EP0837484A2 - Schalter - Google Patents

Schalter Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0837484A2
EP0837484A2 EP97308216A EP97308216A EP0837484A2 EP 0837484 A2 EP0837484 A2 EP 0837484A2 EP 97308216 A EP97308216 A EP 97308216A EP 97308216 A EP97308216 A EP 97308216A EP 0837484 A2 EP0837484 A2 EP 0837484A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
contact
rocker
engaging
operating device
engaging member
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP97308216A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0837484A3 (de
Inventor
Barry Boothman
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.)
Tenby Industries Ltd
Original Assignee
Tenby 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 Tenby Industries Ltd filed Critical Tenby Industries Ltd
Publication of EP0837484A2 publication Critical patent/EP0837484A2/de
Publication of EP0837484A3 publication Critical patent/EP0837484A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current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
    • H01H23/168—Driving mechanisms using cams
    • 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
    • H01H23/14—Tumblers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H3/00—Mechanisms for operating contacts
    • H01H3/001—Means for preventing or breaking contact-welding

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an electric switch operating mechanism of the rocker type.
  • a conventional switch operating device of the rocker type comprises a pivotable operating member (1) typically having an operating surface (2) for operation by finger pressure, and having two opposing side surfaces (3) extending downwardly from the operating surface, the side faces having, for example, outwardly extending projections (4) which cooperate in formations of the switch body so that the operating member may pivot.
  • a surface (5) opposite the operating surface has a recess (6 - See Figure 2) which typically forms a seat for a spring (7) and plunger (8), the plunger (7) being urged outwardly from the operating member by the spring (8).
  • the spring is of metal
  • the plunger and operating member are of plastics material.
  • a moving switch contact (10) has a first end portion (11) which alternatively makes and breaks contact with a counterpart contact member (18).
  • the moving contact member has the form of a strip of, for example, brass, the strip having a generally-planar portion (12) bounded at both ends by respective fold regions (13,14), one of which (13) extends into a contiguous second end portion (15) opposite the contact-making region (11).
  • the other fold region extends to a contiguous ridge portion (16) which is itself contiguous with the contact region.
  • the substantially planar region, together with the second end portion and the ridge region form a generally channel-shaped portion having the planar portion (12) as base and the second end portion (15) and one side of the ridge portion (16) forming the walls thereof.
  • the plunger of the switch operating member is disposed within the channel such that rocking of the switch operating member between two end positions causes the plunger to move between the two fold regions.
  • the contact member is pivotably supported at a fulcrum point on the underside of the base of the channel portion thereof, the support being provided by a conductive member (30).
  • the plunger may move from engagement in the first fold region to engagement in the second fold region, but normally it will only move from a position intermediate the fulcrum and the first fold region to a position intermediate the fulcrum and the second fold region, and vice versa.
  • a rocker switch operating device comprising a rocker member adapted to be supported in a switch body, the rocker member having a contact-engaging member depending therefrom, the material of the contact-engaging member providing resilience whereby the contact-engaging member may urge the contact between an open and closed position.
  • the material of the contact-engaging member is plastics material.
  • the rocker member is of plastics material and the contact-engaging member is of the same plastics material.
  • the rocker member may be of a first plastics material and the contact-engaging member of a second, different, plastics material.
  • rocker member and the contact-engaging member are formed in consecutive moulding steps whereby the rocker member and contact-engaging member form an integral device.
  • the rocker member may be a first component and the contact-engaging member be a second component, wherein one of the components has engagement means whereby it may be secured to the other component.
  • Figure 1 shows a partial perspective view of a conventional switch.
  • Figure 2 shows the switch in a first, open, state.
  • Figure 3 shows the switch in a second, closed, state.
  • Figure 4 shows a side elevation of a first embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 4.
  • Figure 6 shows a view similar to that of Figure 1, but incorporating the switch operating device of Figures 4 and 5.
  • FIG. 7 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 8 shows yet another embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 9 shows a further embodiment of the rocker device of the present invention in which two contact-engaging members are disposed within the confines of the main body portion.
  • the rocker (40) has a main body portion (41) having an operating surface (42), to whose ends pressure - e.g. finger pressure - may be applied to move the rocker between two end positions.
  • the main body is trapezoid in cross-section parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof, and is generally rectangular in cross-section in an orthogonal direction thereto.
  • any desired shape could be used and indeed it is possible to use a hollow main body if so desired.
  • rib portion (43) which extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body and which has end projections (44) adapted for pivotable engagement - see Figure 5 - with counterpart recesses (46) in the main body (47) of the switch. It will be understood by one skilled in the art that the projections are not essential and could be replaced by recesses or other formations performing the same function.
  • the rib portion extends beyond the confines of the main body so as to provide sufficient spacing to operate two switch contacts as described below.
  • the end projections (44) have a generally triangular form, with one apex rounded to provide pivoting.
  • the recesses (46) of the main body (47) of the switch are open on one side to allow for engagement therein by the projections (44) so that the rocker (40) is not retained in the recesses, nor secured to the main body of the switch but rather is urged into engagement with the main body of the switch by spring pressure as more fully described below.
  • This embodiment therefore provides some assembly difficulties again as will be later more fully described.
  • the rib portion supports two contact-engaging members (45).
  • the two contact-engaging members (45) may be integrally moulded with the rocker main body, or may be separate components which are secured to the rib portion thereof.
  • Each contact-engaging member is generally symmetrical and has a downwardly depending V-shaped portion (50) extending into two contiguous hook portions (80,81) which are mutually inwardly directed.
  • each of the hook portions extends into the rib portion (43) of the rocker, whereas in the case of a two-part device, the hook portions engage with the rib portion.
  • the material of the contact-engaging member together with its configuration enable the rocker and contact-engaging members to perform similarly to the conventional body-spring-plunger assembly.
  • an apex portion (53) of the V of the contact-engaging member is enabled to be moved against a resilience of the hooked portions towards the rib portion of the rocker, during the course of which the hooked portions behave similarly to leaf springs so enabling the apex portion to pass along the base portion of the moving contact and past the fulcrum position.
  • the resilience and configuration of the contact-engaging member urges it outwardly towards the undeformed condition thus causing the moving contact to snap to the open or respectively closed position.
  • the resilience of the contact-engaging member not only serves to move the moving contact between its open and closed positions but also serves to urge the rocker itself into engagement with the main body (47) of the switch (47) in the recesses (46) thereof.
  • the resilience of the contact-engaging portions also serves to retain the moving contact member within the body of the switch.
  • Figure 6 shows the embodiment of Figures 4 and 5 in use with the V portion engaged with the moving contact member (10) near to the second fold region (14) thereof whereby the moving contact is held in the open position.
  • the V form of this embodiment is not essential to the invention.
  • the contact-engaging member may have the form of a solid pillar supported by resilient hook portions, or other forms as desired.
  • the rib portion has generally rounded portions (56) extending in the same direction as the contact-engaging members.
  • the continued contact-opening pressure on the rocker (40) further urges a side of the v-shaped portion (50) intermediate the apex portion (53) and the hook portion (81) to engage with the ridge portion (16) of the contact to mechanically move the contact from the closed to the open position.
  • Figures 7 and 8 shows alternative embodiments in which the contact-engaging member is asymmetrical.
  • the contact-engaging member (65) has a first half which is similar to one half of the contact-engaging member shown in Figure 4, but the other side is truncated at the remote extremity of the V-portion so that the end (66) of the V-portion (68) is supported on the bearing portion (67) of the rib portion (44) but only connected to the rib portion via the remainder of the V-portion (68) and the single hook portion (69).
  • the contact-engaging portion (181) shown is integrally moulded with the body portion and consists of a first part (182) contiguous with the body portion which extends generally parallel to the longitudinal axis thereto and is connected to the body portion via a resilient fold portion (183) at one end thereof, the other end thereof providing a second resilient-fold portion (184) which extends into a downwardly-depending finger portion (185) adapted to engage with the base portion of the trough of the moving contact member.
  • the third embodiment is particularly advantageous where the entire rocker device is moulded in a single step, for example using polycarbonate materials.
  • a fourth embodiment of the rocker switch operating member of the invention has, instead of the triangular-like projections (44) of the other embodiments instead circular projections (101), which snap fit into corresponding circular recesses in the main switch body.
  • This rocker which is of an increased width by comparison with those already disclosed, has two contact-engaging portions within the confines of the main body of the rocker each for operating a contact corresponding to a respective one of two poles of a two-pole switch.
  • the fourth embodiment may be made of nylon, especially filled nylon, and is especially suitable for relatively high current switching.
  • rocker operating mechanisms in accordance with the invention. Specifically, a single moulding operation may be used, having the results that the main body of the rocker and the contact-engaging portions are of the same material - for example filled nylon. Alternatively a two-shot moulding technique may be used in which the contact-engaging portion(s) is/are moulded first and then overmoulded with the main body portion of the rocker, or vice versa depending upon the relative melting temperatures of the plastics used for the two components.
  • contrasting colours may be used for the two moulding materials.
  • the material of the contact-engaging portion may be carried through to be visible in a portion of the main body, for example an end region thereof, so as to provide an on, or respectively off indication. This may be most effective when the material of the contact-engaging portions is red, in which case a red indicator portion is arranged to become visible when the rocker is on the on condition.
  • different colour end "windows" may be provided to distinguish between different loads, the colour of the material of the window being repeated in the contact-engaging portion.

Landscapes

  • Tumbler Switches (AREA)
  • Mechanisms For Operating Contacts (AREA)
EP97308216A 1996-10-16 1997-10-16 Schalter Withdrawn EP0837484A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9621605 1996-10-16
GB9621605A GB2318453B (en) 1996-10-16 1996-10-16 Switch

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0837484A2 true EP0837484A2 (de) 1998-04-22
EP0837484A3 EP0837484A3 (de) 1999-04-21

Family

ID=10801540

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP97308216A Withdrawn EP0837484A3 (de) 1996-10-16 1997-10-16 Schalter

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0837484A3 (de)
GB (1) GB2318453B (de)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2775499A1 (de) * 2013-03-08 2014-09-10 Omron Corporation Schaltvorrichtung
JP2022117449A (ja) * 2021-01-29 2022-08-10 ディーフォン エレクテック カンパニー リミテッド 電気スイッチ装置

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3229062A (en) * 1963-04-02 1966-01-11 Lucas Industries Ltd Electric switches
US3403236A (en) * 1967-04-05 1968-09-24 Robertshaw Controls Co Electrical switch having a one-piece actuator and spring arm structure
US3403237A (en) * 1967-04-05 1968-09-24 Robertshaw Controls Co Electrical switch having a one-piece actuator and spring arm structure
FR1557136A (de) * 1967-12-19 1969-02-14
DE1615780A1 (de) * 1967-08-11 1971-02-04 Bbc Brown Boveri & Cie Wipp- oder Kipphebelschalter
US4203017A (en) * 1978-07-24 1980-05-13 Integrated Electronics Corporation Electric switch
US4332991A (en) * 1980-12-12 1982-06-01 Nordstrom Arnold B Electrical toggle switch
GB2206735A (en) * 1987-07-03 1989-01-11 Contactum Ltd Switch operating elements

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1252457A (de) * 1968-05-20 1971-11-03
GB1603820A (en) * 1977-11-09 1981-12-02 Hoover Ltd Electric switches
US4562318A (en) * 1984-04-06 1985-12-31 Carlingswitch, Inc. Momentary switch

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3229062A (en) * 1963-04-02 1966-01-11 Lucas Industries Ltd Electric switches
US3403236A (en) * 1967-04-05 1968-09-24 Robertshaw Controls Co Electrical switch having a one-piece actuator and spring arm structure
US3403237A (en) * 1967-04-05 1968-09-24 Robertshaw Controls Co Electrical switch having a one-piece actuator and spring arm structure
DE1615780A1 (de) * 1967-08-11 1971-02-04 Bbc Brown Boveri & Cie Wipp- oder Kipphebelschalter
FR1557136A (de) * 1967-12-19 1969-02-14
US4203017A (en) * 1978-07-24 1980-05-13 Integrated Electronics Corporation Electric switch
US4332991A (en) * 1980-12-12 1982-06-01 Nordstrom Arnold B Electrical toggle switch
GB2206735A (en) * 1987-07-03 1989-01-11 Contactum Ltd Switch operating elements

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2775499A1 (de) * 2013-03-08 2014-09-10 Omron Corporation Schaltvorrichtung
CN104037005A (zh) * 2013-03-08 2014-09-10 欧姆龙株式会社 切换装置
JP2022117449A (ja) * 2021-01-29 2022-08-10 ディーフォン エレクテック カンパニー リミテッド 電気スイッチ装置

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9621605D0 (en) 1996-12-04
EP0837484A3 (de) 1999-04-21
GB2318453A (en) 1998-04-22
GB2318453B (en) 2000-09-06

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