Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • H01H3/00—Mechanisms for operating contacts
  • H01H3/02—Operating parts, i.e. for operating driving mechanism by a mechanical force external to the switch
  • H01H3/12—Push-buttons
  • H01H3/122—Push-buttons with enlarged actuating area, e.g. of the elongated bar-type; Stabilising means therefor
  • H01H3/125—Push-buttons with enlarged actuating area, e.g. of the elongated bar-type; Stabilising means therefor using a scissor mechanism as stabiliser
• • 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
  • H01H13/50—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a single operating member
  • H01H13/56—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a single operating member the contact returning to its original state upon the next application of operating force
  • H01H13/562—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a single operating member the contact returning to its original state upon the next application of operating force making use of a heart shaped cam

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to electrical switching devices such as switches and back and forth.
• a tilting trainer adapted to pivot between two stable positions to put in contact or out of contact a mobile electric contactor with a fixed electrical contactor
• a pushbutton accessible to the user; a nut integral with the pushbutton adapted to cooperate with the tilting coach to rotate it between the two stable positions, and
• the main disadvantage of such devices is that the guide means in translation of the push button are not sufficient to maintain its support surface always perpendicular to the direction of translation of the push button regardless of the support point of the push button. user on the support surface. Indeed, it may happen that the user, by pressing the pushbutton eccentrically relative to the central portion on which the return spring acts, causes the tilting of the push button thus causing a bad cooperation of the nut with the trainer or even a blockage of said push button in the opening that receives it.
• the present invention proposes an electrical switching device in which the translational guidance of the pushbutton in the housing is improved. More particularly, the invention proposes an electrical switching device as defined in the introduction, in which the translational guiding means comprise two link arms connected to each other by a pivot axis while crossing each other and cooperating with the housing and the push button to move together in the manner of scissors.
• the translational guiding means comprise two link arms connected to each other by a pivot axis while crossing each other and cooperating with the housing and the push button to move together in the manner of scissors.
• these two arms link the push button to the housing by supporting each of these two parts in several distinct points and moving together. They therefore form a lifting table which ensures the correct positioning of the push button during its translation regardless of the size of the push button and whatever the point of support of the effort exerted by the user on this button.
• the connecting arms give the device rigidity and robustness essential to its frequent and durable use.
• one of the connecting arms comprises a low end connected to the casing by a pivot connection and an upper end connected to the pushbutton by a slide connection. sliding axis parallel to the plane of the support surface of the push button, and, secondly, the other of the connecting arm comprises a low end connected to the housing by a sliding connection of axis parallel to said axis of sliding and a high end connected to the push button by a pivot connection.
• each connecting arm has a U-shape with two lateral branches connected to one another by a transverse branch.
• This U-shaped configuration of the connecting arms makes it possible to release the central space of the housing reserved for the electrical switching mechanism.
• each connecting arm forms a low end and the transverse branch of each connecting arm forms a high end.
• the link arms have four points of contact with the housing and four points of contact with the push button, thus ensuring the push button a correct seat on the housing.
• the lower ends of the connecting arms carrying cylindrical tenons, the tenons of an arm fit into a housing of the housing while its upper end fits into a sliding groove of the push button, and the tenons of the other arm fit into a sliding groove of the housing while its upper end snaps into a snap groove of the push button.
• each connecting arm carries a rib provided with two notches adapted to maintain laterally each connecting arm relative to the push button.
• the device comprises elastic means for returning the push button in the rest position which act on the link arms in a direction transverse to the direction of translation of the push button.
• the push button when no effort is exerted on the push button, the latter is placed automatically and quickly in the rest position so that it is always ready to be actuated to cause the electrical switching of the switching mechanism.
• said elastic return means are compression springs arranged between a side wall of the housing and the free ends lateral branches of a connecting arm which slide in the sliding groove provided in the housing.
• the space in the center of the device reserved for the switching mechanism is left free.
• the lower ends of a connecting arm move in the housing orthogonal to the axis of the translation of the push button to arrange the return springs orthogonally to this axis of translation in a space does not interfere with the establishment of the electrical switching mechanism.
• the elastic return means are compression springs disposed between a side wall of the push button and the upper end of the link arm which slides in the sliding groove provided on the push button.
• abutment means limiting the deployment of the connecting arms to maintain the push button in the rest position.
• said stop means of the push button comprise a bulge disposed at the mouth of the sliding groove provided on the housing or on the push button and which cooperates with a low end or a high end of a link arm .
• the nut being able to take two tilting positions corresponding to the two stable positions of the tilting coach, there is provided means for returning the nut in a centered position between these two tilting positions. .
• the nut is automatically returned to the initial position in order to be able to cooperate properly with the tilting coach at the next descent of the push button.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective exploded view of a switching device according to the invention
• FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of push button guiding means of the switching device of FIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the guide means of Figure 2 assembled with the push button of the device of Figure 1;
• FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the plane A-A of Figure 3.
• FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows an electrical switching device. It can be a simple switch or a back and forth depending on the type of switching mechanism 50 associated with it. In all cases, this device comprises a housing 40 having four side walls which border a bottom wall open at its center by an opening 41 accommodating a rocker arm 51 pivotally mounted on the base of the switching mechanism 50.
• the tilting driver 51 is adapted to pivot between two stable positions to put in contact or out of contact a movable electric contactor with a fixed electrical contactor (not shown).
• the electrical switching device further comprises a push button 10 accessible to the user and which closes the front face of the housing 40.
• This push button 10 is adapted to translate between a rest position and a depressed position by sliding the along the side walls of the casing 40.
• the pushbutton 10 In order to cooperate with the tilting driver 51, the pushbutton 10 carries in the center of its rear face a nut 20 adapted to cooperate with the tilting driver 51 to rotate it between its stable positions.
• the nut 20 has on two of its lateral faces an attachment pin 21 intended to be inserted into a latching groove projecting from the rear face of the push button 10. It is thus adapted to pivot relative to the button. 10 during the translation of the latter to take two tilting positions corresponding inversely to the two stable positions of the tilting driver 51.
• the tilting driver 51 is in the form of a U-shaped cradle with two parallel branches which internally comprise a sidewalk 52; the nut 20 has on its back side two shoulders 22 intended to bear alternately on the sidewalks 52 of the two branches of the tilting trainer 51 to tilt it to one or other of its stable positions.
• return means 70 of the nut 20 in a centered position between its two tilting positions consist of a rod 70 elastically deformable, fixed at each of its ends to the pushbutton 10 and adapted to deform towards the rear face of the pushbutton 10.
• This rod 70 is in contact with the front face of the nut 20 at a central flat 23 so that when the nut 20 pivots, the rod 70 exerts a return torque of the nut 20 to its centered position.
• the electrical switching device comprises means for translational movement of the pushbutton 10 in the housing 40 which comprise two connecting arms 30A, 30B (a first arm 30A and a second arm 30B), here identical, connected to each other by a pivot axis by crossing and cooperating with the housing 40 and the push button 10 to move together in the manner of scissors.
• each connecting arm 30A, 30B has a U-shape with two lateral branches 31A.31 B linked to one another by a transverse branch 32A.32B.
• each connecting arm 30A.30B has a U-shape with two lateral branches 31A.31 B linked to one another by a transverse branch 32A.32B.
• one of the two lateral branches 31A, 31B of each connecting arm is pierced laterally at its center with a bore 39'A, 39'B and the other of the two lateral branches 31A.31B is on its outer face, in its center, a pin 39A.39B.
• the two connecting arms 30A.30B are staggered relative to each other so that the pin 39A.39B of each connecting arm 30A.30B fits into the bore 39'A, 39 ' B of the other connecting arm 30A.30B, so that the two connecting arms 30A.30B can move relative to each other in the manner of scissors.
• one of the link arms 3OB has a low end
• the other link arm 3OA has a low end 33A connected to the casing 40 by a slide linkage 34A.42 of axis W parallel to said sliding axis W and a high end 32A linked to the pushbutton 10 by a pivot link 36A.11.
• the free ends of the lateral branches 31A.31B of each connecting arm 30A.30B form its lower end 33A.33B and the transverse branch 32A.32B of each connecting arm 30A, 30B forms its high end 32A.32B.
• the transverse branches 32A.32B of the connecting arms 30A.30B have a circular section and are straight. They are each bordered by a rib 37A.37B longitudinal having two notches 38A, 38B.
• each connecting arm 30A.30B is formed in one piece by molding a plastic material so that each pin 39A.39B of pivoting, each foot 35A.35B, each post 34A, 34B and each rib 37A. 37B are formed with said corresponding connecting arm 30A, 30B.
• the rear face of the pushbutton 10 carries two ribs 13,14 parallel and identical in each of which is formed at one end, a latching groove 11 open towards the rear by a mouthpiece 11A, intended to accommodate the portion 36A of the upper end 32A of the first connecting arm 30A located at one of the notches 38A of the rib 37A.
• the first link arm 30A can pivot in this latching groove 11 without moving laterally, the lateral faces of the notches 38A bearing on either side of the two ribs 13,14.
• the two ribs 13, 14 each form at their other end a sliding groove 12 open laterally and intended to receive the portion 36B of the upper end 32B of the second connecting arm 30B located at one of the notches 38B of the rib 37B.
• the second link arm 3OB can slide in this sliding groove 12 without moving laterally, the lateral faces of the notches 38B bearing on either side of the two ribs 13,14 and sliding on them.
• the electrical switching device For the automatic repositioning of the pushbutton 10 in the rest position when it has been moved to its depressed position, the electrical switching device comprises elastic return means 60 of the pushbutton 10 which act on the link arms 30A.30B in a direction transverse to the direction of translation of the pushbutton 10.
• said elastic return means are compression springs 60 disposed between a side wall of the housing 40 and the corners formed by the legs 35A, 35B of the free ends of the lateral branches 31A of the first link arm 30A which slide in the groove slide 42 provided in the housing 40.
• the compression springs are arranged between a side wall of the push button and the upper end of the second connecting arm which slides in the sliding groove provided on the push button.
• the electrical switching device shown comprises stop means 42A limiting the deployment of the connecting arms 30A, 30B to maintain the push button 10 in the rest position.
• said stop means 42A of the push button 10 comprise a bulge 42A disposed at the mouth of the sliding groove 42 provided on the housing 40 which cooperates with the lower end 33A of the first link arm 30A.
• the pins 34A of the first link arm 30A are intended to come into contact with the bulges 42A to stop the push button 10 in the rest position.
• the push button 10 does not tilt.
• the tilting coach 51 begins to switch from one stable position to the other.
• the initiation of this tilting causes the pivoting of the nut 20 in the opposite direction of the driver, so that the other shoulder 22 of the nut 20 is inserted between the branches of the tilting driver 51 without coming into contact. with him.
• the nut 20 bears only on one branch of the tilting coach 51 so that it can completely rotate to its other stable position so perform the switching function of the device.
• the translation of the pushbutton 10 is stopped when the tenons 35A of the first connecting arm 30A bear against the bottom of the sliding grooves 42 of the housing 40.
• the return springs 60 bearing against the feet 35A of the lateral branches 31A of the first connecting arm 30A push the link arm 30A along the axis W, so that the two arms 30A, 30B, in a scissors movement, drive the pushbutton 10 to the rest position.
• the movement of the first linking arm 30A stops when the tenons 34A of the first connecting arm 30A come into contact with the bulges 42A of the sliding grooves 42 of the casing 40.
• the stiffness of the two return springs 60 is in fact intended to causing the pushbutton 10 to rise to its rest position while preventing said pins 34A from passing beyond the bulges 42A.
• the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown but the skilled person will be able to make any variant within his mind.

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• Push-Button Switches (AREA)
• Mechanisms For Operating Contacts (AREA)
• Electronic Switches (AREA)

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Publications (2)

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Cited By (1)

Citations (2)

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• 2005
  • 2005-10-11 FR FR0510351A patent/FR2891947B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2006
  • 2006-09-20 WO PCT/FR2006/002151 patent/WO2007042632A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2006-09-20 ES ES06808173T patent/ES2331712T3/es active Active
  • 2006-09-20 AT AT06808173T patent/ATE443338T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2006-09-20 EP EP06808173A patent/EP1938347B1/fr not_active Not-in-force
  • 2006-09-20 CN CN2006800378767A patent/CN101288139B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-09-20 DE DE602006009284T patent/DE602006009284D1/de active Active

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