Abstract: A plunger 20 which moves in and out relative to an illuminated panel 10 to operate a switch 18 is assembled from the front of the panel by pushing a shaft 24 with radial extensions 28 through a socket. The extensions yield to allow the shaft to pass through the socket and spring out once the shaft has passed through. A compressible gasket 32 is positioned between a shoulder 34 on the knob and the front face of the panel 10, to prevent light leaking from behind the panel, and to provide a restoring force to return the plunger to its start position after operation.

Abstract: In order to space apart the terminal pins 12 of an electrical component 10 before the component is mounted on a printed circuit board 16, the component is placed in a guide body 18 which has pin guide sockets 32 with funnel-like mouths through which the pins pass to be guided through apertures 36 which are offset to different sides of an imaginary median line of the sockets.

Abstract: A light guide apparatus for use on a motor vehicle instrument panel is disclosed. In order to bring as much light as possible into a dial pointer 20, the panel has a translucent plate 22, the front face of which forms the dial face. Light is introduced into the translucent plate through a plurality of light pipes 44, and is then directed into a catchment area 30 for pointer illumination by converging facets 35,38 formed in the plate. The facets are arranged with a wide opening which receives light traveling in the plate and with a tapering or converging area in which the light incident in the wide opening is continuously reflected into the pointer illumination catchment area.