GB1595669A

GB1595669A - Electrical switch

Info

Publication number: GB1595669A
Application number: GB10389/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Franz Kirsten Elektrotechnische Spezialfabrik
Current assignee: Franz Kirsten Elektrotechnische Spezialfabrik
Priority date: 1977-04-09
Filing date: 1978-03-16
Publication date: 1981-08-12
Also published as: IT7848220A0; FR2386896A1; FR2386896B1; DE2716042A1; IT1102620B; DE2716042C2

Description

(54) ELECTRICAL SWITCH (71) We, FRANZ KIRSTEN ELEC TROTECHNISCHE SPECIALFABRIK, a Kommanditgesellschaft organised and existing under the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, of Franz-Kirsten Strasse, 6530 Bingen-Bingerbrtick, Federal Republic of Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to an electrical switch, more especially a dash-board switch for a motor vehicle.

Diverse versions of electrical switches are known and are incorporated into the dashboard d a motor vehicle or in a similar switchboard, actuation of the switch being affected from one side of the board and electrical connections being made to the switch on the other. In the case of all these known switches, for such electrical connections, two or more contacts protrude from the switch housing, to which contacts (prior to or after the installation of the switch housing in the dash ,board) individual electrical conductors have to he connected. Since (especially in the case of dash-board switches for motor vehicles) the working space is extremely limited, the fastening of the electrical conductors to the contacts of the switch is work which is extremely difficult and time-consuming.

An object of the invention is to provide an electrical switch whereby uniform switch housings can be equipped with contacts in different numbers and can be connected to the electrical conductors in a very simple way.

In accordance with the invention there is provided an electrical switch, for example a dash-board switch for a motor vehicle, comprising a switch housing provided with a nonconducting plate having switch contacts thereon and conductors which connect the contacts to one end portion of the plate, which end portion is surrounded by a shroud spaced therefrom, the said end portion of the plate and the shroud consistuting a plug with which a complementary socket can be engaged.

This simple basic construction makes it possible to insert into identical switch housings identical carrier plates having varying numbers of contacts and with a single manual movement to engage a socket, previously connected to the vehicle wiring harness, with the one end of the plate. Thus the work of connecting individual electrical conductors to the switch housing is abolished, since these are already connected to the socket(s) which can be easily slipped on. After installation of the switch housing in the dash-board or in the switchboard, in a single manual movement, a socket can he slipped on from the rear and at the same time be secured. The plug connection produced in this way can, if necessary also very easily be released again. Moreover, the advantage exists that the socket and the relevant electrical conductors can be connected together at a remote spatially unhindered location.

Advantageously the dash-board itself is modified to have a dome-like recess for the reception and retention of the switch housing and a plug-in aperture for the reception and retention of the socket housing.

The contacts may pass through the plate.

The electrical conductors leading to the one end of the plate are advantageously of copper coated onto the plate The invention will be explained in more detail hereinunder, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a part-sectioned side view of a first embodiment of a switch housing of the invention installed in a dash-board; Fig. 2 is a side view of a complementary socket; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the plate; Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1 but showing a slightly modified embodiment of the switch of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a dash-board 1 having a plugin aperture 2 and a dome-like recess 10 arranged therebehind and providing a socket receiving aperture 6. A switch housing 3, having an operating member 5, is inserted from left to right (in the drawing) through the aperture 2 into the dash-board 1 and secures itself by means of the resilient noses 4, 4 in its final position. From the switch housing 3 there projects an end portion 20 of a plate 9. Sidewalling surrounding socket 6 constitutes a shroud for the end portion 20. A socket member 7, shown in Fig. 2, having electrical conductors 17 fastened thereto can be pushed into the aperture 6 from right to left and engaged with the plug constituted by the end portion 20 of plate 9, and the shroud, which end portion 20 passes through a slot 13 in the switch housing 3. In the interior of the switch housing 3 the plate 9 is guided and held by two guide grooves 19.

The plate 9 is of non-conductive material, which carries, however, on one side a copper lamination 11, from which two or more electrical conductors 11, have been produced, and which connect contacts 12 on the plug-in plate, to the end portion 20 of the plate 9.

Arrangement of the contacts in a straight line has the advantage that a contact bridge 14 held by carrier or support 15 can be shifted in a straight line into the position shown in dotted lines and back again, in order to effect various connections between contacts 12. The support 15, designed, for instance, as a plate and carrying contact bridge 14 can be guided between two pairs of strip or ledge projections 16, protruding inwardly from walls of the switch housing 3.

The assembly of the entire device is absolutely simple. The switch housing 3 is pushed from left to right through the aperture 2 in the dash-board, after the socket (having blind hole 8) 7 has been introduced from right to left into the aperture 6 of the recess 10 of the dash-board, engagement of the end 20 of plate 9 with the blind hole 8 occurring simultaneously.

Fig. 5 shows a modified embodiment of switch wherein a switch housing 3' has only three walls, the fourth side wall being formed by a plate 9'. The latter can be securely connected by any desired fastening means 19' to the switch housing 3'. In this embodiment also, the end 20 of plate 9 constitutes a plug and is disposed at the same place in the aperture 6 of the recess 10 so that an unchanged socket 7 can be engaged therewith.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. An electrical switch, for example a dashboard switch for a motor vehicle, comprising a switch housing provided with a non-conducting plate having switch contacts thereon and conductors which connect the contacts to one end portion of the plate, which end portion is surrounded by a shroud spaced therefrom, the said end portion of the plate and the shroud constituting a plug with which a complementary socket can be engaged.

2. An electrical switch as claimed in claim 1, in combination with a vehicle dash-board, the dash-board having a dome-like recess for the reception and retention of the switch housing, and a portion defining the shroud surrounding the end portion of the plate and for receiving the complementary socket.

3. An electrical switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contacts pass through the plate.

4. An electrical switch as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the conductors are of copper coated onto the plate.

5. An electrical switch substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. having an operating member 5, is inserted from left to right (in the drawing) through the aperture 2 into the dash-board 1 and secures itself by means of the resilient noses 4, 4 in its final position. From the switch housing 3 there projects an end portion 20 of a plate 9. Sidewalling surrounding socket 6 constitutes a shroud for the end portion 20. A socket member 7, shown in Fig. 2, having electrical conductors 17 fastened thereto can be pushed into the aperture 6 from right to left and engaged with the plug constituted by the end portion 20 of plate 9, and the shroud, which end portion 20 passes through a slot 13 in the switch housing 3. In the interior of the switch housing 3 the plate 9 is guided and held by two guide grooves 19. The plate 9 is of non-conductive material, which carries, however, on one side a copper lamination 11, from which two or more electrical conductors 11, have been produced, and which connect contacts 12 on the plug-in plate, to the end portion 20 of the plate 9. Arrangement of the contacts in a straight line has the advantage that a contact bridge 14 held by carrier or support 15 can be shifted in a straight line into the position shown in dotted lines and back again, in order to effect various connections between contacts 12. The support 15, designed, for instance, as a plate and carrying contact bridge 14 can be guided between two pairs of strip or ledge projections 16, protruding inwardly from walls of the switch housing 3. The assembly of the entire device is absolutely simple. The switch housing 3 is pushed from left to right through the aperture 2 in the dash-board, after the socket (having blind hole 8) 7 has been introduced from right to left into the aperture 6 of the recess 10 of the dash-board, engagement of the end 20 of plate 9 with the blind hole 8 occurring simultaneously. Fig. 5 shows a modified embodiment of switch wherein a switch housing 3' has only three walls, the fourth side wall being formed by a plate 9'. The latter can be securely connected by any desired fastening means 19' to the switch housing 3'. In this embodiment also, the end 20 of plate 9 constitutes a plug and is disposed at the same place in the aperture 6 of the recess 10 so that an unchanged socket 7 can be engaged therewith. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. An electrical switch, for example a dashboard switch for a motor vehicle, comprising a switch housing provided with a non-conducting plate having switch contacts thereon and conductors which connect the contacts to one end portion of the plate, which end portion is surrounded by a shroud spaced therefrom, the said end portion of the plate and the shroud constituting a plug with which a complementary socket can be engaged.