US3629748A - Electrical switch - Google Patents

Electrical switch Download PDF

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Publication number
US3629748A
US3629748A US43523A US3629748DA US3629748A US 3629748 A US3629748 A US 3629748A US 43523 A US43523 A US 43523A US 3629748D A US3629748D A US 3629748DA US 3629748 A US3629748 A US 3629748A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
housing
switch
common contact
printed circuit
circuit board
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
US43523A
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English (en)
Inventor
John Covell Collier
David William Rickards
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.)
TE Connectivity Corp
Original Assignee
AMP Inc
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 AMP Inc filed Critical AMP Inc
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3629748A publication Critical patent/US3629748A/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
    • 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
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/12—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage
    • H01H1/14—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting
    • H01H1/16—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting by rolling; by wrapping; Roller or ball contacts
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H35/00—Switches operated by change of a physical condition
    • H01H35/02—Switches operated by change of position, inclination or orientation of the switch itself in relation to gravitational field

Definitions

  • An electrical scanning switch including a common contact, a plurality of individual contacts, and a member rollable over the contacts to provide an electrical connection between the common contact and each of the individual contacts in succession, the member when rolling over the contacts having no propulsive force applied to it by physical contact with the member.
  • ELECTRICAL SWITCH This invention relates to an electrical switchin which an electrical connection is established between a common contact and each of a plurality of individual contacts in succession.
  • Such switches are often referred to as scanning switches and are used in various forms of data processing equipment to connect aplurality of input signals to a common outputin. succession.
  • Known scanning switches comprise a plurality of individual contacts arranged in relatively, fixed spacedrelationship, for example in a circle, and a commoncontact which ismovable to contact each of the individual contacts in turn.
  • Switches with manual, and switches with automatic, for example electromechanical, control of the common contact are known.
  • Scanning switches are often used to make and break the energizing circuits of electromagnetic relays, and in such cases it is necessary for the common contact to remain in contact with each of .the individualcontacts for a predetermined time to ensure reliable operation of the electromagnetic relay. It is known, therefore, for the common contact to be stepped from one individual contact to the next in succession by, for example, an electric steppingv motor. With some such known switches the common contact remains in contact with each individual contact until the motor receives a signal from the circuit made by the connection just established, indicating completion of the. switching operations, e.g., operation of an electromagnetic relay, occurring on making of the circuit.
  • the member can have the form of, for example, a sphere or a right circular cylinder.
  • Such a switch has the further advantage that the rolling of the member over the contacts burnishes the contacts and thus ensures good electrical contact between the member and the contacts.
  • the common contact, the individual contacts, and the member are arranged within a closed cross section tubular housing, the common contact extending the length of the housing and the individual contacts being arranged in axially spaced relationship along the housing so that on rolling from one end of the housing to the other the member provides an electrical connection between the common contact and each of the individual contacts in succession.
  • the individual contacts can be provided by an arrangement of spaced parallel conductors of aprinted circuit board, and the printed circuit board can constitute one wall of the housing. With such a scanning switch one edge of the printed circuit board can extend beyond the housing so that electrical connections can be made to the conductors of the board by means of a printed circuit board edge connector.
  • the common contact can be connected to a conductor of the printed circuit board so that all the required electrical connections to the scanning switch can be made by means of a single printed circuit board edge connector.
  • the only force operative from outside the housing affecting the member while it is rolling is gravity, although other forces, for example magnetic forces, can also be used to control the member, for example to control the speed of movement of the member or to prevent rebound of the member atthe end of its movement in the housing.
  • the housing can be hermetically sealed, possibly after it has been evacuated or filled with oil, this protecting the contacts and member from corrosion and increasing the working life of the switch.
  • the member can be caused to move along the housing, i.e., the switch can be operated, by merely tilting the housing, or if the housing is rigidly mounted, by means of a manually, mechanically, or electromechanically operated arrangement.
  • the member can be struck by a striker which is moved by means of a solenoid.
  • the solenoid can be connected for energization on making of a circuit including the switch, so that the switch is then operated.
  • the housing in cross section, may be in the form of a straight, rectangular or circular tube or any other suitable configuration.
  • the member is in the form of a sphere, it rolls on two mutually'inclined surfaces only.
  • the speed of movement of the ball can be varied by changing the angle enclosed by the two surfaces.
  • one of the surfaces can be rotatable about an axis, relative to the other surface, such that the surfaces can have relative positions including positions in which the angle included by the surfaces increases from one end of the one surface to the other end of the one surface, positions in which the angle included by the surfaces decreases from the one end of the one surface to the other end of theone surface, and a position in which the angle included by the surfaces is constant.
  • the ball can be caused to roll, i.e., the switch can be operated, merely by rotating the one surface about the axis of rotation thereof.
  • the axis of rotation of theone surface intersects the plane of the one surface intermediate the ends of the one surface.
  • the speed of movement of the member can otherwise be dependent upon the shape'of the housing.
  • the housing is a linear tube along which the member rolls under the force of gravity
  • the housing can be made longitudinally arcuate so that after the member has been caused to move the tendency for the member to accelerate is counteracted by the constantly changing slope of the housing with respect to the horizontal.
  • the common contact can also be constituted by a conductor of the printed circuit board, the common contact conductor having a plurality of spaced parallel fingers branching from it, each of the fingers being positioned adjacent but spaced from an individual contact so that the finger and the individual contact are bridged by the member as it moves across the finger and the individual contact.
  • the strip can be broken to provide a plurality of individual groups of fingers, thus enabling separate scanning of the group of individual contacts associated with the fingers of each group to be carried out.
  • each source supplying signals to a plurality of the individual contacts of the scanning switch, for example as in card reading arrangements having more than one card reader.
  • the breaking of the strip to provide groups of common contact fingers allows readout to be carried out for any card reader individually, or for any group of the card readers.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the switch with part removed
  • FIG. 2 is a plan view of the switch with part removed
  • FIG. 3 is a section on the line Ill-III in FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 4 is a partial planview showing an alternative construction for the present invention.
  • the switch comprises a circular cross-sectional tubular housing 1 closed at each end by an end cap 2. Extending through slots in the wall of the housing 1 are two printed circuit boards 3 and 4.
  • the board 3 carries a plurality of spaced parallel conductors 5 constituting the individual contactsof the switch, and the inner face of the board 4 is covered with a conductive layer 6 (FIG. 3) constituting the common contact of the switch. As shown, the boards 3 and 4 diverge in the direction away from the housing 1, and enclose an angle of approximately '30.
  • a gold-plated ball 7 is arranged between the boards 3 and 4, and is free to roll along the housing 1 in contact with only the boards 3 and 4.
  • each end cap 2 projects into the housing I, and carries an insert 8 having a rounded free end which acts as a stop for the ball 7 to limit its movement along the housing 1.
  • the housing 1 prefferably be evacuated and then hermetically sealed to prevent corrosion of the contacts 5 and 6, and the ball 7. Otherwise, the housing 1 can be filled with oil and then sealed, this giving the advantage of slowing the speed of rolling of the ball 7 within the housing 1.
  • an air bubble is left in the oil such that when the housing 1 is tilted with respect to the horizontal the air bubble reaches the raised end of the housing 1 to ensure that the ball 7 leaves this end and commences to roll.
  • the housing 1 carries two centrally arranged circular bosses 9 with which the housing 1 is mounted in a U-section, inverted-T-shaped stand 10 so as to be tiltable about the bosses 9 with respect to the horizontal.
  • a bracket 11 which carries a pin 12 which engages in a slot at one end of a lever 13 which is pivotally mounted on a spindle 14 carried by the stand 10.
  • the lower end of the lever 13 is pivotally connected to one end of a further lever 15, and the other end of which is pivotally connected to the plunger 16 of a solenoid 17.
  • a spring (not shown) on the spindle 14 engages the lever 13 to urge the lower end of the lever 13, and thus the plunger 16, away from the solenoid 17.
  • the housing I is thus normally tilted with respect to the horizontal with its end over the solenoid 17 uppermost, the ball 7 then being at the lower end of the housing 1.
  • the solenoid 17 When the solenoid 17 is energized it attracts the plunger 16 and thus by means of the lever and 13 tilts the housing I in the other direction relative to the horizontal, i.e. with its end remote from the solenoid l7 uppermost, thus causing the ball 7 to roll along the housing 1 to effect scanning of the individual contacts 5.
  • the solenoid 17 is deenergized the spring returns the housing 1 to its initial position, the ball 7 again rolling the length of the housing 1 to its initial position.
  • the individual contacts 5 can be connected by means of a printed circuit board edge connector mated with the exposed edge of the board 3, and the common contact 6 can be connected in any convenient manner, possible by use of a further printed circuit board edge connector.
  • FIG. 4 The alternative construction mentioned earlier in the specification is set forth in FIG. 4 wherein board 4 remains stationary while board 3 is rotatable about an axis relative to board 4 such that the two boards can have relative positions including positions in which the angle included by the surfaces increases from one end to the other (left to right as seen in FIG. 4).
  • An electrical scanning switch including two substantially planar mutually inclined surfaces, a plurality of individual contacts carried on one of the planar surfaces, a common contact carried on the other planar surface, a conductivemember supported on the inclined surfaces and rollable under the action of gravity from one end of the inclined surfaces continuously to the other end to bridge electrically the common contact and each of the individual contacts in succession, said other planar surface being uninterrupted so as to present a suitable surface for the continuous rolling of the conductive member.
  • a switch as claimed in claim 1 in which one of the planar surfaces is rotatable about a vertical axis selectively to position either end of the rotatable planar surface nearer the other planar surface, and the conductive member is a sphere rollable in a direction away from the end of the rotatable planar surface nearer the other planar surface.
  • a switch as claimed in claim 10 including a solenoid coupled to the housing by a lever system to effect the pivotal movements of the housing.
  • 1D is eercified that water appears in the ebove identified patent and that said Lettezs Patent are hereby eelrecced as shew balm Claim 4, line 36; column 4 "x-zpeec'i should. be u spaced a Signed and sealed this 25th day of A ril 1972;.

Landscapes

  • Switch Cases, Indication, And Locking (AREA)
  • Switches Operated By Changes In Physical Conditions (AREA)
  • Switches That Are Operated By Magnetic Or Electric Fields (AREA)
  • Rotary Switch, Piano Key Switch, And Lever Switch (AREA)
US43523A 1969-06-26 1970-06-04 Electrical switch Expired - Lifetime US3629748A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB3235869 1969-06-26
GB5395169 1969-11-04

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3629748A true US3629748A (en) 1971-12-21

Family

ID=26261332

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US43523A Expired - Lifetime US3629748A (en) 1969-06-26 1970-06-04 Electrical switch

Country Status (10)

Country Link
US (1) US3629748A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS4831675B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
AT (1) AT303175B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BE (1) BE752362A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2028106A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
ES (1) ES381159A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2053939A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1257485A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL7009104A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
SE (1) SE371533B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3752945A (en) * 1971-06-04 1973-08-14 D Achterberg Electrical alternating contact switch
US3940042A (en) * 1974-10-24 1976-02-24 Keck Norman A Speed control device
US5252795A (en) * 1992-04-30 1993-10-12 Shin Jiuh Corp. Tilt switch
US5267128A (en) * 1992-10-26 1993-11-30 Chrysler Corporation Facia mounted for lamp assembly

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1992015109A2 (de) * 1991-02-15 1992-09-03 Niessen Guenther Steuerung, anordnung von teilchen und steuerungsvorrichtung, zu durchschaltzwecken, zu steuerzwecken, anordnung von teilchen mit zwei oder mehr zuständen, nicht-leitend und leitend, bzw. wenig leitend und stark leitend, bzw. undurchlässig und in einer ebene durchlässig, oder normal nicht-leitend, aber bei einwirkung einer k

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2339063A (en) * 1940-04-19 1944-01-11 Int Standard Electric Corp Nonnumerical hunting switch
US2487433A (en) * 1946-05-06 1949-11-08 Allen J Gardenhour Ball contactor switch
US2758195A (en) * 1954-03-23 1956-08-07 Ludwig Louis Lamp with tiltable light switch
US2802917A (en) * 1954-07-06 1957-08-13 Odegaard John Remote control relay switch
US3031550A (en) * 1959-10-28 1962-04-24 Clare & Co C P Switching assembly
US3348000A (en) * 1965-10-13 1967-10-17 Baldor Electric Co Liquid conductor type electric switch

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2339063A (en) * 1940-04-19 1944-01-11 Int Standard Electric Corp Nonnumerical hunting switch
US2487433A (en) * 1946-05-06 1949-11-08 Allen J Gardenhour Ball contactor switch
US2758195A (en) * 1954-03-23 1956-08-07 Ludwig Louis Lamp with tiltable light switch
US2802917A (en) * 1954-07-06 1957-08-13 Odegaard John Remote control relay switch
US3031550A (en) * 1959-10-28 1962-04-24 Clare & Co C P Switching assembly
US3348000A (en) * 1965-10-13 1967-10-17 Baldor Electric Co Liquid conductor type electric switch

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3752945A (en) * 1971-06-04 1973-08-14 D Achterberg Electrical alternating contact switch
US3940042A (en) * 1974-10-24 1976-02-24 Keck Norman A Speed control device
US5252795A (en) * 1992-04-30 1993-10-12 Shin Jiuh Corp. Tilt switch
US5267128A (en) * 1992-10-26 1993-11-30 Chrysler Corporation Facia mounted for lamp assembly

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1257485A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-12-22
FR2053939A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-04-16
JPS4831675B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-10-01
AT303175B (de) 1972-11-10
SE371533B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-11-18
BE752362A (fr) 1970-12-01
DE2028106A1 (de) 1971-01-07
ES381159A1 (es) 1972-11-16
NL7009104A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-12-29

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