This non-provisional patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) from Patent Application No. 102012007075.6 filed in Germany on Apr. 11, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference.
This invention relates to a switch arrangement and in particular, to a switch arrangement having at least two switchable contacts and at least one of the contacts is formed by sections of an electric pathway of a foil.
Switch arrangements of the species mentioned in the preceding are known for a variety of applications. A switch has at least two contacts, which may be positioned in contact with one another and opened. When they are in contact, an electrically conductive flow is established across the switch. Short circuiting may then occur when the two contacts themselves approach one another.
Besides wire contacts or contacts on printed circuit boards, electric pathways in foils are now commonly used. For example, copper pathways are positioned on plastic supports. Switches can be soldered onto these pathways, but it is also possible to expose sections of the pathways and thus use them directly as switch contacts.
The object of the present invention is to provide a switch arrangement of the species described in the introduction, in which the switch is formed at least in part by a foil for a space-saving switch configuration.
Closing systems in automobiles (doors, tailgate, engine hood and sliding roofs) are a suitable area of application. For manual operation of the closing systems, only switches that include a snap-action mechanism are suitable. By this is meant that when the actuating element is in a certain position the switch jumps automatically—regardless of any (further) movement of the actuating element. According to the prior art, this is achieved with a mechanical tilt-jump mechanism. In slide switches, neutral switching states occur, which are neither open nor closed, depending on the actuation position and actuation speed. They are therefore not suitable for manual operation, but only in conjunction with drive units that rely on external energy, The known tilt-jump mechanisms are not suitable for use in combination with a foil, or they would be very complicated because they are not compatible with the particular properties of foils. With the solution according to the invention, a novel snap-action mechanism is presented that is usable with a switch foil. It is also possible to produce such a switch arrangement with good switching haptics.
This object is solved according to the invention in that at least one magnet is allocated to the foil and at least one active body is placeable in the magnetic field of the magnet. This active body may be another permanent magnet or a magnetic body such as an iron body.
Accordingly, in one aspect thereof, the present invention provides a switch arrangement for electric currents, comprising: at least two contacts to be closed and opened, wherein at least one of the contacts is formed by sections of an electrically conductive pathway of a foil; at least one magnet assigned to the foil; and at least one active body placeable in the magnetic field of the magnet, wherein the active body is a magnetic component that is placeable facing the magnet on the other side of the foil.
The magnet is preferably a permanent magnet, as this is favourable for the compact construction of the switch arrangement. According to a subsequent refinement of the invention, at least two magnets are present, one magnet being arranged on each side of the foil and the polarities of the two magnets being in the same direction. If two magnets are used, two magnetic fields are available. The active body is formed by the second magnet, and with the polarities of the two magnets aligned in the same direction these two magnets exert a strong attraction on one another. The foil with the contact is arranged between the magnets in such manner that when the magnets move toward one another the foil is taken with them and is moved into contact with a counter contact.
According to a further refinement, it is provided that at least one of the magnets is accommodated so as to be displaceable in a sliding guide. The approach movement of the two magnets may be effected by various elements. Swivelling elements or roller elements may be provided; a sliding guide is used for preference. With a sliding guide, one magnet may be moved closer to or farther away from the other in a sliding motion. When the magnets approach one another, the contact is closed, since the magnets attract one another and are able to draw the foil with them. If one of the magnets is moved away from the other again, the attractive force is broken, and the foil is able to break contact with the counter contact due to its inherent elasticity, so that the electrical circuit is opened again. The sliding guide may preferably have a travel of ≧0.5 mm, so that tolerances in the environment of the switch arrangement may be compensated.
In a further configuration, it is possible for least two magnets to be provided on at least one side of the foil, and for different switch circuits on the foil to be assigned to these magnets. One magnet on the other side of the foil may be may be arranged in the sliding guide and assigned to these two magnets. The sliding guide then serves to assign the magnet to one of the two magnets on the other side, in which case these magnets attract one another and close the associated switch circuit on the foil. The other switch circuit remains open; this second switch circuit can only be closed by moving the magnet towards this switch circuit and the other magnet via the sliding guide.
With regard to the structural design of the sliding guide, a refinement of the invention provides for the sliding guide to have a fixed housing and a slide that is movable inside the housing, wherein the housing and the slider each contain one sliding permanent magnet with the same polarity.
Additional permanent magnets, specifically sliding permanent magnets, are provided in addition to the magnets for switching the foil. These act on the movement of the slider to cause a sliding movement in the housing. The slider may have a starting position, in which the sliding permanent magnets are moved towards each other. Since their polarities are aligned in the same way, in this arrangement they attract one another. Now if the slider is displaced by the application of an external force, it draws the one permanent magnet with it. If the external force on the slider diminishes, this attracted permanent magnet moves the slider back automatically until it reaches the permanent magnet in the housing again and returns to its starting position. A spring or other return arrangement is not needed, and the resetting action by the permanent magnets creates a switching feel that bespeaks reliability and dependability.
The polarity of the permanent magnet in the slider is preferably aligned in the opposite direction to the polarities of the magnets assigned to the foil. If the slider with its permanent magnet approaches the magnets assigned to the foil, the opposite polarities may result in repulsion, and this repulsion may serve to move a magnet towards the foil or away from it.
Finally, for the purposes of a further variant of the invention it is provided that both contacts are formed by sections of electrically conductive pathways within two foils, and that both foils are arranged one on top of the other with an insulating gap between them. This insulating gap is created when the electrical circuit is in the unclosed state; it is removed when at least one magnet and an active body approach one another. The active body and the magnet approach one another, causing the two foils to be trapped between the active body and the magnet, and the contacts come into contact with one another.
Preferably, the magnetic component is a permanent magnet.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to figures of the accompanying drawings. In the figures, identical structures, elements or parts that appear in more than one figure are generally labeled with a same reference numeral in all the figures in which they appear. Dimensions of components and features shown in the figures are generally chosen for convenience and clarity of presentation and are not necessarily shown to scale. The figures are listed below.
The switch arrangement of
Two magnets 7 are arranged below foil 4 in housing 1. These magnets 7 are arranged in installation spaces inside housing the installation spaces being slightly higher than the height of each magnet 7.
The magnets 7, 8 assigned to the foils are of compact design, larger permanent magnets 9, 10 are arranged inside slider 2 and housing 1. The polarities of permanent magnets 9, 10 are aligned in the same direction, so permanent magnets 9, 10 attract one another; permanent magnet 9 is raised in its installation space inside slider 2 and moved towards permanent magnet 10.
In
Finally,
In use, a magnet has an effect on the foil that is used in part to create the switch arrangement. The foil is made from a non-metallic material, the pathways are preferably copper or a non-magnetic material, so that the foil is not influenced by the magnet. According to the invention, an active body is arranged in the magnetic field of the magnet, and this may be constructed from a ferromagnetic material. The active body is arranged in the magnetic field of the magnet in such manner that the magnet is able to cause the foil to move. For example, the magnet is attracted by the active body, and in the process the magnet may draw the foil with it for a short distance, bringing it into contact with a counter contact. The active body and the magnet are then located on opposite sides of the foil from one another.
Thus, in the switch arrangement according to the invention an effect is created not mechanically on the foil or on another component attached to the foil, but with the aid of a magnet. Magnets may be of compact design, they function without wear, and yet still reliably cause a ferromagnetic active body to perform an approaching movement.
In the description and claims of the present application, each of the verbs “comprise”, “include”, “contain” and “have”, and variations thereof, are used in an inclusive sense, to specify the presence of the stated item but not to exclude the presence of additional items.
Although the invention is described with reference to one or more preferred embodiments, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be determined by reference to the claims that follow.
For example, while the preferred embodiment described uses a permanent magnet as the active body, the active body may be made from any suitable magnetic material, including iron.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
10 2012 007075.6 | Apr 2012 | DE | national |