US3222467A

US3222467A - Cam centered electric switch with moisture-proof sealing means

Info

Publication number: US3222467A
Application number: US290006A
Authority: US
Inventors: Barthold F Meyer
Original assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Current assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Priority date: 1963-06-24
Filing date: 1963-06-24
Publication date: 1965-12-07
Anticipated expiration: 1982-12-07

Description

Dec. 7, 1965 B. F. MEYER CAM CENTERED ELECTRIC SWITCH WITH MOISTURE-PROOF SEALING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 24, 1965 r 4 2 6 4 8 4 6842 6605655268 Ry 8/ ,.,2 41,. leaumm w W /X .MWF W m 8 Nd 4 I .fninli :LINK .l 2 v. I|.4l: `.`."yo0 .n I s 4Jw lm/l. 11,65 N 8 r H f 3 www @1, 0D l l.. 4 a n r r u i M W 8 o w O 2 5 O I 3 3 u 42 A 9 5 6 g 2 F 2 2 f 2 O 5 2 8 6 W. l 6 2 8 6 A 4 6 6 m 4 M 2 A. .w 5 o l/T /Z 4 HIIIIIH H H||||||Ill||| IH 4 Q ./rl/ l w 8 l GNN. 4 O 7J 4 w 3 O 2 6 u .o 8 3 3 8 ANS Dec. 7, 1965 s. F. MEYER CAM CENTERED ELECTRIC SWIT WITH MOISTURE-PROOF SEALING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 24, 1965 BY Ol @I MM United States Patent Office 3,222,467 Patented Dec. 7, 1965 3,222,467 CAM CENTERED ELECTRIC SWITCH WITH MOISTURE-PROOF SEALING MEANS Berthold F. Meyer, Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 24, 1963, Ser. No. 290,006 12 Claims. (Cl. 200-16) This invention relates to electrical switches and more particularly to a type of electrical switch that is useful in controlling the reciprocative movement of automobile windows.

It is an object of this invention to provide a switch having a moisture-proof switching area.

It is another object of this invention to provide a switch that will be economical to manufacture and easily assembled.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a selfcentering spring whose translational movement is controlled by cam surfaces.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention are clearly In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the switch shown in position on an automobile door;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 3 3 of FIGURE l showing a switch in an actuated position;

FIGURE 5 shows an embodiment of the invention wherein multiple switches are contained within a single body to control the reciprocative movement of all windows in an automobile;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6 6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGURE 2, an escutcheon 10 is secured to a base 12 by the cooperation of apertures 14 in the escutcheon 10 and a series of resilient legs 16 of the base 12. A contact plate 18 carries a plurality of contacts 20, said plate being held in operative position by being wedged between portions of the base 12 and the flange 22 of the escutcheon 10.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, an actuator button 24 is kept in centered, biased engagement with the escutcheon 10 by the resilient leaf springs 26 that are struck downwardly from a plate fitted to the cup-shaped underside of the button. The resilient leaf springs 26 can be of any conductive material and the downwardly projecting legs have curved portions 28 disposed to make electrical contact with one of the contacts during movement of the actuator 24 in either direction. During translational movement of the actuator 24, the

cam portions

30 and 32 cooperate with

cam portions

34 and 36 of the escutcheon 10 to guide the actuator. During this movement, the resilient leaf springs 26 serve to center the actuator buttonV 24 by continually biasing the actuator towards the

cam Awalls

34 and 36 on the escutcheon. The actuator button 24 has a peripheral slot 38 disposed to cooperate with a beaded end 40 Iof a seal 42 which is formed of a suitable elastomeric material such as rubber. A beaded portion 44 serves to maintain the seal 42 in its operative position by being wedged between the escutcheon 10 and the contact plate 18 during assembly of the switch, thus rendering the switching area 46 of the switch free from the penetration of moisture and dust.

A series of insulated strip conductors 48 pass int-o the switch body through aperture 50 and are rmly retained therein by being biased between

portions

52 and 54 of the connector 56. The connector 56 has an aperture 58 that cooperates with the contacts 20 to establish a conductive path into the switching area 46. Each connector 56 has outwardly extending

anges

60 and 62 which cooperate respectively with a series of apertures 64 in the contact plate 18 and a wall portion 66 of the base 12 to prevent the connectors from being accidentally withdrawn.

Referring now to FIGURE 6, another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated wherein a series of switches, such as previously described, are contained within a single escutcheon 68 and base portion 70 for use as a master control panel for the electric windows of an automobile. The same reference numerals have been used in FIGURES 6 and 7 as were used in FIGURES 1 through 4 to identify equivalent parts in each figure.

As best seen in FIGURE 5, the master control panel is located near the drivers position of an automobile.

Referring now to FIGURE 6, a seal 72 is attached in much the same manner as the previously described seal 42 except that the seal has a series of apertures with beaded edges 74 that cooperate with peripheral grooves 76 of the actuators 78 to render the switching area 80 free from moisture and dust.

In operation, the switch of FIGURE 6 is held in operative position in an aperture in a panel 82 by means of a biased engagement between a resilient wall portion 84 of the base 12 and a surface S6 of the escutcheon 10 in the same manner as shown in FIGURE 2.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, finger pressure is exerted on a

contoured surface

88 or 90 of the actuator button 24 which causes the actuator button to slide along the

cam portion

36 or 34 of the escutcheon 10. As the actuator reaches a position as illustrated in FIGURE 4, the resilient leaf springs 26 are depressed and are disposed to complete a circuit through one of the contacts 20 from a current source to another contact 20 connected to a window lift motor. As a desired amount of window movement is achieved, finger pressure from either of the

contact surfaces

88 or 90 is released and the resilient leaf springs 26 urge the actuator 24 along the

cam portion

34 or 36 to a centered position in the escutcheon 10. This centering action previously described is duplicated if the actuator button 24 is moved in the opposite direction from that shown in FIGURE 4.

In the sectional view of the multiple switch embodiment shown in FIGURE 7, the action of the individual actuators 78 is exactly the same as that of the single button embodiment shown in FIGURE 4.

The utility of this invention is demonstrated in an application where it serves to control the reciprocative movements of electrically operated windows in an automobile. In the environment in which an automobile operates, Very often moisture and dust accumulate on areas inside the automobile. This accumulation of moisture and dust can cause the switch to short out or become inoperative when an accumulation of the foreign matter within the switch body occurs. The switch of this invention prevents entry of foreign matter into the switching area as described hereinbefore.

Also, very often rapid movements of varying amounts are required to adjust the windows of an automobile. It is imperative that the actuator, once moved, will auto matically center itself without any further manual pressure.

Again, a switch of the type described has the further advantage of purging itself of oxide build-ups by the sliding action of the cams `and the resilient leaf springs. The compression of the leaf springs, during actuation in cooperation with the cam ramps, provides a method of dispensing with some type of separate centering spring means.

While the embodiments of the present invention, as herein disclosed, constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An electrical switch for a plurality of electrical circuits comprising a body having a switching chamber, an actuator means slidably disposed against a portion of said body within said switching chamber and biasedly carrying a resilient contact means to conduct current selectively to one or more of the plurality of electrical circuits, said actuator means having a portion engaging said contact means disposed within sealing means providing a moisture free switching chamber, said actuator means biased to a centered position by said resilient contact means.

2. An electrical switch for a plurality of electrical circuits comprising, a body having apertures therein, an actuator means slidably disposed within said body and having a portion cooperating with one of said apertures to allow external manipulation of said actuator means, fixed contact means carried by said body and electrically engaging the plurality of electrical circuits, and a contact means resiliently carried by said actuator means to bias said actuator means in centered relation to said aperture, said contact means being slidably disposed to effect electrical contact with one or more xed contacts connected with said plurality of electrical circuits upon movement of said actuator means, said contact means being a unitary element.

3. An electrical switch for a plurality of electrical circuits comprising a body having one portion engageable with a second portion, an actuator means having a peripheral groove and being slidably disposed within said body, contact means resiliently carried by said actuator means and said body, and an elastomeric seal having a portion tted within said peripheral groove in said actuator means, said seal engaging said body portions to effect a moisture and dust seal for an area containing said contact means while said slidably disposed actuator means is in any operative position, said contact means including a unitary element carrying contacts and centering said actuator means.

4. An electrical switch comprising, a body including a cover portion having an aperture, a contact plate and a base portion engaging said cover portion and holding said contact plate in operative position, an actuator means slidable between the cover and base portion of the body and having a peripheral groove, a contact means carried by said actuator and holding said actuator means in biased, sliding engagement with said cover portion, said contact means so positioned as to make contact with electrical contacts carried in said contact plate during translational movement of said actuator means, and an elastomeric member engaged by said actuator carried grooves and said contact plate as operatively positioned to render the area of electrical switching moisture proof while said slidable actuator means is in any position, said contact means being a unitary element.

5. An electrical switch comprising, a body having a cam portion, an actuator means having a cam portion cooperating with the cam portion of said body, said actuator means being resiliently centered and slidable as positioned for translational movement along said cam portions, a contact plate carrying contacts, and a slidable contact means engaging said actuator means and being yieldable as the actuator moves on said cam portion to center said actuator means along said cam portions and being slidable along said Contact plate during the translational movement of said actuator means thereby engaging said contact plate carried contacts, said contact means being a unitary element.

6. An electrical switch having a moisture tight switching area comprising, a body having two downwardly projecting cam portions, a plurality -of apertures in said body, a base member having a plurality of resilient legs cooperating with said apertures to hold said body in assembled disposition, an actuator means having two upwardly projecting cam portions cooperating with the body carried cam portions, said actuator means being disposed within said body and being translationally movable, a resilient contact carrying element translationally movable and carried in biased engagement with said actuator means for centering said actuator means between the body carried cam portions, a contact plate disposed between two portions of said body and carried by said base member carrying electrical contacts which cooperate with said resilient contact carrying means during translational movement, and an elastomeric means cooperating with said actuator means and said contact plate to render the contact switching area moisture tight.

7. An electrical switch according to claim 6 wherein the body has a switching area therein, a slidable actuator means, and an elastomeric shroud engaging said slidable actuator means and said body to render said switching area moisture tight.

8. A three position electrical switch comprising a body having a plurality of cam surfaces, a slidable actuator means having a cam surface slidable on the plurality of body carried cam surfaces, said actuator means mounted for translational movement from a neutral position to either of two points, and a resilient contact element having leg portions disposed to bias the slidable actuator towards said body carried cam surfaces during said translational movement and centering said actuator means between the plurality of body carried cam surfaces after translational movement to either of said two points.

9. An electrical switch for controlling the reciprocative movement of automobile windows, comprising a body having a cover portion cooperating with a base portion to form a switching area, an actuator means translationally movable in said body, a resilient contact means carried in biased engagement with said actuator means and arranged to move therewith, and a contact plate held between a cover portion and a base portion of said body, said actuator means being held in an operative position by the contact means urging said actuator means against said cover portion, said contact plate carrying contacts and being engageable with the resilient contact means moving in response to the translational movement of said actuator means, the cover portion of said body having an aperture therein with downwardly extending cam surfaces extending into the switching area on a plurality of sides of said aperture, said actuator means having a peripheral groove thereon and several upwardly projecting cam surfaces engaging the cover carried cam surfaces whereby the actuator means is guided in translational movement, vsaid resilient contact being compressed and holding said actuator means in biased engagement with said cover carried cam surfaces during translational movement and centering said actuator in said cover disposed aperture after said movement, said switch area being kept moisture tight by an elastomeric means engaging the peripheral groove of said actuator means and being wedged between the contact plate and the cover portion of the body during assembly thereby forming a moisture tight enclosure for said switching area, said actuator and said resilient contact means being translationally moved across said contact plate engaging contacts therein, thereby selectively energizing electrical window lift circuits.

10. An electrical switch for mounting in an aperture in a wall, comprising a body, a said body being formed in part by a cover portion having downwardly projecting anges including apertures therein, a contact carrying plate, a base portion havinga plurality of resilient upwardly projecting legs, said body having a compartment wherein an actuator means translatonally movable between points on said contact carrying plate is disposed, said actuator means being heldv in biased engagement with said switch body by a resilient contact means diS- posed between said contact carrying plate and said actuator means, said upwardly projecting legs having hooked portions engaging the apertures in said downwardly projecting anges for holding said switch body in assembled disposition, said resilient upwardly projecting legs engageable with the sides of an aperture in which said switch is mounted.

11. The combination of an electrical switch and a sealing means for the switching means of said switch, said switch comprising, a body having a cover portion resiliently engaging a base portion including a contact plate disposed therebetween, an actuator means having a peripheral groove slidably disposed on said contact plate, said actuator means and said plate comprising said switching means, said sealing means comprising an elastomeric member having a beaded periphery disposed within said groove in said actuator means, said sealing means having a resilient engagement with the contact plate and said cover portion thereby providing a shield against moisture and dust for said switching means.

12. An electrical switch for an electric Window lift mechanism, said switch having a neutral position, comprising, a body having a cover portion including an aperture, said body having a plurality of cam surfaces, an actuator means adapted for translational movement in said body while having one portion extending through said aperture, a second portion of said actuator means being formed as a series of cam members cooperating with said plurality of body carried cam portions to control said translational movement, said actuator means having a third portion of substantially cup-shaped, a plate carrying several contacts, and a resilient contact member carried by said third portion and having one portion cooperating with said plate carried contacts to provide a path for current ow, said resilient contact member having a second portion iitting within said cup-shaped portion and being compressible as said actuator member moves along the plurality of cam surfaces during translational movement, said compressed contact member urging said actuator member to a centered position in said aperture after translational movement thereby providing a neutral position for said switch.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS KATHLEEN H. CLAFFY, Primary Examiner. BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Examiner.