FR2729503A1 - ELECTRICAL APPARATUS USING A PUSHER FOR CONTROLLING MECHANICAL SOUND - Google Patents

Abstract

The appts. is for a pushbutton (12) movable in the axial direction which consists of a sleeve (12A) and a threaded rod (12B) which is urged out of it by the spring (44) bearing upon the hood of the mechanism (11). The cap (15) of the pushbutton is mounted movably on a plate (14) at least partially surrounding the support (13) to which the mechanism is fixed. The sleeve is immobilised against rotation and has an internal bore into which the rod is screwed. The threads are of large pitch equal to about 2.5 times the diameter of the rod, and have an isosceles trapezoidal profile with edges at an angle of about 100 degrees to each other.

Description

"Electrical apparatus involving a pusher for the control of

  The present invention relates generally to apparatus or electrical apparatus of the type comprising a mechanism with which it is associated for its control a pusher mounted axially movable, a support, whose mechanism is integral, and which, in practice, is intended to bear against any bearing surface by at least a portion of its periphery, a plate, which, attached to the support and at least partially surrounding it, is, it, susceptible, in practice, to bear on the same bearing surface as the support or on a support surface substantially parallel thereto, and a maneuvering button, which, at the disposal of the user, is mounted on the plate, for example being pivoting on it, and is thus able to act, either directly or indirectly, on the pusher of

control of the mechanism.

  It is aimed more particularly, but not necessarily exclusively, at electrical appliances

to be built into a wall.

  The bearing surface against which is brought to bear

  their support is usually directly formed by the bare wall.

  It is not the same for the plate, which, belonging to the dressing of the assembly, must on the contrary, after finishing, come to cover the coating then usually

applied to this wall.

  Depending on the thickness of this coating, especially when it comes to fabric, there is inevitably a gap between the bearing surfaces, or resting planes, against which

  ultimately bear the support and the plate.

  The pusher being carried by the support through the mechanism while the operating key is carried by the plate, this difference can be detrimental to the

smooth operation of the whole.

  This is the case, in particular, when the mechanism is particularly sensitive to the axial stroke of the pusher which controls it, as is the case for example for

  electronic switches controlled by a microswitch.

  It is therefore necessary for the installer to make an adjustment after installation, to compensate for this difference between the bearing surfaces of the support and the plate, or, more specifically, to compensate for the resulting axial play between

  the pusher and the operating key.

  I1 is provided, to date, for this adjustment, to equip the pusher with a set screw, or, in other words, to form this pusher two pieces in relation to screwing with respect to each other, namely, on the one hand, a sleeve, which, forming the pusher proper, is locked in rotation while being axially movable, and whose internal bore is tapped, and, secondly, a threaded rod, which , forming the actual adjusting screw, is screwed into engagement with the

previous sleeve.

  In practice, the adjustment screw that constitutes this threaded rod is a conventional screw, that is to say a screw whose pitch is relatively small, and in any case, low enough for any action simply axial to which it could not be liable to induce

any rotation.

  For a screwing or a unscrewing, it is necessary to intervene on this screw of adjustment with the help of a tool, and its

  head has an imprint appropriate for this purpose.

  This provision has given and can still give satisfaction. But, besides the necessity to which it leads to have a tool, it has drawbacks, which are

The following.

  First of all, to have access to the adjusting screw, it is inevitably necessary to perform at least partial disassembly

of the device.

  In addition, the adjustment to be made can only be performed blindly, its verification requiring to proceed

  then when reassembling this unit.

  Finally, any excessive shock on the operating key, duly transmitted to the adjusting screw, is likely to be destructive with respect to the tapping with which it is in

  taken, to the detriment of the subsequent operation of the apparatus.

  The present invention generally relates to a provision which, relatively simply,

  advantageously makes it possible to avoid these disadvantages.

  More specifically, it relates to an electrical apparatus of the type comprising a mechanism with which it is associated for its control a pusher mounted axially movable, a support, whose mechanism is secured, a plate which,

  reported on the support, at least partially surrounds it

  ci, and a maneuvering key, which, at the disposal of the user, is mounted movably on the plate and is adapted to act, either directly or indirectly, on the pusher, this pusher having two parts in screwing relation l one with respect to the other, namely, on the one hand, a sleeve, which is locked in rotation while being axially movable, and whose internal bore is tapped, and, on the other hand, a threaded rod , which is in screwed engagement with this sleeve, this electrical apparatus being generally characterized in that the thread or nets that presents the threaded rod of the pusher are threads with large pitch and in that this threaded rod is subjected resilient return means which tend permanently to extract it from the sleeve with which it

is engaged.

  Thanks to such an arrangement, the threaded rod of the pusher is permanently subject to a unscrewing torque systematically ensuring the retrofit of any axial play possible between the pusher and the operating key, whereas, as is the rule, any driving force exerted on this operating key is duly transmitted axially by the pusher to the underlying mechanism, for the

control of it.

  During the installation of the electrical appliance according to the invention, or later, there is therefore no need for any adjustment of this electric appliance, this adjustment being done automatically by itself, by the catching of play

systematic axial previous.

  This advantageously results in the elimination of the need to carry out any disassembly, even partial, of this electrical apparatus for this adjustment, as well as the elimination of the need to have a

any tool.

  Finally, any impact on the operating key is advantageously likely to be supported at best by the pusher, without destroying the tapping of its sleeve, this shock can at most lead to a momentary recess

  in this sleeve of the threaded rod which is engaged with it.

  The characteristics and advantages of the invention

  will emerge from the description which follows,

  by way of example, with reference to the appended diagrammatic drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a view in axial section of an electrical apparatus according to the invention shown in place, at rest, for a first implantation condition of this electrical appliance ; Figure 2 shows, on a larger scale, the detail of Figure 1 identified by an inset II in this Figure 1; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the electrical apparatus according to the invention; Figure 4 is similarly an exploded perspective view of its mechanism; Figure 5 is a larger scale, a perspective view of the threaded rod that includes the pusher controlling the mechanism; FIG. 6 is a larger scale, a partial view in axial section of this threaded rod, along the line VI-VI of Figure 5; Figure 7 is, to the scale of Figure 5, a perspective view of the sleeve with which is screwed into this threaded rod; Figure 8 is an end view of this sleeve, along the arrow VIII of Figure 7; Figure 9 is a partial view in axial section similar to that of Figure 2, for the actuation configuration of the electrical apparatus according to the invention; FIG. 10 is a view in axial section similar to that of FIG. 1, for a second condition

  implantation of this electrical device.

  As illustrated in these figures, the electrical apparatus according to the invention comprises, generally, in a manner known per se, a mechanism 11, with which it is associated, for its control, a pusher 12 mounted axially movable, a support 13, of which the mechanism 11 is secured, a plate 14 which, attached to the support 13, at least partially surrounds the latter, and a maneuvering key 15 which, at the disposal of the user, is mounted movably on the plate 14 and is able to

  act, either directly or indirectly, on the pusher 12.

  In these figures, and by way of example, the electrical apparatus 10 is an electronic switch, whose

  mechanism 11 is controlled by a microswitch 16.

  Let 17 the pin to push for the change of state

of this microswitch 16.

  Since the mechanism 11 does not fall within the scope of the present invention, it will not be described in detail here. Suffice it to say that, in the embodiment shown, it comprises a body 18, which carries the microswitch 16, and a cover 19, which is adapted to be attached by snapping on the body 18, and which axially forms a

  bushing 20, for a sliding guide of the pusher 12.

  In addition, in the embodiment shown, the mechanism 11 comprises a lever 21, which, by means of lugs 22 implanted along one of its edges, is pivotally mounted on journals 23 provided for this purpose on the cover 19, and against the central part of which bears, according to

  described in more detail later, the pusher 12.

  It is therefore by this lever 21, pivotally mounted on the mechanism 11, that, in the embodiment shown, the operating key 15 is able to act on the pusher 12, this operating key 15 on the lever 21 the long

  the edge of it opposite to his ears 22.

  For a limitation of its travel, the lever 21 laterally has lugs 24, which engage in the cover 19 through recesses 25 provided for this purpose on it, and by which it is suitable for pick on this

hood 19.

  In the figures, the electrical apparatus 10 according to the invention is moreover intended to be recessed in a wall 27, or, more exactly, in a recess box, not shown, housed for this purpose in a recess 28 of this wall 27. The support 13 that includes this electrical device 10 is adapted to be attached to the flush-mounting box

  thus implemented, for example by screws not shown.

  It includes for this purpose holes 29.

  Since the support 13 does not fall within the scope of the present invention, it will not be described in all

its details here.

  It will suffice to indicate that, in the embodiment shown, it is intended to carry at least a portion of its periphery against the bearing surface 30 that forms around its recess 28 the wall 27, that in its part central, it comprises a central recess 31 for the engagement of the mechanism 11, and that it is reported to him

by snapping.

  In practice, the cover 19 of the mechanism 11 has, in opposite positions with respect to each other, two hooks 32 through which it is adapted to engage with notches 33 provided in correspondence for this purpose on the edge of the recess

central 31 of the support 13.

  In the embodiment shown, the plate 14 completely surrounds the support 13, and thus extending beyond this support 13 at its periphery, it is likely to come to bear on the same bearing surface 30 that it , as shown in FIG. 1, or, as shown in FIG. 10, on a bearing surface 30 ', which, substantially parallel to the bearing surface 30, is formed by a coating

  attached to the wall 27 around the support 13.

  In practice, in the embodiment shown, the plate 14 is adapted to be attached by screws, not shown, on the support 13. It comprises for this purpose ears 36 and, in

  correspondence, the support 13 comprises wells 37.

  In the embodiment shown, the operating key 15 is housed in a central recess 38 of the plate 14 at the edge of which intervene the ears 36 thereof,

  and it is pivotally mounted on this plate 14.

  In practice, the operating key 15 comprises laterally, for this purpose, ears 40 by which it is snapped onto journals 41 provided correspondingly for this purpose on the plate 14, on the edge of its

  central recess 38 between its ears 36.

  The foregoing provisions are well known in themselves, at least in principle, and they will not be

  so not described in more detail here.

  Also known in principle, the pusher 12 comprises two parts in screwing relationship with each other, namely, on the one hand, a sleeve 12A, which is locked in rotation while being axially movable , and whose internal bore 42 is threaded, and, secondly, a threaded rod 12B, which is screwed in engagement with the sleeve 12A. According to the invention, the thread or threads 43 that presents the threaded rod 12B of the pusher 12 are threads with a large pitch P, according to arrangements described in more detail later, and, together, the threaded rod 12B is subjected to elastic means. 44 continuously tending to extract it from the sleeve 12A with which it is engaged. In the embodiment shown, the sleeve 12A is intended for the control of the mechanism 11, by action on the microswitch 16 driving the latter, and, more precisely, on the lug 17 of the microswitch 16, while the threaded rod

  12B is intended for the action of the operating key 15.

  The sleeve 12A therefore extends on the side of the mechanism 11,

  and the threaded rod 12B on the side of the operating key 15.

  In the embodiment shown, the sleeve 12A has a blind bottom 46, and it is by it that it is

  adapted to act on the lug 17 of the microswitch 16.

  In the embodiment shown, the sleeve 12A, which is generally cylindrical, externally has a

circular cross section.

  It has, projecting, on the side of the microswitch 16, but slightly recessed from its blind bottom 46, a stop collar 48, for cooperation in abutment with the corresponding portion 49 of the sleeve 20 in which it is engaged. This stop flange 48, which, for reasons of space externally, in the embodiment shown, a particular contour, locally has a notch 52, for sliding engagement on a local extension 53 of the sleeve 20 intended to ensure the rotational locking of the sleeve 12A on the mechanism 11, and, therefore, its

  locking in rotation relative to the threaded rod 12B.

  On the opposite side to the microswitch 16, the outer edge of the sleeve 12A is cut by a chamfer 54, to facilitate

his engagement in the socket 20.

  Internally, the sleeve 12A has, in its internal bore 42, a number of helicoidal grooves 55 equal

  to that of the threads 43 of the threaded rod 12B.

  In the embodiment shown, the threaded rod 12B has indeed several threads 43, in this case four, and therefore the sleeve 12A internally comprises four helical grooves 55, which, of course, all identical to each other, are complementary each, respectively,

threads 43 of the threaded rod 12B.

  For a good reversibility of the screwing, and as indicated in FIG. 5, the pitch P of the threads 43 of the threaded rod 12B is preferably greater than 1.5 times the diameter D of this threaded rod 12B, measured externally,

on the crest of these nets 43.

  Since the pitch P is in practice greater than the height H of the threaded rod 12B in the embodiment shown, one of the threads 43 has been extended in broken lines in FIG. 5 so that it can be duly marked there. In practice, in the embodiment shown, the pitch P of the threads 43 of the threaded rod 12B is substantially equal to 2.5 times the diameter D of the latter measured in the

  previously specified conditions.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, and as is apparent from Figure 6 for one of them, the threads 43 of the threaded rod 12B have a trapezoidal profile, and more specifically, an isosceles trapezoidal profile which the sides or

  flanks 56 make an angle A greater than 90 between them.

  For example, this angle A is close to 100.

  But, in practice, any other profile could be suitable, while however being preferentially symmetrical. Finally, in the embodiment shown, the threaded rod 12B has a head 57 on which the

  resilient return means 44 associated therewith.

  In practice, these elastic return means 44 are constituted by a spring, of the coil spring type, which is generally frustoconical, and which bears on the cover 19 of the mechanism 11, around a centering bead 58 which protrudes on this cover 19, form in practice an extension of

  the sleeve 20 that comprises it.

  Unlike the head of a type screw

  conventional, the head 57 of the threaded rod 12B is smooth.

  For its contact with the lever 21 against which it bears under the stress of the elastic return means 44,

it is generally convex.

  While the sleeve 12A is preferably made of synthetic material, the threaded rod 12B is preferentially

made of metal.

  Anyway, under the stress of the elastic return means 44, the threaded rod 12B is permanently subject to a loosening torque, which tends to extract it from the

  sleeve 12A in the direction of the operating key 15.

  As shown schematically by the arrow F1 in FIGS. 1 and 2, the corresponding axial extraction force has several effects. First, it keeps the threaded rod 12B

  applied by its head 57 on the lever 21.

  But, through this threaded rod 12B, it also maintains this lever 21 in application against the operating key 15, the side of the lever 21 opposite the ears 22 by which it is articulated to the cover 19 of the

mechanism 11.

  Finally, the threaded rod 12B driving the sleeve 12A with which it is engaged, the axial extraction force of which this threaded rod 12B normally holds this sleeve 12A in abutment by its stop flange 48 against the

  slice 49 of the sleeve 20 in which it is engaged.

  For this stop position, which corresponds to the rest configuration of the assembly, the sleeve 12A of the pusher 12 according to the invention is at a distance, but at a very short distance, from the lug 17 of the microswitch 16, which, as soon as

when, is in a first state.

  If, for the configuration of actuation of the assembly, the operating key 15 is subject to a tilting action, it is the same for the lever 21 of the mechanism 11, and, as shown schematically by the arrow F2, opposite to the previous one, in FIG. 9, the threaded rod 12B of the pusher 12 according to the invention is then subjected, against its elastic return means 44, to a depressing action during from which it axially drives the latter and therefore causes its action on the lug 17 of the microswitch 16, which then switches to its second state,

distinct from the previous one.

  In the first instance, the force developed is not sufficient for this to result in any beginning of screwing of the threaded rod 12B into the sleeve 12A, and it is practically so until the pin 17 of microswitch 16 ll

arrives at the end of the race.

  Beyond, and therefore, in a second step, if the action exerted on the operating key 15 is continued, the force developed becomes greater than the opposing force exerted by the elastic return means 44, and the rod 12B threaded axially penetrates into the sleeve 12A by screwing into it. When the action exerted on the operating key 15 is released, the elastic return means 44 return in their initial rest configuration the threaded rod 12B, the sleeve 12A, the lever 21 of the mechanism 11 and the operating key 15, however that the microswitch 16 returns itself

in his first state.

  It is the same if, as shown in FIG. 10, the wall 27 carries a coating 35 forming a surface

  30 'support for the plate 14 around the support 13.

  But in this case, the output of the threaded rod 12B relative to the sleeve 12A in the rest configuration is more accentuated, while for this rest configuration, the sleeve 12A is at the same distance from the pin 17 of the

microswitch 16 than before.

  When the operating key 15 is toggled, the action on the lug 17 of this microswitch 16 takes place therefore

  exactly as in the previous case.

  In other words, the operation of the electrical apparatus 10 according to the invention is indifferent to the thickness

  coating 35 possibly present on the wall 27.

  Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown, particularly with regard to the number of threads of the threaded rod of the pusher according to the invention and / or the profile of these threads,

  but encompasses any variant of execution.

  It may be sufficient, in particular, that the stem

  Thread has at least one thread.

  In addition, instead of acting indirectly on the pusher, by means of a lever, the operating key could also act directly on it. Finally, instead of being pivotally mounted on the plate that carries it, this touch of maneuver could just as

  for example, being mobile axially in translation relative to the latter.

Claims (7)

  1. Electrical apparatus of the type comprising a mechanism (11) with which it is associated for its control a pusher (12) mounted axially movable, a support (13) which is secured to the mechanism (11), a plate (14) which, reported on the support (13), at least partially surrounds it, and a maneuvering button (15) which, at the disposal of the user, is movably mounted on the plate (14) and is able to act, either directly , or indirectly, on the pusher (12), said pusher (12) comprising two parts in screwing relation with respect to each other, namely, on the one hand, a sleeve (12A), which is blocked in rotation while being movable axially, and whose internal bore (42) is threaded, and, secondly, a threaded rod (12B), which is screwed in engagement with the sleeve (12A), characterized in that the thread or threads (43) of the threaded shank (12B) of the pusher (12) are threads with a large pitch (P), and that, together with this threaded shank, summer (12B) is subjected to elastic return means tending continuously to extract it from the sleeve (12A) with which she is engaged.   2. Electrical device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pitch (P) of the thread or threads (43) of the threaded rod (12B) of the pusher (12) is greater than 1.5 times.   the diameter (D) of this threaded rod (12B).   3. Electrical apparatus according to any one of   Claims 1, 2, characterized in that the threaded rod   (12B) of the pusher (12) has a plurality of threads (43).   4. Electrical apparatus according to any one of   Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the threaded rod   (12B) of the pusher (12) has a head (57) on which bear the elastic return means (44) associated therewith. 5. Electrical apparatus according to any one of   Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the sleeve (12A)   the pusher (12) is made of synthetic material and its threaded rod (12B) metal.   6. Electrical apparatus according to any one of   Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the sleeve (12A)   the pusher (12) is intended for controlling the mechanism (11) while its threaded rod (12B) is intended for the action of the operating key (15). 7. Electrical apparatus according to any one of   Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the touch of   maneuver (15) is able to act on the pusher (12) via a lever (21) which is pivotally mounted on the mechanism (11).