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An illuminated electrical push button switch has a pair of spring contacts secured in a housing on either side of a miniature bulb. The contacts have inclined bifurcated ends that bear resiliently against the underside of the push button. Depressing the button causes the bifurcated contact ends to d

An illuminated electrical push button switch has a pair of spring contacts secured in a housing on either side of a miniature bulb. The contacts have inclined bifurcated ends that bear resiliently against the underside of the push button. Depressing the button causes the bifurcated contact ends to deform elastically and come together making electrical contact. The pigtail leads for the bulb are sandwiched between the contacts and a block portion of the housing, all being held in place by a screw that also functions as a binding post for the external wire connection.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An illuminated push button switch assembly comprising in combination a housing, an electrically energizeable light emitting device, a pair of spaced apart electrically conductive spring metal contacts, a push button coupled to said housing for travel relative thereto, and means for separately con

1. An illuminated push button switch assembly comprising in combination a housing, an electrically energizeable light emitting device, a pair of spaced apart electrically conductive spring metal contacts, a push button coupled to said housing for travel relative thereto, and means for separately connecting to each of said contacts an external electrical conductor, said contacts each being mounted in said housing in electrical contact with means for establishing an electrical connection to said light emitting device, said contacts being disposed within said housing for engagement by said push button which upon depression causes said contacts to flex and engage closing an electrical circuit shunting said light emitting device and completing a circuit for an external source through said means for connecting an external electrical conductor, said contacts being interposed between said push button and said housing for exerting a spring return force upon said push button. 2. An illuminated push button switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein said push button has an inner surface that engages both of said contacts, said contacts each comprising an elongated strip of said conductive spring metal with a first end secured to said housing and a second end extending cantilevered from the corresponding said first end into contact with said inner surface of the push button at an acute angle relative to the direction of movement of said push button and toward and into non-engaging proximity with the second end of said other contact, whereby depression of said push button flexes both of said contact second ends toward and into mutual contact. 3. An illuminated push button switch assembly according to claim 1 wherein said housing has a cylindrical counterbore surrounded by a wall and said push button is mounted in said counterbore for sliding movement relative to said housing axially of said counterbore, said button has a head disposed at the upper end of said wall and a pair of elastic legs extending downwardly from said head toward the lower end of said wall, each of said legs having a barb at its lower end extending radially outwardly of the axis of said counterbore and said legs being spaced outwardly of said axis and being spaced from each other in the direction circumferentially of said axis, and said wall having a surface extending transversely to said axis with which said barbs are engageable for holding said button within said counterbore. 4. An illuminated push button switch assembly according to claim 3 wherein said transversely extending wall surface is at the bottom end of said wall. 5. An illuminated push button switch assembly according to claim 3 wherein at least a part of said button head is translucent. 6. An illuminated push button switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein said contacts are each secured to said housing by said means for connecting one of said conductors thereto. 7. An illuminated push button switch assembly comprising in combination a housing, an electrically energizeable light emitting device, a pair of spaced apart electrically conductive spring metal contacts, a push button coupled to said housing for travel relative thereto, and means for separately connecting to each of said contacts an external electrical conductor, said contacts each being mounted in said housing in electrical contact with means for establishing an electrical connection to said light emitting device and disposed for engagement by said push button which upon depression causes said contacts to flex and engage closing an electrical circuit shunting said light emitting device and completing a circuit for an external source through said means for connecting an external electrical conductor, said contacts being interposed between said push button and said housing for exerting a spring return force upon said push button, said push button having an inner surface that engages both of said contacts, said contacts each comprising an elongated strip of conductive spring metal with a first end secured to said housing and a second end extending cantilevered from the corresponding said first end into contact with said inner surface of the push button at an acute angle relative to the direction of movement of said push button and toward and into non-engaging proximity with the second end of said other contact, whereby depression of said push button flexes both of said contact second ends toward and into mutual contact, said first ends of said contacts being secured to said housing at diametrically opposed locations on opposite sides of the axis of travel of said push button, said light emitting device being disposed between said first ends of said contacts, and said second ends of said contacts are bifurcated for providing an opening through which light emitted by said emitting device can reach said inner surface of said push button. 8. An illuminated push button switch assembly according to claim 7, wherein said inner surface of said push button has regions that are inclined relative to the normal to said axis of travel which regions are located for engagement by said second ends of said contacts for providing a camming action to said contacts when said button is depressed. 9. An illuminated push button switch assembly according to claim 8, wherein said light emitting device is a miniature bulb, said housing has a central cavity for receiving said bulb, said bulb has a pair of wire leads for connection each to a different one of said contacts, said wire leads being sandwiched between said first end portions of said contacts and a portion of said housing.