AU612046B2 - Switch - Google Patents

Description

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COMMONWEALTH

OF AUSTRALIA PATENT ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

'(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE CLASS INT. CLASS Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: 620 46 00 0 o 0 ooo 0 o 0000 O9 0 0o 0000 oO 0 00 00 0 00 0 00 0 0*0 0n 00 0 0 03 0 0 Priority: Related Art-: C1LTCK- INDUSTR-I-ES-PTY--L-YB. NAME OF APPLICANT: ADDRESS OF APPLICANT: o0 a 00 0 00 00 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 000W oo0 Go DO o oo 0 4-2-9-A-1-bert:--St-re-et 5ca vthef3CARD CCA Brunswick, 3--5-6 -i-n -the-State-o-f Victoria Gommonweal-th -of--Aust-r-a--ia NAME(S) OF INVENTOR(S) ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: DAVIES COLLISON, Patent Attorneys 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED:

SWITCH

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to US -1 T COMSSOR OF /07/,PATE To: THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS (a member of the firm of DAVIES COLLISON for and on behalf of the Applicant).

Davies Collison, Melbourne and Canberra.

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SWITCH

o0 0 This invention relates to a switch of the 0 O kind employing a switch operating member pivotal oo0 o about a first pivotal axis between first and second 0 00 o" positions and a contact member pivotal about a second on00 pivot axis parallel to said first pivot axis between 0o0 third and fourth positions at one of which third and fourth positions the contact member makes electrical connection to an electrical contact of the switch and at the other of which third and fourth positions the 0o1 0 contact member breaks contact to the electrical 0 00 oo 00 contact; a spring means being mounted between the o, operating member and the contact member such that a 0" portion of it bears against the contact member to exert resilient bias force against the contact 0. 0 member, said portion of the spring means being 0oo slidable lengthwise along the contact member whereby when said switch operating member is in its first position, said portion of the I cl3--r~~~Lr.

spring means is positioned at one side of the plane containing said pivot axis and whereupon, on movement of the switch operating member from said first position to said second position, said portion of said spring means is moved along the contact member to position it at the other side of said plane whereby to effect movement of the contact member between its third and fourth positions.

Switches of the above kind are known in which the spring means comprises a helical 0o compression spring. These springs are, however, 0 00 0-14 usually of small size and are difficult to fabricate and install in the switch. Furthermore, it is 0 Po usually necessary to interpose between the spring and 0.~ o the contact member a footing element which slidingly o0 engages the contact member. This element is of small 0 0 size and additional expense is involved in its fabrication and assembly into the switch.

Particularly automated assembly is rendered difficult by the use of springs of this kind.

o000 An object of the invention is to provide an Do improved switch of the above kind.

Qs 0In accordance with one aspect of the o coo invention, the switch first above described is characterised in that said spring means comprises a oo 0 leaf spring; -n is formed 0 0 from a laminar strip of somewhat shaped configuration, the free ends of which configuration extend to oppositely outwardly extending end portions. In this case, the apex of the may form said other end of the spring and said end portions may form the said one end thereof. Springs of this kind may be easily formed from strip material by bending.

Ui$ The invention is further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 is a perspective view of a switch constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic side cross section of the switch of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of an operating member and spring assembly of the switch of Figure 1; o o Figure 4 is a plan view of the switch of 00 Figure 1, with the operating member removed; and os Figure 5 is a perspective view of a spring incorporated into the switch of Figure 1.

o0on The switch 10 shown includes three elongate OP o0 "o terminals 12, 14, 16 arranged in an in-line o o configuration in an electrically insulating hnusing 18, Terminals 12 and 16 have, at inner ends thereof, contact portions 12a, 16a respectively. Terminal 14 o has, at its upper end, a knife edge 14a.

0 oo A flat elongate rectangular contact piece 4 00 o has a transverse underside groove 20a midway between its ends. The contact piece 20 rests upon the knife edge 14a with the knife edge 14a being located within the groove 20a. The contact piece 20 is rockable O0oo about the knife edge 14a so as to be movable from o o the position shown in Figure 2, at which one end engages the contact portion 16a of terminal 16, to a position (not shown) at which the other end engages the contact portion 12a of terminal 12. In the first-mentioned condition, then, an electrical connection is established between the common terminal 14 through the contact piece 20 to I'Y i-l~ the terminal 16. In the second mentioned condition, the contact piece 20 provides a connection between the terminals 12 and 14. The contact piece is maintained in position in the side-to-side direction during such movement by upstanding spigots 29 formed within housing 18 (Figure 4).

An insulating operating member 24 is pivotally mounted about the pivot axis 26 shown, which pivot axis 26 is parallel to and positioned immediately above, but spaced from, the knife edge o° 0 14a, which knife edge defines the axis of rotation of the contact piece 20. The member 24 has opposed 0 00 spigots 25 which are axially positioned on the axis oo° of rotation and which are received in side openings\ o C 27 of the housing 18. The member 24 is provided in 0", 0 its underside with a spring 28. This spring is a 0 0 leaf spring of somewhat shaped configuration as best shown in Figure 5, being formed by bending of a strip of resilient material. The spring has two end .0o portions 28a, 28b which are aligned in a common plane 0 o and which are fixed into opposite ends of the interior of the member 24. These ends extend o° inwardly towards each other and curve downwardly as 0 000 viewed in the cross section shown to join at a "V" shaped intermediate portion 28c, the intermediate 0 C. 0 portion 28c defining at its apex an end portion 28d which is spaced some distance downwardly from the common plane containing the end portions 28a, 28b.

This portion 28d bears against the upper surface of the contact piece 20. The spring is shown in its undeformed condition of Figure 3. As shown in Figure 2, some resilient deformation of the spring occurs when it is in position in the switch The member 24 is pivotal between two f 6 positions, one of which positions is shown in the Figure 2. At this position, an end portion of the member 24 adjacent portion 28a of spring 28 is pivoted downwardly whilst the opposite end portion is pivoted upwardly. In this position, the portion 28d of spring 28 is positioned to the right hand side of the common plane designated containing knife edge 14a and axis 26, being to that side at which end portion 28b is located. Here, then, the shaped intermediate portion 28c bears, via the portion 28d a 0 thereof, against the contact 20 at the aforementioned 0 00 right hand side of the plane whereby to o099 resiliently bias the contact piece 20, to the 0 00 position shown at which the contact piece 20 is 0 o9 pivoted to engage contact portion 16a. If, on the o oo other hand, the end of the member 24 which is adjacent end portion 28b of spring 28 is moved from the uppermost position shown, downwardly, the portion 28d of the spring 28 is caused to slide along the °02" upper surface of the contact piece 20 from the right 0 o0 to the left as shown in the drawing, until the point 0 is reached at which the portion 28d passes the plane 00 and then slides onto the part of the contact piece between the end portion 20c and the knife edge 14a so that resilient force is then provided against 0. 0 that part of the contact piece 20 to cause it to be pivoted in the clockwise direction as illustrated, whereby the portion 20c is brought into engagement with the portion terminal 12a. The spring 28 provides a positive action whereby the contact piece will be firmly held at either of the two positions at which it contacts, respectively, contact portion 12a and contact portion 16a is dependence with the side to side tilting of the member 24.

7 The described arrangement has been advanced merely by way of explanation and many modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which includes every novel feature and combination of novel features herein disclosed.

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Claims (5)

1. 5. j the contl slides ali the end 1. An electrical switch comprising an operating member which operates on a contact member by means of a spring mounted between the operating member and the contact member, the operating member being movable between at least two positions thereby causing the cntact member to pivot from a first contact position to a second contact position so as to change the electrical configuration of the switch, wherein said spring comprises a leaf spring having a "V"-shaped portion, said movement of the operating member in ise of the switch causing lateral displacement of the apex of said "V"-shaped portion of the spring relative to end portions of the spring to resiliently deform the spring to cause the spring to apply resilient force to the contact member to effect said movement of the contact member. 0 00D 0000 0 0 00 00 b0 00 o 00 00 0 000 00 00 00 0 0 0 00 0 C. 0 0 0000 0000 0 0 0000 0 00 SC 0 0 00 00 00 0 000 00 00 00 0 0 0 2. A switch according to claim 1 wherein the arm portions of the "V'-shaped spring portion are directed towards the operating member and the apex of the shaped portion bears against the contact member to exert said resilient force.
2. 6. A first pivo a second 10 at one ol connectio fourth poi means be that it bea 15 member,. member portion of axis and position t 20 contact in movemen means co configurat extending 0 0 000000 0 0 0 00 4 Oti 0000 3. A switch according to claim 2 wherein the apex of the "V"-shaped spring portion in use slides along the contact member to cause it to pivot between said first and second contact positions. 0 000000 0 0 0000 O 006 00 0 000 0000 0 00 00 0 0 00 0 00 00 00 O 00 4. A switch according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the end portions of the leaf spring are substantially coplanar, extending outwardly in opposite directions from the apex of the "V"-shaped spring portion.
3. 7. A configurat one end tIl 910403,vrspcXDS,pacirf-c1.8 -9- A switch according to claim 1 wherein the end portions of the spring engage the contact member and the apex of the "V"-shaped portion bears against and in use slides along the operating member to cause said displacement of the apex relative to the end portions. 6. A switch of the kind employing a switch operating member pivotal about a first pivot axis between first and second positions and a contact member pivotal about a second pivot axis parallel to said first pivot axis between third and fourth positions at one of which third and fourth positions the contact member makes electrical o o connection to an electrical contact of the switch and at the other of which third and 0000 fourth positions the contact member breaks contact to the electrical contact; a spring 000 means being mounted between the operating member and the contact member such 0 C 0 that it bears against the contact member to exert resilient bias force against the contact 0 0 0000 15 member, said portion of the spring means being slidable lengthwise along the contact 0 member whereby when said switch operating member is in its first position, said portion of the spring means is positioned at one side of the plane containing said pivot axis and whereupon, on movement of the switch operating member from said first 0 position to said second position, said portion of said spring means is moved along the 0000 oo 0 20 contact member to position it at the other side of said plane whereby to effect 0000 movement of the contact member between its third and fourth positions, said spring o 0000 means comprising a leaf spring, formed from a laminar strip of generally "V"-shaped configuration, the free ends of which configuration extend to oppositely outwardly 00000 extending end portions. 7. A switch according to claim 4, wherein the apex of the "V"-shaped configuration forms said other end of the spring and said end portions form the said one end thereof. 910403,vrsspc.00S,padfic.1,9 I li i-i 00 0 0 00 0 00 0000 0 P 0 0 0 00 00 0 0 00 00 0 00 0 o o a 00 0 0000 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 B 10
4. 8. A switch according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said leaf spring is formed from strip material by bending.
5. 9. A switch substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 3rd day of April, 1991 PACIFIC DUNLOP LIMITED By their Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON 910403,vrsspe.005,pacfic.1,10