US3090847A - Circuit controller - Google Patents

Description

May 21, 1963 A. J. COLAUTTI ETAL 3,09 7

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 1. 1960 INVENTORS filfierf dK'olazrf/f A TTOR NE Y BY ($527)? Maw/ax; M/

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ATTORNEY May 21, 1963 A. J. COLAUTT! ETAL CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Filed Aug. 1. 1960 & .6? I? May/4.45

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United States Patent 3,090,847 CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Albert J. Colautti, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and Bert R. Waniass, Warren, Mich., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 46,692 4 Claims. (Cl. 200-68) This invention relates to circuit controllers and more particularly to circuit controllers of the type which are movable to closed position and which remain in this position for a predetermined period of time before opening the circuit.

The circuit controller of this invention is particularly useful for the remote control or power actuated members, such as the remote control of vehicle windows from the instrument panel of the automobile, wherein movement of the member between its terminal positions usually requires a predetermined period of time.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, one or more flexible contact arms of bimetallic spring material are mounted on an insulated base. The contact arms mount contacts which engage stationary contacts when the actuator engages the contact arm to move the movable contact into engagement with the stationary contact to close the circuit controller and thereby heat the contact arm. The actuator includes a detent shoulder which is adapted to engage behind a detent shoulder on the contact arm so that the circuit controller remains closed for a predetermined period of time after initial closure thereof, with this period of time being controlled by fiexure of the arm upon heating thereof.

The entire contact arm does not flex or bow in the same direction when it is heated but rather the arm assumes a generally ogee shape. The longitudinal portion of the arm from the mounting means to approximately half way between the mounting means and detent shoulder has the high expansion metal on the upper side thereof so as to bow in an upward direction when the contacts are closed. The other longitudinal portion of the arm, which includes the detent shoulder and the movable contact, has the high expansion metal on the lower side thereof so as to bow in a downward direction when the contacts are closed. Thus, upon heating of the arm after the contacts are closed, the other longitudinal portion of the arm will bow in a direction to move the detent shoulder of the arm away from the detent shoulder of the actuator to thereby release the actuator. Further, by having the one longitudinal portion of the arm bow upwardly, it will deflect downwardly and cooperate with the bow in the other portion of the arm to maintain the contacts in a closed position until the actuator is returned to its normal position so as not to immediately open the contacts as soon as the arm starts to release the actuator. This feature provides for ease of operation, and further ensures that there will be no arcing across the contacts since the arm will not open the contacts until such time as the actuator is in a neutral position to ensure that the contact arm can quickly move through its complete arc of movement to open the contacts without interference with the actuator. This is important since switches of this type may have to carry loads of from 60 to 75 amperes in certain installations so that there is a possibility of arcing if the contacts are not quickly opened upon release of the actuator from the contact arm.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a new and improved circuit controller which includes a bimetallic spring arm flexing or bowing in opposite directions upon closure of the controller and heating of the arm. Another object of this invention is to provide an improved circuit controller which is movable to a 3,090,847 Patented May 21, 1963 ice closed position and which will remain in this position for a predetermined period of time without requiring the operator to hold the controller in closed position. A further object of this invention is to provide an improved circuit controller of the bimetallic type which includes a bimetallic spring arm and a switch actuator having interengaging means whereby the actuator will be held in a position maintaining the arm in closed position for a predetermined period of time which is controlled by the heating of the contact arm and ficxure thereof. Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved circuit controller of the bimetallic type which includes a bimetallic contact arm and an actuator having inter engaging means maintaining the contact arm in closed position upon initial closure of the contacts for a predetermined period of time which is controlled by heating of the arm and flexure thereof, with the fiexure of the arm being arranged whereby the arm tends to maintain the contacts of the controller in a closed position until the actuator has been fully released from the arm and moved to its neutral position so as to prevent interference between the actuator and the arm which would delay opening of the controller and thereby possibly cause arcing across the contacts.

These and other objects of this invention will be readily apparent from the following specification and drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a circuit controller according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 2-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 44 of FIGURE 2, and;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 5-5 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the controller includes a generally rectangularly shaped housing 10 having a pair of laterally extending apertured cars 12 which provide the means for mounting the housing within a suitable opening on the support. A base member 14 of insulating material fits within the lower opening of housing 10 and is held in place by a number of angle tabs 16 of spring material which fit within angle pockets 18 in base 14 and include bent tabs 20 received within apertures 22 of housing 10.

Base 14 includes a spaced pair of upwardly extending apertured cars 24 which fixedly support a pivot pin 26. As best shown in FIGURE 5, a U-shaped actuating member 28 of insulating material includes a pair of depending .apertured legs 30 which receive pin 26 therethrough in order to rotatably mount the member 28 on the base 14 between the cars 24 thereof. Member 28 further includes a pair of arms 32 integral with the base thereof which are riveted or otherwise fixedly secured at 34 to bosses 36 of a manual actuator member 38 received Within the upper opening of housing 18. The members 28 and 38 comprise the switch actuator assembly, with this assembly being normally held in its position as shown in FIGURE 2 by a bowed leaf spring 40 riveted at 42 to a boss 44 of base 14 and normally engaging protuberances 46 of arms 32.

As best shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawings, a pair of contact arms 50 of like construction are riveted at 52 at one end thereof to base 14. Each arm is of like construction and is made of bimetallic material, with the free end of each arm having secured thereto a movable contact 54 which engages a fixed contact 56 riveted to the base 14 when the contacts are closed. Adjacent longitudinal portions of the arms 50 how in opposite directions from the junction ribs 58 of the arms to the free end thereof upon closure of contacts 54 and 56 and heating of the arms, with each arm assuming a generally ogee shape. The one longitudinal portion 60 of the arms which extends from the junction rib 58 to approximately half way between this rib and a detent shoulder 62 of the arm has the high expansion metal on the upper side thereof so as to bow in an upward direction upon closing of the contacts 54 and 56 and heating of the arm. The other longitudinal portion 64 of the arms, which extends from the one portion 60 to the free end of the arms and which includes the detent shoulders 62 and the movable contacts 54, has the high expansion metal on the lower side thereof so as to bow in an opposite direction or downwardly upon closing of the contacts 54 and 56 and heating of the arm, whereby the arm will assume a generally ogee shape.

Each of the legs 30 of the actuator assembly includes a detent shoulder 66 at one corner thereof which is adapted to cooperate with a detent shoulder 62 of the contact arms to close a pair of contacts 54 and 56, as will now be vdescribed. Upon movement of the actuator assembly in one direction about the pin 26 against the bias of spring 40, such as clockwise in FIGURE 2, the right hand shoulder 66 of the actuator assembly will engage and move past the shoulder 62 of the respective contact arm 50 into engagement with the one side 68 of this shoulder so as to bend the contact arm 50 downwardly about the juncture rib 58 and thereby move the contact 54 of this arm into engagement with the fixed contact 56 respective thereto. Since the normal tendency of the arm 50 is to return to its free position, as shown in FIGURE 2, the spring action of the arm will maintain the shoulder 66 in engagement with the side 68 of shoulder 62 to maintain the arm 50 in a downward position and maintain the contacts 54 and 56 in closed position. With the arm 50 in a closed position, current will flow from the center hot lead 42 through bus bar 70 to the rivet 52 and then through the arm 50 and contact 54 to the fixed contact 56. This will heat arm 50 and the adjacent longitudinal portions 60 and 64 of the arm will start to bow in opposite directions as previously described. When the longitudinal portion 64 of the arm, which includes the detent shoulder 62, has been heated a period of time so as to bow downwardly a suflicient distance, the shoulder 62 will be moved downwardly and out of engagement with the shoulder 66 to allow the spring 40 to return the actuator assembly to its neutral position as shown in the drawings. Since the portion 64 of the arm bows in a downward direction, while the portion 60 bows in an upward direction, but deflects the downwardly deflection of portion 60 and the bowing of portion 64 to tend to maintain the contact 54 in engagement with the contact 56 for a slight period of time after release of the shoulder 66 from the shoulder 62 to thereby allow the spring 40 to return the actuator assembly to its neutral position prior to any disengagement of the contact 54 from the contact 56. Thereafter, the arm 50 will move upwardly to move contact 54 out of engagement with the contact 56 and quickly open the switch as arm 50 cools without any arcing across the contacts 54 and 56. There will be no interference whatsoever to this quick opening of the switch from the shoulder 66 or from any other portion of the member 28 of the actuator assembly since the actuator assembly will have previously been returned to a neutral position.

Thus, this invention provides a new and improved circuit controller.

We claim:

1. A circuit controller comprising, in combination, a housing, a base secured to said housing and including a stationary contact, a movable contact arm secured adjacent one end thereof to said base, a contact mounted on said arm adjacent the free end thereof and normally held out of engagement with said stationary contact, said arm being of bimetallic construction and having one longitudinal portion thereof flexing in the direction of closure of said contacts upon heating of said arm, an actuator mounted on said housing and biased to neutral position, said actuator being engageable with said arm to close said contacts and heat said arm, and means on said one longitudinal portion of said arm interengageable with cooperating means on said actuator upon closure of said contacts to hold said actuator in a position to maintain said contacts in closed position, said one longitudinal portion of said arm flexing in said direction upon heating of said arm for a predetermined period of time to move said means on said arm out of engagement with said means on said arm out of engagement with said means on said actuator and release said actuator to permit said actuator to return to neutnal position, said flexing movement of said arm in said direction tending to hold said movable contact in engagement with said stationary contact for a period of time suflicient to permit said actuator to return to neutral position before said arm moves said movable contact out of engagement with said stationary contact.

2. A circuit controller comprising, in combination, a housing, a base secured to said housing and including a stationary contact, a movable contact arm secured adjacent one end thereof to said base, a contact mounted on said arm adjacent the free end thereof and normally held out of engagement with said stationary contact, said arm being of bimetallic construction and having one longitudinal portion thereof flexing in the direction of closure of said contacts upon heating of said arm, an actuator mounted on said housing and biased to neutral position, said actuator being engageable with said arm to close said contacts and thereby heat said arm, and detent means on said one longitudinal portion of said arm engageable with detent means on said actuator upon closure of said contacts to hold said actuator in a position to maintain said contacts in closed position, said one longitudinal portion of said arm flexing in said direction upon heating of said arm for a predetermined period of time to move said arm detent means out of engagement with said actuator detent means and release said actuator to permit said actuator to return to neutral position, said flexing movement of said arm in said direction tending to hold said movable contact in engagement with said stationary contact for a period of time suflicient to permit said actuator to return to neutral position before said arm moves said movable contact out of engagement with said stationary contact.

3. A circuit controller comprising, in combination, a housing, a base secured to said housing and including a stationary contact, a movable contact arm secured adjacent one end thereof to said base, a contact mounted on said arm adjacent the free end thereof and normally held out of engagement with said stationary contact, said arm being of bimetallic construction and having one longitudinal portion thereof flexing in the direction of closure of said contacts upon heating of said arm, an actuator mounted on said housing and biased to neutral position, said actuator including a detent shoulder engageable with said arm to close said contacts, a detent shoulder on said one longitudinal portion of said arm engageable behind said actuator shoulder upon closure of said contacts to hold said actuator in a position to maintain said contacts in closed position, said one longi- P tudinal portion of said arm flexing in said direction upon heating of said arm for a predetermined period of time to move said arm shoulder out of engagement with said actuator shoulder and release said actuator to permit said actuator to return to neutral position, said flexing movement of said arm in said direction tending to hold said movable contact in engagement with said stationary contact for a period of time sufficient to permit said actuator to return to neutral position before said arm moves said movable contact out of engagement with said stationary contact.

4. A circuit controller comprising, in combination, a housing, a base secured to said housing and including a stationary contact, a movable contact arm secured adjacent one end thereof to said base, a contact mounted on said arm adjacent the free end thereof and normally held out of engagement with said stationary contact, said arm being of bimetallic construction and having adjacent longitudinal portions thereof flexing in opposite directions upon closure of said contacts and heating of said arm, an actuator mounted on said housing and biased to neutral position, said actuator being engageable with said arm to close said contacts and heat said arm, and means on one of said longitudinal portions of said arm engageable with said actuator upon closure of said contacts to hold said actuator in a position to maintain said contacts in closed position, said one longitudinal portion of said arm flexing in a direction upon heating of said arm for a predetermined period of time to move said arm means out of engagement with said actuator and release said actuator to permit said actuator to return to neutral position, the direction of flexing movement of said arm tending to hold said movable contact in engagement with said stationary contact for a period of time suflicient to permit said actuator to return to neutral position before said arm moves said movable contact out of engagement with said fixed contact.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,336,408 Matthews Dec. 7, 1943 2,345,451 Bolesky Mar. 28, 1944 2,348,995 Parkhurst et a1 May 16, 1944 2,467,745 Harrison Apr. 19, 1949 2,470,613 Gaynor May 17, 1949 2,681,962 Sundt June 22, 1954 2,863,965 Cardin et a1 Dec. 9, l958 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,108,438 France Aug. 31, 1955 1,125,155 France July 9, 1956

Claims (1)

1. A CIRCUIT CONTROLLER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A HOUSING, A BASE SECURED TO SAID HOUSING AND INCLUDING A STATIONARY CONTACT, A MOVABLE CONTACT ARM SECURED ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF TO SAID BASE, A CONTACT MOUNTED ON SAID ARM ADJACENT THE FREE END THEREOF AND NORMALLY HELD OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID STATIONARY CONTACT, SAID ARM BEING OF BIMETALLIC CONSTRUCTION AND HAVING ONE LONGITUDINAL PORTION THEREOF FLEXING IN THE DIRECTION OF CLOSURE OF SAID CONTACTS UPON HEATING OF SAID ARM, AN ACTUATOR MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING AND BIASED TO NEUTRAL POSITION, SAID ACTUATOR BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID ARM TO CLOSE SAID CONTACTS AND HEAT SAID ARM, AND MEANS ON SID ONE LONGITUDINAL PORTION OF SAID ARM INTERENGAGEABLE WITH COOPERATING MEANS ON SAID ACTUATOR UPON CLOSURE OF SAID CONTACTS TO HOLD SAID ACTUATOR IN A POSITION TO MAINTAIN SAID CONTACTS IN CLOSED POSITION, SAID ONE LONGITUDINAL PORTION OF SAID ARM FLEXING IN SAID DIRECTION UPON HEATING OF SAID ARM FOR A PREDETERMINED PERIOD OF TIME TO MOVE SAID MEANS ON SAID ARM OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID MEANS ON SAID ARM OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID MEANS ON SAID ACTUATOR AND RELEASE SAID ACTUATOR TO PERMIT SAID ACTUATOR TO RETURN TO NEUTRAL POSITION, SAID FLEXING MOVEMENT OF SAID ARM IN SAID DIRECTION TENDING TO HOLD SAID MOVABLE CONTACT IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID STATIONARY CONTACT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME SUFFICIENT TO PERMIT SAID ACTUATOR TO RETURN TO NEUTRAL POSITION BEFORE SAID ARM MOVES SAID MOVABLE CONTACT OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID STATIONARY CONTACT.

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