The present invention relates generally to a switch device structure, and more particularly to a switch device including an assembly of a main body and an operation body. A movable contact arm is mounted on the main body. The movable contact arm includes a first member and a second member. The operation body is equipped with an elastic unit. Accordingly, the arrangement form of the second member is variable to achieve NO mode and NC mode and ensure that the circuit is closed and/or open.
A conventional switch device is applied to an electrical, an electronic or an automatic control system for an operator to operate the machine to work or make the circuit situated in a normally open (NO) or a normally closed (NC) state.
Such switch device also can serve as an emergency switch. In the case that an operator improperly operates the machine or the equipment fails or the like, the operator can emergently open the circuit to power off the system so as to avoid serious damage or loss.
The conventional emergency switch device generally includes an operation button equipped with a pushbutton and/or rotary switch and a case body for receiving the operation button and the spring. A connection seat (or base seat) and an electrical connection module with a contact arm are assembled in the case body. When an operator presses the operation button to drive and press down the connection seat, the case body relatively forces the connection seat to compress the spring. The spring pushes out the connection seat to locate the same, whereby the connection seat can push and press the electrical connection module to open the circuit.
In practice, the operator can rotate or forcedly pull up the operation button and the connection seat to make the connection seat restore to its home assembled position or the close-circuit state of the electrical connection module. Conventional switch devices disclose an embodiment, in which a coiled spring is disposed between the switch case body and the slide body in cooperation with a first leaf spring and a second leaf spring of the electrical connection module. When an operator pulls up or presses the operation button, the first and second leaf springs elastically contact the fixed contact to close the circuit or separate from the fixed contact to open the circuit.
With respect to the structure, practical operation and application of the conventional switch device, some shortcomings exist in the conventional switch device as follows:
It should be noted that in the conventional switch device, the elasticity of the first leaf spring and the second leaf spring is used in cooperation with the rigid structure of the push member to achieve the NO or NC mode. In the case of long-term (or highly frequent) use or due to human factors, the material fatigue of the first and second leaf springs is apt to take place or the lifetimes of the first and second leaf springs are often shortened. This is not what we expect.
To speak representatively, the conventional switch devices reveal some shortcomings of the operation body, the electrical connection module and the relevant connection components of the conventional switch device in use and structural design. In the case that the assembling structures and the application of the switch device, the electrical connection module 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 enhance the application effect thereof. For example, in the condition that the structure is simplified and the operation is facilitated, the redesign should include the following issues:
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a switch device structure includes an assembly of a main body and an operation body. An electrical connection module and an elastic unit are mounted on the main body. The (movable) contact arm of the electrical connection module has a first member and/or a second member with variable arrangement position. The elastic unit is disposed on the operation body. The elastic unit includes a fixed section, a free section and a bent section connected between the fixed section and the free section, which together define a geometrical configuration. (The bent section at least includes a bent section and a subsidiary bent section). According to (or in response to) the position or motion of the operation body, the elastic unit provides an elastic force to push the contact arm of the electrical connection module into a contacting circuit closed state or make the elastic unit separate from the contact arm to form a circuit open state. The arrangement form of the first member and/or the second member of the contact arm of the electrical connection module is variable in accordance with the specification of the switch to achieve NO mode and NC mode.
In the above switch device structure, the contact arms of the electrical connection module are classified into a fixed contact arm and a movable contact arm. The first member of the movable contact arm is formed with a connection section. The second member of the movable contact arm includes a base section and a subsidiary connection section directed to outer side. The subsidiary connection section is assembled with the connection section of the first member. Alternatively, after the second member (and/or the elastic unit) is 180-degree turned, the subsidiary connection section is assembled with the connection section of the first member. Accordingly, the arrangement form of the movable contact arm is variable to achieve NO mode and NC mode.
In the above switch device structure, the fixed section of the elastic unit is fixed on the operation body, whereby the elastic unit moves in response to the motion of the operation body. The elastic unit includes a base section windingly extending from the fixed section, a bent section connected with the base section and a (concaved) bow section connected with the bent section. In addition, a tail end of the bow section is formed with a subsidiary bent section and a free section connected with the subsidiary bent section. The free section extends in a direction to the fixed section to together define a geometrical configuration. When the elastic unit moves according to (or in response to) the position or motion of the operation body, the elastic unit provides a displacement (motional) distance and elastic force.
The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:
Please refer to
It should be noted that the switch device has such a specification and arrangement that the switch device is situated in an NO and/or NC mode. The relevant cooperative structures for the operation button 30 to drive the operation body 20 to move pertain to prior art and thus will not be specifically described hereinafter.
The upper section, lower section, outer section, inner section, front end, rear end, etc. mentioned hereinafter are recited with the direction of the drawings as the reference direction.
As shown in the drawings, the main body 10 has a protruding base body 11 and multiple stands 12 positioned around the base body 11. The base body 11 is assembled with the operation body 20, whereby the operation body 20 is permitted to reciprocally move on the base body 11 in response to the rotation and/or pressing of the operation button 30.
In this embodiment, the operation body 20 has the form of a shaft-shaped body structure and is fitted on the base body 11. (At least one or multiple) upper protrusion sections 21 and lower protrusion sections 22 are disposed on the operation body 20. The upper protrusion sections 21 and the lower protrusion sections 22 (perpendicularly) protrude from the shaft-shaped body structure of the operation body 20. The upper protrusion sections 21 and/or the lower protrusion sections 22 are formed with retaining sections 23 in the form of a recessed structure.
In this embodiment, the main body 10 has four stands 12 and four spaces 13 in adaptation to the rest sections 40. Accordingly, the switch device can achieve an NO mode and an NC mode or two NO modes and two NC modes.
As shown in the drawings, the rest section 40 is in the form of a U-shaped structure having a first section 41, a second section 42 and a base section 43 connected between the first and second sections 41, 42. The first and second sections 41, 42 are respectively formed with subsidiary locating sections 44 in the form of raised/recessed structures and notches 45 positioned at a head end of the first section 41 and a head end of the second section 42. The subsidiary locating sections 44 of the rest section 40 are assembled with the locating sections 14 of the stands 12 to help in securely mounting the electrical connection module 50 on the rest section 40.
Please refer to
In this embodiment, the movable contact arm 52 is a two-piece structure including a first member 56 and a second member 57. The first member 56 has a head section formed with a connection section 58. The second member 57 has a free section 54 and a movable contact 52a disposed on the free section 54. The free section 54 and the movable contact 52a pass over the notch 45 of the second section 42 into the space 13 of the rest section 40 or the stand 12. The movable contact 52a extends to the position of the fixed contact 51a, whereby the fixed contact 51a and the movable contact 52a are positioned in an upper position and a lower position as shown in
As shown in the drawings, the second member 57 of the movable contact arm 52 is formed with a bent section 55 connected with the free section 54. The bent section 55 serves to enhance the elasticity and/or motional range of the free section 54. In addition, the second member 57 has a base section 53 connected with the bent section 55. The base section 53 is formed with a subsidiary connection section 59 directed to outer side of the stand 12 (or
In this embodiment, the operation body 20 is equipped with an elastic unit 60, which moves in response to the position or motion of the operation body 20. The elastic unit 60 includes a fixed section 61, a free section 66 and a bent section connected between the fixed section 61 and the free section 66, which together define a geometrical configuration.
To speak more specifically, the elastic unit 60 includes a fixed section 61, a base section 62 windingly extending from the fixed section 61, a bent section 63 connected with the base section 62 and a bow section 64 connected with the bent section 63. In addition, a tail end of the bow section 64 is formed with a subsidiary bent section 65 and a free section 66 connected with the subsidiary bent section 65. The free section 66 extends in a direction to the fixed section 61 to together define a geometrical configuration. When the elastic unit 60 moves in response to the operation body 20, the elastic unit 60 provides a displacement (motional) distance and elastic force.
In this embodiment, the aforesaid bent section includes the bent section 63, the subsidiary bent section 65 and/or the bow section 64. The fixed section 61 of the elastic unit 60 is fixed on the operation body 20. The fixed section 61 is bent upward (to the upper side of the drawing) and transversely extends to form the base section 62, whereby an indentation 69 is defined between the fixed section 61 and the base section 62. The base section 62 is upward bent (to the upper side of the drawing) to form the bent section 63. The bent section 63 transversely extends to form the (concaved) bow section 64, (that is, the bow section 64 has the form of a concaved bow structure). The tail end of the bow section 64 is bent to form the (convex) subsidiary bent section 65. The subsidiary bent section 65 extends in a direction to the fixed section 61 (or to the lower side of the drawing) to form the free section 66. The length of the free section 66 passes through the horizontal position of the base section 62 to together define a geometrical configuration with a confined space 68.
When the operation body 20 is positioned in an initial position (or defined as a first position), the lower protrusion section 22 serves as a support point for the elastic unit 60 (or the fixed section 61 or the base section 62) and the subsidiary bent section 65 pushes and presses the movable contact 52a into contact with the fixed contact 51a, whereby the switch device is situated in an NC mode. Also, the elastic unit 60 (and/or the free section 66) is displaced in a direction to the lower side of the drawing, whereby the elastic unit 60 is situated in an energy storage state.
Please refer to
As shown in the drawings, the upper protrusion section 21 of the operation body 20 pushes and presses the free section 54 of the movable contact arm to ensure that the movable contact 52a of the free section 54 separates from the fixed contact 51a.
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In this embodiment, the first section 41 of the rest section 40 is formed with a first mouth section 46 (in a position near the base section 43). The fixed contact 51a of the fixed contact arm 51 can extend through the first mouth section 46 into the space 13 of the rest section 40 or the stand 12.
In a preferred embodiment, the fixed contact arm 51 is formed with a bent finger section 51b, which is inserted in an insertion hole 48 of the base section 43 of the rest section 40 to help in assembling the fixed contact arm 51 with the rest section 40 or securing the fixed contact arm 51 to the rest section 40.
As shown in the drawings, after the second member 57 is 180-degree turned, the subsidiary connection section 59 of the second member 57 is directed to the outer side of the stand 12 (or
As shown in the drawings, the lower protrusion section 22 of the operation body 20 pushes and presses the free section 54 of the movable contact arm to ensure that the movable contact 52a of the free section 54 separates from the fixed contact 51a (without contacting the fixed contact 51a).
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To speak representatively, in the condition that the structure is simplified and the operation is facilitated, 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. The switch device structure of the present invention is inventive, greatly advanced and advantageous over the conventional switch device.
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 |
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110212962 | Nov 2021 | TW | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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6399908 | Mueller | Jun 2002 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20230136132 A1 | May 2023 | US |