MXPA99007292A - In-line switch assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

Each free end of a severed single conductor is bared and attached to a different terminal member by means of a terminal screw. The terminal members are each coupled to a contact of a rocker type switch. When in a first position a bridging element contacts both contacts of the switch and closes the circuit through the severed conductor. The rocker when placed in a second position permits the bridging element to open the circuit through the severedconductor.

Description

INLINE SWITCH ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The invention is directed to an on / off switch assembly for electrical devices, and more particularly, to an on / off switch assembly, which can be installed on electrical conductors that drive said electrical devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is directed to an on / off switch assembly in line that can be installed in power lines to electrical devices. The switch assembly makes use of a switch member with two contacts, which extend from the switch member and a bridge device, internally, which can bridge the two contacts to close a circuit or allow the union type bridge the device to open the path between the two contacts and open the circuit. The bridge device can be operated through oscillating means, which extend from the switch member. A first terminal member is attached to a first switch contact at a first end and is equipped with a terminal screw at its second end to receive a first portion of a first conductor. A second terminal member is attached to a second switch contact at a first end and is equipped with a terminal screw at its second end to receive a second portion of the first conductor. When the bridge device bridges the first and second contacts, the first conductor is complete and the circuit closes. The oscillating means can be operated to allow the bridge device to open the path between the first and second contacts and open the circuit. A housing is positioned around the switch member and the first and second terminal members. An inlet and an outlet opening in the housing allow the electric cord to enter and exit the housing. Voltage relief devices in the inlet and outlet openings protect the switch assembly and internal connections. It is an object of the invention to provide a novel, in-line electrical switch. It is an object of the invention to provide a novel, in-line electrical switch, which employs an oscillating switch member. It is another object of the invention to provide a novel, in-line electrical switch, wherein a conductor of an electrical cord is fixed in place through terminal screws. It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel, in-line electrical switch, wherein the end members couple a conductor of an electrical cord to a switch member.

Other objects and aspects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which describe, by way of example, the principles of the invention, and the best mode currently contemplated for carrying them out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, where similar elements are given similar reference characters: Figure 1 is a top plan view of an inline switch assembly constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention. Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the switch assembly of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the rear portion of the base housing portion of the switch assembly of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the front portion of the base housing portion of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the front portion of the cover housing portion. Figure 6 is a top plan view of the base housing portion with all the components of the switch assembly mounted thereon. Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the switch member and assembled terminal members. Figure 8 is a bottom perspective view of the switch member of Figure 7. Figure 9 is a front elevation view of the switch member of Figure 7 and showing in vanished lines the internal structure of the switch member. Figure 10 is a top plan view of the switch assembly of Figure 6 with an electrical cord connected.

Description of the Preferred Modality Returning now to Figures 1 to 10, there is shown an in-line switch assembly 20 constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention and shown connected to a conductor 22 of a two-conductor, collateral electrical cord. 26, of the type normally used to supply power to electrical devices. The switch assembly 20 is made of a base housing portion 28 and a cover housing portion 30 and when assembled through fasteners 32 they form a complete housing 34. An oscillator 36 extends partially out of the aperture 42 made of slots 38 in the base housing portion 28 and 40 in the housing housing portion 30. Only one end of the oscillator 36 extends above the housing 34 depending on the state of the switch assembly 20. An inlet opening 44 is formed in the portion in the base housing portion 28 and is joined through a removable tab 46. For electrical cords that can be fully accepted in the inlet opening 44, the tongue 46 engages the cord 26 to provide a relief of tension. If the cord 26 has a larger diameter than the inlet opening 44, the tongue 46 can be removed. The cover housing portion 30 also has a removable tab 48 aligned with the tab 46. The tab 48 acts as a strain relief and can be removed for larger diameter cords. The outlet opening 50 is similar to the inlet opening 44. Referring to Figures 4 and 6, the inner structure of the base housing portion 28 is shown. A three-mace unit 60 is placed to the left of the slot 38 and another unit of three hubs 62 is positioned to the right of slot 38. Units 60 and 62 are mirror images of one another and only unit 60 will be described. The hub 64 connects the hub 68, and the hub to the hub 72. The chamfers between the hubs form a base 76. The opening 66 in the hub 64 receives a rivet 78 to clamp the terminal members to the base housing portion 28. The hub 68 has an extension 80 above the height of the hubs 64 and 72, but has a smaller diameter than the base 76. An opening 70 in the hub 68 and extension 80 receives the threaded portion of fasteners 32 to maintain to accommodation 34 in its assembled condition. The base 76 supports a potion of the terminal member, as will be described later. The opening 74 in the hub 72 receives a terminal screw 82, which couples the open end of a conductor, which is wrapped around the terminal screw 82 under its head 83 and mechanically and electrically links a conductor to the terminal member. A rib 84 extends around the slot 38 to assist in supporting the switch member, as will be described later. The interior of the cover housing portion 30 is shown in Figure 5. A rib 86 surrounds the slot 40 to help support the switch member when the housing 34 is complete. Placement and reinforcement ribs 88 are placed around the inner periphery of the housing housing portion 30 and extend beyond the housing housing portion 30 to enter the base housing portion 28 when the portions 28 and 30 are assembled to the housing 34. Two columns 90, 94 extend from the interior surface of the housing housing portion 30. Each column 90, 94 is made of a first circular portion 96 and a second circular portion 98 having a smaller diameter that the first portion 96. A hole 100 extends through the second portion 98 and is rebored in the first portion 96. The hole 100 is aligned with the opening 70 in the hub 68, when the portions 28, 30 are assembled. The head of the fastener 32 is received in the reamed portion of the hole 100 and the threaded body of the fastener 32 extends through the hole 100 towards the opening 70 of the hub 68. The threaded body of the fastener 32 cuts the corresponding threads in the walls surrounding the opening 70.

Turning now to Figures 6 to 9, the details of the switch member 102 and the terminal members 118 and 130 are set. The switch member 102 has a body 104, which includes an upper face 106 and a lower face 108. oscillator 36 extends through upper face 106 to allow a user to operate switch member 102. Upper face 106 extends beyond body 104 to form a rib 110 that extends around body 104 to engage the ribs 84 and 86 for positioning and supporting the switch member 102 in the housing 34. Extending below the bottom surface 108, generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the switch member 102, is an isolation barrier 112. A first contact 114 and a second contact 116 extend from the lower surface 108 and along the barrier 12. It should be understood that when the switch member 102 is placed, as shown in FIG. In Figure 6, the barrier 112 will prevent contact with the first and second contacts, 114, 116, respectively. A first end member 118 has a first end 120 that will be placed on the unit of three clubs 62 and a second end 122 that will be placed in the slot of the first contact 114. The first end 120 has the same shape as the unit of three clubs 62 and has openings 124, 126 and 128 aligned with the hub openings 66, 70 and 74, respectively. The second end 122 is welded, brazed, bonded, bonded or otherwise coupled to the first contact 114. The second end member 130 has a first end 132 in the same shape as the three-hub unit 60 and is arranged for be placed on said unit with the openings 134, 136, 138 aligned with the hub openings 66, 70 and 74. The second end 140 enters the groove of the second contact 116 and joins the same in the same way as the first member terminal 118. The pins 142, 144 of the first and second end members, respectively, are of different lengths to accommodate the off-center positioning of the first and second contacts 114, 116, respectively. The first contact 114 terminates in a fixed contact 146 in the body 104. The second contact 116 is connected to an elastic flexible bridge element 148 which carries a movable contact 150. An activator 152 can be placed by the oscillator 36 out of contact with the bridge element 148, as shown in Figure 9, and the natural elasticity of the bridge element 148 separates the movable contact 150 from the fixed contact 146 and opens the circuit. When the oscillator 36 moves to its other position, the actuator 152 engages the bridge element 148 and moves it in a counter-clockwise direction causing the movable contact 150 to engage the first contact 146 and close the circuit. That is, there will be a conductive path from the first terminal member 118 to the first contact 114, fixed contact 146, moving contact 150, bridge element 148 to the second contact 116 to the second terminal member 130. Returning to Figure 10, the method for using the on-line switch assembly 20. The two conductors 22, 24 of the electric cord 26 are separated from each other, approximately the length of the base housing portion 28. The first conductor 22 is divided at its midpoint and the insulation is removed at each of the forming ends of the conductor 22 to discover the central conductor. One end of the conductor 22 is attached to the first end member 118 through the terminal screw 82, as is well known in the art. The second free end of the conductor 22 is attached to the second terminal member 130 through a terminal screw 82. The conductor 24 is made to derive the first terminal member 118 and the second terminal member 130 within the base housing portion 28. The ends of the conductor 22 can be cut to size to fit within the base housing portion 28. The position of the bridge element 148 will now determine whether the circuit is opened or closed as previously established. Although the fundamental novel aspects of the invention have been shown and described and pointed out, as it is applied to the preferred embodiment, as currently contemplated to perform them, it will be understood that several omissions and substitutions and changes of the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims (7)

1. - An in-line switch assembly comprising: a) a switch member having an oscillating lever extending therefrom, said switch member capable of opening and closing an electrical circuit; said switch member having a first dependent contact with a first slot therethrough and a second dependent contact with a second slot therethrough; b) a base housing portion having a partial power cord inlet, a partial power cord outlet and a partial switch member slot, said base housing portion having two units of three hubs, a unit of three hubs on each side of the partial switch member slot, each of the hubs having an opening therein; c) a cover housing portion having a partial electrical cord entry, a partial electrical cord outlet and a partial switch member slot, said cover housing portion having two columns, a column on each side of the slot of partial switch member, each of said columns having an opening therein; d) a union of said base housing portion and said cover housing portion forms a complete housing and completes the partial electric cord inlet, the partial electric cord outlet and the partial switch member slot with the oscillating lever extending through the switch member slot competa; e) a first terminal member having a first end and a second end, said first end inserted through the first slot in the first contact dependent and coupled to the first dependent contact, the second end of the first terminal member fixed to one of the three hubs in one of the two units of three hubs, the second end of the first terminal member further having a first terminal screw for securing the uncovered end of a first electrical conductor to the first terminal member; and f) a second terminal member having a third end and a fourth end, the third end inserted through the second slot in the second contact dependent and coupled to the second dependent contact, the fourth contact of the second terminal member fixed to one of the three hubs in the other of the two units of three hubs, the end barrel of the second terminal member further having a second terminal screw for fixing a second uncovered end of the first electrical conductor to the second terminal member, whereby the oscillating lever is in a first position, the first and second discovered ends of the first electrical conductor are joined and an electrical circuit is completed and when said oscillating lever is in a second position said first and second discovered ends of the first electrical conductor are not joined and an electric circuit is opened .

2. An in-line switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein said partial power cord inlet and outlet of the base housing portion each are made of a groove and a first removable tongue, said first tongue removable. it provides relief of tension when it is present or an in and out of the enlarged electric cord when it is removed.

3. An in-line switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the partial electrical cord entry and exit of the cover housing portion are each blocked by a second removable tongue, said second removable tongue providing a relief of tension when it is present or an enlarged electric cord inlet and outlet when it is removed.

4. An in-line switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein: a) the electrical cord inlet and outlet of the base housing portion are made of a slot and a first removable tab, and b) the entry and exit of the partial electrical cord of the housing housing portion are blocked by a second removable tongue, whereby each of said complete electrical cord entry and said complete electrical cord outlet provides a groove of a first size when the first and second removable tabs are present, and provides a strain relief to the electrical cord through said first and second removable tabs, and each of said complete electrical cord input and said complete electrical cord outlet provides a slot of a second size when said first removable tab is absent and said second removable tab is present, and provides a voltage relief to the electrical cord through said second removable tab, and each of said full electrical cord input and said Full electric cord outlet provides a slot a third size when the second removable tab is absent and the first removable tab is present, and provides strain relief to the electrical cord through the first removable tab and each of said full electrical cord entry and said full electrical cord outlet provides a groove of a third size when the first and second removable tabs are present.

5. An in-line switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein said base housing portion has a first rib around the partial switch member slot and the housing housing portion has a second rib around it. the partial switch member slot, said first and second ribs, when the base housing portion and the cover housing portion are joined together providing a continuous rib to hold said switch member in the complete housing.

6. An inline switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first terminal screw is received in a second of the three hubs in one of the two units of three hubs and the second terminal screw is received in a second hub. of the three clubs in the other of the units of three clubs.

7. An inline switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the openings in each of the two columns extend through a surface of the cover housing portion, and the columns each are placed adjacent to each other. to one of the three clubs in each of the two units of three clubs when the housing is complete to allow fasteners to be inserted through each of the columns and one of the three associated clubs in each of the two units. three hubs for maintaining the cover housing portion and the base housing portion in the assembly.