Patent Application
20170133172
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved switch device structure, and more particularly to a switch device having a connection board and multiple support members assembled with a fixing support (or contact support), whereby the operation rod can be stably operated.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional switch indication device or switch device is applied to an electrical, electronic and automatic control system for an operator to operate or power on/off the system on the console. For example, a restriction switch or travel switch is applied to mechanical equipment for controlling the motional travel thereof. In general, the switch device is installed in a predetermined position. When a motional part of the mechanical equipment hits the contact of the restriction switch, the restriction switch will switch the circuits to control the travel of the mechanical equipment and provide terminal restriction protection.
The conventional (restriction) switch device generally includes multiple contact seats (or insulation cases), which are side by side assembled with each other. A wire connection assembly is disposed in each contact seat. The contact seats are securely locked with a contact fixing support by means of screws and spring lock washers to form an integrated form. Basically, the contact fixing support is formed with openings. The operation rods can pass through the openings and extend into the contact seats to touch and move the wire connection assemblies to achieve an effect as a restriction switch.
With respect to the structure, operation and application of such restriction switch device, the opening of the contact fixing support only provides a path for the operation rod to get into the insulation case to touch and move the wire connection assembly. Therefore, the opening is not designed with any structure to sealedly assemble with the operation rod. As a result, when operating the operation rod to reciprocally touch and move the wire connection assembly, the operation rod is apt to deflect and shake. This will affect or deteriorate the moving effect of the operation rod to the wire connection assembly.
As well known by those who are skilled in this field, in the conventional switch device, the opening of the contact fixing support is not designed with any structure to sealedly assemble with the operation rod. Therefore, during the long-term use of the conventional switch device, dust, liquid, humidity or the like tends to infiltrate into the switch device through the opening and accumulate on the contact fixing support, the case and the wire connection assembly to affect the operation of the switch device or cause short-circuit. This is not what we expect.
To speak representatively, the above description reveals some shortcomings of the contact seat (or the insulation case), the contact fixing support and the relevant connection components of the conventional switch device in use and structural design. Incase the contact fixing support and the relevant components are redesigned to be different from the conventional switch device, the use form of the switch device can be changed to widen the application range thereof. For example, in comparison with the conventional switch device, a specific cooperative structure is disposed between the opening of the fixing support and the operation rod to enhance the sealing extent therebetween. This improves the shortcoming of the conventional switch device that when the operation rod is operated to reciprocally move the wire connection assembly, the operation rod is apt to deflect and shake to affect or deteriorate the moving effect of the operation rod to the wire connection assembly. Moreover, during the long-term use of the conventional switch device, dust, liquid, humidity or the like tends to infiltrate into the switch device through the opening and accumulate on the contact fixing support, the case and the wire connection assembly to affect the operation of the switch device or cause short-circuit. The specific cooperative structure between the opening of the fixing support and the operation rod as minimizes this shortcoming as possible.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a switch device structure serves to help in stably moving an operation rod. The switch device includes a contact fixing support assembled with an insulation case. The fixing support is formed with multiple openings. A connection board and multiple support members are correspondingly assembled in the openings. The support member has a base section and a neck section, which together define a passage. The operation rod is assembled with an elastic unit and can pass through the passage and the connection board to extend into the fixing support so as to move a wire connection assembly in the case. The switch device structure improves the shortcoming of the conventional switch device that the operation rod is apt to shake and deflect.
In the above switch device structure, the connection board has a board-shaped base section and neck sections protruding from the base section. Each neck section has a closed end and an internal room. The neck section of the connection board is assembled or sealedly assembled in the opening of the fixing support. The neck section of the support member is assembled or sealedly assembled in the neck section or internal room of the connection board. The passage of the support member at least includes a first passage and a second passage with a width (or inner diameter) larger than the first passage, whereby the width (or inner diameter) of the first passage is approximately equal to the width (or outer diameter) of the operation rod, permitting the operation rod to pass through the first passage to freely reciprocally move. The elastic unit is securely assembled in the second passage to together forma sealedly assembled structure.
The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:
Please refer to
In this embodiment, the case 10 is defined with an axis χ. The case 10 has a first end wall 11, a second end wall 12, two sidewalls 13, an upper section 14 and a bottom section 15 to together define a cavity 16 for arranging a wire connection assembly 90 therein. The case 10 has an assembling section 17 protruding from the first end wall 11 and/or the second end wall 12 and an oblique socket 18 directed to and related to the assembling section 17. A block body or shoulder section 17a protrudes from a portion of the assembling section 17 near the bottom section 15 in a direction to two ends of the case 10 (away from the axis χ).
In addition, two ends of the fixing support 20 are respectively formed with latch sections 21 corresponding to the assembling section 17 and the oblique socket 18. As shown in the drawings, multiple continuously arranged latch sections 21 are formed at two ends of the fixing support 20 in accordance with the number of the cases 10. The assembling sections 17 of the contact seats 10 are detachably latched with the latch sections 21 to form an integrated structure.
To speak more specifically, each latch section 21 of the fixing support 20 has two protruding cantilevers 22 and a connection section 23 connected between the two cantilevers 22 to together define a space 24. Accordingly, the latch section 21 has a U-shaped (cross-sectional) configuration with elasticity. Also as shown in the drawings, the oblique socket 18 is a structure inclined from the first and second end walls 11, 12 to the axis χ. The oblique socket 18 includes a slope 19 inclined to the axis χ for supporting and guiding a tool to insert into the case 10. (This will be further described hereinafter.)
Therefore, an operator can use a tool (such as a screwdriver) to pass through the oblique socket 18 and directly push away the connection section 23 of the latch section 21 from the assembling section 17 with the slope 19 serving as a (force application) fulcrum. Accordingly, the case 10 and the fixing support 20 can be quickly installed/uninstalled. To speak more specifically, the stakes 25 are disposed between the latch sections 21 of the fixing support 20 to help the operator in operating the tool to pass through the oblique socket 18 and push away the connection section 23 of the latch section 21 from the assembling section 17 with the slope 19 serving as a force application face or force application point. At this time, the stakes 25 at the other end of the fixing support 20 serve as abutment points or swinging fulcrums to help in detaching the case 10 from the fixing support 20.
Please further refer to
In a preferred embodiment, a support member 70 is disposed between the fixing support 20 (or the connection board 60) and the operation rod 50. The support member 70 is correspondingly assembled in the opening 26. As shown in the drawings, the support member 70 is assembled with the neck section 62 or internal room 65 of the connection board 60. The support member 70 has a base section 71 and a neck section 72 protruding from the base section 71 to together define a passage 73. The elastic unit 80 is fitted around the operation rod 50, which can pass through the passage 73 and the connection board 60 and extend into the fixing support 20 so as to touch and move the wire connection assembly 90 in the case 10. Basically, the operation rod 50 is assembled on a plunger main body 55. A spring 85 is disposed in the plunger main body 55 to help in moving the operation rod 50. This part pertains to prior art and thus will not be further described hereinafter.
As shown in the drawings, the neck sections 72 of the support member 70 can be assembled or sealedly assembled in the neck section 62 or internal room 65 of the connection board 60 with the base section 71 of the support member 70 in contact with or in connection with the base section 61 of the connection board 60. In a preferred embodiment, the neck section 72 of the support member 70 is formed with multiple wing sections 74 to help in securely assembling the support member 70 in the opening 26 of the fixing support 20 (or the internal room 65 of the neck section 72 of the connection board 60).
As shown in
As shown in the drawings, the passage 73 of the support member 70 further has a subsidiary passage 77 formed on the base section 71 of the support member 70. The width (or inner diameter) of the subsidiary passage 77 is larger than the width (or inner diameter) of the second passage 76.
It should be noted that the structures of the base section 71, the neck section 72 and the passage 73 (or the first passage 75) of the support member 70 serve to restrict and keep the motion of the operation rod 50 stable and prevent the operation rod 50 from shaking or deflecting during operation. Moreover, one end of the elastic unit 80 is securely assembled in the neck section 72 and the passage 73 (or the second passage 76) of the support member 70, whereby the travel or specification of the elastic unit 80 can be increased. Such arrangement is applicable to an operation rod necessitating longer operation distance or travel.
To speak representatively, in the condition that the switch device structure is easy to operate, in comparison with the conventional switch device, the switch device structure of the present invention has the following advantages:
In conclusion, the switch device structure of the present invention is effective and different from the conventional switch device in space form and is advantageous over the conventional switch device. The switch device structure of the present invention is considerably greatly advanced and inventive.
The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 103123502 | Jul 2014 | TW | national |
| 106100802 | Jan 2017 | TW | national |
This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/725,231, filed May 29, 2015, entitled “SWITCH DEVICE STRUCTURE”, currently pending.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 14725231 | May 2015 | US |
| Child | 15411000 | US |
