US3200212A

US3200212A - Directional signal switch with flexible switch contact structure

Info

Publication number: US3200212A
Application number: US208695A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward L Barcus; David P Clayton
Original assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Current assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Priority date: 1962-07-10
Filing date: 1962-07-10
Publication date: 1965-08-10
Anticipated expiration: 1982-08-10

Description

United States Patent O anemia DIRECTINAL 'SGNAL SWI'ECH WETH FLEXE- BLE SWTCHI CON'iACT 'SHQUETURE Edward L. Barcos and Eavid l. Clayton, Anderson, llnd., assignors to General Motors torporation, Detroit, Mich., a-corporationof Belau/are Filed July 19,1962, Ser. No. 298,695 1'1 Claims. (Cl. Edil-61.34)

This invention relates to a switch and more particularly insulating material with a plurality of stationary contacts and iie'xible contacts mounted thereon and providing an actuator means for moving at least one of the flexible contacts into selective engagement or disengagement with at least some of the other contacts. The invention is further ca-rried out by providing a switch base of insulating material, a plurality of -stationary contact members mounted on the base, a iirst flexible contact engaging one of the stationary contact members, and a pair of additional ilexible contacts each in engagement with a stationary contact member and both in engagement with a common stationary contact member, and actuator means for etlecting selective movement of one of the pair oi iiexible contacts away from the common stationary contact into engagement withI the rst liexiblecontact and another stationary contact.

The above and other advantages will be made more apparent from the following specication taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE l is a partly broken away top view of a direction signal actuator containing a switch constructed accord-ingto the invention;

n FIGURE 2v is a partly broken away side view of Fl"- URE l;

FIGURES 3 and 4 are top views of the switch according to the inventiomand FIGURE 5 is a bottom view oi the switch to the invention.

Referring now to FIGURES l and 2, direction signal housingltl is adapted to be mounted on a vehicle steering column by conventional means, not shown. Located within the housing 1t) is a turn signal actuator mechanism comprisingV a molded plastic support portion 12 secured 'to the housing it? by three screws 14 and a molded plastic crescent-shaped actuator 16 pivotally mounted on the support portion 12.

The molded actuator 16 includes a crescent-shaped body having a downwardly extending integral pivot pin 18 at its center and aK groove 2t) near the pivot pin for receivingthe direction signal lever 22'.- A screw 24'secures the lever to the body. The pivot pin 18 seats in a bore 21. in the support portion 12 and is` secured therein by a screwl and washer assembly 23. Each end of the crescentshaped body carries an inwardly .turned pawl 26 attached to the'body by a` thin resilient section 23. A yieldable stiiieningiingerflis spaced from and located inside each pawl. The paw-ls are arranged so that when the actuator isyinits neutral position both pawls will be clear of a canceling cam, not shown, on the steering wheel. However, when the a-ctuator is pivoted to the richt or left, one of the pawlsv will be in the path ofl the canceling cam. When the steering wheel is rotated in the direction of the according 3,200,212 Patented Aug. 10, 1965 indicated turn, the canceling cam will touch the interfering pawl and move it aside momentarily, but will not change the position of the actuator. When the. steering wheel is rotated in the other direction the cam will contact the pawl 26 and push it against the stiiienin'g iinger 28. Then the pawl will move no further with. respect to the actuator and the entire actuator will be forced back to neutral position by the canceling cam. If, for some reason, the actuatingplate becomes jammed and cannot move, then `the stiliening finger 23 and the pawl 26 will yield so that continued rotation of the steering wheelv will be permitted. Each. end of the crescent-shaped body also carries a depending detent cam 32 which engages an undulated detent spring 34 on the support portion 12. When the actuating plateis in neutral position, each detent cam 32 will seat in the outer portion of the corresponding detent spring 34 and will be held in that position until the direction signal lever 22 is moved manually.v When the actuator is moved each cam 32 will likewise be moved to the right or left of the neutral position on the detent spring and will be held .in its new position until the actuating plate is returned to neutral either manually or by the canceling action `described above.

The support portion 12 contains a generally. rectangular opening 4t? which supports a switch 42. The actuator 16 has a depending switch actuator linger 44 integrally molded thereto. The actuator finger 44 extends into the opening 4d to operate the switch. 42 when the actuator member i6 is lrocked about its pivot axis.

As best shown in FIGURE 3, the switch 42. comprises a base. 46 of insulating material, preferably molded plastic,

having an upper surface 4S, a well portion 50, a pair of upwardly projecting integral pins or lugs 52, and an upwardly projecting integral rectangular block or lug 54. Molded into the base 46 are six metallic stationary contacts :i6-66 in the form of circular pins. Contacts 56 and SS are disposed on either side of the well 50. Contacts dil and 62 are disposed at one end of the well on the center line of the switch while the

iixed contacts

64 and 66 are disposed on either side of the switch center line but close to the contacts 6i) and 62. Each of the contacts is secured to an insulated conductor 68. The several conductors 68, as shown in FIGUR-E 5, are molded in the base material and are so arranged as to emerge from the base equally spaced and in line. A pair of flexible l-shaped spring contacts 7) and 72 are mounted on the switch base by having their

ends

74 and 76, respectively, partially curled around the pins S6 and S8, respectively, while each loop portion of the J-shaped springs abuts the rectangular lug 54. The long leg- 7S or 8) of each l-shaped contact is iiexible and is resiliently biased into electrical contact or conductive engagement with a common stationary contact 69. rThe extreme ends 79 and 8i of the flexible legs '78 and 30, respectively, are corrugated or otherwise formed into suitable contact surfaces. A C-shaped ilexible spring contact S2 having outwardly curled ends 34- .and 86 isl supported on the switch base 46 by being wrapped around insulating lugs 52 and the stationary contact 62. To assure good electrical contact between @shaped spring contact 82 and stationary contact 62, a leaf spring 8S has its ends supported against an end wall S9 of opening 40 of the support portion 12 and has its central portion engaging the spring Contact 82 toforce itnagainst stationary contact 62; It should further be noted that the

contact pins

64 and 66 are also close .to the legs 73 and Sil but that they are spaced further from the legs 'fil and Sti than are `the

curled portions

84 and 86 of thev Contact 82. The actuator linger 44 which v depends from the actuator 16 extends into the well 50 of the switch base and lies between the .l-shaped spring contacts '79 and 72.

Vpivot axis the actuator finger 44 moves within the well 50 into engagement with either the leg 78 or leg 8@ of the'J-shaped contacts. If the actuator finger 44 moves upwardly, as shown in FIGURE 4, it will engage the flexible leg 78 to move it away from contact pin 60 and then will cause Vengagement of legV 7S with end 84 of the spring contact S2, and subsequently, upon further movement will come into engagement with stationary contact 64. During this further movement the upper end of the spring S2 flexes to the extent that it becomes disengaged from the lug 52. This flexing movement of spring S2 assures that the flexible leg 78 can move far enough to engage contact 64 and thereby avoids the problem of hanging up, which occurs when it is attempted to cause one flexible contact to bridge two stationary contacts. In the latter case it is not uncommon for the flexible contact to make a good connection with one stationary contact but to make a poor connection or no connection with the other. If .the actuator finger 44 is moved downwardly it will effect a similar movement of flexible leg S of contact '72 to break its connection with contact 60 and to make a connection first with end 86 of spring contact 82, and subsequently, with stationary contact 66.

When the switch is to be used in a vehicle direction signal it should be connected to the vehicle light circuits (not shown) as follows: stationary contacts d, 58 are connected to right and left stop lamps; contact 60 is connected to a brake switch; contact 62 is connected to a direction signal Vflasher; and

contacts

64 and 66 are connected to right and left front turn indicator lamps, respectively. Thus when the switch is in neutral position and the vehicle brakes are applied, a brake switch will be closed to energize contact 60 and hence energize both stop lamps through

spring contacts

70, 7,2 and contacts' 56, 58. However, when the actuator 16 is moved to its right turn operative position and the actuator finger 44 moves upwardly as shown in FIGURE 4, then the connection between the right stop lamp and the contact 60 is broken and instead, the stop lamp is connected through contact 56, spring contact 70 and spring contact 82 tok the flasher contact 62 thereby Ycausing flashing of the right stop lamp due to the intermittent energization of contact 62 by the flasher. At the same time, due to the connection of contact 64 to spring contact '70, the lright front indicator lamp will 'also flash. It should be noted, however, that when the switch actuator finger moves to operative position the flexible leg 7S engages the spring contact 82 prior to making a connection with contact 64.

Hence the full load of the signal light system is not placed upon the flasher at one instant; rather, the load on the flasher is increased gradually. This is particularly important in this specific application because when the signal lamp filaments are cold they have a very low resistance and draw a large vload current.

It will readily be seen that this invention provides a simple, reliable and compact switch particularly suitable forfinstallation in a direc-tion signal actuator but useful in other applications as Well.

The Vembodiment of the invention described herein is kfor purposes of illustration andthe scope of the invention is intended to be limited only by the following claims.

We claim:

1. A switch comprising a base of insulating material, a plurality of stationary contact members mounted on the base, a first flexible contact mounted on the base in conductive engagement with a first stationary contact member, a second flexible contact mounted on the base;

a fixed contact member closely spaced from the second with the first flexible contact and the fixed contact member.

2. A switch comprising a .base of insulating material, a plurality of stationary contact members mounted on the base, a first flexible contact mounted on the base in conductive engagement with a first stationary contact member, a second flexible contact mounted on the base in conductive engagement with a second stationary contact member, afixed Contact member closely spaced from the second flexible contact, and actuator means movable into engagement with the second flexible contact for moving the second flexible contact into conductive engagement with the first flexible contact and the fixed conflexible' contact, and actuator means movable into engag'ement with the second flexible contact for moving the second flexible contact into conductive engagement tact member.

3. A switch comprising a base of insulating material, a plurality of stationary contact members mounted on the base, a first flexible contact mounted on the base in conductive engagement with a tir-st stationary contact member, a second flexible contact ymember mounted on the basein conductive engagement with a second stationary contact member and closely spaced from the first flexible contact, a fixed contact member spaced from the second flexible contact member `and further therefrom than is the first flexible contact, and'actuator means movable into engagement with the second flexible contact for moving the second flexible contact into conductive engagement with the first flexible contact and subsequently with the xed contact member.

4t. A switch comprising a base of insulating material, a plurality of stationary Contact members mounted on the base, a first flexible contact mounted on the base in conductive engagement with a first stationary Contact member, a second flexible contact mounted on the'base in rigid engagement with a second stationary contact member and resiliently biased into conductive engagement with another stationary contact member, and actuator means movable into engagement with the second flexible contact for moving the Isecond flexible contact away from the said another stationary contact member and into conductive engagement with the first flexible contact.

5. A switch comprising a base of insulating material, a plurality of stationary contact members mounted on the base, a first flexible contact mounted on the base in conductive engagement with a first stationary contact member, a second flexible contact having a portion thereof fixedly mounted on the base and another portion thereof resiliently bia-sed into conductive engagement with another stationary contact member, a fixed contact member closely spaced from the second flexible contact, and actuator Vmeans movable into engagement with the second flexible contact for moving the second flexible contact away from thel said another stationary contact member and into conductive engagement with the first flexible contact and the fixed contact member.

6. A switch comprising a base of insulating material, a first flexible contact mounted on the base in conductive engagement with a first stationary contact member, -a pair of flexible contacts mounted on the base each in conductive engagement with other stationary contact members, and actuator means selectively movable into engagement with either of the pair of flexible contacts for moving such flexible contact into conductive engagement with the first flexible contact.

'7. A switch comprising a base of insulating material, a first flexible contact mounted on the base in conductive engagement with a first stationary contact member, a pair of flexible contacts each havingy a portion thereof fixedly mounted on lthe base, a pair of fixed Contact Vmembers each closely spaced from either of the pair of ment with the first flexible contact and one of the pair.

of fixed contact members.

8. A switch comprising a base of insulating material, a first flexible contact mounted on the base in conductive engagement with a first stationary contact member, a pair of fiexible contacts mounted on the base each in rigid conductive engagement with other stationary contact members and each biased into conductive engagement with a common stationary contact, a pair of fixed contact members each closely spaced from one of the pair of flexible contacts, and actuator means selectively movable into engagement with either of the pair of flexible contacts for moving `such flexible contact -into conductive engagement with the rst flexible contact and one of the pair of fixed contacts :and for moving such flexible contact away from the common stationary contact.

9. A direction signal `switch comprising a base of Vinsulating material including integral retaining lugs on one side thereof, a plurality of contact pins projecting from .the base on the same side as the retaining lugs, a C-shaped spring Contact resiliently engaging a contact pin and a pair of lugs, a pair of J-shaped spring contacts each retained between a terminal pin and a lug and having a movable leg, a pair of contact pins each closely spaced from a movable leg of one of the J-shaped contacts, and an actuator member disposed between the movable legs and adapted to selectively move each of the movable legs into engagement with an end of the C-shaped contact and with one of the pair of contact pins.

10. A direction signal switch comprising a base of insulating material including integral retaining lugs on one side thereof, a plurality of contact pins projecting 'from the base on the same side as the retaining lugs, a C-shaped spring contact resiliently engaging a contact pin and a pair of lugs, -a pair of J-shaped spring contacts each retained between a terminal pin and a lug and hav ing a movable resilient leg closely spaced from an end of the C-shaped contact and resiliently biased toward a common contact pin, a pair of contact pins each closely spaced from a movable leg of one of the J-sllaped contacts, and an actuator member disposed between the movable legs and adapted to selectively move each of the movable legs into engagement with an end of the C-shaped contact and with one of the pair of contact pins.

11. A direction signal switch comprising a base of inl sulating material including integral retaining lugs on one side thereof, a plurality of contact pins projecting from the base on the same side as the retaining lugs, an electrical conductor secured to each of the contact pins, a C-shaped spring contact resiliently engaging a contact pin and a pair of lugs, a pair of I-shaped spring contacts each retained between a terminal pin and a lug and having a movable resilient leg closely spaced from an end of the @shaped contact and resiliently biased toward a common contact pin, a pair of contact pins each closely spaced from a mavable leg of one of the J-shaped contacts, -a well in the base between the J-shaped contacts, and an insulated actuator member disposed in the well between the movable legs and adapted to selectively move each of the movable legs away from the common contact pin and into engagement first with an end of the C-shaped contact and subsequently with one of the pair of contact pins.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,399,505 12/21 McIVer. mr2,412,384 12/46 Beattie et al. 200-6 -2,739,l98 3/56 Happe et al. 1200-6 X 2,808,479 10/57 Buchmann 20G-61.27 X 2,999,911 9/61 Dryer et al. 20G-61.34

BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A SWITCH COMPRISING A BASE OF INSULATING MATERIAL, A PLURALITY OF STATIONARY CONTACT MEMBERS MOUNTED ON THE BASE, A FIRST STATIONARY CONTACT CONDUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH A FIRST STATIONARY CONTACT MEMBER, A SECOND FLEXIBLE CONTACT MOUNTED ON THE BASE, A FIXED CONTACT MEMBER CLOSELY SPACED FROM THE SECND