EP1845543A2

EP1845543A2 - Two-pole integrated switch

Info

Publication number: EP1845543A2
Application number: EP07006221A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Franco Civettini
Original assignee: Everel SpA
Current assignee: Everel SpA
Priority date: 2006-04-12
Filing date: 2007-03-26
Publication date: 2007-10-17
Also published as: EP1845543A3; ITVR20060013U1

Abstract

An integrated two-pole switch (1), provided with a socket (2) which supports two pairs of fixed contacts (4a, 4b, 5a, 5b) and is associated with a containment body (6) for a movable connection device actuated by an actuation button (7); the perimetric portion (2a) of the socket (2) has two elongated portions (8a, 8b) which are substantially straight and mutually parallel and are associated with said two pairs of fixed contacts and are mutually connected by means of two connecting portions (9a, 9b). At least one of the two connecting portions comprises a blending portion (10) which has a substantially convex outward shape.

Description

The present invention relates to a two-pole integrated switch.
Two-pole integrated switches to be used typically in electrical household appliances are known and widely used.
Such integrated switches are normally constituted by a base or socket with which a fixed connector block is associated; in the case of two-pole switches, such block is constituted by two pairs of fixed contacts.
Such pairs of fixed contacts can be mutually connected by moving a respective moving contact which can be actuated by a control button.
Typically, applications in electrical household appliances use two-pole integrated switches which can be crossed by currents with an intensity of 16 amps.
Switches of this type have, depending on their template defined on the appliance for which they are intended and within which they are to be associated, sockets having different shapes and dimensions.
Generally, in order to be able to absorb currents of 16 amps, circular sockets with a diameter of 25 mm in which the two pairs of fixed connectors are angularly spaced along circular arcs formed at the edge of the socket, or rectangular sockets which have a length of 19 mm and a width of 13 mm are used. In this last case, the two pairs of fixed connectors face each other and are side by side along the longer sides (the 19-mm sides) of the socket.
The integrated two-pole switches described above are currently widespread and widely used.
However, in the particular field of application, the need is strongly felt to offer switches which are highly reliable and safe but at the same time also have a very small dimensions and space occupation.
The aim of the present invention is to provide a two-pole integrated switch which has a socket whose dimensions are smaller than those of currently available switches.
Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a two-pole integrated switch which is capable of bearing currents whose intensity is substantially equal to 16 amps but can be associated with extremely small-diameter circular templates.
Another object of the invention is to provide a two-pole integrated switch which has an extremely simple structure, so as to allow quick and easy assembly of its components.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a two-pole integrated switch which has a competitive production cost, so that its use is advantageous also from an economical standpoint.
This aim and these and other objects, which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by an integrated two-pole switch, which is provided with a socket which supports two pairs of fixed contacts and is associated with a containment body for a movable connection device actuated by an actuation button, characterized in that the perimetric portion of said socket has two elongated portions which are substantially straight and mutually parallel and are associated with said two pairs of fixed contacts and are mutually connected by means of two connecting portions, at least one of said two connecting portions comprising a blending portion which has a substantially convex outward shape.
Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of some preferred but not exclusive embodiments of a two-pole integrated switch, illustrated by way of nonlimiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figures 1 to 3 are perspective views of a two-pole integrated switch during the steps for insertion within a circular template;
Figures 4 and 5 are side elevation views of the two-pole integrated switch;
Figure 6 is a top elevation view of the socket associated with the two pairs of fixed contacts;
Figure 7 is a side elevation view of the socket associated with the two pairs of fixed contacts.

In the following exemplary embodiments, individual characteristics, given in relation to specific examples, may actually be interchanged with other different characteristics that exist in other exemplary embodiments.
Moreover, it is noted that anything found to be already known during the patenting process is understood not to be claimed and to be the subject of a disclaimer.
With reference to the figures, a two-pole integrated switch, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises a socket or base 2, which supports a fixed connector block 3 provided with two pairs of fixed contacts 4a, 4b and 5a, 5b.
The socket 2 is associated with a containment body 6, inside which there is a movable connection device of a per se known type, which can be actuated by an actuation button 7.
Following user actuation of the actuation button 7, a pair of moving contacts is moved which constitutes the movable connection device and is designed to open/close the electrical contact between the two pairs of fixed contacts 4a, 4b and 5a, 5b.
The socket 2 has a perimetric portion 2a, which comprises two elongated portions 8a and 8b, which are substantially straight and mutually substantially parallel.
The two elongated portions 8a and 8b are associated with the two pairs of fixed contacts 4a, 4b and 5a, 5b so that, as also shown in the figures described above, the fixed contacts of the same pair are arranged in front of each other at a respective elongated portion 8a, 8b.
Conveniently, the pairs of respective fixed contacts 4a, 5a and 4b, 5b are mutually side-by-side.
The two elongated portions 8a, 8b are mutually connected by means of two connecting portions 9a, 9b.
According to a particularly important aspect of the present invention, at least one of the two connecting portions 9a, 9b comprises a blending portion 10, which is substantially convex outwardly.
It has been found that it is particularly advantageous, as also provided in the illustrated embodiment, for at least one and preferably both connecting portions 9a, 9b to have a respective blending portion 10 which is substantially convex outwardly.
According to an example of practical embodiment, the blending portion or portions 10 comprises or comprise an intermediate portion 10a, which is substantially straight and runs along a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the main longitudinal direction of the two elongated portions 8a and 8b.
Two end portions 10b lie between the intermediate portion or portions 10a and the respective elongated portions 8a and 8b, are arranged on opposite sides with respect to the respective intermediate portion 10a, and are substantially inclined with respect to the intermediate portion 10a and the respective elongated portion 8a or 8b to which they are connected.
Advantageously, the end portions 10b comprise a curved portion which has a convex outward shape: conveniently, the center of curvature of said curved portions is located at the center of the socket 2.
There is nothing to prevent the blending portion or portions 10 from being substantially curved, with a convex outward shape.
It should be stressed that in order to provide the socket 2 of a switch 1 according to the invention it is possible to start from a known type of socket (which for example has the standard dimensions of 19 mm in length and 13 mm in width) by acting on the angular portions in order to obtain the blending portions 10 described above.
With particular reference to two-pole integrated switches which can be crossed by current having an intensity of 16 amps, it has been found that by using the shapes described above a socket 2 has been obtained which has a footprint ranging from 19 to 22 mm, preferably from 19.5 to 20.5 mm, so that it is possible to insert, as clearly shown in the sequence of Figures 1 to 3, said switch 1 in a template 11 which has a circular shape and a diameter of substantially 20 mm.
Operation of a two-pole integrated switch 1 according to the invention is evident from what has been described above.
In practice it has been found that the invention has achieved the intended aim and objects in all of its embodiments.
In particular, the two-pole integrated switch described above allows to reduce space occupation considerably.
In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements.
All the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.
The disclosures in Italian Utility Model Application No. VR2006U000013 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.
Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

An integrated two-pole switch, provided with a socket which supports two pairs of fixed contacts and is associated with a containment body for a movable connection device actuated by an actuation button, characterized in that the perimetric portion of said socket has two elongated portions which are substantially straight and substantially mutually parallel and are associated with said two pairs of fixed contacts and are mutually connected by means of two connecting portions, at least one of said two connecting portions comprising a blending portion which has a substantially convex outward shape.
The two-pole integrated switch according to claim 1, characterized in that said two connecting portions comprise a respective blending portion which has a substantially convex outward shape.
The two-pole integrated switch according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said blending portion comprises a substantially straight intermediate portion, which runs along a direction which is substantially perpendicular to said two elongated portions, and two end portions, which are arranged on opposite sides with respect to said intermediate portion and are inclined with respect to said intermediate portion and with respect to the respective elongated portion to which they are connected.
The two-pole integrated switch according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said end portions comprise a curved portion which has a convex outward shape.
The two-pole integrated switch according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said blending portion is substantially curved with a convex outward shape.
The two-pole integrated switch according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said socket has dimensions ranging from 19 to 22 mm, preferably from 19.5 to 20.5 mm.