US3691331A - Switch mechanism with s-shaped snap acting spring member - Google Patents

Switch mechanism with s-shaped snap acting spring member Download PDF

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Publication number
US3691331A
US3691331A US18413A US3691331DA US3691331A US 3691331 A US3691331 A US 3691331A US 18413 A US18413 A US 18413A US 3691331D A US3691331D A US 3691331DA US 3691331 A US3691331 A US 3691331A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
spring member
movement
extremities
spring
members
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
US18413A
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English (en)
Inventor
John S Resh
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.)
Honeywell Inc
Original Assignee
Honeywell 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 Honeywell Inc filed Critical Honeywell Inc
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3691331A publication Critical patent/US3691331A/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
    • H01H1/14—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting
    • H01H1/24—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with resilient mounting
    • H01H1/242—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with resilient mounting the contact forming a part of a coil spring
    • 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
    • H01H13/26—Snap-action arrangements depending upon deformation of elastic members
    • H01H13/36—Snap-action arrangements depending upon deformation of elastic members using flexing of blade springs

Definitions

  • the present invention is directed to a snap acting switch arrangement wherein a normally flat elongated spring member which also functions as the movable contact is disposed lengthwise in compression between a pair of supports and is associated with a pair of stops, one of which functions as the fixed contact, the stops being centrally located with respect to the extremities of the spring member so as to place the spring member in an S-shape. Movement of one of the supports-causes variations in the effective length of the spring member and a change, but not areversal, in the curvature of the S-shape resulting in snap movement of the spring member from one stop member to the other.
  • my snap acting switch arrangement as initially set forth above includes a spring member which while it changes curvature to a slight degree during its snap movements between the stop members does not reverse curvature and hence the stresses set up in the spring member are not severe, thereby allowing for long mechanical life. Further, because of the S-shape form of the spring member and its free pivotal connections with the supports, where this is the case, snap movement of the spring member between the stop members results in an enhanced wiping action of the contact surfaces, thereby aiding in maintaining clean contact surfaces and also thereby absorbing and dissipating impact energy so as to minimize contact bounce. Finally, my snap acting switch arrangement lends itself to be manufactured from easily fabricated, non-precision parts which can be hand-assembled without any tools and which are associated together without the need of any conventional fasteners.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a snap acting switch arrangement which can be manufactured from easily fabricated parts that can be hand-assembled without conventional fasteners being required.
  • FIG. 1 is an explosion view of the snap acting switch arrangement
  • FIG. 2 is a view of the assembled snap acting switch arrangement when in the at rest" condition.
  • FIG. 3 is a view of the snap acting switch arrangement when in the actuated condition.
  • a base member or housing 10 which supports the elements of the snap acting switch arrangement.
  • the housing 10 includes a main cavity 11 and openings 12, 13 and 14 at the lower extremity-as well as depressions 16, 17 and another, not shown, in the inside back wall of the cavity for association therewith of electrically conductive terminal members 20, 22 and 24, respectively, in a conventionalfashion as will become apparent below.
  • Terminal members 20 and 22 include tab portions 20a and 22a, respectively, at the upper extremities thereof to slidably accommodate, engage and retain electrically conductive coil springs 26 and 28, respectively, which serve as fixed contactportions.
  • the coil springs 26and 28 are of a barrel shape, that is they are of greater outer diameter at the midpoint than at the extremities.
  • the relative dimensions of the tabs 20a and 22a and the coil springs 26 and 28 allow for deflection of the coils, especially those near the midpoint, toward and away from the tabs. While the preferred embodiment utilizes the coil springs 26 and 28 for the fixed contact portions, other contact forms which are well known in the art could be utilized.
  • An electrically conductive lever or movable support member 30 includes a tab portion 30a which is arranged to be disposed in opening 24a of the terminal member 24 for pivotal association therewith as will become apparent below.
  • the terminal member 24 and the movable support member 30 include notch cutouts 24b and 30b, respectively, to accept opposite extremities 32a and 32b of an electrically conductive, normally flat elongated spring member 32 to allow for free pivotal connections therebetween. Electrical contact material may be applied in any known manner to opposite sides of the spring member 32 at approximately its midpoint as at 32c.
  • the housing 10 also accommodates plunger 36 for inwardly and outwardly guided movement in opening 38 for engagement with the movable support member 30 as will be explained below. Additional guide means between the plunger 36 and the housing 10 is provided by oppositely located protrusions 36a of the plunger and slot 39 provided in the inside back wall of the cavi-' ty 11 and a comparable slot provided in the cover, not shown, which cover of course basically serves to close off the cavity.
  • the terminal members 20, 22 and 24 are slidable accepted, located and held in openings 12, 13 and 14, respectively, of the housing 10 with the movable support member 30 pivotally associated with, referring specifically to FIG. 1, the opening 24a in terminal member 24 and engaged by plunger 36. Further, normally flat elongated spring member 32 is disposed in compression between the terminal member 24 and the movable support member 30 and,
  • the elements of the snap acting switch arrangement can be disposed in and with respect to the housing by hand assembly without conventional fasteners or special tools being required.
  • a force is exerted by the spring member 32 and particularly by the contact portion 320 thereof substantially normal thereto and against the coil spring 26.
  • the movable support member 30 is moved clockwise causing a scrubbing or wiping relative movement between the coil spring 26 and the contact portion 32c, thereby aiding in maintaining clean contact surfaces.
  • the contact wiping is caused by the change in the effective length of the spring member 32 brought about by the change in curvature thereof as the notch 30b of the movable support member 30 moves downwardly with respect to the fixed position of the notch 24b of the terminal member 24 and the relatively fixed position of the contact portion 32c engaging the coil spring 26.
  • the inward movement of the plunger 36 and the clockwise movement of the movable support member 30 causes the contact force between the coil spring 26 and the contact portion 320 to be reduced.
  • the snap acting switch arrangement can of course be made monostable or bistable. But in the preferred embodiment, it is of the former type.
  • a stop surface 40 is provided in the cavity 11 of the housing 10 to limit the clockwise movement of the movable support member 30 and thereby prevent the overcenter condition of the snap acting arrangement from arising.
  • a snap acting switch arrangement comprising: a base member; a pair of spaced support members, one of which is movable, associated with said base member; a normally flat elongated spring member disposed lengthwise in compression between and the extremities thereof pivotally connected to said support members and including an electrical contact portion located approximately midway between the extremities thereof; and a pair of stop members associated with said base member at least one of which includes electrical conducting means, said stop members being disposed approximately midway between said support members and to either side of said spring member and spaced to allow for movement of the contact portion of said spring member from one to the other including engagement with the conducting means; said support members and said stop members located so that said spring member when in place assumes an S-shape engaging one of said stop members and so that opposite movements of said movable support member allows free pivotal movement of the extremities of said spring member and causes a change in the effective length of said spring member and a reversal in the direction of the force at the engagement between the spring member and the engaged stop member resulting in snap movements of the contact element thereof
  • the longitudinal axis of said coil spring being substantially transverse to the direction of movement of the contact portion of said spring member and substantially transverse to the line extending between the support locations for the extremities of said spring member.

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  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
US18413A 1970-03-11 1970-03-11 Switch mechanism with s-shaped snap acting spring member Expired - Lifetime US3691331A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US1841370A 1970-03-11 1970-03-11

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3691331A true US3691331A (en) 1972-09-12

Family

ID=21787791

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US18413A Expired - Lifetime US3691331A (en) 1970-03-11 1970-03-11 Switch mechanism with s-shaped snap acting spring member

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3691331A (enExample)
CH (1) CH518616A (enExample)
DE (1) DE2110696A1 (enExample)
FR (1) FR2078496A5 (enExample)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS49125273U (enExample) * 1973-02-20 1974-10-26
JPS49125275U (enExample) * 1973-02-21 1974-10-26
JPS49125857U (enExample) * 1973-02-22 1974-10-28
US4707575A (en) * 1986-08-26 1987-11-17 Krasik Michael H Spring switch for electronic circuits
US6483049B1 (en) * 2000-03-20 2002-11-19 Eja Engineering Limited Contact assembly
US20090146773A1 (en) * 2007-12-07 2009-06-11 Honeywell International Inc. Lateral snap acting mems micro switch
CN101853743B (zh) * 2010-05-13 2013-01-09 鸿富锦精密工业（深圳）有限公司 按键及具有该按键的电子设备

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS49125273U (enExample) * 1973-02-20 1974-10-26
JPS49125275U (enExample) * 1973-02-21 1974-10-26
JPS49125857U (enExample) * 1973-02-22 1974-10-28
US4707575A (en) * 1986-08-26 1987-11-17 Krasik Michael H Spring switch for electronic circuits
US6483049B1 (en) * 2000-03-20 2002-11-19 Eja Engineering Limited Contact assembly
US20090146773A1 (en) * 2007-12-07 2009-06-11 Honeywell International Inc. Lateral snap acting mems micro switch
CN101853743B (zh) * 2010-05-13 2013-01-09 鸿富锦精密工业（深圳）有限公司 按键及具有该按键的电子设备

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2110696A1 (de) 1971-09-23
FR2078496A5 (enExample) 1971-11-05
CH518616A (de) 1972-01-31

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