This invention relates in general to pivot lever assemblies for controlling the operation of fluid-actuated devices. In particular, this invention relates to an improved structure for such a pivot lever assembly that includes an electrical contactor arrangement for providing electrical continuity between an electrical switch provided on the pivot lever assembly and an electrically controlled accessory provided on the fluid-actuated device.
Pivot lever assemblies are well known in the art and are used for selectively controlling the operation of a wide range of fluid-actuated (both hydraulic and/or pneumatic) devices, such as dump beds, trash compactors, snow plows, and the like. A typical pivot lever assembly includes a base that contains one or more fluid control valves adapted to be connected between a source of fluid pressure and a fluid actuated device. A control arm is supported on the base for selective pivoting movement relative thereto, typically in either a fore or an aft direction from a central position. Such movement of the control arm opens and closes the fluid valves contained within the base. The operation of such fluid valves controls the manner in which fluid pressure is supplied from the source of fluid pressure to the fluid actuated device and, therefore, allows an operator to control the operation thereof.
In some instances, the fluid actuated device may have an electrically controlled accessory provided thereon. For example, it is known to provide an electrically actuated lock for a tailgate on the dump bed of a truck. In those instances, it is desirable that an electrical control switch be provided on the control arm of the pivot lever assembly for convenient access and use by the operator. The electrical control switch is adapted to be connected between a source of electrical power and the electrically controlled accessory. To accomplish this, one or more wires or other electrical conductors are provided on the pivot lever assembly. Such wires typically extend from the base of the pivot lever assembly to the electrical control switch supported on the control arm. The wires provide electrical continuity from the source of electrical power through the electrical control switch to the electrically controlled accessory.
Although known pivot lever assemblies have functioned satisfactorily, repeated pivoting movement of the control arm relative to the base can cause repeated bending of the wires that extend from the base of the pivot lever assembly to the electrical control switch supported on the control arm. It has been found that in some instances, an excessive amount of such bending can cause premature fatigue in these wires. Thus, it would be desirable to provide an improved structure for a pivot lever assembly that provides electrical continuity from the source of electrical power through the electrical control switch to the electrically controlled accessory without repeated bending any wires.
This invention relates to an improved structure for a pivot lever assembly including an electrical contactor arrangement that provides electrical continuity from a source of electrical power through an electrical control switch provided on a movable portion of the pivot lever assembly to an electrically controlled accessory. The pivot lever assembly includes a base. A first electrical contactor is provided on the base. The pivot lever assembly also includes a rocker that is supported for pivoting movement relative to the base. A second electrical contactor is provided on the rocker. The first electrical contactor and the second electrical contactor slidably engage one another when the rocker is pivoted relative to the base so as to maintain electrical continuity therebetween.
Various aspects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.
Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in
The illustrated pivot lever assembly 10 is mounted on a control valve assembly, indicated generally at 12 that is conventional in the art. The control valve assembly 12 includes one or more fluid valves (hydraulic and/or pneumatic) that are adapted to be connected between a source of fluid pressure (not shown), such as a source of hydraulic or pneumatic pressure, for example, and a fluid actuated device (not shown). The pivot lever assembly 10 controls the operation of the control valve assembly 12 which, in a well known manner, controls the manner in which fluid pressure is supplied from the source of fluid pressure to the fluid actuated device and, therefore, controls the operation thereof.
As best shown in
As described above, the electrical control switch 70 can be connected one or more electrical components. In the illustrated embodiment, the electrical control switch 70 is connected between a source of electrical power 71 and an electrically controlled accessory 72, which is typically provided on the fluid-actuated device controlled by the pivot lever assembly 10. To accomplish this, the pivot lever assembly 10 is provided with one or more wires or similar electrical conductors. The illustrated pivot lever assembly 10 include a pair of external wires 14 and a pair of internal wires 16. As will be explained in detail below, one external wire 14 extends from the source of electrical power 71 to an electrical contactor arrangement provided within the pivot lever assembly 10, while the other external wire 14 extends from such electrical contactor arrangement to the electrically controlled accessory 72. Similarly, one internal wire 16 extends from the electrical contactor arrangement provided within the pivot lever assembly 10 to the electrical switch 70, while the other internal wire 16 extends from the electrical switch 70 back to the electrical contactor arrangement. Thus, the electrical contactor arrangement provides electrical continuity between the external wires 14 and the internal wires 16 as the control arm 60 and the rocker 40 of the pivot lever assembly 10 are moved relative to the base 20.
The structure of the base 20 of the pivot lever assembly 40 is illustrated in detail in
Referring again to
As mentioned above, the pivot lever assembly 10 includes an electrical contactor arrangement that provides electrical continuity between the external wires 14 and the internal wires 16 as the control arm 60 and the rocker 40 of the pivot lever assembly 10 are moved relative to the base 20 during use. The electrical contactor arrangement includes one or more stationary contactors 30 that are supported on the base 20 of the pivot lever assembly 10. As best shown in
The structure of one of the stationary contactors 30 is illustrated in detail in
The body 32 of the stationary contactor 30 also has a layer of an electrically conductive material 34 provided thereon. The electrically conductive layer 34 may, as illustrated, be embodied as a thin foil of a copper or copper alloy material that is adhered or otherwise secured to a surface of the body 32 of the stationary contactor 30. In the illustrated embodiment, the electrically conductive layer 34 extends throughout both the central portion and the arm portion of the body 32 of the stationary contactor 30. As clearly shown in
As mentioned above, the stationary contactors 30 are respectively supported on the support walls 26 of the base 20 of the pivot lever assembly 10. When so disposed, the enlarged openings 33 of the stationary contactors 30 are aligned with the bores 27 formed through the support walls 26 of the base 20 and with the pivot axis X defined by such bores 27. The enlarged openings 33 allow the pivot pin 18 (which, as discussed above, supports the rocker 40 on the base 20 for pivoting movement relative thereto) to extend freely through the enlarged openings 33 formed through the stationary contactors 30 into engagement with the support walls 26 of the base 20 of the pivot lever assembly 10. As also mentioned above, the arm portion of each stationary contactor 30 has a relatively small aperture 36 formed therethrough. These apertures 36 are provided to facilitate the connections of the external wires 14 to the respective stationary contactors 30. As shown in
The structure of the rocker 40 of the pivot lever assembly 10 is illustrated in detail in
The electrical contactor arrangement further includes one or more movable contactors 50 that are supported on the rocker 40 of the pivot lever assembly 10 for pivoting movement therewith. In the illustrated embodiment, two of such movable contactors 50 are respectively supported on the opposite sides of the hub portion 43, as best shown in
The structure of one of the movable contactors 50 is illustrated in detail in
The body 52 of the movable contactor 50 has a layer of an electrically conductive material 54 provided thereon. The electrically conductive layer 54 may, as illustrated, be embodied as a thin foil of a copper or copper alloy material that is adhered or otherwise secured to a surface of the body 52 of the movable contactor 50. In the illustrated embodiment, the electrically conductive layer 54 extends throughout both the central portion and the arm portion of the body 52 of the movable contactor 50 . As clearly shown in
As mentioned above, the movable contactors 50 are respectively supported on the opposite sides of the rocker 40 of the pivot lever assembly 10. When so disposed, the enlarged openings 53 of the movable contactors 50 are aligned with the hub portion 43 of the body 42 of the rocker 40 and, thus, with the pivot axis X. The enlarged openings 53 allow the pivot pin 18 (which, as discussed above, supports the rocker 40 on the base 20 for pivoting movement relative thereto) to extend freely through the enlarged openings 53 of the movable contactors 50 into engagement with the support walls 26 of the base 20 of the pivot lever assembly 10. As also mentioned above, the arm portion of each movable contactor 50 has a relatively small aperture 56 formed therethrough. These apertures 56 are provided to facilitate the connections of the internal wires 16 respectively to the movable contactors 50. As shown in
If desired, a biasing member 58 may be provided between the hub portion 43 of the body 42 of the rocker 40 and each of the movable contactors 50 (only one of such biasing members 58 is shown in
Referring back to
When the rocker 40 is pivotably supported on the base 20, the circle-shaped portions of the electrically conductive layers 34 provided on the stationary contactors 30 slidably engage the circle-shaped portions of the electrically conductive layers 54 provided on the movable contactors 50. As a result, electrical continuity is provided from the external wires 14 through the electrical contactor arrangement to the internal wires 16. Such electrical continuity is maintained as the rocker 40 is pivoted and positioned relative to the base 20 during operation of the pivot lever assembly 10 because the circle-shaped portions of the electrically conductive layers 34 and 54 cannot be rotated or otherwise moved out of engagement with one another. As discussed above, the biasing members urge the movable contactors 50 outwardly away from the hub portion 43 of the body 42 of the rocker 40 into positive engagement with the stationary contactors 30 to maintain such electrical continuity during such relative movement. As a result, no undesirable bending of the external and internal wires 14 and 16 of the pivot lever assembly 10 occurs during operation.
The illustrated stationary contactor 130 has a body 132 that includes a central portion having an arm portion that extends away from the central portion. However, the body 132 of the stationary contactor 130 may be formed having any desired shape. If the pivot lever assembly 10 is provided with a plurality of stationary contactors 130 (as in the illustrated embodiment), then the bodies 132 of the stationary contactors 130 may be formed having different shapes. The body 132 of the illustrated stationary contactor 130 is preferably formed from a relative rigid, electrically non-conductive material, such as fiberglass or the like, although such is not required. In the illustrated embodiment, the central portion of the stationary contactor 130 has a relatively large opening 133 formed therethrough, while the arm portion of the stationary contactor 30 has a pair of relatively small apertures 136 and 137 formed therethrough for a purpose that will be explained below.
The body 132 of the stationary contactor 130 has a plurality of separate layers (two in the illustrated embodiment) of an electrically conductive material 134 and 135 provided thereon. The electrically conductive layers 134 and 135 may, as illustrated, be embodied as respective thin foils of a copper or copper alloy material that are adhered or otherwise secured to a surface of the body 132 of the stationary contactor 130. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the electrically conductive layers 134 and 135 extends throughout both the central portion and the arm portion of the body 132 of the stationary contactor 130. As clearly shown in
The illustrated movable contactor 150 has a body 152 that includes a central portion having an arm portion that extends away from the central portion. However, the body 152 of the movable contactor 150 may be formed having any desired shape. If the pivot lever assembly 10 is provided with a plurality of movable contactors 150 (as in the illustrated embodiment), then the bodies 152 of the movable contactors 150 may be formed having different shapes. The body 152 of the movable contactor 150 is preferably formed from a relative rigid, electrically non-conductive material, such as fiberglass or the like, although such is not required. In the illustrated embodiment, the central portion of the movable contactor 150 has a relatively large opening 153 formed therethrough, while the arm portion of the movable contactor 150 has a pair of relatively small apertures 156 and 157 formed therethrough for a purpose that will be explained below.
The body 152 of the movable contactor 150 has a plurality of layers (two in the illustrated embodiment) of an electrically conductive material 154 and 155 provided thereon. The electrically conductive layers 154 and 155 may, as illustrated, be embodied as respective thin foils of a copper or copper alloy material that are adhered or otherwise secured to a surface of the body 152 of the movable contactor 150. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the electrically conductive layers 154 and 155 extends throughout both the central portion and the arm portion of the body 152 of the movable contactor 150. As clearly shown in
When the rocker 40 is pivotably supported on the base 20, the circle-shaped portions of the electrically conductive layers 134 and 135 provided on the stationary contactor 130 respectively slidably engage the circle-shaped portions of the electrically conductive layers 154 and 155 provided on the movable contactor 150. As a result, electrical continuity is provided from the external wires 14 through the electrical contactor arrangement to the internal wires 16. Such electrical continuity is maintained as the rocker 40 is pivoted and positioned relative to the base 20 during operation of the pivot lever assembly 10 because the circle-shaped portions of the electrically conductive layers 134, 135 and 154, 155 cannot be rotated or otherwise moved out of engagement with one another. As discussed above, the biasing members urge the movable contactors 150 outwardly away from the hub portion 43 of the body 42 of the rocker 40 into positive engagement with the stationary contactors 130 to maintain such electrical continuity through our relative movement. As a result, undesirable excessive bending of the external and internal wires 14 and 16 of the pivot lever assembly 10 is prevented. The
The principle and mode of operation of this invention have been explained and illustrated in its preferred embodiments. However, it must be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically explained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/327,126, filed Apr. 23, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
61327126 | Apr 2010 | US |