CN110677147A - High-reliability photoelectric switch with microswitch characteristic - Google Patents

High-reliability photoelectric switch with microswitch characteristic Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CN110677147A
CN110677147A CN201910769338.6A CN201910769338A CN110677147A CN 110677147 A CN110677147 A CN 110677147A CN 201910769338 A CN201910769338 A CN 201910769338A CN 110677147 A CN110677147 A CN 110677147A
Authority
CN
China
Prior art keywords
switch
base
microswitch
phototriode
emitting diode
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
CN201910769338.6A
Other languages
Chinese (zh)
Other versions
CN110677147B (en
Inventor
郭忠祥
丁泽刚
舒国艺
蒙兴荣
潘孟福
程勇
韩建清
周翔
杨红
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
GUIZHOU ZHENHUA HUALIAN ELECTRONICS CO Ltd
Original Assignee
GUIZHOU ZHENHUA HUALIAN ELECTRONICS CO Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by GUIZHOU ZHENHUA HUALIAN ELECTRONICS CO Ltd filed Critical GUIZHOU ZHENHUA HUALIAN ELECTRONICS CO Ltd
Priority to CN201910769338.6A priority Critical patent/CN110677147B/en
Publication of CN110677147A publication Critical patent/CN110677147A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CN110677147B publication Critical patent/CN110677147B/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Images

Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H03ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03KPULSE TECHNIQUE
    • H03K17/00Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking
    • H03K17/94Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking characterised by the way in which the control signals are generated
    • H03K17/941Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking characterised by the way in which the control signals are generated using an optical detector
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H03ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03KPULSE TECHNIQUE
    • H03K17/00Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking
    • H03K17/51Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking characterised by the components used
    • H03K17/56Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking characterised by the components used by the use, as active elements, of semiconductor devices
    • H03K17/567Circuits characterised by the use of more than one type of semiconductor device, e.g. BIMOS, composite devices such as IGBT

Landscapes

  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
  • Switches Operated By Changes In Physical Conditions (AREA)

Abstract

The invention provides a high-reliability photoelectric switch with microswitch characteristics, which comprises a base, a switch cover, a positioning card, a pressure spring and a photoelectric assembly, wherein the base is provided with a groove; the working mode of the photoelectric switch is a correlation mode, the photoelectric switch has the characteristic of contactless control, the service life of the switch is greatly prolonged, the high-precision control of the switch stroke is ensured through an internal limiting structure, the output of the switch is reliable and stable, and the switch is compatible with the action characteristic and the shape of a microswitch and can be directly replaced in a control part using the microswitch; the conducting strip is directly connected with the light-emitting component, so that the problem that the reliability of the microswitch is influenced by suspension, poor contact of low-level load, fusion welding of heavy-current load contact and the like is solved, and the reliability of the switch can be greatly improved.

Description

High-reliability photoelectric switch with microswitch characteristic
Technical Field
The invention relates to a high-reliability photoelectric switch with microswitch characteristics.
Background
The high-reliability photoelectric switch with the characteristics of the microswitch is characterized in that a positioning card is pushed by a key, so that a light hole in the positioning card moves up and down in a limiting block, light rays between a transmitter and a receiver are transmitted and intercepted, and the switching action is realized. The device is mainly used for automatic control and monitoring in electronics, instruments, aviation, aerospace and mechanical electrical appliances; when the switch is installed in an instrument in operation, the switch is in an initial free state for most of time, namely, the output on the 3 feet of the switch is low level, when a key is pressed down, the key pushes a positioning card to move downwards, a light through hole on the positioning card moves to coincide with a light through hole at the receiver end of a limiting block, then a light path is conducted, namely, the switch is conducted, and the receiver outputs high level from the 3 feet of the switch; when the key is loosened, the pressure spring pushes the positioning card to move upwards, the light path is interrupted when the light through hole on the positioning card moves to be separated from the light through hole at the receiver end of the limiting block, namely the switch is closed, the receiver outputs low level from 3 pins of the switch, and the switch returns to the initial state.
The common reversing mechanism of the microswitch is of a tension spring type or a reed type, and the contact mode is contact. The reversing mechanism has low service life times, the reliability of switch conversion mainly depends on the high precision of parts, the reliability is poor, and the problems of suspension, unstable contact when a circuit is disconnected, low repetition precision, large differential stroke and the like are easily caused; meanwhile, the contact mode easily causes the problems that the switch reliability is influenced by poor contact of low-level load, welding of heavy-current load contacts and the like.
As disclosed in publication No.: the non-contact photoelectric microswitch device of CN201440649U eliminates the use of a tension spring or a reed as a reversing mechanism, uses the thrust of a magnet to reset the switch,
but the on-off structure is complex, which is not beneficial to the manufacture of product parts and the integral assembly of the product.
Disclosure of Invention
In order to solve the technical problems, the invention provides a high-reliability photoelectric switch with microswitch characteristics.
The invention is realized by the following technical scheme.
The invention provides a high-reliability photoelectric switch with microswitch characteristics, which comprises a base, a switch cover, a positioning card, a pressure spring and a photoelectric assembly, wherein the base is provided with a groove;
the base is a supporting part, fixedly installs the photoelectric assembly and is provided with a conductive element to lead out a signal of the photoelectric assembly;
the switch cover is arranged on the base to seal the elements in the base in the space between the base and the switch cover;
the positioning card is an on-off device of a photoelectric component in the photoelectric component and slides in a limiting groove arranged in the base;
the pressure spring is installed in the base and provides reset power for the positioning card.
The photoelectric assembly comprises an infrared light emitting diode and a phototriode which are oppositely arranged, the infrared light emitting diode and the phototriode are respectively arranged on two PCB boards, a current limiting resistor is further arranged on the PCB board connected with the infrared light emitting diode, and a pull-down resistor is further arranged on the PCB board connected with the phototriode.
The conductive element comprises a short conductive piece and a long conductive piece, the short conductive piece and the long conductive piece are respectively provided with two groups corresponding to the infrared light-emitting diode and the phototriode, the short conductive piece is connected with the negative pole of the infrared light-emitting diode or the output end of the phototriode through a jumper wire, and the long conductive piece is connected with the positive pole of the infrared light-emitting diode or the input end of the phototriode through the jumper wire.
The utility model discloses a solar photovoltaic module base, including base, base middle part processing has the cylinder groove of installation pressure spring, cylinder groove upper portion processing has the square groove, square groove upper end both sides rigid coupling respectively has a stopper, the opposite face of two stoppers and the inner wall in square groove are on the coplanar, install the conducting strip on cylinder groove upper end, the inner circle rigid coupling of conducting strip is on the outer wall of two stoppers, the both ends that the outer lane is relative of conducting strip are connected with infrared emitting diode and phototriode's negative pole respectively, the looks position still processes the light trap of centre of a circle on same straight line respectively on two stoppers, two light traps correspond with infrared emitting diode's transmitting terminal and phototriode's receiving terminal respectively.
The locator card is square board, and the locator card is installed between two stoppers, and processing has the through-hole on the locator card, and when the bottom of locator card contacted with the square groove bottom portion of installing pressure spring cylinder groove upper end, the through-hole position on the locator card was between the light trap on two stoppers.
The cross-section of the switch cover is U-shaped, an opening of the switch cover is installed on the edge of the base, a step hole is machined in the middle of the switch cover, a key is installed in the step hole, a limiting table is machined in the position, perpendicular to the inside of the switch cover, of the maximum diameter of the step hole, the inner side of the limiting table is in contact with the key, and the outer side of the limiting table is in contact with the two PCB boards.
The inner end of the key is provided with a direction groove, and one end of the positioning card is arranged in the direction groove.
The infrared light emitting diode and the phototriode are fixed on the base through epoxy resin.
The light hole diameter that corresponds with infrared emitting diode on the stopper is not more than 9mm, the light hole diameter that corresponds with the phototriode on the stopper is not more than 5 mm.
The invention has the beneficial effects that: the working mode of the photoelectric switch is a correlation type, the photoelectric switch has the characteristic of contactless control, the service life of the switch is greatly prolonged, the high-precision control of the switch stroke is ensured through an internal limiting structure, the output of the switch is reliable and stable, and meanwhile, the switch is compatible with the action characteristic and the appearance of the microswitch and can be directly replaced in a control part using the microswitch; the conducting strip is directly connected with the light-emitting component, so that the problem that the reliability of the microswitch is influenced by suspension, poor contact of low-level load, fusion welding of heavy-current load contact and the like is solved, and the reliability of the switch can be greatly improved.
Drawings
FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the switching circuit of the present invention;
in the figure: 1-base, 2-short conductive piece, 3-long conductive piece, 4-switch cover, 5-locator card, 6-stopper, 7-infrared light emitting diode, 8-phototriode, 9-pull-down resistor, 10-current limiting resistor, 11-PCB board, 12-button, 13-pressure spring, 14-jumper, 15-conductive piece, 16-emitter positive pole, 17-common ground terminal, 18-receiver positive pole, 19-receiver output terminal.
Detailed Description
The technical solution of the present invention is further described below, but the scope of the claimed invention is not limited to the described.
A high-reliability photoelectric switch with microswitch characteristics comprises a base 1, a switch cover 4, a positioning card 5, a pressure spring 13 and a photoelectric component;
the base 1 is a supporting part, fixedly installs the photoelectric assembly and is provided with a conductive element to lead out a signal of the photoelectric assembly;
the switch cover 4 is arranged on the base 1 to seal the elements in the base 1 in the space between the base 1 and the switch cover 4;
the positioning card 5 is an on-off device of a photoelectric component in the photoelectric component and slides in a limiting groove arranged in the base 1;
the pressure spring 13 is arranged in the base 1 and provides reset power for the positioning card 5.
The photoelectric component comprises an infrared light emitting diode 7 and a phototriode 8 which are installed relatively, the infrared light emitting diode 7 and the phototriode 8 are installed on two PCB boards 11 respectively, a current limiting resistor 10 is further installed on the PCB board 11 connected with the infrared light emitting diode 7, and a pull-down resistor 9 is further installed on the PCB board 11 connected with the phototriode 8.
The conductive element comprises a short conductive piece 2 and a long conductive piece 3, the short conductive piece 2 and the long conductive piece 3 are respectively provided with two groups corresponding to the infrared light-emitting diode 7 and the phototriode 8, the short conductive piece 2 is connected with the negative electrode of the infrared light-emitting diode 7 or the output end of the phototriode 8 through a jumper 14, and the long conductive piece 3 is connected with the positive electrode of the infrared light-emitting diode 7 or the input end of the phototriode 8 through the jumper 14.
The processing of 1 middle part of base has the cylinder groove of installation pressure spring 13, cylinder groove upper portion processing has the square groove, square groove upper end both sides rigid coupling respectively has a stopper 6, the opposite face of two stoppers 6 and the inner wall in square groove are on the coplanar, install conducting strip 15 on the cylinder groove upper end, the inner circle rigid coupling of conducting strip 15 is on the outer wall of two stoppers 6, the both ends that the outer lane is relative of conducting strip 15 are connected with infrared emitting diode 7 and phototriode 8's negative pole respectively, the looks position still processes the light trap of centre of a circle on same straight line respectively on two stoppers 6, two light traps correspond with infrared emitting diode 7's transmitting terminal and phototriode 8's receiving terminal respectively.
The utility model discloses a pressure spring 13 cylindrical groove, including locator card 5, pressure spring 13 cylindrical groove, locator card 5 is square board, and locator card 5 installs between two stopper 6, and processing has the through-hole on locator card 5, and when locator card 5's bottom and the square groove bottom contact of installing pressure spring 13 cylindrical groove upper end, the through-hole position on locator card 5 is between the light trap on two stopper 6.
The cross-section of the switch cover 4 is U-shaped, the opening of the switch cover 4 is installed on the edge of the base 1, a step hole is processed in the middle of the switch cover 4, a key 12 is installed in the step hole, a limiting table is processed along the maximum diameter of the step hole and perpendicular to the inside of the switch cover 4, the inner side of the limiting table is in contact with the key 12, and the outer side of the limiting table is in contact with the two PCB boards 11.
The inner end of the key 12 is provided with a direction groove, and one end of the positioning card 5 is arranged in the direction groove.
The infrared light emitting diode 7 and the phototriode 8 are fixed on the base 1 through epoxy resin.
The light hole diameter that corresponds with infrared emitting diode 7 on the stopper 6 is not more than 9mm, the light hole diameter that corresponds with phototriode 8 on the stopper 6 is not more than 5 mm.
A high-reliability photoelectric switch with microswitch characteristics structurally comprises a switch cover 4, a base 1, an infrared light emitting diode 7, a phototriode 8, a current limiting resistor 10, a pull-down resistor 9, a PCB 11, a limiting block 6, a positioning card 5, a key 12, a pressure spring 13, a jumper wire 14, a conducting strip 15, a short conducting piece 2 and a long conducting piece 3.
Pack into pressure spring 13 in base subassembly's base 1, adorn conducting strip 15 in pressure spring 13 upper end and hug closely base subassembly's base 1 again, the both ends of conducting strip 15 weld respectively at the negative pole end of base subassembly's illuminator and receiver simultaneously, draw forth through No. 2 feet of switch, stopper 6 is connected conducting strip 15 and is sticis it on base subassembly's base 1, 5 lower extremes of locator card pass the spacing hole of stopper 6 and press on pressure spring 13, 5 upper ends of locator card connect button 12 lower extremes, button 12 top passes the spacing hole on switch cover 4 top, and hug closely on the spacing bench of the inner wall of switch cover 4, switch cover 4 lower extreme connection base subassembly's base 1.
The base assembly is composed of a base 1, a transmitter, a receiver, a jumper 14, a short conductive member 2, and a long conductive member 3. Wherein the positive terminal of transmitter welds to long electrically conductive piece 3 through jumper wire 14 and installs into No. 1 hole of base 1, the negative terminal of transmitter welds to short electrically conductive piece 2 through jumper wire 14 and installs into No. 2 hole of base 1, the positive terminal of receiver welds to long electrically conductive piece 3 through jumper wire 14 and installs into No. 4 holes of base 1, the receiver output end welds to short electrically conductive piece 2 through jumper wire 14 and installs into No. 3 holes of base 1, the negative bridge terminal of receiver will be in the back through conducting strip 15 to the negative terminal of transmitter. All long conductive pieces 3 and short conductive pieces 2 loaded on the base 1 need to be riveted through a special fixture and then are fastened by epoxy resin glue, and a transmitter and a receiver mounted at the upper end of the base 1 are clamped through a special precise fastening fixture and fixed by epoxy resin glue, so that the high-precision requirement of the size is ensured.
As shown in fig. 2, the emitter is soldered on a corresponding pad on the PCB board 11 by the infrared light emitting diode 7 as the front surface of the emitter; the current limiting resistor 10 is soldered to a corresponding pad of the PCB board 11 to form a transmitter.
The receiver is welded on a corresponding pad on the PCB 11 by the photosensitive triode 8 and serves as the front face of the receiver, and the pull-down resistor 9 is welded on the corresponding pad of the PCB 11 and combined into the receiver.

Claims (9)

1. The utility model provides a high reliable photoelectric switch with micro-gap switch characteristic, includes base (1), switch cover (4), locator card (5), pressure spring (13), photoelectric component, its characterized in that:
the base (1) is a supporting part, fixedly installs the photoelectric assembly and is provided with a conductive element to lead out a signal of the photoelectric assembly;
the switch cover (4) is arranged on the base (1) to seal elements in the base (1) in a space between the base (1) and the switch cover (4);
the positioning card (5) is an on-off device of a photoelectric assembly in the photoelectric assembly and slides in a limiting groove arranged in the base (1);
the pressure spring (13) is arranged in the base (1) and provides reset power for the positioning card (5).
2. A highly reliable electro-optical switch with microswitch characteristics as in claim 1 wherein: photoelectric component is including installing infrared emitting diode (7) and phototriode (8) relatively, installs respectively on two PCB boards (11) infrared emitting diode (7) and phototriode (8), still install current limiting resistor (10) on PCB board (11) of being connected with infrared emitting diode (7), still install pull-down resistance (9) on PCB board (11) of being connected with phototriode (8).
3. A highly reliable electro-optical switch with microswitch characteristics as in claim 1 wherein: the conductive element comprises a short conductive piece (2) and a long conductive piece (3), the short conductive piece (2) and the long conductive piece (3) are respectively provided with two groups corresponding to the infrared light-emitting diode (7) and the phototriode (8), the short conductive piece (2) is connected with the negative pole of the infrared light-emitting diode (7) or the output end of the phototriode (8) through a jumper (14), and the long conductive piece (3) is connected with the positive pole of the infrared light-emitting diode (7) or the input end of the phototriode (8) through the jumper (14).
4. A highly reliable electro-optical switch with microswitch characteristics as in claim 1 wherein: the utility model discloses a solar photovoltaic module, including base (1), base (1) middle part processing has the cylinder groove of installation pressure spring (13), cylinder groove upper portion processing has the square groove, square groove upper end both sides rigid coupling respectively have a stopper (6), the opposite face of two stoppers (6) is on the coplanar with the inner wall in square groove, install conducting strip (15) in cylinder groove upper end, the inner circle rigid coupling of conducting strip (15) is on the outer wall of two stoppers (6), the both ends that the outer lane is relative of conducting strip (15) are connected with infrared emitting diode (7) and phototriode (8) negative pole respectively, the same position still processes the light trap of centre of a circle on same straight line respectively on two stoppers (6), two light traps correspond with the transmitting terminal of infrared emitting diode (7) and the receiving terminal of phototriode (8) respectively.
5. A highly reliable electro-optical switch with microswitch characteristics as in claim 1 wherein: locator card (5) are square board, and locator card (5) are installed between two stopper (6), and processing has the through-hole on locator card (5), and when the bottom of locator card (5) contacted with the square groove bottom of installing pressure spring (13) cylinder groove upper end, the through-hole position on locator card (5) was between the light trap on two stopper (6).
6. A highly reliable electro-optical switch with microswitch characteristics as in claim 1 wherein: the cross-section of the switch cover (4) is U-shaped, the opening of the switch cover (4) is installed on the edge of the base (1), a step hole is formed in the middle of the switch cover (4), the key (12) is installed in the step hole, a limiting table is machined in the position, perpendicular to the inner portion of the switch cover (4), of the maximum diameter of the step hole, the inner side of the limiting table is in contact with the key (12), and the outer side of the limiting table is in contact with the two PCB boards (11).
7. The high reliability opto-electronic switch with microswitch feature of claim 6 wherein: the inner end of the key (12) is provided with a direction groove, and one end of the positioning card (5) is arranged in the direction groove.
8. A highly reliable electro-optical switch with microswitch characteristics as in claim 3 wherein: the infrared light-emitting diode (7) and the phototriode (8) are fixed on the base (1) through epoxy resin.
9. The high reliability opto-electronic switch with microswitch feature of claim 6 wherein: the light hole diameter that corresponds with infrared emitting diode (7) on stopper (6) is not more than 9mm, the light hole diameter that corresponds with phototriode (8) on stopper (6) is not more than 5 mm.
CN201910769338.6A 2019-08-20 2019-08-20 High-reliability photoelectric switch with micro-switch characteristic Active CN110677147B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN201910769338.6A CN110677147B (en) 2019-08-20 2019-08-20 High-reliability photoelectric switch with micro-switch characteristic

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN201910769338.6A CN110677147B (en) 2019-08-20 2019-08-20 High-reliability photoelectric switch with micro-switch characteristic

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CN110677147A true CN110677147A (en) 2020-01-10
CN110677147B CN110677147B (en) 2023-12-05

Family

ID=69076338

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CN201910769338.6A Active CN110677147B (en) 2019-08-20 2019-08-20 High-reliability photoelectric switch with micro-switch characteristic

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CN (1) CN110677147B (en)

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20130112535A1 (en) * 2011-11-03 2013-05-09 Ching-Hsiung Chu Electrically conductive structure of micro switch
CN203014768U (en) * 2013-01-24 2013-06-19 衢州昀睿工业设计有限公司 Non-contact button switch for controlling work in positive direction and negative direction
CN203261307U (en) * 2013-03-30 2013-10-30 钱江 Electronic microswitch
CN105374599A (en) * 2015-08-31 2016-03-02 东莞市长资实业有限公司 Leveraged input device micro switch key
CN206135869U (en) * 2016-09-26 2017-04-26 杨洪 Photoelectric conversion switch module
CN107180719A (en) * 2017-07-11 2017-09-19 东莞市高特电子有限公司 One kind heavy board-like ultra-thin photoelectric mechanical keyboard switch and keyboard

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20130112535A1 (en) * 2011-11-03 2013-05-09 Ching-Hsiung Chu Electrically conductive structure of micro switch
CN203014768U (en) * 2013-01-24 2013-06-19 衢州昀睿工业设计有限公司 Non-contact button switch for controlling work in positive direction and negative direction
CN203261307U (en) * 2013-03-30 2013-10-30 钱江 Electronic microswitch
CN105374599A (en) * 2015-08-31 2016-03-02 东莞市长资实业有限公司 Leveraged input device micro switch key
CN206135869U (en) * 2016-09-26 2017-04-26 杨洪 Photoelectric conversion switch module
CN107180719A (en) * 2017-07-11 2017-09-19 东莞市高特电子有限公司 One kind heavy board-like ultra-thin photoelectric mechanical keyboard switch and keyboard

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN110677147B (en) 2023-12-05

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
CN214152766U (en) Balance frame triggering type conduction sounding mechanism applied to keyboard switch
CN214175671U (en) Balance frame triggering single-arm type conduction sounding mechanism applied to keyboard switch
US5585992A (en) Leakage protector
US20030114203A1 (en) Battery connector for mobile phone
US10079444B2 (en) Electrical connector having conductive balls
CN105070560A (en) Light-sensing mechanical keyboard
CN102135822B (en) Photoelectric detection multi-directional trigger electronic pen
KR20090127909A (en) Connector unit for a pressure sensor
CN110677147A (en) High-reliability photoelectric switch with microswitch characteristic
CN219085860U (en) Balance frame triggering type photoelectric conduction mechanism applied to key switch
US5743382A (en) Switch having a displaying function
CN211062619U (en) Novel simple key indication type switch
CN210464676U (en) Novel packaged pyroelectric infrared sensor
CN211265751U (en) Switching stretching terminal for introducing large current of conductive lead into PCB
CN114844025A (en) Onboard surge protector
CN210802747U (en) Connector contact pin ejection force testing tool
CN219778754U (en) Combined double-conduction micro-switch
CN210745103U (en) Magnetic induction button switch
CN110763386A (en) Connector contact pin ejection force testing tool
CN221240351U (en) Separated photoelectric switch
CN217361437U (en) Toggle switch with reliable connection
CN218730460U (en) Satellite-borne trigger switch
CN214336603U (en) Touch switch with illumination function
CN218348621U (en) Detachable and highly reliable contact indicator lamp
CN201965557U (en) Multi-direction triggered electronic pen for photoelectric detection

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PB01 Publication
PB01 Publication
SE01 Entry into force of request for substantive examination
SE01 Entry into force of request for substantive examination
GR01 Patent grant
GR01 Patent grant