US3594528A - Miniature switch having indicating means - Google Patents

Miniature switch having indicating means Download PDF

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Publication number
US3594528A
US3594528A US833347A US3594528DA US3594528A US 3594528 A US3594528 A US 3594528A US 833347 A US833347 A US 833347A US 3594528D A US3594528D A US 3594528DA US 3594528 A US3594528 A US 3594528A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
sleeve
ball
plate
housing
knob
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US833347A
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English (en)
Inventor
Jean C Viau
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
SIBALCO W SIEGRIST AND CO
Original Assignee
SIBALCO W SIEGRIST AND CO
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by SIBALCO W SIEGRIST AND CO filed Critical SIBALCO W SIEGRIST AND CO
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3594528A publication Critical patent/US3594528A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H5/00—Snap-action arrangements, i.e. in which during a single opening operation or a single closing operation energy is first stored and then released to produce or assist the contact movement
    • H01H5/02—Energy stored by the attraction or repulsion of magnetic parts
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/12—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage
    • H01H1/36—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by sliding
    • H01H1/40—Contact mounted so that its contact-making surface is flush with adjoining insulation
    • H01H1/403—Contacts forming part of a printed circuit
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/02—Details
    • H01H13/023—Light-emitting indicators
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H15/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for actuation in opposite directions, e.g. slide switch
    • H01H15/02—Details
    • H01H15/06—Movable parts; Contacts mounted thereon
    • H01H15/10—Operating parts
    • H01H15/102—Operating parts comprising cam devices

Definitions

  • Ross ABSTRACT The movement of a pushbutton or of a knob causes a ball to be pressed against a tensed flat, ferromagnetic spring attracted to a permanent magnet, forcing the spring, which carries the movable break and make contacts, away from the magnet and to snap close the make contacts, the stationary one of which is mounted on a plate with conductive paths. When the ball is released, the magnet attracts the spring and snaps the switch back to its rest position.
  • Pushbutton switches of all kinds and rotary switches which are usually mounted on switching or instrument panels and comprise a cylindrical housing with a mounting nut, a pushbutton or a rotatable knob, and the switch proper.
  • Momentary-contact pushbutton switches are (if normally open) closed only as long as the button is depressed, the switch returning to its rest position as soon as the button is released.
  • Pushbutton switches of this kind are principally used to switch in automatically operating circuits.
  • the object of the invention is to provide pushbutton and rotary switches that embody a snap action and yet are miniature in size.
  • FIG. 1 is a greatly enlarged longitudinal section of one embodiment
  • FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged longitudinal section of a second embodiment
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 are elevational views of the respective faces of the plate of the switch shown in FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged longitudinal section of the switch shown in FIG. 2 modified for rotary operation.
  • HO. 6 is a view taken along line Vl-Vl of FIG. 5.
  • the miniature switch includes a cylindrical housing 11 having a flange 12 and screw threads 13 with a nut 14 for mounting the switch on a panel.
  • Both socket parts are cylindrical and have a shoulder 20, one side of which contacts a shoulder 21 of the housing and the other side of which is held by a flange 22 of the housing.
  • the two socket parts 16 and 17 can be identical, provided that the pins 18 and 19 are relatively offset in the transverse direction and not, as shown in FIG. I, in the longitudinal direction.
  • the conductive plate projects beyond the socket parts, enabling leads to be connected thereto.
  • One end of the socket parts terminates in a thin-walled collar-23, which extends into the housing 11. Between the collar and the wall of the housing is disposed a coil spring 24 supported by the shoulder 21.
  • a sleeve 25, which ends in a switching cam 26, is slidably arranged in the housing and rests on the spring 24.
  • the inner end of the sleeve 27 contacts the sleeve 25' and incorporates an annular recess 31 holding a snapring 32, which engages a groove (not shown) in the conductive plate 15 and holds the sleeve 27 in the housing.
  • the width of the recess 31 determines the stroke of the sleeve 27.
  • the front end of the plate 1-5 carries a socket 33 for an incandescent or glowlamp 34 whose light is visible through the pushbutton 30QA snap switch, having a flat steel spring 35 as the movable contact, is mounted on the conductive plate 15.
  • the two faces of this flat spring are provided with respective contacts 36 and 37 separated by a bent, generally Z-shaped extremity 38 which projects through an opening 39 in the plate 15, each contact confronting respective side of the plate 15.
  • the contact 36 and a stationary contact 40 on the plate 15 constitute the break contacts while the contact 37 together with another stationary contact 41 on the plate 15 form the make contacts.
  • a rivet 42 fixes the spring 35 to the conductive plate 15, there being placed underneath the rivet head a washer 43 with a bent-up rim, to prevent the spring 35 from bending permanently at the edge of the rivet head.
  • a permanent magnet 44 is held in an opening in the plate 15, attracting the steel spring 35 which acts as its armature.
  • a ball 45 is loosely held between the magnet 44 and the rivet 42 in an opening of theplate 15 by an edge 46 of the plate face remote from the spring 35. Since the ball extends beyond this edge, the cam 26 presses it against the spring 35 when the pushbutton 30 is pushed in.
  • Both faces of the plate are provided with an electrically conductive layer or plating.
  • the stationary contacts 40 and 41 are advantageously formed by these layers or platings.
  • the embodiment of the miniature switch shown in FIG. 2 has a cylindrical housing 51 composed of front and rear parts of different diameters.
  • the housing has a flange 52 and a screw thread 53 with a nut 54.
  • a plate 55 arranged along the axial plane of the housing 51, is fixed in the housing by the socket parts 56 and 57 of a twopiece, electrically insulating, essentially cylindrical sleeve 58 which is held in the housing and contacts the inside face thereof.
  • each socket part 56 and 57 comprises a respective pin that projects into a corresponding opening in the plate.
  • a single pin 59 (that of the socket part 56) and one hole 60 of the plate 55 are shown in the plane of the Figure.
  • the plate has two holes 60, one on each side of the sectional plane, as can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 (in which the pins 59 are referenced).
  • the longitudinal edges of the plate 55 are held in corresponding grooves (not shown) along the longitudinal edges of the two-piece sleeve 58.
  • the plate 55 extends beyond the socket parts 56 and 57 to expose the conductors of the plate.
  • the portion of the sleeve 58 adjoining the socket parts 56 and 57 is squeezed by the wall of the housing 51.
  • a collar 61 of the sleeve 58 rests on a shoulder 62 of the housing 51 and determines the longitudinal position of the sleeve with respect to the housing when the former is forced in.
  • the part of the sleeve 58 located above the collar 61 forms an annular gap 63 with the inside face of the wall of the housing 51.
  • the sleeve 58 is provided, oppositeone face of the plate 55, with a round opening 64 from which a tubular collar 65 extends to the plate 55.
  • a sleeve 66 is slidably arranged in the housing 51 and has a shoulder 67 that cooperates with the flange 52 to act as a stop.
  • a snapring 68 held in an annular groove of the flange 52 limits movement of the sleeve 66 in the opposite direction.
  • An annular projection 90 whose significance will be described below, may be omitted in this embodiment.
  • a helical compression spring 69 bearing from below upon an upper shoulder of the sleeve 66, urges the sleeve 66 outwardly and causes another shoulder to press against the snapring 6 8.
  • the inner end of the spring 69 is supported by an electrically insulating disc 70 having a central hole through which projects an incandescent or glowlamp 71.
  • the housing can support the rear end of the spring 69.
  • the base of the lamp presses against contacts mounted on the plate 55. These contacts, now shown in FIG. 2, will be explained in connection with FIGS. 3 and 4.
  • the free end of the sleeve 66 carries a transparent or translucent pushbutton 73 held in a metallic collar 72.
  • the rear end of the sleeve 66 terminates in a thin-walled collar 74 which, when the pushbutton 73 is pressed in, moves between the inside face of the housing 51 and a ball 76 which is held in the tubular collar 65 and projects into an opening 75 of the plate
  • the construction of the plate 55 which is made of an electrically insulating material, is shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.
  • Rivets 79 mount two lamp contacts 77 and 78 on the front end of the plate 55.
  • the contact 77 resiliently engages the base of the lamp 71, whereas the other contact 78 makes a connection with the central base contact of the lamp pressed thereagainst by the spring 69.
  • (FIG. 4) connect the contacts 77 and 78 with respective terminal holes 82 and 83 which are located in the part of the plate 55 projecting beyond the housing SI.
  • the switch comprises, as before, a flat steel spring 35 fixed by a rivet 42 to the plate 55.
  • the spring having the two contacts 36 and 37, serves as the movable element.
  • the mobile contact 36 and the stationary contacts 40 on the plate 55 are the break contacts, whereas the mobile contact 37 and the stationary contact 41 on the plate 55 are the make contacts.
  • the permanent magnet 44 held in an opening of the plate 55, consists of two pieces in this embodiment. The surfaces of these pieces directly opposite the spring 35 are respectively north and south poles.
  • the plate 55 has an opening 75 that receives the ball 76.
  • the pushbutton 73 When the pushbutton 73 is depressed, the collar 74 is pushed between the inside face of the housing wall and the ball 76, camming the latter against the spring 35.
  • the snap action of the contacts results from the fact that the bias of the spring 35, once the latter (acting as the magnet armature), is pushed away from the magnet 44 by the ball 76, snaps the switch contacts from the rest position, shown in FIG. 2, to the closed position, in which the make contacts 37 and 41 are closed.
  • the pushbutton When the pushbutton is released, the magnetic attraction suddenly draws the spring back and snaps the break contacts 36 and 40 closed.
  • each face of the plate 55 is provided with an electrically conductive layer of plating which forms the stationary contacts 40 and M of the snap switch and establishes conductive paths 84, 85 and 86 for connecting these stationary contacts and the spring 35 to the respective terminal holes 87, 88 and 89.
  • Burned out lamps 7I are easily replaced by pulling the pushbutton 73 and the sleeve 66 out of the housing 51 against the holding force of the snapring 68. Since the assembly composed of the lamp 7I, disc 70 and spring 69 is loose, a fresh lamp is easily inserted without tools and then fixed behind the snapring 68 by pushing in the sleeve 65 until the latter is held by the snapring, as shown in FIG. 2.
  • the switch shown in FIG. 2 is a momentary-contact switch automatically returning to its rest position when the pushbutton is released.
  • a simple modification converts the switch into one of the locking type remaining locked in its make position until the pushbutton is pulled out.
  • the front end of the sleeve 66 is provided behind the shoulder 67 with a detent constituted by the aforementioned annular projection 90 having sloping flanks as shown in FIG. 2.
  • the projection 90 presses on the snapring 68 and forces it radially outward until the projection is positioned underneath the snapring, whereupon the latter contracts to its original diameterhwhen the pushbutton 73 is released, the snapring prevents the sleeve 66 from returning to its original position, even though the spring 69 presses the projection 90 against the snapring.
  • the make contacts 37 and 41 remain closed. The switch is returned to its rest position by pulling out the pushbutton 73, so that the sloping front flank of the projection 90 slides past the snapring.
  • FIGS. and 6 show a modification that converts the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 into a rotary switch.
  • the switch shown in FIG. 5 differs from that shown in FIG. 2 in that the shoulder 91 of the sleeve 92 (replacing the sleeve 66 of the preceding embodiment) is sufficiently. lengthened so as to be i in contact at all times with the flange 52 and thus to prevent longitudinal movement of the button or knob 72, 73.
  • the sleeve 92 can incorporate an annular groove, the snapring 68 then partly lying in the groove of the flange 52 and partly in the groove of the sleeve 92 to prevent longitudinal movement of the latter.
  • a thin-walled collar 93 is lengthened rearwardly, as compared to the collar 74.
  • the collar 93 is provided along its circumference with an opening 94 whose center lies along a transverse line common to it and to the center of the ball 76, whereby the ball projects into this opening.
  • the remaining parts of the switch correspond to those of the switch shown in FIG. 2. If the knob 72 and 73 and thus its sleeve 92 are rotated, the collar 93 earns the ball 76 out of the opening 94, pressing the ball against the spring 35 which is thus disengaged from the magnet 44 and snapped into its make position, as previously described in connection with FIG. 2.
  • a further opening (not shown), offset by, for example 60 from the opening 94, and of a considerably smaller diameter, can be provided in the collar'93 to ensure that a definite rotary displacement of the knob corresponds to the make position of the switch.
  • the ball 76 snaps into this smaller opening while still preventing the spring 35 from snapping back to the rest position.
  • the spring is free to do this only after the knob has been turned forward or backward until the ball 76 is again edges of each part of the two-piece insulating sleeve 58 with'a respective shoulder 95 which contacts the inside face of the housing 51.
  • the rotary sleeve 92 has two longitudinal slots 96 whose arcuate length corresponds to the desired rotational movement of the knob. The edges of the slots 96 together with the shoulders 95 constitute the stops for the rest and make positions of the rotary switch shown in FIG. 5.
  • the switch is constructed as a single-pole switch with make and break contacts.
  • the switch can also be constructed with two or more poles.
  • two flat springs 35 with contacts can be fixed side-by-side, and insulated from each other, on the plate 55.
  • a single ball 45 can be provided for operating both springs 35, the ball pressing on both springs through an electrically insulating crossbar interconnecting these springs.
  • a switch withthe snap arrangement of the invention can be made very small without adversely affecting either its dependability or its operating life.
  • a switch of the kind shown in FIG. 2 has been made having an overall length of about 50 mm., including the lamp 71 and the plate 55, and a maximum diameter of II mm.
  • a miniature switch comprising a substantially in the form ofa hollow cylindrical body, a plate positioned in said housing and extending along the longitudinal axis thereof, at least one flat ferromagnetic spring substantially extending along the longitudinal axis of said housing, fastening means fixedly securing one end of said flat spring to one end portion of said plate, said flat spring having a portion movable in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said housing, said movable portion and said plate provided with at least one pair of confronting electrical contacts, a magnet fixedly secured to said plate, one face of said magnet adjoining said movable portion for holding said flat spring in a first position against an inherent transverse biasing force of said flat spring, a ball positioned in said housing between said magnet and said fastening means in line with the plane of said plate, said ball bearing on one side of said plane against said movable portion, movable actuating means arranged of one end of said housing near said one end portion of said plate and extending into said housing for pressing said ball against said movable
  • said movable portion of said flat spring includes a generally Z-shaped extremity, said plate having an opening traversed by said extremity, the latter provided on each longitudinal side with a mobile electrical contact confronting a respective face of said plate, each face of said plate provided with a respective stationary electrical contact cooperating with a respective one of said mobile contacts whereby in said first position of said movable portion one of said mobile contacts engages one of said stationary contacts whereas in said second position of said movable portion the other of said mobile contacts engages the other of said stationary contacts.
  • said actuating means is a pushbutton, further comprising a first sleeve connected with said pushbutton for displacement thereby from a rest position in the axial direction of said housing, a coil spring axially spaced from said first sleeve and axially supported in said housing, a second sleeve interposed between said coil spring and said first sleeve for joint displacement with said first sleeve against the force of said coil spring, and a cam on said second sleeve for pushing said ball against said movable portion of said flat spring in response to axial movement of said sleeves from the rest position, said plate having an opening loosely receiving said ball and a retaining edge on the face of said plate remote from said flat spring for preventing said ball from falling out of said opening.
  • said actuating means is a movable rigid knob with a sleeve extending into said housing, said ball adjoining an inside wall surface of said housing, a free end of said sleeve remote from said knob projecting between said ball and said inner wall surface for camming said ball against said movable portion of said flat spring upon inward movement of said sleeve by said knob, said sleeve having a shoulder at the end thereof adjacent'said movable knob; further comprising a helical compression spring within said sleeve bearing at its one end against said shoulder and at its other end, remote from said knob, against said housing, and stop means for limiting the axial movement of said knob.
  • a switch as defined in claim 5, comprising a further sleeve integral with said socket parts and in contact with the inner surface of said housing, said further sleeve having an aperture receiving said ball, and a collar centered on said aperture extending from said opening and surrounding said ball.
  • a switch as defined in claim 5 wherein said knob is rotatable and has an opening receiving said ball whereby-rotation of said knob and sleeve cams said ball out of said opening and against said movableportion of said flat spring.
  • a urt er sleeve mtegral with said socket parts and in contact with the inner surface of said housing is provided with an aperture receiving said ball and with a collar centered on said aperture and extending therefrom around said ball, the first-mentioned sleeve having at least one longitudinal slot coacting with and at least one longitudinal shoulder on said further sleeve for limiting rotation of said knob.
  • a switch as defined in claim 1 further comprising a lamp mounted on said one end portion of said plate, said actuating means having a light-transmissive wall for making visible the light of said lamp, said plate provided with conductive paths leading to said opposite end portion thereof for supplying current to said lamp.
  • said actuating means is a movable knob rigid with a sleeve and wherein said ball adjoins an inner wall surface of said housing, an end of said sleeve remote from said knob projecting between said ball and said inner wall surface for camming said ball against said movable portion of said flat spring upon displacement of said sleeve by said knob, said sleeve having a shoulder at the end thereof adjacent said knob; further comprising a helical compression spring within said sleeve bearing at one end against said shoulder, stop means for limiting the axial movement of said knob, and an electrically insulated disc mounted within said sleeve and supporting the other end of said helical spring, said disc having a central opening for holding the base of said lamp in contact with further electrical contacts on an end of said plate to complete an electrical circuit through said base.

Landscapes

  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
  • Switches With Compound Operations (AREA)
  • Rotary Switch, Piano Key Switch, And Lever Switch (AREA)
US833347A 1968-06-29 1969-06-16 Miniature switch having indicating means Expired - Lifetime US3594528A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH974168A CH493084A (de) 1968-06-29 1968-06-29 Miniaturtastschalter

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3594528A true US3594528A (en) 1971-07-20

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ID=4355167

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US833347A Expired - Lifetime US3594528A (en) 1968-06-29 1969-06-16 Miniature switch having indicating means

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3594528A (fr)
JP (1) JPS4836311B1 (fr)
CH (1) CH493084A (fr)
FR (1) FR2014452A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB1210771A (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4268735A (en) * 1978-08-30 1981-05-19 Omron Tateisi Electronics Co. Pushbutton pilot switch
US5878870A (en) * 1996-05-29 1999-03-09 Niles Parts Co., Ltd. Illumination device for a knob of a switch
US20060221624A1 (en) * 2005-04-05 2006-10-05 Bal Seal Engineering Co., Inc. Multiple position swivel lamp with integral switch contacts

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN112213575B (zh) * 2020-09-08 2022-08-30 国网福建省电力有限公司检修分公司 一种电气试验防误伤装置

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2985734A (en) * 1959-04-27 1961-05-23 Oak Mfg Co Magnet control means
US3292123A (en) * 1965-05-13 1966-12-13 Marbelite Company Inc Permanent magnet operable reed switch
US3447110A (en) * 1966-12-23 1969-05-27 Mallory & Co Inc P R Magnetic snap action switch
US3486144A (en) * 1967-08-29 1969-12-23 Burroughs Corp Pushbutton switch with feel provided by magnetic attraction

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2985734A (en) * 1959-04-27 1961-05-23 Oak Mfg Co Magnet control means
US3292123A (en) * 1965-05-13 1966-12-13 Marbelite Company Inc Permanent magnet operable reed switch
US3447110A (en) * 1966-12-23 1969-05-27 Mallory & Co Inc P R Magnetic snap action switch
US3486144A (en) * 1967-08-29 1969-12-23 Burroughs Corp Pushbutton switch with feel provided by magnetic attraction

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4268735A (en) * 1978-08-30 1981-05-19 Omron Tateisi Electronics Co. Pushbutton pilot switch
US5878870A (en) * 1996-05-29 1999-03-09 Niles Parts Co., Ltd. Illumination device for a knob of a switch
US20060221624A1 (en) * 2005-04-05 2006-10-05 Bal Seal Engineering Co., Inc. Multiple position swivel lamp with integral switch contacts
US7538289B2 (en) * 2005-04-05 2009-05-26 Bal Seal Engineering Co., Inc. Multiple position swivel lamp with integral switch contacts

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1210771A (en) 1970-10-28
DE1930304A1 (de) 1970-05-27
FR2014452A1 (fr) 1970-04-17
CH493084A (de) 1970-06-30
JPS4836311B1 (fr) 1973-11-02
DE1930304B2 (de) 1976-10-28

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