US3567883A - Snap action switches with improved operating mechanism - Google Patents

Snap action switches with improved operating mechanism Download PDF

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Publication number
US3567883A
US3567883A US797880A US3567883DA US3567883A US 3567883 A US3567883 A US 3567883A US 797880 A US797880 A US 797880A US 3567883D A US3567883D A US 3567883DA US 3567883 A US3567883 A US 3567883A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
movable contact
operating member
casing
relative
base
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US797880A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Keith Lewis
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.)
ZF International UK Ltd
Original Assignee
Lucas Industries 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 Lucas Industries Ltd filed Critical Lucas Industries Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3567883A publication Critical patent/US3567883A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H23/00—Tumbler or rocker switches, i.e. switches characterised by being operated by rocking an operating member in the form of a rocker button
    • H01H23/02—Details
    • H01H23/12—Movable parts; Contacts mounted thereon
    • H01H23/16—Driving mechanisms
    • H01H23/164—Driving mechanisms with rectilinearly movable member carrying the contacts
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H23/00—Tumbler or rocker switches, i.e. switches characterised by being operated by rocking an operating member in the form of a rocker button
    • H01H23/28—Tumbler or rocker switches, i.e. switches characterised by being operated by rocking an operating member in the form of a rocker button with three operating positions

Definitions

  • the electrical switch includes a casing having a base carrying fixed contacts, and a movable contact assembly slidable relative to the base, the movable contact of the assembly being engageable with the fixed contacts.
  • Detent means are provided on the movable contact assembly and the casing for locating the movable contact relative to the base in any one of a number of operative positions, and an operating member is provided for moving the movable contact assembly.
  • Resilient means acts between the movable contact assembly and the operating member, and the operating member is provided with cam means for releasing said detent means during movement of the operating member.
  • said resilient means is stressed so that when the detent means releases the resilient means moves the movable contact assembly relative to the fixed contacts.
  • An electrical swit'ch comprises, a hollow casing including a base, a plurality of fixed contacts carried by said base, a movable contact engageable with said fixed contacts and mounted for sliding movements relative to said base, detent means acting between the casing and said movable contact for locating the movable contact relative to said base in the operating positions of the switch, an operating member pivotally engaged with the casing, means on the operating member for releasing said detent means during movement of said operating member, and resilient means acting between the operating member and the movable contact, said resilient means being stressed during movement of the operating member relative to the casing and serving to move said movable contact relative to said base when said detent means is released.
  • FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an electrical switch
  • FIG. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 in FIG. 1
  • FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the operating member of the switch shown in FIG. 1
  • FIG. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 in FIG. 3
  • FIG. 5 is asectional view on the line 5-5 in FIG. 2, with parts thereof omitted for clarity
  • FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a contact carrier of the switch shown in FIG. 1.
  • the switch includes a hollow moulded synthetic resin casing 11 which is closed at one end by a contact board 12 engaged as a snap fit with the casing 11.
  • the end walls of the casing 11 are provided with respective resilient catches 13 through which the switch may be engaged as a snap fit in a correspondingly shaped hole in a panel, for instance the facia panel of a road vehicle.
  • the contact board 12 constitutes the base of the casing 11 and carries a plurality of fixed contacts 14 which project upwardly into the casing 11.
  • the contacts 14 are electrically connected to terminals 15 positioned on the exterior of the contact board 12.
  • a moulded synthetic resin contact carrier 16 Slidably mounted within the casing 11 for movement in a direction parallel with the contact board 12 is a moulded synthetic resin contact carrier 16.
  • a movable bridging contact 17 is carried by the carrier 16 and is urged into contact with the contacts 14 by springs 18 acting between the carrier 16 and the bridging contact 17.
  • the opposite sidewalls 11a of the casing 11 are each formed with an inwardly directed arcuate shoulder 19 and each of the shoulders 19 is formed with three depressions 21a, 21b, 210 respectively.
  • the carrier 16 is formed with a transverse channel 22, which is enlarged adjacent the center of the carrier 16, and a steel roller 23, having a pair of axially aligned end portions 24, which are joined by a center spherical portion 25, is engaged in the channel 22.
  • a moulded synthetic resin operating member 27 (FIG. 3). Integral with the member 27 are a pair of identical arms 28, which are spaced transversely from one another across the member 27. The arms 28 extend downwardly from the operating member 27 into the casing 11 and lie adjacent opposite sides of a raised portion of the carrier 16.
  • the arms 28 of the member 27 are each formed with a window 29, the base of which is generally V-shaped, having a pair of inclined edges 31.
  • the ends 24 of the roller 23 extend through the window 29 into engagement with the depressions 210 or 21b or 21c, in the walls 11a of the casing.
  • the ends 24 of the roller 23 are normally engaged with the apices of the bases of the windows 29 in the arms 28, and a spring 32 acts between the member 27 and the spherical portion of the roller 23 to urge the roller 23 downwardly into engagement with the depressions and the apices of the windows 29.
  • the operating member 27 further includes two pairs of integral fingers 34, 35, the pairs of fingers 34, 35 being spaced from one another longitudinally of the member 27 while the fingers of each pair are spaced from one another transversely of the member 27.
  • the pairs of fingers 34, 35 are resilient, and engage with respective shoulders at the opposite ends of the carrier 16.
  • the switch is in a first operative position, wherein the bridging contacts 17 engage a first set of contacts (not shown) on the contact board 12, to complete a first electrical circuit therebetween.
  • the ends 24 of the roller 23 are engaged with the depressions 21b in the sidewalls 11a of the casing to maintain the switch in the first operative position.
  • the operating member 27 is manually pivoted in a clockwise direction.
  • the roller 23 is carried to the left with the carrier 16 and its ends 24 engage wall 21b adjacent the depressions 21a to limit the movement of the carrier 16.
  • the ends 24 of the roller 23 engage the walls 21b
  • the movement of the carrier 16 is arrested and the roller is urged downwardly by the spring 33 to engage the ends 24 of the roller 23 in the depressions 21a, thereby locating the switch in its second operative position.
  • the bridging contact 17 is now in a position completing the circuit between a second set of contacts on the contact board 12.
  • the arms 28 thereof since the operating member 27 was moved in a clockwise direction the arms 28 thereof will have moved generally to the left and the ends 24 of the roller 23 will again engage the apices of the bases of the windows 29.
  • An electrical switch comprising: a hollow casing including a base; a plurality of fixed contacts carried by said base; a movable contact engageable with said fixed contacts; means mounting said movable contact for sliding movement relative to said base;
  • detent means acting between the casing and said movable contact for locating the movable contact relative to the base in the operating positions of the switch;
  • a switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein said detent means includes:
  • resilient means urging said part into engagement with said detent form, so as to retain said movable contact in posi-

Landscapes

  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
  • Rotary Switch, Piano Key Switch, And Lever Switch (AREA)
US797880A 1968-02-16 1969-02-10 Snap action switches with improved operating mechanism Expired - Lifetime US3567883A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB764068 1968-02-16

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3567883A true US3567883A (en) 1971-03-02

Family

ID=9836981

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US797880A Expired - Lifetime US3567883A (en) 1968-02-16 1969-02-10 Snap action switches with improved operating mechanism

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3567883A (de)
DE (1) DE1907855C3 (de)
ES (1) ES364086A1 (de)
FR (1) FR2002004A1 (de)
GB (1) GB1251958A (de)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
USRE30273E (en) * 1975-07-02 1980-05-13 Eaton Corporation Rocker switch with integral off lock
GB2209626B (en) * 1985-12-06 1989-10-18 Tenby Ind Public Limited Compa Electrical switch
GB2183913B (en) * 1985-12-06 1989-10-11 Bsr Electrical switch
DE4312614A1 (de) * 1993-04-19 1994-10-20 Abb Patent Gmbh Bedieneinheit für Installationsgeräte

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1907855C3 (de) 1975-03-13
GB1251958A (de) 1971-11-03
FR2002004A1 (de) 1969-10-03
DE1907855A1 (de) 1970-05-21
ES364086A1 (es) 1970-12-16
DE1907855B2 (de) 1974-07-25

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