EP0375521B1 - Switch especially for cars - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates generally to electrical switches, in particular for motor vehicles.

There has been described in document FR-A-2 221 801 (FIG. 6), in accordance with the preamble of claim 1, a switch of the kind comprising a support, carrying a tilting support and primary and secondary fixed stops arranged face to face. Radially below the tilting support, an elastically deformable tilting conductive strip, provided with a main arm and at least one secondary arm, and a rocker pivotally mounted on the support.

The blade carries a movable contact and is pivotally mounted thanks to its main arm bearing on the tilting support. To do this, the rocker actuates a slide, which is associated with at least one return spring, which slide slides along the secondary arm by means of a finger secured to the slide. When the finger exceeds the level of the tilting support, the blade pivots and its movable contact passes from one of said primary and secondary stops to the other.

Such an arrangement calls for a large number of parts. In addition, the movable contact passing selectively from one stop to the other (in the form of contact), causing current breaks, oxidation phenomena occur as well as the formation, on the one hand of craters, and on the other hand, peaks at the contact level.

All this is harmful both for the life of the switch and for its performance.

The object of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks and therefore to create a switch devoid of slide and long life while providing other benefits.

This problem is solved, according to the invention, by the characterizing part of claim 1.

Thanks to the invention, the number of parts is reduced and a phenomenon of self-cleaning occurs. Indeed, during an operation using the rocker, the movable contact first performs a translational movement in contact with the primary or secondary stop concerned, then passes from one stop to another and performs a movement translation in contact with the other stop, while the main arm performs a translational movement relative to the tilting support.

Thanks to this, it is possible to provide only a contact pad at the level of the blade even in the event of reversal of the direction of the current. For some applications the stud can be omitted, the blade carrying a tiled area and the primary stop an inclined curved area.

It will be appreciated that the movable contact and the stops are cleaned and that the formation of peaks in the stops-movable contact contacts is avoided by leveling them, the wear of the contacts being more regular.

It will be appreciated that the contact area of the movable contact with the stop concerned is different from the impact area with said stop when the movable contact selectively passes from one stop to the other.

Advantageously, the support zone is at least partly electrically conductive.

Thus the tilting support being for example electrically conductive, it becomes possible to supply a secondary circuit, for example a control circuit, thanks to the support zone.

According to another characteristic, the support zone is formed in part by virtue of a plate centrally comprising a guide tongue inclined axially in alignment with the tilting support.

Thus it is possible to introduce the blade between the support area and the tilting support, said blade being guided by said tongue in particular by cooperation of its main arm with the latter.

Advantageously, the tilting support is formed by means of a flared notch made at the free end of a fold.

Thanks to this, the main arm, guided by the guide tongue, will naturally find its place and will then be centered by the bottom of said notch, the blade being mounted under prestress between the tilting support and the support area.

The engagement means may consist of two bayonet-shaped notches made in the rocker, while the blade may have two secondary arms each with a rolled end and projecting laterally for cooperation with said notches.

Thanks to this arrangement, on the one hand, the number of parts is further reduced, and on the other hand, the assembly is greatly facilitated. Indeed the rocker being for example a button, it becomes possible, after introduction at an angle of the rolled ends in the notches, to mount the latter on the support by clipping on pivots of said support.

It will also be appreciated that said rolled parts can cooperate with pins belonging to the support zone, the tip of the pin extending opposite the tilting support.

Thanks to this arrangement, two stable positions for the switch can be obtained.

• la figure 1 est une vue en coupe d'un interrupteur selon l'invention pour l'une de ses positions, le basculeur étant représenté schématiquement ;
• la figure 2 est une vue analogue à la figure 1 pour l'autre position de l'interrupteur ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en perspective de la lame selon l'invention ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en perspective montrant la butée primaire, l'appui de basculement et la zone d'appui selon l'invention ;
• la figure 5 est une vue partielle selon la flèche V de la figure 4 ;
• la figure 6 est une vue schématique partielle du basculeur ;
• la figure 7 est une vue schématique du montage pivotant du basculeur sur son support ;
• la figure 8 est une vue en perspective simplifiée montrant le mouvement d'une des extrémités du bras secondaire lors de la manoeuvre de l'interrupteur ;
• la figure 9 est une vue analogue à la figure 1 pour une autre variante de réalisation ;
• la figure 10 est une vue partielle suivant la flèche F de la figure 8.

The description which follows illustrates the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is a sectional view of a switch according to the invention for one of its positions, the rocker being shown schematically;
• Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 for the other position of the switch;
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of the blade according to the invention;
• Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the primary stop, the tilting support and the support area according to the invention;
• Figure 5 is a partial view along arrow V of Figure 4;
• Figure 6 is a partial schematic view of the rocker;
• Figure 7 is a schematic view of the pivotable mounting of the rocker on its support;
• FIG. 8 is a simplified perspective view showing the movement of one of the ends of the secondary arm during the operation of the switch;
• Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 1 for another alternative embodiment;
• FIG. 10 is a partial view along the arrow F in FIG. 8.

The electrical switch (or switch) comprises an open box 1 of parallelepipedal shape forming a support. This box is advantageously made of electrically insulating plastic material here and carries a tilting support 2, a primary primary 3 and secondary fixed stop 4.

Said stops 3, 4 extend one opposite the other radially below (below) the tilting support 2, near the bottom 5 of the housing, radially projecting therefrom .

The support 2 is arranged near the open end of the housing.

The primary stop 3 belongs to an electrically conductive connection blade 6 passing through the bottom 5 by means of a flared hole in the latter.

The blade 6 is mounted in the housing in the manner of a drawer, said housing, here in one piece, having for this slides or grooves 7 along its longitudinal walls.

The base of this blade is bent and forms a plug crossing the bottom 5.

The secondary stop 4 is formed by means of a radial projection 8 or local wall integrally with the housing. The tilting support 2 is carried by an electrically conductive plate 9 extending radially and ending at one of its ends by a plug 10 passing through the bottom 5, and at the other of its ends by a fold 11 carrying tilt support 2.

The switch also comprises a manual actuating member 12 in the form of a rocker pivotally mounted on the housing 1, the latter having for this purpose pivots 13 as visible in FIG. 7.

Here the rocker consists of a button covering the housing 1.

The switch also includes a blade 14 of width substantially equal to the housing 1 to be able to be inserted therein.

This blade 14 is electrically conductive and is elastically deformable. It is thin and is here metallic when cut. It can for example be made of bronze.

It has a main arm 15 and at least one secondary arm 16. It carries at its base a movable contact 17 in the form of a stud fixed to its base and passing through an opening thereof. This blade is intended to determine the opening or closing of one or more electrical circuits. It is housed between stops 3 and 4.

The main arm 15 is in tilting support against the support 2, while the secondary arm 16 cooperates with the rocker 12 while being subjected to the action of the latter.

According to the invention, in the free state, the secondary arm 16 is inclined axially with respect to the main arm 15 and also cooperates with an additional support zone 18, carried by the support 1, on either side of the 'support 2.

Mutual engagement means 19, 20 are provided between the rocker 12 and the secondary arm 16.

The elastic blade 14 is mounted under prestress between the support 2 and the support area 18.

This prestress allows on the one hand, good electrical contacts, and on the other hand to compensate for wear.

The blade 14, in the free state, has two cambered secondary arms 16, each having a rolled end 19 (FIG. 3) so that each secondary arm 16 has a free end axially offset from the main arm 15.

In FIG. 1, axially we have the following staggering:
secondary stop 4, primary stop 3, support 2, support area 18; the main arm 15 being mounted under prestress thanks to this arrangement as well as the secondary arms 16.

Note the symmetrical arrangement of the secondary arms 16 with respect to the main arm (Figure 3) allowing good balancing of the plate by pressing the arm 15 on the support 2 and by pressing the arms 16 on the support area 18; the movable contact 17 being disposed in the axis of symmetry of the main arm 15 and the width of the blade 14 being in the free state greater than the distance between the support 2 and the support area 18.

The rounded ends 19 extend laterally outside the blade 14, forming pivots.

They are each engaged in a notch of the bayonet type 20, with through slot and oblong hole (FIG. 6), which has the button 12. The notch 20 is delimited by an offset portion connecting to the bottom of the opening.

These notches 20 are formed in the longitudinal walls of the button 12 while facing each other like the ends 19. All of these arrangements constitute the mutual engagement means 19, 20 provided between the rocker 12 and the secondary arm 16. It will be noted that the button 12 is mounted at an angle through its notches 20 on the ends 19, then straightened and mounted by clipping on the chamfered pivots 13 like the lower part of the longitudinal walls of the button 12 (FIG. 7) .

Said ends 19 each pass through a cutout 21 made in the longitudinal wall concerned of the housing 1.

The two cutouts 21 are each partially delimited by a protruding pin 23, the point 24 of which faces the tilting support 2.

The bearing area 18 is also carried by the side wall of the housing and is formed in part by an electrically conductive plate 30 with a T-end 31, said plate being engaged like the blade 6 in the housing 1 by means of slides 7 Its base is bent and ends in a plug 32 passing through a flared opening in the bottom 5. The plate 30 has a guide tongue 33 centrally formed through an opening 34 provided in said plate.

The tongue 33 is erected in the direction of the support 2 while being axially aligned with the latter and inclined. The plane of symmetry of the tilting support 2 is also the plane of symmetry of the tongues 33, of the arm 15 and of the movable contact 17. The tongue 33 ends in a folded end 35 overhanging the blade 6 and extending radially in the extension of it.

Of course, it is not possible to provide fold-down zones 35.

It will be noted that the arms 16, by virtue of their arching, bypass the primary stop 3 and the tongue 33 by extending above the latter.

The plate 9 has an inclined area 36 connecting to the fold 11 and to the vertical part 37 of the plate 9.

A central opening 38 is made partly in zone 36 and in part 37.

The cutout 21 is also partially delimited by a horizontal shoulder 26.

As will be understood, the opening 38 gives flexibility to the plate 9, the fold 11 of which is originally inclined downwards. Referring to Figure 4, we see that the plates 30, 9 and the blade 6 electrically conductive, for example brass, have the same width (substantially equal to that of the housing 1) in their main part, to be able to be introduced into the housing 1 by sliding along the vertical grooves 7.

When mounting the wafer 9 in its guide groove 7 the fold 11, having two wings 39 making laterally projecting, will come into contact with said shoulders 26 which causes a straightening of said fold 11 and makes it possible to obtain a precise dimension for the tilting support 2.

The cutout 21 has an inclined area 27 connecting the shoulder 26 to the free edge 28 of the housing, said area 27 facilitating the installation of the fold 11 by cooperation with the wings 39.

The tongue 33 facilitates the positioning of the blade 14.

All these provisions make it possible to mount from the top in the one-piece, open housing 1.

Indeed the plates 9, 30 and the blade 6 being mounted from above in the manner of drawers in the slides 7, the plate 30 being inserted after the blade 6, the blade 14 can be put in place by introduction at an angle between the 'support 2 and the pin 23 of the area 18, then sliding along the tongue 33, and finally crossing the pin 23 until the ends 19 come into contact with the bottom 40 of the cutouts 21.

It will be noted according to an important characteristic of the invention that, for constituting the tilting support 2, the fold 11 has at its free end a flared notch 29 the bottom of which forms said tilting support.

As will have been understood when the blade 14 was put in place by introduction at an angle, the main arm 15 will naturally find its place thanks to the tongue 33 and the flared notch 29 allowing said arm 15 to be centered.

The device works as follows:
the movable contact 17 being in abutment on the stop 4 (FIG. 1) the button 12 is rocked, which has the effect, by meshing the ends 19 with the notches 20, initially moving the movable contact 17 along the wall 8 and constrain the arm 16 a little more, the latter sliding along the concerned face of the pin 23, then causing an abrupt tilting of the blade 14 around the support 2 when the ends 19 come into contact with the tip 24 of the pin, and finally, the ends 19 each sliding along the other face of the pin (FIG. 8), causing a relaxation of the stress of the arms 16 for contact with the end 31 and a sliding of the contact mobile 17 in contact with the blade 6. The main arm 15 during the tilting of the button 12 therefore performs a translational movement relative to the tilting support 2.

To explain this operation, the path taken by the movable contact 17 is shown in dotted line in FIG. 2.

Thus, the contact zone of the contact 17 with the stop 3 is different from the impact zone with said stop 3 when the contact 17 selectively passes from the stop 4 to the stop 3.

By switching from FIG. 2, the button in the other direction, a movement in the opposite direction is obtained and an abrupt passage of the contact 17 from the stop 3 to the stop 4. As will be understood, the pins 23 make it possible to obtain two stable positions for the switch according to the invention, and it will be noted that the support zone 18 also extends on either side of the tilting support 2.

Here the plate 9 is connected to the positive terminal of the vehicle voltage source (the battery), while the blade 6 is connected to the function circuit to be controlled.

It will be appreciated, thanks to the end 31, that in the position of FIG. 1 no contact occurs between the ends 19 and the plate 30, because the ends 19 are then opposite the free space delimited by the end 31 dimensioned accordingly, while in FIG. 2 a contact is established between the ends 19 and 31.

Thus it is possible to supply a witness circuit.

We also appreciate the shape of the blade 6 which has two arms 41 (Figure 4) extending horizontally on either side of the wall 8 and the plug 10. It is thus possible with these arms 41 to feed another circuit. In the example shown, there is provided a lamp 50 connected by plugs 51, 52 to the supply circuit of the vehicle lanterns.

Thus when the said lanterns are put into action, the button 12 is lit. The latter advantageously having, opposite the lamp 50, a translucent zone 53.

As a variant (FIG. 9) the movable contact 17 can be replaced by a tiled area 55 longitudinal of the blade 14, the width of said area 55 being equal to that of the base of the blade 14.

The primary stop 3 can be formed by means of an inclined curved zone 56 of the blade 6 (FIG. 9) for good self-cleaning and by contact with the zone 55.

It will be appreciated that the absence of a slider promotes reduction of the axial size of the switch. As is evident from the description, the movement of the button can be limited by cooperation of said button with the housing or through the ends 19 in contact with the pins 23.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described. In particular the secondary stop 4 can also be electrically conductive and consists of a plug connection passing through the bottom of the housing, the switch being mounted in this case as an inverter.

Similarly the blade 6 can be extended to carry the tongue 33 by extending radially below the pin 23 for closing the electrical circuit in the position of the switch corresponding to Figure 2, while for the position corresponding to Figure 1 the circuit would be open. In this case the control circuit and the plate 30 are eliminated, the zone 18 being non-conductive and formed directly on the housing.

In this configuration the plate 9 can be electrically insulating, the stopper 4 conductive and the blade 6 belong to the support zone 18 while being able to be in contact, in the configuration of FIG. 1, with the ends 19 but not in the other position. All combinations are possible at least two of the primary, secondary and tilting support stops being conductive.

Of course, the tongue 33 can be in one piece with the housing 1.

To facilitate assembly, the tongue may extend to the level of the face of the blade 6 turned away from the contact 17, said end of the blade 6 being bevelled to form an extension of the tongue 33.

Of course, this arrangement is also possible when the tongue 33 comes from the plate 30.

It will be appreciated that the arrangement of FIG. 4 allows a saving of material, since the tongue 33 is taken from the plate 30.

In FIG. 1, the ends 19 can cooperate locally with additional contacts; said contacts being connected to a second control circuit passing through the recessed side wall (FIG. 1) of the housing.

It is possible, thanks to the recess in the side wall of the housing 1, to remove the plug 32, the control circuit being connected to the end 31.

The area 18 may not be partially conductive, the plate 30 being removed in this case.

The mutual engagement means may consist of an axis carried by the button 12, said axis being engaged in openings which have the end of the arms 16 for this purpose, said ends being twisted beyond a rounded area of the arms. secondary 16 for contact with the support zone 18.

The blade 14, V-shaped, may have only one secondary arm.

In this case, the primary and secondary arms are in alignment with each other, the primary arm being attached to said blade 14 at the base thereof and the rolled end 19 extending symmetrically from one side and on the other side of the arm 16 for cooperation with an axis carried by the button.

The support 1 may not consist of a box, for example its longitudinal walls can be reduced to a portion having cutouts 21.

As a variant, the housing can be in several parts, the bottom of the latter and / or its side walls being attached, which facilitates the mounting of the various components of the switch.

Finally, the two secondary arms 16 can be connected to each other at their end by a crosspiece having a protruding T-shaped rolled part for formation of pivots and engagement on hollowed ribs with oblong notches for formation of mutual engagement means.

Claims (9)

1. Switch, notably for motor vehicles, having a support (1) carrying a rocker bearing (2), fixed primary (3) and secondary (4) stops disposed face to face radially below the rocker bearing (2), an electrically conductive and elastically deformable rocking blade (14), and a rocker (12) mounted so as to pivot on the support (1) in order to occupy two stable positions, in which the said rocking blade (14) has a base which carries a moving contact (17) between the fixed primary (3) and secondary (2) stops, a principal arm (15) mechanically in contact with the rocker bearing (2) and at least one secondary arm (16) cooperating with the rocker (12) whilst being subject to the action of the latter, and in which at least two of the primary (3) and secondary (4) stops and rocker bearing (2) are electrically conductive, characterised in that, in its free state, the secondary arm (16) of the blade (14) is inclined with respect to the principal arm (15) so that it has a free end (19) offset axially with respect to the principal arm (15), in that the said secondary arm (16) cooperates also with an additional bearing area (18) carried by the support (1) laterally on each side of the rocker bearing (2), in that mutual engagement means (19, 20) are provided between the rocker (12) and the secondary arm (16) and in that the blade (14) is mounted, for the first stable position of the rocker (12), so as to be prestressed between on the one hand the rocker bearing (2) and on the other hand the first fixed stop (3) and the bearing area (18), and, for the second stable position of the rocker (12), so as to be prestressed between on the one hand the bearing area (18) and on the other hand the rocker bearing and the second fixed stop (4), so that, when the rocker (12) moves from one stable position to the other, the moving contact (17) effects firstly a translational movement in contact with the primary (3) or secondary (4) stop concerned, then moves from one stop to the other and effects a translational movement in contact with the other fixed stop, whilst the principal arm (15) effects a translational movement with respect to the rocker bearing (2).
2. Switch according to Claim 1, characterised in that the rocker bearing (2) forms part of a plate (9) with an angled part (11), the free end of which is provided with a splayed notch (29) in order to form the said bearing (2) so that the principal arm (15) is centred by the base of the said splayed notch (29).
3. Switch according to Claim 2, characterised in that the angled part (11) has at its sides two wings (39) for cooperating with a shoulder (26) defining a cut-out (21) in the support (1).
4. Switch according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the bearing area (18) is at least partly electrically conductive.
5. Switch according to Claim 4, characterised in that the bearing area (18) is partially formed by an electrically conductive plate (30) with a T-shaped end (31).
6. Switch according to Claim 5, characterised in that the plate (30) has a tongue (33) sloping at its end (35) overhanging the primary stop (3).
7. Switch according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the said elastically deformable blade (14) has two angled secondary arms (16), each with a rolled, laterally projecting arm (19) for cooperating with bayonet-shaped notches (20) in the rocker (12) and forming mutual engagement means.
8. Switch according to Claim 7, in which the support is in the form of a parallelepipedal open casing (1), characterised in that the longitudinal walls of the casing (1) are each provided with a cut-out (21) for cooperating with the arms (19) and in that the said cut-outs (21) are partly defined by wedges (23), on which the tip (24) is opposite the rocker bearing (2).
9. Switch according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the said electrically conductive blade (14) has a convex area (55) for forming a moving contact and cooperating with an arched area (56) of an electrically conductive blade (6) carrying the primary stop (3).

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