GB1572169A

GB1572169A - Electrical switch

Info

Publication number: GB1572169A
Application number: GB1424876A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Rover Co Ltd
Current assignee: Rover Co Ltd
Priority date: 1977-04-27
Filing date: 1977-04-27
Publication date: 1980-07-23

Description

(54) ELECTRICAL SWITCH (71) We, BRITISH LEYLAND U.K.

LIMITED, a British Company of Leyland House, 174 Marylebone Road, London, NWl 5AA, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to an electrical switch.

In particular it is concerned with switches for use in circuits incorporating printed circuit boards.

According to the present invention there is provided an electrical switch, for demountable connection to a printed circuit board having conducting regions at the periphery of the board, characterised by: (1) a housing; (2) an aperture in the housing; (3) resiliently loaded contacts disposed within the aperture for contacting peripheral conducting regions of a printed circuit board; (4) switch contacts within the housing; (5) switch member for coupling and/or isolating the switch contacts; and (6) the resiliently loaded contacts forming an integral extension of the switch contacts.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a panel switch and a part of a printed circuit board for a motor vehicle dash-board; Figure 2 is a vertical centre section of the switch of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section on III--III of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a section on IV-IV of Figure 2; Figures SA, B are diagrams of connections for the switch of Figure 1-4; and Figures 6A, B and 7A, B show connection of alternative embodiments of the switch for other services.

Taking first Figures 1 to 5.

Printed circuit board 10 has deposited on both sides a sequence of conductors. On the upper side are conductors 11-14 and on the lower side are conductors 15-18.

Switch 19 has a housing 20 and aperture 21 by means of which the switch 19 is de mountablyz coupled to circuit board 10.

Notch 22 in the board engages a blade in aperture 21 to provide for lateral location of the switch; notches 23 in the housing 20 engage the edge of the board to provide for vertical location of the switch. The housing is provided with a resilient tongue 24 which serves to act on one side of an aperture in the dash-board so as to retain flange 25 of the switch against the other side of the dash-board. The housing has an illuminatable translucent panel 26 bearing a symbol corresponding to the switch service.

Housing 20 has lever 27 pivotably mounted in it by shaft 27A. With the switch in the closed position C (Figure 2) translucent panel 26 is illuminated by pilot light 28.

Within the housing end 29 of lever 27 comprises a sequence of four spring loaded plungers 30 which, in this case, slidably contact three electrically conducting rocker members 31A, B, C. Each rocker has projecting contact tips 32. The use of four sprung loaded plungers means that up to four separate rocker members can be operated by means of the lever 27.

Switch contacts 34 to 41 are disposed within the housing. Only contact 36 is described in detail the remaining contacts being identical. One end of contact 36 is curled to provide a resiliently loaded shoe 36A for conductor 13 on the circuit board 10 when the switch has been plugged onto the board. The opposite end of contact 36 is provided with a contact button 47 which provides a contact point for tip -32 of rocker 31B.

Switch 19 serves as a hazard warning switch whereby all turn flashers on the vehicle are caused to flash simultaneously.

Figures SA and B show, respectively, the connections made by positioning lever 27 in its open (0) and closed (C) position. The contacts are numbered to correspond with those of the switch contacts 34 to 41.

Switch contacts 34 to 41 engage, respectively, conductors 11-18 on the circuit board 10. The conductors 11-18 are, in this instance, connected as follows to items within the vehicle: CONDUCTOR ITEM 11 side lamp feed 12 primary flasher unit 13 feed 14 earth 15 lefthand flasher bulbs 16 righthand flasher bulbs 17 feed 18 secondary flasher unit On moving switch 19 to the "on" position (shown in Figure SB) it will be seen that the rockers operate to connect switch contacts 34, 35, 38, 39 and contacts 36 and 41. As a consequence sidelamp feed 11 is connected to the right and lefthand flashers and the primary flasher unit. In addition feed 13 is connected to secondary flasher unit 18. Pilot light 28 is switched on to illuminate translucent panel 26 to inidicate operation of the flashers.

The remaining Figures 6 and 7 show some of the many possible alternative arrangements for a switch of the type described in connection with Figures 1 to 5.

Figures 6A, B show, respectively, the open and closed positions of a heated rear windscreen switch. By contrast with the switch of Figures 1 to 5 an appropriate symbol will be shown on the illuminable translucent panel on the front of the switch and the circuit board conductors 11 to 18 on the circuit board 10 are connected as follows to items within the vehicle: 11 side lamp feed 12 heated rear window 14 earth 15 feed The remaining conductors are left unused.

On closing the switch the heated rear window is connected to feed 15. In addition pilot light 28 illuminates the translucent panel bearing the heated rear window symbol.

Figures 7A, B show, respectively, the open and closed positions of a headlamp wipe/ wash operating switch.

Circuit board conductors 11 to 18 in this case are connected as follows to items within the vehicle: 11 side lamp feed 12 light feed 13 washer pump 14 earth

161 17J wiper motor The remaining conductors are left unused.

On closing the switch (Figure 7B) the wiper motor is energised, together with the washer pump and the pilot light 28.

The switch 19 can have blade and notches 23 which uniquely relate the switch to the circuit board so that a given switch can only be engaged with a given circuit board conductor configuration.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. An electrical switch, for demountable connection to a printed circuit board having conducting regions at the periphery of the board, characterised by: (1) a housing; (2) an aperture in the housing; (3) resiliently loaded contacts disposed within the aperture for contacting peripheral conducting regions of a printed circuit board; (4) switch contacts within the housing; (5) switch member for coupling and/or isolating the switch contacts; and (6) the resiliently loaded contacts forming an integral extension of the switch contacts.

2. An electrical switch as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the switch member is pivotably mounted within the housing and has a part extending outside the housing for manual operation.

3. An electrical switch as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the housing incorporates a translucent panel and illuminating means for the panel.

4. An electrical switch as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the switch member is movable between first and second positions such that when in the first position the switch member causes a first group of switch contacts to be connected and when in the second position the switch member causes a second group of switch contacts to be connected.

5. An electric switch as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification.

6. A motor vehicle having an electrical circuit incorporating an electric switch as claimed in any preceding claim.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

switch whereby all turn flashers on the vehicle are caused to flash simultaneously.

Figures SA and B show, respectively, the connections made by positioning lever 27 in its open (0) and closed (C) position. The contacts are numbered to correspond with those of the switch contacts 34 to 41.

Switch contacts 34 to 41 engage, respectively, conductors 11-18 on the circuit board 10. The conductors 11-18 are, in this instance, connected as follows to items within the vehicle: CONDUCTOR ITEM

11 side lamp feed

12 primary flasher unit

13 feed

14 earth

15 lefthand flasher bulbs

16 righthand flasher bulbs

17 feed

18 secondary flasher unit On moving switch 19 to the "on" position (shown in Figure SB) it will be seen that the rockers operate to connect switch contacts 34, 35, 38, 39 and contacts 36 and 41. As a consequence sidelamp feed 11 is connected to the right and lefthand flashers and the primary flasher unit. In addition feed 13 is connected to secondary flasher unit 18. Pilot light 28 is switched on to illuminate translucent panel 26 to inidicate operation of the flashers.

The remaining Figures 6 and 7 show some of the many possible alternative arrangements for a switch of the type described in connection with Figures 1 to 5.

Figures 6A, B show, respectively, the open and closed positions of a heated rear windscreen switch. By contrast with the switch of Figures 1 to 5 an appropriate symbol will be shown on the illuminable translucent panel on the front of the switch and the circuit board conductors 11 to 18 on the circuit board 10 are connected as follows to items within the vehicle:

11 side lamp feed

12 heated rear window

14 earth

15 feed The remaining conductors are left unused.

On closing the switch the heated rear window is connected to feed 15. In addition pilot light 28 illuminates the translucent panel bearing the heated rear window symbol.

Figures 7A, B show, respectively, the open and closed positions of a headlamp wipe/ wash operating switch.

Circuit board conductors 11 to 18 in this case are connected as follows to items within the vehicle: 11 side lamp feed 12 light feed 13 washer pump 14 earth

161 17J wiper motor The remaining conductors are left unused.

On closing the switch (Figure 7B) the wiper motor is energised, together with the washer pump and the pilot light 28.

The switch 19 can have blade and notches 23 which uniquely relate the switch to the circuit board so that a given switch can only be engaged with a given circuit board conductor configuration.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. An electrical switch, for demountable connection to a printed circuit board having conducting regions at the periphery of the board, characterised by: (1) a housing; (2) an aperture in the housing; (3) resiliently loaded contacts disposed within the aperture for contacting peripheral conducting regions of a printed circuit board; (4) switch contacts within the housing; (5) switch member for coupling and/or isolating the switch contacts; and (6) the resiliently loaded contacts forming an integral extension of the switch contacts.
2. An electrical switch as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the switch member is pivotably mounted within the housing and has a part extending outside the housing for manual operation.
3. An electrical switch as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the housing incorporates a translucent panel and illuminating means for the panel.
4. An electrical switch as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the switch member is movable between first and second positions such that when in the first position the switch member causes a first group of switch contacts to be connected and when in the second position the switch member causes a second group of switch contacts to be connected.
5. An electric switch as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification.
6. A motor vehicle having an electrical circuit incorporating an electric switch as claimed in any preceding claim.