US3249726A

US3249726A - Push button door switch

Info

Publication number: US3249726A
Application number: US173537A
Authority: US
Inventors: Long Jasper
Original assignee: WADE ELECTRIC PRODUCTS CO
Current assignee: WADE ELECTRIC PRODUCTS CO
Priority date: 1962-02-15
Filing date: 1962-02-15
Publication date: 1966-05-03
Anticipated expiration: 1983-05-03

Description

y 1966 J. LONG 3,249,726

PUSH BUTTON DOOR SWITCH Filed Feb. 15, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 3, 1966 J. LONG 3,249,726

PUSH BUTTON DOOR SWITCH Filed Feb. 15, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 44 a)! m a A if i 1 7 T T 7/ 2, 1a 14 M j; (5; j? Z5 1/ j ,5 1 i L, 3' c 4 EE- 7 1/ Ill/Ill v INVENTOR.

y 3, 1966 J. LONG 3,249,726

PUSH BUTTON DOOR SWITCH Filed Feb. 15, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR- fid er A0 77 BY W *Phlc.

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y 3, 966 J. LONG 3,249,726

PUSH BUTTON DOOR SWITCH Filed Feb. 15, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I I E 1 I E INVENTOR.

70 5/ 74 JZ ver A077 terial by simple molding operations.

3,249,726 PUSH BUTTON DOOR SWITCH Jasper Long, Sturgis, Mich., assignor to Wade Electric Products Co., Sturgis, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Feb. 15, 1962, Ser. No. 173,537 11 Claims. (Cl. 200-159) This invention relates to electrical switches and more particularly to an improved plunger-type switch.

While it will be obvious as this description proceeds that the switch of this invention may be employed in various environments, it finds particular utility when used in connection with the door of an automobile to close a circuit to the dome light of the vehicle when the door is open.

It is an object of this invention to provide a switch of this type comprising a minimum number of parts, the principal ones of which may be produced by simple molding operations and which, together with the metal terminal parts, may be easily and quickly assembled so that the whole device is susceptible of the mass production employed in the manufacture'of automobile parts.

This invention accomplishes the foregoing and other objects by means of a construction wherein the various parts can be manufactured quickly and easily in large quantities with simple tooling. In order to adapt the component parts of the switch to simple tooling and facile assembly, special structural features are incorporated which features will become apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a separated perspective view of a switch constructed in accordance with this invention,

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view as viewed from the right in FIG. 3,

FIG. 3 is a longitudinally sectional view through the switch taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 3-3 in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a longitudinally sectional view through the switch taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 44 in FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 55 in FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 is a'detail sectional view taken on line 66 in FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is an end elevational view of the front or inner housing part as viewed from the left in FIGS. 3 and 4,

FIG. 8 is an end elevational view of the rear or outer housing part as viewed from the right in FIGS. 3 and 4,

FIG. 9 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 99 in FIG. 7,

FIG. 10 is a detail sectional view taken on the plane indicated by line 10--10 in FIG. 7,

FIG. 11 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 11-11 in FIG. 8,

FIG. 12.is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 1212 in FIG. 8,

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 13-13 in FIG. 11,

FIG. 14 is an elevational view as seen from the left in FIG. 11, and

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken United States Patent 0 bile body) to secure the switch in place.

or tubular body portion 21.

hereinafter referred to as the outer or rear housing part. These housing parts and the plunger may advantageously be formed of a resilient thermoplastic material such as the material sold under the trade name Delrin, which is a highly stable crystalline form of polymerized formaldehyde. Obviously, however, other types of plastic materials may be employed, if desired. Parts 10 and 11' are so designed .that they can be manufactured by molding operations by the use of simple molds; that is, molds having only axially-extending core portions to form the various internal and external shoulders and grooves. The same is true of the plunger 12. The designis of such a nature as to take advantage of the characteristics of resilient thermoplastic materials thus enabling the parts to be mass produced inexpensively, with a minimum of initial tooling expense, and to be easily and quickly assembled.

The front housing part 10 comprises a front face plate portion 20 and an axially-extending generally cylindrical The front face plate portion 20 is formed with a plurality of reversely tapered resilient fingers 22 which engage an opening 23 in a supporting panel 24 (which may be the door jamb of an automo- The periphery of the front face portion 20 is extended and formed with a lip portion 25 which engages and seals against the supporting panel 24 to render the switch splash proof. A sponge rubber gasket 26 is preferably interposed between the face plate portion 20 and the panel 24.

The front housing 10 is formed with an aperture 27 through which the plunger 12 passes and this aperture 27 is sealed by a gasket 28 held in place by a retainer ring 29 provided with fingers 30 which engage in grooves 31 formed in the housing. The fingers 30 may be set by a punchto cause the fingers to dig into the housing to permanently secure the gasket 28 in place. 4

The reference character 35 indicates two contact terminals and 36 indicates a ground terminal formed of electri-' cal conducting material such as bronze or brass. Each terminal member 35 is provided with a wide portion 37 adapted to slidably engage in opposed undercut grooves 38 in the housing to slidably attach the terminal member to the housing. Dimpled projections 37 may be provided to give a friction fit in the grooves 38. The inner narrow end of each terminal member is bent inwardly substantially on the plane indicated by line 1515 in to form a springcontact portion 39 and the other end of each terminal member is provided with an outwardly- :bowed, resilient return-bent portion 40, the bight'of which is indicated by the reference character 40.

The ground terminal 36 is also slidably engaged with the body in similar undercut grooves 38, and may be provided with dimpled projections 36 to give a friction fit in the grooves 38. The ground terminal 36 has an inwardly bent spring contact portion 41 and a resilient return-bent portion 42 forming a bight portion 42 The free end of the return-bent portion 42 is bowed outwardly and is provided with lateral flanges 43 provided with de tents or prongs 44. These prongs 44 serve to scrape any paint or foreign material off of the edge of the opening 23 in the panel when the device is mounted so that a good contact may be made therewith.

Both the terminals 35 and the ground terminal 36 are, as stated, slidably engaged with the housing 10, through the open end thereof, by means of the undercut grooves 38. The end of the tubular or cylindrical body portion 21 is provided with notches 45 to receive the bights 40 of the return-bent portion 40. These notches prevent lateral shifting of the terminal members 35 and cooperate with the rear housing to hold the terminal members in place in a manner yet to be referred to. The housing part 21 is also provided with a deep notch 46 to receive the bight portion 42 of the return-bent portion 42 of the ground terminal for the same purpose.

The inner end of the plunger 12 is provided with resilient fingers 50 provided with tapered shoulders 51 over which a contact ring 52 of electrical conducting material is snapped. When thus positioned, the contact ring 52 is held between the shoulders 51 and annular shoulder members 53 formed on the plunger. The contact ring 52 in the closed position of the switch is adapted to engage the contact portions 39 of the terminals 35 and the contact portion 41 of the ground terminal 36. The rear or outer housing part 11 is provided with a recess 60' to receive one end of a spring 61, the other end being seated in a bore 62 in the plunger 12. The spring 61 normally biases the plunger into its circuit closing position.

The generally cylindrical part 65 of the housing member 11 is provided with axially-extending slots 66 through which male terminal contact blades (not shown) may be inserted to make contact with the return-bent portions 40 of the terminals 35 to connect the switch into the circuit.

The inner face of the tubular portion 65 of the housing part 11 is formed with grooves 67 forming continuations of the slots 66 to receive the terminal blades.

If it is desired to lock the plunger 12 in its depressed or off position so that the circuit to the light or lights will not be closed when the door is opened, means are provided for accomplishing this. For this purpose, the groove 83, see FIGS. 3, 7, 9 and 10, is provided with a laterally offset portion 84 forming a shoulder 85 at one side of the groove 83. The plunger 12 is locked in off position by depressing it until the lug or tongue 82 is opposite the offset portion 184 and then rotating the plunger clockwise to move the lug or tongue 82 into the olfset portion 84 beyond the shoulder 85 whereupon the spring 61 will hold the plunger locked in its off position. The plunger 12 may be released by rotating it in a counterclockwise direction.

The housing part 11 is provided with an annular shoulder 70 which, when the housing parts are assembled, engages the bights 40 of the return-bent portions of the terminals to hold the terminals in notches 45 and grooves 38. The housing is also provided with a thickened portion 71 forming a shoulder 72 which engages in the deep notch 46 to engage the bight 42 of the return-bent portion 42 of the ground terminal 36 to hold the ground terminal in assembled position.

For holding the housing parts in permanently assembled relation, the front housing part 10 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed projections 73 adapted to engage apertures 74 in the housing part 11.

After the housing parts are assembled, these projections 73 will extend beyond the housing part 11 as indicated in dotted lines at 73 in FIG. 3. jecting portions are heat softened and distorted to form heads 75 to firmly hold the housing parts in assembled relation.

For temporarily holding the housing parts assembled before this permanent connection is made, the rear housing part 11 is provided with a shoulder portion 76 (see FIGS. and 6) adapted to snap into a recess 77 formed in the housing part 10.

For rotatably aligning the housing parts and 11 during the assembly operation, the front housing part 10 is provided with a longitudinally-extending groove 80 adapted to be engaged by a complementary rib 81 formed on the rear housing part 11.

For aligning and guiding the plunger 12, the plunger is provided with a laterally-extending lug or tongue 82' adapted to engage a longitudinally-extending groove 83 formed in the body part 10.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the switch consists of a minimum number of parts comprising a plunger, a front housing part and a rear housing part, which may be manufactured from a suitable thermoplastic material such as Delrin; two con- Thereupon, the pro- .in the following manner:

The front housing 10-is located with the front face portion 20 downwardly and the sealing gasket 28 is dropped into place and the brass retainer 29 is dropped over the seal 28 whereupon the fingers 30 are upset by a punch so as to dig into the adjacent body portion to positively retain the seal in place. Next, the two terminal members'35 and the ground terminal 36 are slidably engaged with the respective undercut grooves 38. The plunger 12 with which the contact 52 has been assembled and the spring 61 are put into place by inserting the same from the right-hand end of the housing 10 as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4 with the tongue 82 in engagement with the slot 83. Thereupon, the rear housing is telescoped over the front housing with the aligning groove and rib -81 in registration. When these housing parts are completely assembled, the shoulder portion 76 will engage the recess 77 to hold the parts assembled while permanent assembly is effected. As the housing parts are assembled, the projections 73 will pass through the apertures 74 to extend outwardly beyond the housing part 11 as indicated at 73* in FIG. 3. Thereupon, these parts are heat sealed by heating the projecting ends 73 sufficiently to soften them so that they may be deformed into heads 75 to permanently connect the housing parts together.

In the embodiment of the invention hereinbefore described, two terminal members 35 and a ground terminal 36 have been shown. However, it will be understood that the switch may be used with one terminal 35 and the ground terminal 36, or with two terminals 35 in which the ground terminal 36 may be eliminated; or, the switch may be used with two terminals 35 and the ground terminal 36 in which event two separate circuits may be controlled.

While one practical and commercially acceptable form of the invention has been described and illustrated herein in detail, it will be understood that various changes may be made as may come within the purview of the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A switch adapted to be mounted in an opening in a supporting panel comprising only two housing parts consisting of, a front housing part forming a chamber having an open end, a rear housing part adapted to telescope over said front housing part to close said open end, a terminal member in said chamber connected to said front housing part, resilient fingers integral with said front housing part for snap-in engagement with the opening in said panel to support said switch, means on said rear housing part for securing said terminal member in place, and interengaging means on-said housing parts for holding said housing parts assembled.

2. A switch as described in claim 1 in which the switch supporting means comprises axially-extending reversely tapered resilient fingers on said front housing part adapted to snap into the opening in said panel.

3. A switch as described in claim 1 in which the means for holding said housing parts assembled comprises a projection on one housing part adapted to extend through an aperture in the other housing part when the housing parts are assembled, the end of said projection being adapEd to be heat softened and headed to secure said housing parts in assembled relation.

4. A switch as described in claim 3 in which the projection is on the open end of said front housing part and the aperture is formed in the end wall of the rear housing part, said housing parts being assembled by telescoping the rear housing part over the front housing part, and tongue and groove means on said housing parts to rotatively align said housing parts whereby said projection will register with said aperture.

5. A switch as described in claim 1 in which the terminal member is a ground terminal provided with a re silient return-bent portion having laterally-extending prongs adapted, when the switch is mounted, to engage the opening in the supporting panel, to scrape paint and other foreign material therefrom, whereby a good electrical contact may be made therewith.

6. A switch as described in claim 1 in which the connection between the terminal member and front housing part comprises a pair of spaced opposed undercut grooves formed on the inner wall of said chamber and a notch in the end of said housing part in alignment with said grooves, said terminal member having a return-bent portion forming a bight portion, said terminal member being slidably engaged in said grooves through the open end of said chamber with the bight portion engaging said notch, and a shoulder on the rear housing part engaging the bight portion of said terminal member, when said housing parts are assembled, to hold said terminal member in place.

7. A switch adapted to be mounted in an opening in a supporting panel comprising only two housing parts consisting of, a front housing part forming a chamber having an open end and a closed end, and a rear housing part adapted to engage said front housing part to close said open end, means on said housing parts for directly connecting said housing parts together, terminal members in said chamber, means on said housing parts and terminal members operable when the housing parts are assembled to hold said terminal members in place, a plunger slidably mounted in said front housing part with its inner end extending into said chamber, and a contact member on the inner end of said plunger adapted to electrically connect said terminal members, the inner end of said plunger being provided with a plurality of tapered shoulders over which the contact member is snapped into assembled relation.

8. A switch as described in claim 7 in which the closed end of the front housing part is provided with a front face plate portion having a generally axially-extending lip at the periphery thereof adapted to engage the supporting panel when the switch is mounted thereon, and a gasket interposed between said face plate and said panel adjacent said lip to render the switch splash proof.

9. A switch adapted to be mounted in an opening in a supporting panel comprising only two housing parts consisting of, a front housing part forming a chamber having an open end and a closed end, and a rear housing part adapted to engage said front housing part to close said open end, means on said housing parts for directly connecting said housing parts together, terminal members in said chamber, means on said housing parts and terminal members operable when the housing parts are assembled to hold said terminal members in place, a plunger slidably mounted in said front housing part with its inner end extending into said chamber, a contact member on the inner end of said plunger adapted to electrically connect said terminal members, the inner end of said plunger being formed with a plurality of resilient fingers having tapered shouldered ends and spaced shoulders, and a contact member in the form of ametallic ring adapted to be snapped over said resilient fingers to a position between said shoulders.

10. A switch adapted to be mounted in an opening in a supporting panel comprising only two housing parts consisting of, a front housing part forming a chamber having an open end and a closed end, and a rear housing part adapted to engage said front housing part to close said open end, means on said housing parts for directly connecting said housing parts together, terminal members in said chamber, means on said housing parts and terminal members operable when the housing parts are assembled to hold said terminal members in place, a plunger slidably mounted in said front housing part with its inner end extending into said chamber, a contact member on the inner end of said plunger adapted to electrically connect said terminal members, and a spring biasing said plunger into circuit closing position, one end of said spring being seated in an axially-extending bore formed in the plunger and the other end of said spring being seated in a recess in the rear housing part.-

11. A switch adapted to be mounted in an opening in a supporting panel comprising only two housing parts consisting of, a front housing part forming a chamber having an open end and a closed end, and a rear housing part adapted to engage said front housing part to close said open end, means on said housing parts for directly connecting said housing parts together, terminal members in said chamber, means on said housing parts and terminal members operable when the housing parts are assembled to hold said terminal members in place, a plunger slidably mounted in said front housing part with its inner end extending into said chamber, a contact member on the inner end of said plunger adapted to electrically connect said terminal members, said plunger being provided with means for locking the switch in off position comprising a laterally extending tongue on said plunger, and a. longitudinally extending groove formed in said front housing part for slidably receiving said tongue, said groove having a laterally offset portion at one side thereof, whereby said plunger may be depressed and rotated to move said tongue into the offset portion of said groove to thereby hold said plunger in said depressed position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,223,673 12/1940 Catron 200l68 X 2,523,125 9/1950 Ley ZOO-169 X 2,712,047 6/1955 Herterick 200159 2,734,963 2/1956 Ardia 200l68 X 2,740,023 3/ 1956 Kryder 200l68 3,045,079 7/1962 Frantz et al 200l68 X KATHLEEN H. CLAFFY, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, BERNARD A. GILHEANY,

Examiners.

Claims

1. A SWITCH ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED IN AN OPENING IN A SUPPORTING PANEL COMPRISING ONLY TWO HOUSING PARTS CONSISTING OF, A FRONT HOUSING PART FORMING A CHAMBER HAVING AN OPEN END, A REAR HOUSING PART ADAPTED TO TELESCOPE OVER SAID FRONT HOUSING PART TO CLOSE SAID OPEN END, A TERMINAL MEMBER IN SAID CHAMBER CONNECTED TO SAID FRONT HOUSING PART, RESILIENT FINGERS INTEGRAL WITH SAID FRONT HOUSING PART FOR SNAP-IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OPENING IN SAID PANEL TO SUPPORT SAID SWITCH, MEANS ON SAID REAR HOUSING PART FOR SECURING SAID TERMINAL MEMBER IN PLACE, AND INTERENGAGING MEANS ON SAID HOUSING PARTS FOR HOLDING SAID HOUSING PARTS ASSEMBLED.