Claims
- 1. A method of making a switch comprising the steps of:
- (a) potting a contact assembly comprising a bottle and a pair of contacts disposed therein inside a hollow reinforcing element by providing a filler material between the bottle and reinforcing element so that the filler material fills gaps between the bottle and the reinforcing element; and
- (b) providing an elastomeric housing including a first elastomeric material different from said filler material around said reinforcing element in intimate contact therewith.
- 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of providing said elastomeric housing around said reinforcing element is performed prior to said potting step.
- 3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said step of providing said elastomeric housing includes the step of molding an elastomer around said reinforcing element and vulcanizing said elastomer under heat and pressure.
- 4. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said step of providing said elastomeric housing includes the steps of molding an elastomer to form said housing and then press fitting said reinforcing element into said housing.
- 5. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said housing has a closed operating end and an open fixed end, and wherein said reinforcing element includes an elongated tube having operating and fixed ends, said step of providing said elastomeric housing being conducted so that the operating end of the tube is disposed adjacent said operating end of said housing and said fixed end of said tube is disposed adjacent said fixed end of said housing.
- 6. A method as claimed in claim 5 further including the steps of inserting said contact assembly into said tube through said fixed end thereof after the step of providing the housing around the reinforcing element and linking an operating element of the contact assembly to an actuating element extending through the operating end of the housing.
- 7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said step of linking said operating element to said actuating element includes the step of providing a pair of snap-engagable fittings connected to said operating element and to said actuating element and engaging said fittings with one another by moving said actuating rod and said contact assembly towards one another so that said fittings engage with one another.
- 8. A method as claimed in claim 5 further comprising the step of providing an operating end buttress engaged with said tube at a location spaced from said operating end of said housing so that said operating end buttress and said housing define a linkage space therebetween, said operating end buttress also being engaged with said bottle, said potting step including the step of introducing said filler material between said bottle and said tube, said operating end buttress confining said filler material and preventing entry of said filler material into said linkage space.
- 9. A method as claimed in claim 8 further comprising the step of fitting a fixed end buttress to said tube after introducing said filler material so that said buttresses and said tube hold the bottle in compression.
- 10. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said potting step is performed prior to said step of providing said elastomeric housing so as to form a subassembly including said contact assembly and said reinforcing element.
- 11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein said step of providing an elastomeric housing includes the step of press-fitting the subassembly into the housing so that the reinforcing element engages a wall of the housing.
Parent Case Info
This is a division, of application Ser. No. 08/578,038 filed Dec. 26, 1995.
US Referenced Citations (20)
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
578038 |
Dec 1995 |
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