US3859489A - Lever mounted switch with outer rotating cover - Google Patents

Lever mounted switch with outer rotating cover Download PDF

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Publication number
US3859489A
US3859489A US357003A US35700373A US3859489A US 3859489 A US3859489 A US 3859489A US 357003 A US357003 A US 357003A US 35700373 A US35700373 A US 35700373A US 3859489 A US3859489 A US 3859489A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
rotatable
contact
carrier
resilient
contacts
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
US357003A
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English (en)
Inventor
Neil Tomlinson
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.)
Lucas Electrical Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Lucas Electrical Co Ltd
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 Lucas Electrical Co Ltd filed Critical Lucas Electrical Co Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3859489A publication Critical patent/US3859489A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q1/00—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
    • B60Q1/02—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments
    • B60Q1/04—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments the devices being headlights
    • B60Q1/14—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments the devices being headlights having dimming means
    • B60Q1/1446—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments the devices being headlights having dimming means controlled by mechanically actuated switches
    • B60Q1/1453—Hand actuated switches
    • B60Q1/1461—Multifunction switches for dimming headlights and controlling additional devices, e.g. for controlling direction indicating lights
    • B60Q1/1469—Multifunction switches for dimming headlights and controlling additional devices, e.g. for controlling direction indicating lights controlled by or attached to a single lever, e.g. steering column stalk switches
    • B60Q1/1476—Multifunction switches for dimming headlights and controlling additional devices, e.g. for controlling direction indicating lights controlled by or attached to a single lever, e.g. steering column stalk switches comprising switch controlling means located near the free end of the lever, e.g. press buttons, rotatable rings
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H19/00—Switches operated by an operating part which is rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof and which is acted upon directly by a solid body external to the switch, e.g. by a hand
    • H01H19/54—Switches operated by an operating part which is rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof and which is acted upon directly by a solid body external to the switch, e.g. by a hand the operating part having at least five or an unspecified number of operative positions
    • H01H19/56—Angularly-movable actuating part carrying contacts, e.g. drum switch

Definitions

  • a rotatable contact is selectively [51] I t Cl 1 9/06 Holh 13/08 engageable with the resilient contacts and is mounted 58 200/4 6154 155 157 on a rotatable carrier.
  • the rotatable carrier is pro- 1 3 7 22 H R vided with a plurality of depressions therein which are 200/153 engageable by certain of the resilient contacts to con- 16 291 stitute detent means releasably retaining the rotatable 56]
  • References Cited contact selectively in alternative operative positions of the switch.
  • an electrical switch comprising a body, a plurality of resilient contacts carried by the body, a rotatable contact for selective engagement with the resilient contacts upon rotation of the rotatable contact, and a rotatable carrier mounting said rotatable contact, said rotatable carrier being provided with a plurality of depressions therein for engagement by the resilient contacts for releasably retaining the rotatable contact in positions in which it is engaged with selected resilient contacts.
  • the carrier is mounted for rotation with a rotatable casing surrounding the resilient contacts and rotatable relative thereto.
  • the body of the switch is secured to a lever stalk and the casing also surrounds the body.
  • each resilient contact extends in a direction which is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the lever stalk, the resilient contacts being angularly spaced apart around said axis.
  • FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an electrical switch according to the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a cross-section on the line 22 of FIG. 1, and
  • FIG. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.
  • the electrical switch which is for mounting on the steering column of a motor vehicle, comprises an electrically insulating body 5 mounted on the end of a hollow conductive lever stalk 6 containing four leads 7 (only two shown) to the electrical switch.
  • the switch also includes a rotatable, electrically insulating casing 8 which surrounds the body 5 and is rotatable relative thereto about the axis of the lever stalk 6.
  • the casing 8 is, furthermore, slidable axially relative to the body 5 and lever stalk 6.
  • the body 5 has recesses 9 therein within which are mounted five resilient contacts 10, ll, l2, l3 and 14 (see especially FIGS. 2 and 3).
  • the resilient contacts 10, ll, l2, l3 and 14 each extend in a direction which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the lever stalk 6.
  • the contacts 10, ll, l2, l3 and 14 are angularly spaced about the longitudinal axis of the lever stalk 6.
  • the end of the casing 8 remote from the lever stalk 6 is constituted by a snap-fit cap 15 which has a contact carrier 16 integrally moulded therewith and extending into the casing 8 co-axially with respect to the lever stalk 6.
  • the contact carrier 16 is rotatable with the casing 8.
  • a generally U-shaped contact 18 Disposed in a recess 17 in the contact carrier 16 is a generally U-shaped contact 18 forming a rotatable contact of the switch.
  • the U-shaped contact 18 has one arm which extends flush with the outer surface of the rotatable contact carrier 16 for selective engagement with the resilient contacts 10, ll, 12 and 13, as will be described hereinafter.
  • the outer surface of the contact carrier 16 is provided with a series of depressions 19 which extend parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotatable contact carrier 16 and are spaced angularly of the latter.
  • a contact plate 20 is disposed within the casing 8 and is urged into abutment with the contact carrier 16 by means of a spring 21 which is lodged between the contact plate 20 and the body 5. This return spring 21 also urges the casing 8 into a position in which a shoulder 22 on the casing abuts against one end 23 of the body 5.
  • Flexible contacts 10 and 14 are provided with integral interned contact lugs 24 and 25 respectively.
  • the electrical switch is intended for use in the control of a motor vehicle windscreen wiper and screen washer assembly and contact 10 serves as a feed contact, contact 11 is arranged in a fast speed circuit for the windscreen wiper motor.
  • contact 12 is connected in a slow speed circuit for the wiper motor whilst contact 13 is connected into the limit switch circuit of the wiper motor whereby the wipers can be parked off the windscreen.
  • the contact 14 is connected into a screen washer circuit.
  • the electrical switch is employed for controlling side lights, headlights and a horn of a motor vehicle.
  • contact 11 is omitted, contact 14 is shortened so that it no longer extends to a position in which it engages the lever stalk 6 and instead is connected to respective lead 7.
  • Contact 10 remains the feed contact, contact 12 is arranged inthe side lights circuit, contact 13 is arranged in the head lights circuit and contact 14 is arranged in the horn circuit.
  • the rotatable contact 18 is extended further around the carrier 16 so that it can bridge feed contact 10, sidelights contact 12 and headlights contact 13 whereby the sidelights remain lit when the headlights are lit upon rotation of the casing 8. Axial movement of the casing against the action of spring 21 causes the horn to be operated.
  • cap 15 and contact carrier 16 are formed as separate parts and are secured together during manufacture in any convenient manner.
  • This modification affords the possibility of producing simply and cheaply switches having the same contact carrier arrangement but different external cap 15 to suit the styling requirements of different applications, switches which are externally similar but having different contact arrangements, and combinations of both features.
  • any of the electrical switches as described above can be made of compact shape due to the fact that a separate detent mechanism is not provided for retaining the switch in its various operating positions, the detent mechanism being provided by the flexible fixed contacts and the depressions in the contact carrier.
  • An actuating lever mounted electrical switch comprising an actuating lever, a body, means mounting said body on said actuating lever at one end thereof, a plurality of non-rotatable resilient contact elements carried by the body, and extending generally parallel to and spaced around an axis coextensive with the longitudinal axis of the actuating lever, a rotatable electric contact, means mounting said rotatable electric contact for rotation about said axis coextensive with said longitudinal axis, said rotatable electric contact being selectively engageable with said non-rotatable contact elements upon rotation of said rotatable contact, and, said means mounting said rotatable contact including a rotatable contact carrier, said rotatable contact carrier being provided with a plurality of depressions therein and said depressions being in releasable engagement with said resilient non-rotatable contact elements whereby said rotatable contact can be retained in selected positions relative to said body in engagement with selected fixed contacts, means mounting said carrier for rotation comprising a rota

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Rotary Switch, Piano Key Switch, And Lever Switch (AREA)
  • Switches With Compound Operations (AREA)
  • Motor Or Generator Current Collectors (AREA)
  • Connection Of Motors, Electrical Generators, Mechanical Devices, And The Like (AREA)
  • Lighting Device Outwards From Vehicle And Optical Signal (AREA)
US357003A 1972-05-06 1973-05-03 Lever mounted switch with outer rotating cover Expired - Lifetime US3859489A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB2123772A GB1428657A (en) 1972-05-06 1972-05-06 Electrical switches

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3859489A true US3859489A (en) 1975-01-07

Family

ID=10159519

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US357003A Expired - Lifetime US3859489A (en) 1972-05-06 1973-05-03 Lever mounted switch with outer rotating cover

Country Status (9)

Country Link
US (1) US3859489A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
AU (1) AU471154B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BR (1) BR7303241D0 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CS (1) CS167383B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2322661C3 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
ES (1) ES191218Y (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2184040B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1428657A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
IT (1) IT984872B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3988574A (en) * 1973-12-22 1976-10-26 Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft Combined switch housing for windshield wiper and washer installation
US3996433A (en) * 1974-04-04 1976-12-07 Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho Lever switch structure
US4166203A (en) * 1977-01-21 1979-08-28 Lucas Industries Limited Electrical switch
US4219706A (en) * 1978-05-17 1980-08-26 Chrysler Corporation Steering column mounted control stalk with multiple actuators for rotatable and slide type switches
US4284865A (en) * 1979-06-26 1981-08-18 Rockwell International Corporation Throttle force detector
US4321437A (en) * 1979-08-16 1982-03-23 Lucas Industries Ltd. Operating lever assembly for an electrical switch
US4660568A (en) * 1976-06-21 1987-04-28 Cosman Eric R Telemetric differential pressure sensing system and method therefore
US4667067A (en) * 1985-04-29 1987-05-19 Dana Corporation Switch assembly with multiple mounting means
USD296203S (en) 1986-03-31 1988-06-14 Dana Corporation Combined cruise control switch unit and mounting adapter
US4849585A (en) * 1988-07-29 1989-07-18 United Technologies Automotive, Inc. Modularly constructed vehicle control stalk with interchangeable parts and switch assembly
US5268818A (en) * 1991-12-03 1993-12-07 Mabuchi Motor Co., Ltd. Contact structure for toy motors
US6025564A (en) * 1999-05-11 2000-02-15 Eaton Corporation Single stalk steering column switch
US20030155223A1 (en) * 2002-01-21 2003-08-21 Yoshiyuki Nakade Automotive lever switch

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2165695B (en) * 1984-09-04 1988-01-27 Susumu Miyaue Electrical switch
CA2091265C (en) * 1991-11-26 1997-12-30 Osamu Isozaki Crosslinking agent and curable composition
FR2688622B1 (fr) * 1992-03-12 1994-06-17 Jaeger Manette de commande de commutateur electrique.
DE19528641A1 (de) * 1995-08-04 1997-02-06 Teves Gmbh Alfred Elektroschalter mit im Bereich des manuell bedienten Betätigungselements angeordneten Mikroschaltern

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3238315A (en) * 1965-07-23 1966-03-01 Collins Radio Co Rotary multiple cam circuit disconnect and reconnect switch
US3255319A (en) * 1964-08-26 1966-06-07 Spectrol Electronics Corp Miniature switch with contact aligned detent structure
US3511943A (en) * 1968-06-27 1970-05-12 Mccord Corp Control switch for a vehicle windshield washer and wiper system contained in a turn signal actuating lever
US3603748A (en) * 1968-06-28 1971-09-07 Lucas Industries Ltd Electrical switches

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2813158A (en) * 1955-08-31 1957-11-12 Gen Electric Rotary switch with quick-connect terminals
US3109906A (en) * 1961-01-09 1963-11-05 Gen Signal Corp Selective position push button switch

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3255319A (en) * 1964-08-26 1966-06-07 Spectrol Electronics Corp Miniature switch with contact aligned detent structure
US3238315A (en) * 1965-07-23 1966-03-01 Collins Radio Co Rotary multiple cam circuit disconnect and reconnect switch
US3511943A (en) * 1968-06-27 1970-05-12 Mccord Corp Control switch for a vehicle windshield washer and wiper system contained in a turn signal actuating lever
US3603748A (en) * 1968-06-28 1971-09-07 Lucas Industries Ltd Electrical switches

Cited By (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3988574A (en) * 1973-12-22 1976-10-26 Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft Combined switch housing for windshield wiper and washer installation
US3996433A (en) * 1974-04-04 1976-12-07 Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho Lever switch structure
US4660568A (en) * 1976-06-21 1987-04-28 Cosman Eric R Telemetric differential pressure sensing system and method therefore
US4166203A (en) * 1977-01-21 1979-08-28 Lucas Industries Limited Electrical switch
US4219706A (en) * 1978-05-17 1980-08-26 Chrysler Corporation Steering column mounted control stalk with multiple actuators for rotatable and slide type switches
US4284865A (en) * 1979-06-26 1981-08-18 Rockwell International Corporation Throttle force detector
US4321437A (en) * 1979-08-16 1982-03-23 Lucas Industries Ltd. Operating lever assembly for an electrical switch
US4667067A (en) * 1985-04-29 1987-05-19 Dana Corporation Switch assembly with multiple mounting means
USD296203S (en) 1986-03-31 1988-06-14 Dana Corporation Combined cruise control switch unit and mounting adapter
US4849585A (en) * 1988-07-29 1989-07-18 United Technologies Automotive, Inc. Modularly constructed vehicle control stalk with interchangeable parts and switch assembly
US5268818A (en) * 1991-12-03 1993-12-07 Mabuchi Motor Co., Ltd. Contact structure for toy motors
US6025564A (en) * 1999-05-11 2000-02-15 Eaton Corporation Single stalk steering column switch
US20030155223A1 (en) * 2002-01-21 2003-08-21 Yoshiyuki Nakade Automotive lever switch
US6791042B2 (en) * 2002-01-21 2004-09-14 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Automotive lever switch

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CS167383B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1976-04-29
ES191218U (es) 1974-06-16
DE2322661B2 (de) 1978-11-09
IT984872B (it) 1974-11-20
FR2184040A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-12-21
DE2322661A1 (de) 1973-11-15
ES191218Y (es) 1974-12-01
FR2184040B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1977-04-29
AU5520973A (en) 1974-11-07
AU471154B2 (en) 1976-04-08
BR7303241D0 (pt) 1974-07-11
DE2322661C3 (de) 1979-07-19
GB1428657A (en) 1976-03-17

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