US3600529A

US3600529A - Pushbutton switch assembly with actuator and slider complementary latch means

Info

Publication number: US3600529A
Application number: US15381A
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert J Gartland Jr
Original assignee: General Electric Co
Current assignee: General Electric Co
Priority date: 1970-03-02
Filing date: 1970-03-02
Publication date: 1971-08-17
Anticipated expiration: 1988-08-17

Abstract

A pushbutton switch assembly includes a housing having a plurality of movable contacts and a plurality of elongated sliders. The sliders are reciprocably movable to selectively actuate the movable contacts. A plurality of push rods extend from the housing for longitudinal reciprocating movement relative to the housing. The inner ends of the push rods are received in actuating recesses in the sliders for selectively moving the sliders as selected push rods are depressed. A first push rod and its associated actuating recess in a first of the sliders have corresponding generally planar latching surfaces disposed generally perpendicular to the axis of movement of the first push rod for holding that push rod depressed. A second push rod, during depression, engages the first slider to free the first push rod.

Description

United States Patent Albert J. Gartland, Jr. Trumbull, Conn.

Mar. 2, 1970 Aug. 17, 1971 General Electric Company [72] Inventor [21 Appl. No. [22] Filed [45] Patented [73 1 Assignee [54] PUSHBUTTON SWITCH ASSEMBLY WITH ACTUATOR AND SLIDER COMPLEMENTARY LATCH MEANS 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] 11.8. Cl 200/5 E, 200/ 169 PB [51] Int.Cl... 1101b 9/26 [50] Field of Search ..'200/5, 18, 5 E, 169 PB [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,819,356 1/1958 Hutt 200/5 (E) 2,831,075 4/1958 Dumkeetal. 200/5 (E)X Primary Examiner.l. R. Scott Attorneys-John M. Stoudt, Radford M. Reams, Ralph E. Krisher, Jr., Frank L. Neuhauser and Oscar B. Waddell ABSTRACT: A pushbutton switch assembly includes a housing having a plurality of movable contacts and a plurality of elongated sliders. The sliders are reciprocably movable to selectively actuate the movable contacts. A plurality of push rods extend from the housing for longitudinal reciprocating movement relative to the housing. The inner ends of the push rods are received in actuating recesses in the sliders for selectively moving the sliders as selected push rods are depressed. A first push rod and its associated actuating recess in a first of the sliders have corresponding generally planar latching surfaces disposed generally perpendicular to the axis of movement of the first push rod for holding that push rod depressed. A second push rod, during depression, engages the first slider to free the first push rod.

PATENTEIJ AUG] 719m FIGS INVENTOR. Albert J- Germans/Jr.

Attorney In recent years pushbutton switches of the slider type have been widely used in many varied applications such as domestic dishwashers, home laundry appliances, electric ranges, automatic vending machines, etc. to control various circuitry therein. At times it is desirable for a push'rod, upon depression, to be releasably retained or secured until some further action takes place. When the push rod is to be released by some external means, such as an electromechanical device, the required releasing force is not critical. One such arrangement is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,322,908, issued to Stewart A. Woodward on May 30, 1967, and assigned to General Electric Company, the assignee of the present invention.

Often it is desired that one push rod, once depressed, be retained until released by depression of another push rod. In such instances any means of push rod retention which requires substantial releasing force is undesirable as it could be vexatious for the user and may lead the user mistakenly tobelieve the switch has malfunctioned. At the same time the retention of a push rod in its depressed position should be sure. In some such pushbutton switches, the push rods are spring biased to an outer or undepressed position. Also, in some applications one or more of the push rods are also mechanically connected to external devices which exert force on the push rod tending to move it out of its depressed position. One'such arrangement is set forth in US. Pat. No. 3,384,098, issued to Norman T.

Swetnam on May 21, 1968, and assigned to General Electric 7 Company, assignee of the present invention. The push rod retention means should be substantially unaffected by any such forces tending to give undesired release.

. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved pushbutton switch assembly of the slider type.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such an assembly, including improved means for releasably retaining a push rod in its depressed position.

. A further object of thisv invention is to provide such an as- I sembly with a push rod retention means in which a retained push rod'is released by depression of another push rod.

A still further object is to provide an improved push rod retention arrangement for use in a pushbutton switch, which arrangement is both sure in operation and released with ease.

Incarrying out my invention in one form thereof, I provide an improved pushbutton switch assembly including a housing with a plurality of contact means within the housing. A plurality of elongated sliders are carried by the housing for selective reciprocating movement between first and second positions A ones of the elongated sliders between first and second positions in response to depression of predetermined ones of the push rod means. The generally cylindrical actuating portion associated with one push rod means and one recess in one elongated slider are formed with corresponding generally planar latching surfaces disposed generally perpendicular to the axis 'of longitudinal reciprocating movement of the one push'rod means. The corresponding generally planar latching surfaces are in interfering relationship, when the one push rod means is depressed, for releasably retaining the one push rod means in its depressed position.

Thesubject matter which I regard as my invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention itself,'however, together with'further objects and advantages thereof, may be best'understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a sideelevational view of a multiple pushbutton switch assembly incorporating one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the switch assembly of FIG. 1, with some parts broken away for illustration;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary layout showing portions of one slider and two associated push rods in accordance with one embodiment of this invention, and'illustrating one push rod releasably retained in its depressed position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the arrangement of parts just after a retained push rod hasbeen released; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of another form of push rod useful in the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawing, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, there is shown a pushbutton switch assembly 10 having a hollow housing 11 defining therein an internal cavity 12. Housing 11 may be formed from any suitable material such as a moldable plastic compound to allow the housing to be molded in the desired configuration. Theopen bottom of the housing 11 is closed by means of a cover plate 13 which is secured in place by means of staking or deforming

terminals

14 and 15 at the outer surface of plate 13 and the outer surface of housing 1 1. v

Each of the terminals 14 has a portion 16 bent over to form a support for a stationary contact 17. Similarly, each of the terminals 15 has a blade 18 secured at one end thereto. The blade 18 may be a separate piece'secured to terminal 15 by some means such as riveting or staking, or it may be integrally formed with terminal-15. In any event, blade 18 has a relatively fixed end 19 where it joins terminal 15 and a free end 20. A movable Contact 21 is secured to blade 18 adjacent the free end 20. Blade 18, at its connection to terminal 15, is given sufficient resiliency so that. movable contact 21 is biased into engagement with stationary contact 17 until such time as sufficient force is applied to blade 18 to move contact 21 out of engagement with contact 17. Blade 18 is given a longitudinal bend 22 throughout most of its length to make blade 18 substantially rigid throughout its length, with the flexing action of the movement of the blade 18 being concentrated at fixed end A plurality of elongated sliders 23 are disposed within. the cavity 12 and are adapted for reciprocating movement along their longitudinal axis, i.e., toward the right and left as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. This movement is, of course, transverse to the longitudinal axis of the blades 18. As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the edge of the sliders 23 disposed toward the blades 13 are provided with predetermined high and

low sections

24 and 25 respectively. As is well known in the art when a low section 25 of all of the sliders 23 are in line with one of the blades .18, the associated stationary and

movable contacts

17 and 21 forming a particular switch will be closed; however, when a high section 24 of one or more of the sliders 23 is brought into alignment with the blade 18, the blade will be moved so as to separate movable contact 21 from stationary contact 17. It will be understood that the positioning of the high and

low sections

24 and 25 is varied between the individual sliders 23 so that by selective longitudinal movement of the sliders predetermined ones of the switches formed by' the movable and stationary contacts may be caused to open and close.

Reciprocating movement of sliders 23 is effected by manual depression of the pushbuttons 26. Each pushbutton is mounted on the distal end of a

push rod

27 and 28. Each of the (not shown) in the upper edge'of the housing 11 intothe cavity 12 and is disposed for engagement withthe other lateral edge of the sliders 23. Asis clearly illustrated in FIG. 3,the

inner end of each of the. push rods 27 and-28is' rolled orformed into, a generally cylindricaliactuating portion '29. It will be understood that, as it is well known in the art,

thefpush rods

27 and 28 of the exemplificationswitchassembly arefor'med from flat metal stock having-a width sufficient to span. all of the sliders 23 in thecavity l2. I

The lateral edges of the sliders 23lopposite the high and

low sections

24 and 25 are formed with actuating-recesses such as in accordance with one form of. the-invention. It will be un-- derstood that the various actuating recesses in the :sliders take many shapes so that depression of anyparticiilar push rod will selectively cause one or more sliders to be'moved to the right, one or more sliders to be moved to the left, andone or more sliders to remain stationary for selectively cl'osinga predetermined-one or more of the switches. The'particular configurationadopted for each recess of each slider'isgenerally determined by the switch operation which'isxdesired. As thesliders 23 are moved to the right and left (as seen in FIG. 3) in response to the depression of oneof the. pushrods by manual pressure on its associated pushbutton; a. predetermined one or more of the blades 18 are cammed so to separate the "as.- sociated' stationary

movable contacts

17 and 21 while other blades are released for closing itsassociated contacts, all as is well known in the art. a 1

-Referring now particularly toFlG; *3 it willbe seen-that one edge of recess -is formed with a-gentle slope, asindic'atediat 32, while the'other edge is formed as an overha'nging lip. 33'.

Theinner edge of the lip 33 is formed as aigenerally planar latching surface 34, which is generally perpendicular to: the axis of the longitudinal reciprocating movement of the push rod 28. The generally cylindricalactuating portion 29 of the push rod 28 is. notched to form-a corresponding generally planar la'tching'surface 35 which also is generally perpendicular to the axis of longitudinal reciprocating motion of thepush rod 28. The recess3l is formed on one side ,with agently sloping edge 36 and on-theothe'r side with a smoothly curvedoverhanging lip 37. FIG. 3 illustratesthe relativeposition of one of the sliders 23 and the push rod 28 when'the push rod 28 is in its depressed position. At this time thegenerally planar latching surfaces 34* and 35 are disposed in an interfering or overlapping relationship, thus anyforce tending to move the push rod- 28 longitudinally outward'ifoi the housing, i;e., upward in FIG. 3' causes the surfaces 34 and35' to engage. This prevents such-outward movementof the push-rod'28.

' Such a force with the exemplification switch normally would be exertedon the push rod 28 by means of an-exter'nal' element attached to the push rod. Push rod 28is'adalptedfor such attachment by meansof a notch38"formed in the push rod intermediate its ends. Thus the exemplification switch is well adapted for use in a. device such asthe: automatic dishwasher set forth in the aforementioned" U. S. Pat. No. 3,384,098, wherein one of the push rods of a multiple pushbutton switch is mechanically. connected by flexible arm toavalve so'that, upon depression of that particular pushrod to select a gentle washcycle for instance, the valve is opened to admit air to the pump of the dishwasher and, thus reduce the velocity of: the water spray. In such an arrangement the arm interconnecting the valve and the push rod exerts a force on the push rod tending to move it to its outward position relative to the switch housing. The push rod must be releasably retained Q in itsdepressed-position'arleast'until the end of the gentle wash cycle. p,

Referring-now to F lG. 4'there" is illustratedthe-relative positions between the elements shown in Fl G.- 3 as the illustrated push rod 27 depressed. This actionch'eing'es the settings of the stationary and movable contactsand releases push rod 28. 'Asthc push rod 27 moves. from outer or extended position toward its inner or depressed position, its generally. cylindrical actuating portion 29 engages-the smoothly curved lip 37. This engagement of the actuatingportionof the push rod 27 with the'lip37 moves the'slider23 to thelefttas seen in FIG. 4) whichin turn moves the latching-surface outof its interfering'relationship withlatching surface 35'. This: frees the push rod '28 for movement to its extended position. It will be noted that the inner portion of recess 30 is sufficiently wide to allow this relative movement betweenthe slider 23 andpush rod 28 without'binding lt will beunderstood that the recess 31 well could be formed with a difierent configuration to provide the same releasing action; For instance, the g ently sloping edge 36 couldbe provided on the left-hand sideof the recess 31 and extend-generally from the'l'eft to the right 'between the outer edge of the slider and theinterior portionjofthe slider in the event it is intendedfor the depression. of push rod 27 to cause the'slider'tomov'e and remain to the left. f

FIG. Sill'ustrates anotherform of push-frod which may be releasably retainedby a slider such as that illustrated in FIGS. 3and'4. To this end the inner end of slides 28a is curved into a generally cylindrical actuating portion 290, However, theactuating,portion 29a does notfold back on itself. Rather it terminates in a generally planar'latching surface 35a which is disposedgenerally perpendicular to theaxis of longitudinal movement of'the slider'28a. Such a slider-28a will provide the samereleasable retention orlatching function of the slider 28;

While in accordance with the, Patent Statutes l have described'wliat atpresent are considered to be the preferred embodiments of my invention; it will obvious to those skilled in the art that numerous changes-and modifications may be made therein 'with'outdeparting from the invention, it is therefore aimed in the appended. claims to cover all such equivalent-variations as fall'withinthe true spirit and scope of the'invention. 1

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An improvedpushbutton switch assembly including: a housing; a plurality of contact means in said housing; a plurality of elongated sliderscarried bysaid housing for selective reciprocating movement between first and second positions selectively to actuate said contact means raplurality of push rod means mounted" to said housing" for longitudinal reciprocating movement between, extended positions and depressed positions relative to said housing; each of said push rod means i'ncl'udingan elongatedfpush rodjot flat stock having a: width sufi'icient to span all of said sliders; the inner end of each; push. rod being smoothly curvedto form a generally cylindrical actuating portion; a plurality olj actuating recesses in each of said plurality of elongatedsliders, there being a recessin each ofsaid plurality of elongated sliders to receive said actuating portion of each of said push rod means for selectively moving predetermined ones of said elongated I sliders between first and second positidns in response to depression of predetermined ones of said push rod means; said generally cylindrical actuating'portion associated with a first push rod means and a first recess in a first elongated slider being formed with corresponding generally planar latching surfaces disposed generally perpendicular to the axis of Iongitudinalreciprocating-movement of said first push rod means;

said. corresponding generally planar latching surfaces being,

disposed in interfering relationship, when said first push rod meahsis depressed, for releasably retaining said first push rod means inits depressed position. L

2, A pushbutton switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one generally planar latchingsurface is provided by a notch in the periphery of said slider actuating portionl wherein: said actuating portion of at least a second push rod means, during movement from its extended position to its depressed position when said first'push rod means is in its depressed position, engages said first elongated slider for causing relative movement between said planar latching surfaces to release said actuating portion of said first push rod means.

Claims

1. An improved pushbutton switch assembly including: a housing; a plurality of contact means in said housing; a plurality of elongated sliders carried by said housing for selective reciprocating movement between first and second positions selectively to actuate said contact means; a plurality of push rod means mounted to said housing for longitudinal reciprocating movement between extended positions and depressed positions relative to said housing; each of said push rod means including an elongated push rod of flat stock having a width sufficient to span all of said sliders; the inner end of each push rod being smoothly curved to form a generally cylindrical actuating portion; a plurality of actuating recesses in each of said plurality of elongated sliders, there being a recess in each of said plurality of elongated sliders to receive said actuating portion of each of said push rod means for selectively moving predetermined ones of said elongated sliders between first and second positions in response to depression of predetermined ones of said push rod means; said generally cylindrical actuating portion associated with a first push rod means and a first recess in a first elongated slider being formed with corresponding generally planar latching surfaces disposed generally perpendicular to the axis of longitudinal reciprocating movement of said first push rod means; said corresponding generally planar latching surfaces being disposed in interfering relationship, when said first push rod means is depressed, for releasably retaining said first push rod means in its depressed position.

2. A pushbutton switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one generally planar latching surface is provided by a notch in the periphery of said slider actuating portion.

3. A pushbutton switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said generally cylindrical slider actuating portion of said first push rod means is formed with its distal edge disposed generally perpendicularly to the axis of longitudinal reciprocating movement of said first push rod means for forming one of said planar latching surfaces.

4. A pushbutton switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said actuating portion of at least a second push rod means, during movement from its extended position to its depressed position when said first push rod means is in its depressed position, engages said first elongated slider for causing relative movement between said planar latching surfaces to release said actuating portion of said first push rod means.