CA1038429A - Push-button switch with locking and position indicating means - Google Patents

Push-button switch with locking and position indicating means

Info

Publication number
CA1038429A
CA1038429A CA231,452A CA231452A CA1038429A CA 1038429 A CA1038429 A CA 1038429A CA 231452 A CA231452 A CA 231452A CA 1038429 A CA1038429 A CA 1038429A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
rod
housing
switch
flange member
conductive element
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
Application number
CA231,452A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Stanislaw F. Filip
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.)
I C S IGNITION CONTROL SYSTEMS Ltd
Original Assignee
I C S IGNITION CONTROL SYSTEMS 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 I C S IGNITION CONTROL SYSTEMS Ltd filed Critical I C S IGNITION CONTROL SYSTEMS Ltd
Priority to CA231,452A priority Critical patent/CA1038429A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1038429A publication Critical patent/CA1038429A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A single push-button switch comprising a housing, a switch activating rod extending within the housing, and an electrically conductive element displaceable by the rod within the housing. The rod is resiliently biased axially in one direction to a first position where the conductive element will engage a first set of electrical contacts in the housing. Lock means is provided in the housing and associated with the rod for locking the rod in a further position when displaced axially in opposition to the first position. The conductive element en-gages a second set of electrical contacts when the rod is locked in the further position. The rod is unlocked and urged to the first position by depressing the lock means. This lock means is a flat elongated flange member having a through bore therein to permit passage of the rod therethrough. The flange member has a spring biased end inwardly of the housing and an actuating end extending outwardly of the housing. The spring biased end urges a portion of the flange member adjacent the through bore against the rod whereby the portion of the flange member will enter a cavity provided in at least a portion of the rod when in planar alignment therewith to maintain the rod in the further position. The flat elongated flange member has finger engage-ment means at an actuating end thereof and extending to a side of a finger engaging end of the rod to permit unlocking of the rod by depressing the actuating end.

Description

1C~384Z9 ~
The present invention relates to a single push-button switch construction and more particularly to a switch which is easily activated by a push button, which button remains station- ;
ary in two switch positions. ~-Various types of push button switches are known for performing various type switchings in an electrical circuit.
The particular switch construction of the present invention is primarily, although not exclusively, for application on vehicles which are powered by small engines, such as snowmobiles, motor-cycles, lawnmowers, etc. There is a need for a simple push-button switch which can be easily activated by movement of the thumb only and when pressed will remain locked in a position and provide clear indication to the operator which of its posi-tions that it is presently in. There is also a need for provi-sion of a simple mechanism for effecting this locking and un- ~
locking of the push button. Further, there is a need to provide -a switch which is weather proof and which will provide an econo-mical means of indicating the condition position of the switch.
Accordingly, it is a feature of the present invention to provide a push button switch which substantially meets all of the above requirements.
It is a still further feature of the present invention to provide a push-button switch construction which is totally weather proof, easily operable, and which is provided with indi-cating means to readily indicate to an operator the position that the switch is in.
According to the above features, from a broad aspec~, the present invention provides a single push-button switch com-prising a housing, a switch activating rod extending within the housing, and an electrically conductive element displaceable by the rod within the housing. The rod is resiliently biased axi-ally in one direction to a first position where the cond~ctive - 1 - ~ '.

, ~ - , . : .

1(}384Z9 element will engage a first set of electrical contacts in the housing. Lock means is provided in the housing and associated with the rod for locking the rod in a further position when displaced axially in opposition to the first position. The conductive element engages a second set of electrical contacts when the rod is locked in the further position. The rod is unlocked and urged to the first position by depressing the lock means. This lock means is a flat elongated flange member having a through bore therein to permit passage of the rod therethrough.
The flange member has a spring biased end inwardly of the housing and an actuating end extending outwardly of the housing. The spring biased end urges a portion of the flange member adjacent the through bore against the rod whereby the portion of the flange member will enter a cavity provided in at least a portion of the rod when in planar alignment therewith to maintain the rod in the further position. The flat elongated flange member has finger engagement means at an actuating end thereof and ex-tending to a side of a finger engaging end of the rod to permit unlocking of the rod by depressing the actuating end.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which~
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the switch in its ' totally assembled position FIGURE 2 is a fragmented sectional view of the switch showing the position of the various parts thereof FIGURE 3 is an exploded view of the switch construc-tion' FIGURE 4 is a sectional view showing the locking mechanism, and FIGURE 5 is a fragmented sectional view of a portion of the switch.
~ - 2 -1038429~
; Referring now to th~ drawings and more particularly to Figures l to 3, there is shown generally at lO, the switch of the present invention. The switch comprises a housing ll with a switch activating rod 12 extending within the housing.
An electrically conductive element, hereinshown has a flat plate-like annular member 13 (see Fig. 3), is displaceable with-in a switch contact chamber 14 provided within the housing 11.
The switch contact charher 14 is defined hy two spaced apart ,~ ~
., ~ .
.

.- .. ~ , . . . . ~ , -`' 10384Z9 parallel transverse walls 15 and 16 each having a through bore 17 and 18, respectively formed therein. The through bores 17 and 18 are in alignment with one another and permit the rod 12 to be displaced axially therethrough. A first set of electrical contacts 19 are secured on the surface of the transverse wall 16 whilst a second set of electrical contacts 20 are secured on the surface of the other wall 15. The first and second set of contacts are on opposed inner surfaces of the transverse walls 15 and 16.
The rod 13 has an inner end portion 21 which is of smaller diameter than the major portion of the rod and defines an annular flange 22 about the rod. A first helical spring 23 is positioned about the rod and in abutment at one end thereof with the flange 22 and in abutment at the other end thereof with the flat plate-like member 13. Thus, the flat plate-like member 20 is urged towards the inner end 24 of the rod 12 but prevented from slipping off the rod end 24 by means of a stop element or washer 25 which is secured at the end 24 to limit the travel of the flat plate-like member 13 and to retain the member 13 against the first set of contacts 19 when the rod 12 is biased in a first direction as w211 be described later. As shown the washer 25 is of smaller diameter than the through bore 17 in the transverse wall 15 to permit passage there through.
A flat disc or button element 30 is secured adjacent -the other end of the rod 12 externally of the housing 11. The button 30 provides for ease of depressing the rod 12 axially in the housing against the pressure of a second helical spring 31 which is located externally of the housing 11 between an out-side wall 32 thereof and the inner face of the button 30. The second helical spring 31 has a compression strength which is higher than the first helical spring 23 whereby the rod 12 ` 10384'~9 is resiliently biased axially in a.first direction to a first position where the conductive element or flat plate-like member 13 will engage the first set of electrical contacts 19. ~
By depressing the rod 12 into the housing 11, the end portion .
24 of the rod will pass through the through bore 17 in the transverse wall 15 and the conductive element 13 will engage the second set of electrical contacts 20. The rod 12 is ;
: locked in this depressed position by lock means 40.
.,. Referring now additionally to Figure 4 there is ~
. 10 shown the construction of the lock means which cooperate .
with an annular cavity 41 which is positioned in a portion of the rod 12. The lock means is a flat elongated flange member ,... . .
42 having a through bore a3 extending transversely therein to t permit passage of the rod ~ therethrough. The flange member 42 .
has a spring biased end 44 which is positioned inwardly of the housing and which is biased outwardly of the housing by means ;
of a helical spring 45 or other suitable urging means located between an inner wall 46 of the housing and a small cavity 47 formed within the spring biased end 44. The flange member .
42 is further provided with an actuating end 48 which extends out- --wardly of the hou~ing 11 when the flange is in engagement in the ; ;
cavity 41. The portion of the flange adjacent the through bore : 43 and on the side of the helical spring 45 will enter into the cavity 41 of the rod ~ when the cavity 41 and the flange mem-ber 42 are in planar alignment. When this portion of the flange enters a cavity the rod 12 is held in its depressed position with the actuating end 48 moving outwardly of the housing ~ :
11. ~.~
In order to release the rod 12 from this locked `
position, it is necessary to depress the actuating end 48 in the direction of the housing whereby to release the rod 14 through . .: .
- 4 - :

. . ,., ~ , . . .

1~3842~
the bore 43 when brought into concentric alignment therewith.
The pressure in the spring 31 will urge the rod 12 to its first position with the conductive element 13 engaging the first set of contacts 19.
The flange member 42 is maintained in transverse alignment by means of a channel 49 formed on the opposite sur-face of the member 50 providing the transverse wall 16. Thus, the flange member will move in and out of the housing along a predetermined guided path. As shown in Figure 2, the actuating end 48 is provided with a downwardly turned flange portion 51 to facilitate finger engagement.
Referring now to Figures 1, 2 and 5, there is shown a covering 60 formed of deformable insulating material and sealingly engaged about the button 30 within an annular cavity 61 rearwardly of the front face of the button 30. The other end of the covering 60 is secured in a further annular cavity 62 provided in the outer wall of the member 50 constituting part of the housing 11. The cavity 62 is located above the flange member 42 whereby the actuating end 48 of the flange member 42 is loca- ~~
ted internally of the covering 40 and preferably located in a depression portion 63 formed internally in the covering 60, as shown in Fig. 1.
Figure 5 illustrates the configuration of the outer end of the covering 60 when the rod 12 is urged outwardly with the conductive element 13 engaging the first set of con-tacts 19. It can be seen that the covering extends angularly outward and rearwardly of the button 30, at its forward end, as shown at 64. When the rod or button 30 is depressed within the housing 11, the covering about the button 30 will extend slightly angularly outwards and forwardly of the button 30 as shown at 65 in Figure 2. Thus, the configuration of the annular portion of the covering 60 about the button 30 gives ~ -.. . .
i, .
-1038429 :: ~
an indication to the operator of the position of the switch i. e., the button 30 being depressed or not. If the button 30 is depressed, then the actuating end 48 of the flange 42 is pressed inwardly of the housing 11 to cause release of the rodl2 and external movement of the butbon 30 from the housing 11.
The wiring for the contacts is made through the side wall of the housing 11 as sh~wn at 67. Also, the end wall 68 of the housing 11 may be concave whereby to facilitate ease of securement of the housing 11 about a transverse tubular object such as the handlebar of a snowmobile or motorcycle.
To recapitulate briefly, the operation of the switch 10 of the present invention is as follows. The con-ductive element 13 is normally in contact with a first set of contacts 19 as the rod 12 is biased outwardly of the housing 11 by means of the second helical spring 31 which is of higher compression strength and the first helical spring 23. In order to '~
displace the switch to its second position, where the conductive element 13 is in contact with the second set of contacts ~ , the rod is depressed axially inwardly of the housing 11 by means of the end button 30. As soon as the annular cavity 41 in the rod .
is in alignment with the flange member 42, the flange is urged - into locking engagement with- the rod with the flange element moving transversely outwardly of the housing by means of the spring pressure applied by the spring 45. Thus, the rod 12 is `
locked in this position and the conductive element 13 is urged against the second set of contacts ~ by means of the first -helic~l spring 23. In order to disengage the ~witch from this locked position, it is only necessary to depress the actuating end 48 of the flange memker 42 whereby the through bore 43 and the flange 42 lies substantially concentric with the rod ~ thus .
. ~ ., .

., 103~29 causing the rod to move outwardly of the housing ll by the compression strength of the second helical spring 31. ~he position of the rod and thus the position of the conductive element with relation to the first and second sets of contacts, is . indicated by the configuration of the annular portion of the covering 60 on the forward end of the switch housing ll.
The first and second set of contacts and the conductive element 13 are made of metallic electrically conductive material. All of the other parts may be constructed of any convenient material to provide proper operation of the switch. The covering 60 hereinshown is made of a very thin rubber material.

.
.. ~
.,, :

... .. .

Claims (8)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:-
1. A single push-button switch comprising a housing, a switch activating rod extending within said housing, an elec-trically conductive element displaceable by said rod within said housing, said rod being resiliently biased axially in one direc-tion to a first position where said conductive element will en-gage a first set of electrical contacts in said housing, lock means in said housing and associated with said rod for locking said rod in a further position when displaced axially in oppo-sition to said first position, said conductive element engaging a second set of electrical contacts when said rod is locked in said further position, said rod being unlocked and urged to said first position by depressing said lock means, said lock means being a flat elongated flange member having a through bore therein to permit passage of said rod therethrough, said flange member having a spring biased end inwardly of said housing and an actuating end extending outwardly of said housing, said spring biased end urging a portion of said flange member adjacent said through bore against said rod whereby said portion of said flange member will enter a cavity provided in at least a portion of said rod when in planar alignment therewith to maintain said rod in said further position, said flat elongated flange member hav-ing finger engagement means at an actuating end thereof and ex-tending to a side of a finger engaging end of said rod to permit unlocking of said rod by depressing said actuating end.
2. A switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein said conductive element is spring locked whereby it is urged against said second set of electrical contacts when said rod is in said further posi-tion.
3. A switch as claimed in claim 2 wherein said housing is provided with a switch contact chamber defined by two spaced apart parallel transverse walls, a through bore in each said transverse walls and in alignment with one another to permit said rod to be displaced axially therethrough, said first and second sets of electrical contacts being located on a respective one of inner opposed surfaces of said two transverse walls, said electrically conductive element being a flat plate-like member having a through bore to permit passage of said rod therethrough, said plate-like member being located between said inner opposed surfaces of said two transverse walls.
4. A switch as claimed in claim 3 wherein said rod is provided with a flange below the location of said flat plate-like member, a first helical spring positioned about said rod and being in abutment at one end thereof with said flange and in abutment at the other end thereof with said flat plate-like member.
5. A switch as claimed in claim 4 wherein a second helical spring is located about said rod to provide said rod biasing in said one direction, said second helical spring having a compression strength higher than said first helical spring.
6. A switch as claimed in claim 5 wherein one end of said rod extends externally of said housing, a button element at said one end of said rod for depressing said rod axially in said housing against the pressure of said second helical spring, the other end of said rod having a stop element secured thereto to limit the travel of said flat plate-like member about a por-tion of said rod to retain said flat plate-like member against said first set of electrical contacts when said rod is biased in said one direction by said second helical spring.
7. A switch as claimed in claim 6 wherein a covering of deformable insulating material is sealingly secured about said button element and an annular cavity in an outer wall of said housing and overlapping said actuating end of said lock means.
8. A switch as claimed in claim 7 wherein said covering extends angularly outward and rearward of said button element in an annular portion thereof when said rod is biased in said one direction, said covering in said annular portion extends slightly angularly outwards and forwardly about said button element when said rod is locked in said further position to serve as an indicator of the position of said button element.
CA231,452A 1975-07-14 1975-07-14 Push-button switch with locking and position indicating means Expired CA1038429A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA231,452A CA1038429A (en) 1975-07-14 1975-07-14 Push-button switch with locking and position indicating means

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA231,452A CA1038429A (en) 1975-07-14 1975-07-14 Push-button switch with locking and position indicating means

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1038429A true CA1038429A (en) 1978-09-12

Family

ID=4103609

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA231,452A Expired CA1038429A (en) 1975-07-14 1975-07-14 Push-button switch with locking and position indicating means

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1038429A (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4296290A (en) * 1980-01-16 1981-10-20 The Singer Company Safety lock-on motor control

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4296290A (en) * 1980-01-16 1981-10-20 The Singer Company Safety lock-on motor control

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