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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an actuator of a pushbutton tuner, and more
particularly to a band switching mechanism which operatively connects a
pushbutton slide with a selected one of a pair of tuning slides which are
disposed on the opposite sides of the pushbutton slide.
A pushbutton tuner is known in which a pushbutton slide is adapted to be
selectively connected with either one of a pair of tuning slides. In a
tuner of this type, one of the pair of tuning slides is designed for the
AM broadcasting band while the other is designed for the FM band. The
selection is made by the operation of an interconnecting member. In the
conventional actuator, the interconnecting member is pivotally mounted on
the pushbutton slide and is adapted to tilt either lateral side for
engagement with either one of the tuning slides as shift means is manually
operated. Each tuning slide is formed with a slot or notch which receives
part of the interconnecting member.
An interconnecting member which comprises a toggle lever having a pair of
wing portions and a stem is known. When this interconnecting member is
operated, either one of the pair of wing portions is received in the slot
of a selected tuning slide. With the interconnecting member of this type,
the stem is pivotally mounted on a pin which is provided on the pushbutton
slide. However, the stem is liable to deformation because of the load
imposed in the direction of the thickness of the stem. Such deformation of
the stem is undesirable since it tends to upset the preset alignment
between the pair of wing portions and the slots of the pair of tuning
slides.
On the other hand, there is known another type of interconnecting member
having a pair of arms extending from a body portion in which an opening is
formed for pivotally connecting with a sleeve-shaped portion on the
pushbutton slide. Except for the fulcrum, this interconnecting member
operates generally in the similar manner as the previous one, but the
opening and the sleeve-shaped portion must be manufactured and assembled
with a very close tolerance in order to achieve a smooth cooperation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide an actuator of a
pushbutton tuner which is simple in structure, using parts which can be
easily manufactured and assembled.
It is another object of the invention to provide an actuator of a
pushbutton tuner in which interconnecting means which operatively connects
a pushbutton slide with a selected one of a pair of tuning slides
maintains a proper alignment over a prolonged period of time.
In the actuator according to the invention, interconnecting means comprises
a pair of interconnecting members which are carried by a pair of tuning
slides, respectively. Each interconnecting member is provided with means
for selectively engaging with the pushbutton slide, and means for engaging
with shift means. In response to an operation of the shift means, one of
the interconnecting members engages with the pushbutton slide while the
other is disengaged therefrom.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the pair of
interconnecting members each comprises a body portion formed of a
resilient material of a flexible material which is permanently secured at
its one end to the respective tuning slides. The body portion remains
substantially stationary except for its elastic deformation or elastic
recovery.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will
become apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment
thereof shown in the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view, partly cut away, of the pushbutton tuner constructed
in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross section taken along the line 2--2 shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a similar cross section of interconnecting means which is
slightly modified from that shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of another embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the interconnecting member shown in FIG. 4.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the description to follow, it should be understood that a tuning
mechanism 1 with which the actuator according to the invention is to be
used is not shown in detail for the clarity and brevity of description,
and may be of any conventional design.
As in a conventional double band pushbutton tuner, the actuator in either
embodiment of the invention comprises a plurality of pushbutton slides 4
which extend through a front wall of a framework 2 in generally parallel
arrangement. Each pushbutton slide 4 is provided with a pushbutton 6 at
the end 5 of its forward extension, and is slidably mounted in a
stationary guide channel formed in the framework 2 so as to slide from a
forward inoperative position to a rearward operative position as the
pushbutton 6 is operated. The terms "forward" and "rearward" as used
herein are intended to mean a lower portion and an upper portion of the
pushbutton slide, respectively, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 4. A pair of
tuning slides 7, 8 are disposed on the opposite sides of each pushbutton
slide 4, and is provided with tuning cams 9 and associated positioning
means 10 as is well known in the art. Each of the tuning slides 7, 8 are
slidably mounted in stationary guide channels formed in the framework 2 so
as to slide between their forward inoperative position and rearward
operative position. While the forward end 11, 12 of the pair of tuning
slides 7, 8 is shown as disposed at an equal distance from the end of the
pushbutton slide 4, this does not represent an essential limitation.
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, there is provided a pair of
interconnecting members generally shown by reference numerals 13, 14 which
operatively connect the pushbutton slide 4 with either one of the pair of
tuning slides 7, 8 selectively. Each of the interconnecting members 13, 14
comprises at plate-shaped body portion 17 having a laterally extending pin
15, adjacent to its one end, and an upwardly extended pin 16. At their
other end, the body portions 17 are permanently secured to the side of th
extensions 11, 12 of the pair of tuning slides 7, 8 in a manner such that
the laterally extending pins 15 extend toward each other. When the
extensions 11, 12 are at an equal distance from the end 5 of the
pushbutton slide 4, the pair of interconnecting members 13, 14 may be
formed in the identical configuration and size. A notch 18 is formed in
the end 5 of the pushbutton slide 4, and assumes a position which is
aligned with the laterally extending pins 15 of the interconnecting
members 13, 14 of the respective tuning slides 7, 8 when the pushbuttons
slide 4 and the pair of tuning slides 7, 8 are in their forward
inoperative positions. It is to be noted that the notch 18 may be replaced
by a slot.
In the present embodiment, the body portion 17 of the respective
interconnecting members 13, 14 is formed of a resilient material or a
flexible material. Normally, the body portion 17 is located so as to
disengage the pin 15 from the notch 18, but permits an engagement
therebetween when it is urged to assume a curved position. However, under
certain instances, the body portion 17 may be formed so as to resiliently
urge the laterally extending pins 15 toward the notch 18 normally.
Alternatively, the body portion may comprise a snap action member adapted
for critical movement between one operational position in which one of the
laterally extending pins 15 engages with the notch 18 and the other
operational position in which they are disengaged from each other.
All the interconnecting members 13, 14 on the pairs of tuning slides 7, 8
are concurrently displaced from one operational position to the other by a
shift plate 20 which is mounted on the support plate 19 of the framework 2
for lateral movement. The shift plate 20 is formed with a plurality of
elongate slots 21, each pair of which is associated with each pair of
tuning slides 7, 8 and their associated interconnecting members 13, 14.
The upright pins 16 at the free end of the respective interconnecting
members 13, 14 is constrained in the slot 21 in any position of the tuning
slides 7, 8 which carry these interconnecting members. While not shown,
the support plate 19 and the shift plate 20 are connected together in a
known manner so that the shift plate can be moved laterally in response to
a manual operation of a switching lever.
When the shift plate 20 has moved to the right, all the interconnecting
members 13, 14 are displaced to the right. The interconnecting member 13
operatively connects the tuning slide 7 with the pushbutton slide 4, while
the interconnecting member 14 disengages the tuning slide 8 from the
pushbutton slide 4. As the pushbutton slide 4 moves from its forward
inoperative position to its rearward operative position, the
interconnecting member 13 causes the tuning slide 7 to move simultaneously
with the pushbutton slide 4. Specifically, the upright pin 16 of the
interconnecting member 13 moves along the slot 21 in the shift plate 20,
maintaining the operative connection therebetween. When the shift plate 20
has moved to the left, all the interconnecting members 13, 14 are
displaced to the left, and now the interconnecting member 14 assumes an
operative position, instead of the other interconnecting member 13. As the
pushbutton slide 4 is depressed or moved inwardly under the condition that
the pushbutton slide 4 is operatively connected with a selected tuning
slide 7 or 8, a load is impressed on both the pin 15 and the body portion
17 in a direction crosswise of the body portion 17, thus substantially
avoiding a deformation thereof and assuring a movement of the pushbutton
slide 4 and the selected tuning slide 7 or 8 as a unit.
FIG. 3 shows a modified form of interconnecting members 13, 14 which is
similar to the previous embodiment except that the laterally extending
pins 15 have an extension 15a which extends away from the end at which
they engage the pushbutton slide, the extensions 15a normally engaging a
pair of notches 22, 23 formed in the end of the tuning slides 7, 8 which
carry these interconnecting members 13, 14. With this arrangement, in the
operative position of the interconnecting member 13 or 14, the laterally
extending pin 15 thereof provides a connection between the pushbutton
slide 4 and a selected tuning slide, thereby reducing the load impressed
on the body portion 17.
FIGS. 4 and 5 show a further embodiment which is similar to the one shown
in FIGS. 1 and 2 except for the interconnecting members. In these Figures,
parts corresponding to those described previously are designated by like
numerals. A pair of interconnecting members generally shown at 24 and 25
each comprises a body portion 27 of a rigid material having a laterally
extending arm 31 at is one end which carries a pin 26 extending upwardly
from the plane of the body portion 27. At the other end, the body portions
27 are pivotally mounted on studs 28 which are secured to the side of
extensions 11, 12 of the pair of tuning slides 7, 8, in a manner so that
their arms 31 are disposed in opposing relationship. The body portion 27
is formed with an aperture 29 which engages the stud 28 and which has a
sufficient diameter so as to permit an angular movement of the
interconnecting members 24, 25 in respective planes which include the axis
of the stud. The interconnecting members 24, 25 moves angularly between an
operative position in which their arm 31 engages the notch 18 formed in
the pushbutton slide 4 and an inoperative position which is spaced from
the operative position. As in the previous embodiments, the upright pin 26
of each interconnecting member 24, 25 is received in the slot 21 of the
shift plate 20, but in the present embodiment, the free end of the upright
pin 26 extends above the shift plate 20 and has a washer 30 mounted
thereon which assures proper orientation of the interconnecting members
24, 25 by preventing their movement about the stud 28. As the shift plate
20 is moved, all the interconnecting members 24, 25 are displaced, one of
the members moving from its inoperative to its operative position while
the other moving from its operative to its inoperative position as in the
previous embodiments. However, in the present embodiment, it will be noted
that the load impressed on the arm 31 and body portion 27 of the
interconnecting members 24, 25 and the stud 28 is along the length of the
body portion 27, which can therefore satisfactorily withstand such load.
Since the studs 28 can be provided on the side of the tuning slides 7, 8,
it is a simple matter to achieve a satisfactory load bearing strength of
the stud.
While the invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments, it
should be understood that they are merely illustrative and not limitative
of the invention and that various changes and modifications can be made
therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
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