Switch Actuator Ribs Reduce Contact Area and Friction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional push-button switches with large contacting areas between the actuator and insulative housing face difficulties during soldering due to increased friction, which can prevent the button from moving effectively due to deposition of soldering materials like flux.
Innovation Solution
The design features a switch with a reduced contacting area between the actuator and insulative housing, where the actuator's bottom portion includes ribs that slide against inner surfaces of the housing, minimizing contact and allowing for easier movement by avoiding the influence of soldering materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If large contacting areas are used between the actuator and insulative housing, then structural stability is improved, but friction force increases making button operation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom portion of the actuator is segmented into multiple ribs (first rib, second rib, third rib, fourth rib) that contact the inner surfaces of the insulative housing. This segmentation reduces the total contacting area compared to a solid bottom portion, thereby reducing friction force while maintaining structural stability through the distributed rib structure.
2Strength
If large contacting areas exist between the actuator and insulative housing, then structural support is improved, but soldering materials deposit on contact surfaces causing operational failure
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator's bottom portion is divided into multiple separated ribs rather than a continuous surface. This segmentation reduces the total area available for soldering material deposition, minimizing the risk of flux accumulation that would cause operational failure, while the rib structure maintains adequate structural support.
3Volume of moving object
If the profile of the push-button switch is kept low, then compactness is improved, but soldering materials easily enter the opening and deposit on inner surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful effect of soldering material deposition is extracted and isolated to non-critical areas. The ribs are positioned such that soldering materials can deposit on the inner surfaces between the ribs without affecting the rib contact points, effectively separating the harmful deposition zones from the functional contact zones.
Data Source
AI summary
A switch includes an insulative housing, a fixed contact, a movable contact and an actuator. The insulative housing defining a receiving cavity enclosed by a number of peripheral walls each of which includes an inner surface exposed to the receiving cavity. The actuator includes a bottom portion slidably received in the receiving cavity, a bottom operator for deforming of the moveable contact and a button. The bottom portion includes a first side wall and a first rib protruding sidewardly therefrom. The first rib is slidable against a first inner surface of the peripheral walls while the first side wall is separated a distance from the first inner surface. As a result, contacting areas of the actuator and corresponding inner surface are greatly reduced, and soldering materials, such as flux, originally influencing movement of the actuator can be avoided.