Push-button switch, selector switch, and fixing component therefor

{
  "publication_number": "US9523997B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Push-button switch, selector switch, and fixing component therefor",
  "abstract": "A fixing component for a switch including a flange, a ring attachment, and a screw attachment, the flange including a projection provided on an outer peripheral surface, the screw attachment including, on an inner peripheral surface, an insertion area into which the projection of the flange is inserted, a projection engaging part into which the projection of the flange is fitted, and an interference projection which is formed between the projection engaging part and the insertion area and has a smaller inner diameter than diameters of the projection engaging part and the insertion area, the projection of the flange including a first projecting portion and a second projecting portion where the first projecting portion is fitted into a guiding groove, and the second projecting portion is configured to traverse the interference projection to be fitted into a fitting groove when the flange and the screw attachment are rotated relatively.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A fixing component comprising: a flange; a ring attachment; and a screw attachment having a screw structure to be screwed in the ring attachment, wherein the flange comprising a projection provided on an outer peripheral surface having a circular cross section, the screw attachment comprising, on an inner peripheral surface having a circular cross section, an insertion area into which the projection of the flange is inserted, a projection engaging part into which the projection of the flange is fitted, and an interference projection which is formed between the projection engaging part and the insertion area and has a smaller inner diameter than diameters of the projection engaging part and the insertion area, the projection of the flange comprising a first projecting portion extending along an outer peripheral surface in a circumferential direction and a second projecting portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction, wherein the projection engaging part is formed by a guiding groove and a fitting groove, wherein the first projecting portion is fitted into the guiding groove, and the second projecting portion is configured to traverse over the interference projection to be fitted into the fitting groove when the flange and the screw attachment are rotated relatively in one predetermined circumferential direction, wherein an end surface of the second projecting portion at a forward side thereof forms a straight slope inclined at an acute angle from the forward side to a rearward side thereof, wherein an end surface of the rearward side forms a straight perpendicular surface, and wherein an end surface at a forward side of the interference projection forms a straight perpendicular surface, and an end surface at a rearward side of the interference projection forms a straight slope inclined at an acute angle from the rearward side to the forward side.",
    "2. The fixing component according to claim 1, wherein the second projecting portion extends from the first projecting portion, and an end surface in a circumferential direction of the interference projection is a part of a wall surface of the guiding groove.",
    "3. A push-button switch comprising the fixing component according to claim 1.",
    "4. A selector switch comprising the fixing component according to claim 1.",
    "5. The fixing component according to claim 2, wherein an end surface at a forward side of the interference projection is a perpendicular surface, and an end surface at a rearward side of the interference projection is a slope inclined at an acute angle from the rearward side to the forward side."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a push-button switch, a selector switch and a fixing component therefor.\n\nHeretofore, push-button switches have been used as a switch for consumer-oriented appliances. As an example of a push-button switch, there has been known a switch described in FIGS. 8A and 8B. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the push- button switch 2 is a switch fixed to a device casing, and includes an operation unit 601 and a switch unit 701. Every time a pressing portion in the operation unit 601 is pressed, the switch unit 701 is switched between the on-state and off-state.\n\nA push- button switch 2 is generally fitted into a hole provided on a device casing and is fixed to the device casing with the pressing portion exposed outside the device casing. Specifically, parts of the components which constitute the operation unit 601 of the push- button switch 2 serve to fix the push-button switch to the device casing. This fixing component include a flange 50, a screw attachment 70, and a support member 80 having an opening which is approximately as large as a diameter of the screw attachment 70, and a ring attachment 90 illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 8B. The flange 50 and the screw attachment 70 each are a substantially cylindrical shape and have a spring, a slider, and the like therein for achieving a piston movement of the pressing portion.\n\nThe screw attachment 70 and the ring attachment 90 can be fastened by a screw structure. In the screw attachment 70, the flange 50 is attached to the opposite side to which the ring attachment 90 is connected.",
  "cpc": [
    "G05G 1/025",
    "F16B 21/04",
    "H01H 13/04",
    "H01H 13/10",
    "H01H 13/14",
    "H01H 2223/014",
    "H01H 3/12",
    "Y10T 403/56",
    "Y10T 403/7007",
    "Y10T 403/7015",
    "Y10T 403/7073"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "F16B 21/04",
    "G05G 1/02",
    "H01H 13/04",
    "H01H 13/10",
    "H01H 13/14",
    "H01H 3/12"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Omron Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Hiroshi Tsugawa",
    "Hiroyuki Moriyama"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2013-09-24",
  "publication_date": "2016-12-20",
  "grant_date": "2016-12-20",
  "priority_date": "2012-09-27",
  "application_number": "US-201314034892-A",
  "family_id": "49237093",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
  "citations": [
    "US4315123A",
    "US6254303B1",
    "EP1694106A1",
    "US20100006411A1",
    "US20120155957A1",
    "EP2624674A1"
  ]
}