IP Library Granted Patent US 7,619,174
Granted Patent B2
US 7,619,174 · App. 12/245,328 · Granted Nov 17, 2009

Illuminated switch device

Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,619,174
App. No.
12/245,328
Granted
Nov 17, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

An illuminated switch device includes: a casing with an open upper side that has a partition wall formed on the inner bottom thereof; light sources that are provided on the inner bottom in a plurality of regions partitioned by the partition wall; an operating body that includes an outer housing and a light-shielding wall which divides a space surrounded by the outer housing and covered with an upper plate into a plurality of small spaces; and a switch element that is driven when the operating body is pressed. Guide rails are slidably fitted to concave grooves to guide the movement of the outer housing in the vertical direction. Both ends of the light-shielding wall 9 extending to the outside of the outer housing 8 serve as the guide rails.

Claims (15)

1. An illuminated switch device comprising:

a casing with an open upper side that has a partition wall formed on the inner bottom thereof;

light sources that are provided on the inner bottom in a plurality of regions partitioned by the partition wall;

an operating body that is pressed and includes an outer housing and a light-shielding wall which divides a space surrounded by the outer housing and covered with an upper plate into a plurality of small spaces;

a switch element that is driven when the operating body is pressed;

guide rails that are provided in one of the casing and the outer housing so as to extend in the vertical direction;

concave grooves that are provided in the other so as to extend in the vertical direction;

a partition portion that is formed by the light-shielding wall and the partition wall in the casing; and

a plurality of illuminated regions which are provided on the upper plate,

wherein the guide rails are slidably fitted to the concave grooves to guide the movement of the operating body in the vertical direction,

light emitted from the light sources are individually incident on the plurality of illuminated regions through the small spaces, and

each of the guide rails is arranged such that at least a portion thereof overlaps an extension of the light-shielding wall.

2. The illuminated switch device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the switch element is provided on the inner bottom of the casing, and

a driving portion that presses the switch element is integrally formed with the outer housing.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 1, 2019
From: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
To: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 048209/0197 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 3, 2008
From: UENOMACHI, TAKASHI; KASIWABARA, FUMIHIKO
To: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 021632/0267 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2007-285183 · Nov 1, 2007 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090114514A1 · May 7, 2009