electrical switch 10, a mount 100 comprising a housing for the electrical switch 10 and an actuating member 200 which is mounted to move relative to the mount 100 and which comprises an actuating end capable of cooperating with a triggering member of the electrical switch 10.

[0028] The mount 100 and the actuating member 200 The frame 100 is for example a plastic part whose body 102 is generally in the form of a substantially horizontal plate delimited by an upper face 104 and by a lower face 106.

[0029] The body 102 is centrally crossed by a cylindrical hole 108 with a vertical axis Al in which the actuating member is guided in vertical sliding in both directions along the axis AL.

[0030] In the upper face 104, the central hole 108 is surrounded by an annular axial counterbore 110.

[0031] The central hole 108 opens into a longitudinal groove 112 of the lower face 106.

[0032] On either side of the central groove 112, vertically downwards beyond the lower face 104, the body 102 is extended by a longitudinal rib 114.

[0033] Each rib 114 has a longitudinal slide 128 which is open transversely inwards towards the other opposite slide.

[0034] The two slides 128 are open longitudinally towards the rear and they extend in the same horizontal plane.

[0035] Longitudinally forward, each slide 128 is closed by a stop surface 129, the two stop surfaces 129 being located in the same transverse vertical plane.

[0036] The two parallel and opposite slides 128 together define a part of the mount 100 allowing the mounting of the electrical switch 10 on the mount 100, by introduction and sliding according to the arrow “F” towards the front of a complementary part of the electrical switch 10.

[0037] Substantially in line with the transverse vertical plane in which the two stop surfaces 129 extend, between the two ribs 114, the mount 100 comprises a retaining finger 180 which projects vertically downwards under the lower face 104 and extends between the two parallel and opposite slides 128.

[0038] The retaining finger 180 is delimited laterally by two opposite longitudinal lateral faces 182, towards the front by a convex semi-cylindrical front vertical face 184 and towards the rear by a rear vertical and transverse face 186.

[0039] The lower end of the retaining finger 180 comprises a ramp 188 inclined towards the bottom from front to back, for example at forty-five degrees.

[0040] The actuating member 200 is in the form of a push button whose cylindrical body 202 is received and guided in sliding in the cylindrical hole 108.

[0041] The body 202 comprises at its upper end an actuating head 206 of which a side wall 208 is received in the counterbore 110 of the body 102 of the mount 100.

[0042] In the mounted position of the actuating member on the mount 100, and of the electrical switch 10 under the mount 100, the lower free end of the body 202 is able to cooperate with the actuator 16, through the sealing film 18, to cause a change in switching state when an actuating force is applied to the actuating head 206, vertically from top to bottom.

[0043] The printed circuit board 300 Figures 1 to 4 also show a printed circuit board 300, for example belonging to an electronic card comprising here at least two conductive tracks 302 and 303 capable of being electrically connected to the electrical switch 10.

[0044] The printed circuit board 300 is associated with the mount 100 relative to which it occupies a determined position, for example within a device.

[0045] By way of non-limiting example, in the example illustrated in the figures, the printed circuit board 300 extends in a transverse vertical plane, below the mount 100 and the electrical switch 10.

[0046] It is delimited by an upper transverse edge 304 on which the two conductive tracks 302 and 303 are arranged, in a spaced manner.

[0047] The electrical switch 10 The electrical switch 10, according to a known general design, comprises successively, stacked vertically from bottom to top, a lower insulating body carrying electrical contacts 12, a movable contact member which is here a double member 14-15, an actuator 16 arranged above the movable contact member 14-15 and an upper film 18 for sealing the upper face of the insulating body 12.

[0048] Each of the two components of the double member 14-15 is here produced in the form of a trigger dome.

[0049] The insulating body 12 is a molded part made of plastic material of generally rectangular parallelepiped shape which is in particular delimited by a horizontal lower face 20, a horizontal upper face 22 and four lateral faces arranged in opposite pairs including two opposite longitudinal lateral faces 24 and two transverse lateral faces including a rear transverse face 25 and a front lateral face 26.

[0050] Each of the opposite longitudinal lateral faces 24 comprises a relief shape 28 forming a longitudinal and horizontal lateral rail.

[0051] Each side rail 28 is delimited towards the front by a front end facet 29.

[0052] The insulating body 12 comprises a housing 32 which opens into the upper face 22 and which is here of generally concave cylindrical shape. The housing 32 is delimited by a concave vertical cylindrical wall 34 and a horizontal bottom 36. With the exception of certain parts of the electrical contact blades, the electrical switch 10 illustrated in the figures has a general symmetry of design with respect to the median vertical and longitudinal plane PVLM indicated in [Fig.9].

[0053] Without limitation, in the bottom 32 of the insulating contact-carrying body 12, two fixed electrical contacts are arranged. These two electrical contacts comprise a first peripheral fixed electrical contact 42, and a second central fixed electrical contact 43.

[0054] The central fixed electrical contact 43 which is centered on the general vertical axis A of the electrical switch 10 which is located in the PVLM plane.

[0055] The peripheral fixed electrical contact 42 is here in the form of an annular section arranged close to the vertical side wall 34 of the housing.

[0056] The peripheral fixed electrical contact 42 is delimited vertically upwards by a horizontal upper face for support and electrical contact 44, while the central fixed electrical contact 43 is here produced in the form of a pellet and it is delimited vertically upwards by a horizontal upper face in the form of a support and electrical contact disc 45 which is slightly offset vertically downwards relative to the face 44.

[0057] As can be seen in detail in [Fig.9], and according to a technique usual in the field, the fixed contacts 42 and 43 each belong to an electrical connection blade, each of which is a part made of electrically conductive material produced by cutting, bending and / or stamping and each of which comprises an intermediate electrical contact and fixing section which is an insert embedded by molding in the insulating material constituting the contact carrier body 12.

[0058] The peripheral fixed electrical contact 42 belongs to the intermediate section 46 of a right-hand electrical connection blade 48 which is extended by a rear longitudinal section constituting a rear longitudinal tab 50 projecting outside the body 12 to constitute a flexible electrical connection tab to allow the electrical connection of the peripheral fixed contact 42 with the outside, for example with a conductive area 302 of the printed circuit board 300.

[0059] In the same way, the central fixed electrical contact 43 belongs to the intermediate section 47 of a right-hand electrical connection blade 49 which is extended by a rear longitudinal section constituting a rear longitudinal tab 51 projecting outside the body 12 to constitute a flexible electrical connection tab. to allow the electrical connection of the central fixed electrical contact 43 with the exterior, for example with the other conductive area 303 of the printed circuit board 300.

[0060] The two rear electrical connection tabs 50 and 51 are parallel and each rear longitudinal section is here folded substantially 180 degrees so that the electrical connection tab 50, 51 extends longitudinally forwards below the lower face 20 of the insulating body 12.

[0061] The intermediate section 46 of the right electrical connection blade 48 extends forward, beyond the front transverse face 26 of the insulating body 12 by a front longitudinal section 52 constituting one of the two parallel and opposite branches of a front longitudinal retaining tab 80 projecting outside the body 12 to allow the electrical switch 10 to be retained, or hooked, in the mounted position on the mount 100.

[0062] The right branch 52 comprises a retaining beak 54 which is oriented transversely towards the left and which delimits a housing portion comprising an arcuate section 56 which extends towards the rear by a rectilinear longitudinal edge 58.

[0063] Longitudinally forward, beyond the retaining beak 54, the right branch 52 is extended by a free front control end section 60 which is delimited by an inclined edge 62 oriented towards the left.

[0064] In the same way, the intermediate section 47 of the left electrical connection blade 49 extends forward, beyond the front transverse face 26 of the insulating body 12 by a front longitudinal section 53 constituting one of the two parallel and opposite branches of a front longitudinal retaining tab 80 projecting outside the body 12 to allow the electrical switch 10 to be retained, or hooked, in the mounted position on the mount 100.

[0065] The left branch 53 comprises a retaining beak 55 which is oriented transversely towards the right and which delimits a housing portion comprising an arcuate section 57 which extends towards the rear by a rectilinear longitudinal edge 59.

[0066] Longitudinally forward, beyond the retaining beak 55, the left branch 53 is extended by a free front control end section 61 which is delimited by an inclined edge 63 oriented towards the left.

[0067] Thus, together, the two straight branches 52 and 53 of the retaining tab 80 delimit between them a free space 70 delimited transversely by the two parallel rectilinear longitudinal edges 58 and 59 and towards the front by the two retaining beaks 54 and 55.

[0068] The double movable contact member 14-15 is received and is housed in the housing 32, with radial play and, here, it is in particular in a normal free and stable state called rest in which it is not elastically deformed or only very slightly. deformed.

[0069] In this stable state of rest, the central fixed electrical contact 43 is not electrically connected to the peripheral fixed electrical contact 42. In a known manner, the movable contact member 14-15 is capable of changing state and position by being elastically deformed.

[0070] For this purpose, the actuator 16 cooperates with the portion facing the upper face of the central section of the double movable contact member 14-15 and it comprises an upper actuating face on which one can act - directly or indirectly - vertically along the axis A and from top to bottom to cause an elastic deformation of the double movable contact member 14 to bring the central part of the latter into support and electrical contact with the horizontal annular upper face 45 of the central fixed contact 43 so that, in this low position or state of elastic deformation, an electrical connection, and therefore an electrical switching path, is established between the two fixed electrical contacts 42 and 43, and therefore between the two electrical connection tabs 50 and 51.

[0071] Assembly and mounting of the electrical switch 10 under the frame 100 Considering [Fig. 10], the electrical switch 10 is installed by introducing, according to arrow F, the rails 28 of the insulating body 12 into the complementary slides 128 of the mount 100 (Position A).

[0072] Then, the electrical switch must be continued to be moved to the right until the inclined edges 62 and 63 of the parallel and opposite branches of the retaining tab 80 come into contact with the retaining finger 180 (Position B).

[0073] From this position, to cause the electrical switch 10 to be mounted and fixed in its housing, it must be pushed in the direction of arrow F until the front ends 29 of the guide rails 28 each come into abutment against a facing abutment surface 129.

[0074] In this position C, the retaining finger 180 is received in the free space 70 behind the retaining beaks 54, 55.

[0075] During the forward longitudinal travel of the retaining tab 80 (from position B to position C) the cooperation of the inclined edges 62, 63 of the two branches 52, 53 with the rear edges 183 of the retaining finger and the cooperation of the retaining tab 80 with the ramp 188 of the retaining finger 180 cause the deformations of the branches 52, 53 necessary for the retaining tab to cross the retaining finger 180.

[0076] These deformations can be elastic or plastic.

[0077] At the end of this crossing, and as can be seen in [Fig.8], if the deformations were elastic, the two parallel and opposite branches 52, 53 of the retaining tab return to their initial undeformed state and extend again in a horizontal plane.

[0078] At the end of the crossing, if the branches 52, 53 have been plastically deformed, they must then be straightened to return them to their initial undeformed state.

[0079] Thus, the electrical switch 10 is locked in the mounted position on the mount 100. It is held without play longitudinally towards the rear by the retaining tab 80 and towards the front by the front stops 129.

[0080] In this same mounted and locked position, each free end of a flexible electrical connection tab 50, 51 bears elastically on an associated electrical contact track 302, 303 of the electrical circuit board 300.

[0081] Alternative embodiment In order to facilitate the crossing of the retaining finger during assembly and fixing of the electrical switch 10 on the mount, it is possible to modify the design of each front free end section 60, 61 so that it is in the form of a guide shoe, inclined upwards relative to the horizontal plane of the corresponding branch 52, 53 which cooperates with the ramp 188 of the retaining finger 180.

[0082] Longitudinally towards the front, beyond the associated beak 54, 55, each front free end section 60, 61 shaped as a shoe then preferably has a constant transverse width.

[0083] Second example of realization Figures 11 to 13 show a second embodiment of the invention which differs from the first embodiment by the design of the front part of the insulating contact-carrying body 12 and of the two parallel and opposite branches 52, 53 of the retaining tab.

[0084] The front end portion of each of the two branches 52, 53 of the retaining tab 80 is bent 180 degrees downwards below the plane in which the portion extending forward from the front transverse face 26 of the insulating body 12 extends.

[0085] Each branch 52, 53 thus has a hairpin profile.

[0086] Thanks to this design, the part (lower considering [Fig. 13]) of each branch 52, 53 which cooperates with the retaining finger 180 during the assembly and locking of the retaining tab 80 on the retaining finger 180, is more easily deformable.

[0087] The longitudinal crossing of the retaining finger is also made easier by the fact that the front free end sections 60, 61 for controlling the deformation are arranged in a horizontal plane offset downwards and that, thus, they cooperate with the lower free end top part of the retaining finger 180 and of the ramp 188.

[0088] As in the case of the first embodiment, the deformation of the branches 52, 53 when crossing the retaining finger 80 can be elastic or plastic.

Claims

Claims

1. Assembly (1000) comprising: - a mount (100) comprising a housing (128) for an electrical switch (10) and a finger (180) for retaining the electrical switch (10) in its housing (128); - an electrical switch (10) which comprises a contact-carrying body (12) made of insulating material: - which carries at least one electrical connection blade (48, 49); - which comprises a part (28) for mounting the electrical switch (10) in said housing (128) by longitudinal sliding; - and which comprises a lug (80) for longitudinally retaining the electrical switch (10) in the mounted position in its housing (128) which cooperates with the retaining finger (180) carried by the mount (100), characterized in that the at least one retaining lug (80) is made in one piece with the at least one electrical connection blade (48, 49).

2. Assembly (1000) according to claim 1, characterized in that the mount (100) comprises a stop (129) before positioning the electrical switch (10) relative to the mount (100), and in that the retaining tab (80) cooperates with the retaining finger (180) to retain the electrical switch (10) rearward relative to the mount (100).

3. Assembly (1000) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the housing (128) has an open rear end for introducing the part (28) for mounting the electrical switch (10) into the housing (128), and in that the front end of the housing (128) is closed at least partially by the front stop (129).

4. Assembly (1000) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one electrical connection blade (48, 49) comprises: - an intermediate section (46, 47) embedded by molding in the insulating material constituting the contact-carrying body (12); - and a first end section (52, 53) which extends the intermediate section (46, 47) to constitute the retaining tab (80).

5. Assembly (1000) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that: - the first end section (52, 53) extends the inter- section intermediate (46, 47) longitudinally forward to constitute the retaining tab (80); - and the at least one electrical connection blade (48, 49) comprises a second end section (50, 51) which extends the intermediate section (46, 47) longitudinally rearward to constitute a flexible electrical connection tab.

6. Assembly (1000) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retaining tab (80) extends in a plane parallel to the longitudinal sliding direction, and in that the retaining finger (180) comprises a ramp (188) capable of cooperating with a front free end section (60, 61) of the retaining tab (80) to deform the retaining tab (80) and allow the retaining finger (180) to pass through the retaining tab (80) during the longitudinal introduction of the electrical switch (10) into the housing (128) of the mount (100).

7. Assembly (1000) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the retaining tab (80) comprises a retaining beak (54, 55) which, in the mounted position of the electrical switch (10) in the housing (128) of the mount (100), at least partially surrounds the retaining finger (180).

8. Assembly (1000) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retaining tab (80) comprises two opposite parallel branches (52, 53) arranged symmetrically with respect to a median longitudinal plane (PVLM) and in that, in the mounted position of the electrical switch (10), the retaining finger (180) is received between the two opposite branches (52, 53) of the retaining tab (80).

9. Assembly (1000) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the electrical switch (10) comprises two electrical connection blades (48, 49), each of which comprises: - an intermediate section (46, 47) embedded by molding in the insulating material constituting the contact-carrying body (12); - and a first end section (52, 53) which extends the intermediate section (46, 47) to constitute one of the two opposite branches of the retaining tab (80).

10. Assembly (1000) according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a printed circuit board (300), in particular an electronic card comprising at least one conductive track (302, 303), and in that said second end section (50, 51) of the at least one electrical connection blade (48, 49) constituting a flexible electrical connection tab bears elastically on the at least one associated conductive track (302, 303), whereby the correct positioning of the electrical switch (10) relative to the mount (100) is guaranteed, and the electrical contact between the flexible electrical connection tab (50, 51) and the associated conductive track is guaranteed.

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