Switch type variable resistor

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6369691
  • Patent Number
    6,369,691
  • Date Filed
    Monday, July 9, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, April 9, 2002
    22 years ago
Abstract
The present invention relates to a switch type variable resistor, including a rotation shaft, a bushing, a housing, a variable resistor portion, and a switch portion. The switch portion includes a switch portion seat, a control plate, an insulating plate, a pair of electrode terminals, an elastic connecting member, an annular connecting member, a rotary member, and a rivet. The variable resistor portion includes a pair of terminal seats each having variable resistor carbon film plates and terminals, a pair of contact plates, and a contact plate seat. The contact plates and the control plate are rotated by the rotation shaft, thereby forming the complete switch type variable resistor.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to a switch type variable resistor, and more particularly to a dual connection switch type variable resistor.




2. Description of the Related Art




A conventional switch type variable resistor in accordance with the prior art comprises a control plate pivoted to the switch knob, an insulation fixing plate secured on the switch housing, a first terminal secured on one side of the insulation fixing plate, a second terminal secured on the other side of the insulation fixing plate, a conducting plate pivoted on the insulation fixing plate, and a positioning spring for positioning the conducting plate having a first end secured on the conducting plate and a second end secured on the insulation fixing plate. The positioning spring is used for positioning the conducting plate, so that the conducting plate is located at the opened or closed position. Thus, the number of the parts is increased, and the assembly work is more complicated and difficult, so that the switching action is not exact. In addition, if the mutual deflection of the resistors produces after assembly, it is necessary to dismantle the parts for adjustment, thereby causing inconvenience in use.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a switch type variable resistor comprising a rotation shaft, a bushing, a housing, a variable resistor portion, and a switch portion, wherein the switch portion includes:




a control plate, having a bottom edge formed with a lug;




a pair of electrode terminals, each having a tail end bent with a contact portion, one electrode terminal having an upper end pivoted with a rotary member and an annular connecting member by a rivet;




a rotary member, having a through hole for passage of the rivet, and formed with an insertion hole for insertion of the elastic connecting member;




an annular connecting member, made of a conducting metal, and having a through hole for passage of the rivet, the annular connecting member formed with a ring portion defining a penetration hole for passage of the rotation shaft, the penetration hole formed with a locking portion for locking the elastic connecting member, so that the annular connecting member may be rotated by the elastic connecting member, the ring portion provided with two contact guide portions corresponding to the positions of the contact portions of the two electrodes terminals;




an elastic connecting member having a first end inserted into the insertion hole of the rotary member, and a second end locked in the locking portion of the annular connecting member;




an insulating plate having a periphery formed with combination recesses, and a center defining a hole, the insulating plate having a front end riveted with the two electrode terminals, and a rear end defining a slide slot for limiting displacement of the elastic connecting member that protrudes from the locking portion of the annular connecting member;




a switch portion seat having a periphery formed with multiple combination pins, a center formed with a receiving hole, and having a front side formed with an opening for receiving each part of the switch portion;




wherein, the control plate is rotated by the rotation shaft, and the lug of the control plate is rested on the rotary member, so that the rotary member is rotated about the rivet, while the annular connecting member is rotated when the rotary member is rotated, so that the two contact guide portions of the annular connecting member is rotated to contact and conduct one of the two contact portions of the electrodes terminals on the insulating plate


53


, thereby forming an opened or closed status.




Another objective of the present invention is to provide a switch type variable resistor, wherein the variable resistor portion disposed in a dual connection includes a pair of terminal seats each having variable resistor carbon film plates and terminals, a pair of contact plates, and a contact plate seat, each contact plate is rotated by the rotation shaft to contact the variable resistor carbon film plates of the terminal seat at different locations, thereby changing the resistance values, the contact plate seat consists of an upper seat and a lower seat, the upper seat has a periphery formed with adjusting teeth, while the housing is formed with adjusting windows corresponding to the positions of the adjusting teeth, thereby adjusting mutual deflection of the contact plates of the upper and lower seats and the variable resistor carbon film plates.




A further objective of the present invention is to provide a switch type variable resistor which has a shortened bulk.




A further objective of the present invention is to provide a switch type variable resistor whose switching action is exact and stable.




A further objective of the present invention is to provide a switch type variable resistor which has a long lifetime.




A further objective of the present invention is to provide a switch type variable resistor whose electrical contact is stable.




A further objective of the present invention is to provide a switch type variable resistor which can adjust the mutual deflection of resistors.




Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a switch type variable resistor in accordance with the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a partially exploded perspective view of the switch type variable resistor as shown in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3

is a complete exploded perspective view of the switch type variable resistor as shown in

FIG. 1

; and





FIG. 4

is a top plan view of the switch type variable resistor as shown in FIG.


1


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




Referring to the drawings, a switch type variable resistor in accordance with the present invention comprises a rotation shaft


1


, a bushing


2


, a housing


3


, a variable resistor portion


4


, and a switch portion


5


.




The switch portion


5


includes a switch portion seat


51


, a control plate


52


, an insulating plate


53


, a pair of electrode terminals


54


, an elastic connecting member


55


, an annular connecting member


56


, a rotary member


57


, and a rivet


58


.




The variable resistor portion


4


includes a pair of terminal seats


43


each having variable resistor carbon film plates


41


and terminals


42


, a pair of contact plates


44


, and a contact plate seat


45


. Rotation of the rotation shaft


1


may rotate the contact plates


44


and the control plate


52


, thereby forming the complete switch type variable resistor. The rotation shaft


1


is used to pivot the contact plate seat


45


and the control plate


52


, thereby changing the resistance and the switch resistor.




The bottom of the bushing


2


is formed with a seat


20


whose bottom has combination pins


21


. The bushing


2


is formed with a threaded column


22


, and defines a hole


23


.




The housing


3


is formed with a plurality of extended bendable snap portions


30


for combining each part into an integrity. In the dual connection type design, the periphery of the housing


3


is formed with adjusting windows


31


.




In the dual connection type design, the variable resistor portion


4


includes a pair of terminal seats


43


each having variable resistor carbon film plates


41


and terminals


42


, a pair of contact plates


44


, and a contact plate seat


45


. The periphery of each terminal seat


43


is provided with combination recesses


430


, thereby facilitating secure combination of the combination pins


21


of the seat


20


, the combination pins


510


of the switch portion seat


51


, and the snap portions


30


of the housing


3


. The contact plates


44


are fixed on the combination face of the contact plate seat


45


. Each contact plate


44


is rotated by the rotation shaft


1


to contact the variable resistor carbon film plates


41


of the terminal seat


43


at different locations, thereby changing the resistance values.




The characteristic of the present invention is described as follows.




The contact plate seat


45


consists of an upper seat


450


and a lower seat


451


. The periphery of the upper seat


450


is formed with adjusting teeth


452


, while the housing


3


is formed with adjusting windows


31


corresponding to the positions of the adjusting teeth


452


, thereby adjusting mutual deflection of the contact plates


44


of the upper and lower seats


450


and


451


and the variable resistor carbon film plates


41


, without having to dismantle the parts for adjustment as is disclosed in the prior art which is not provided with any adjusting mechanism.




The bottom of the control plate has a lug


520


. The insulating plate


53


is provided with two electrode terminals


54


each having a tail end bent with a contact portion


540


. One electrode terminal


54


has an upper end pivoted with the rotary member


57


and the annular connecting member


56


by a rivet


58


. The rotary member


57


has a through hole


570


for passage of the rivet


58


. The through hole


570


is formed with an insertion hole


571


for insertion of the elastic connecting member


55


.




The annular connecting member


56


is made of a conducting metal, and has a through hole


560


for passage of the rivet


58


. The annular connecting member


56


is formed with a ring portion


561


defining a penetration hole


562


for passage of the rotation shaft


1


. The penetration hole


562


is formed with a locking portion


563


for locking the elastic connecting member


55


, so that the annular connecting member


56


may be rotated by the elastic connecting member


55


. The ring portion


561


is provided with two contact guide portions


564


corresponding to the positions of the contact portions


540


of the two electrodes terminals


54


, so that the contact guide portions


564


may be rotated to respectively contact and conduct one of the two contact portions


540


of the two electrodes terminals


54


, thereby forming the opened or closed status.




The elastic connecting member


55


has a first end inserted into the insertion hole


571


of the rotary member


57


, and a second end locked in the locking portion


563


of the annular connecting member


56


. The insulating plate


53


has a periphery formed with combination recesses


530


, and a center defining a hole


531


. The insulating plate


53


has a front end riveted with the two electrode terminals


54


, and a rear end defining a slide slot


532


for limiting displacement of the elastic connecting member


55


that protrudes from the locking portion


563


of the annular connecting member


56


.




The switch portion seat


51


has a periphery formed with combination pins


510


, a center formed with a receiving hole


511


, and has a front side formed with an opening


512


for receiving each part of the switch portion


5


.




The control plate


52


is rotated by the rotation shaft


1


. The lug


520


of the control plate


52


is rested on the rotary member


57


, so that the rotary member


57


may be rotated about the rivet


58


. The two ends of the elastic connecting member


55


are respectively inserted into the rotary member


57


and the annular connecting member


56


. Thus, the annular connecting member


56


is rotated when the rotary member


57


is rotated, so that the two contact guide portions


564


of the annular connecting member


56


may be rotated to contact and conduct one of the two contact portions


540


of the electrodes terminals


54


on the insulating plate


53


. Thus, the present invention may form a proper opened or closed status, so that the electrical conduct is stable, and the switch action is exact.




Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.



Claims
  • 1. A switch type variable resistor, comprising:a rotation shaft, a bushing, a housing, a variable resistor portion, and a switch portion, wherein the switch portion includes: a control plate, having a bottom edge formed with a lug; a pair of electrode terminals, each having a tail end bent with a contact portion, one electrode terminal having an upper end pivoted with a rotary member and an annular connecting member by a rivet; the rotary member an elastic connecting member having a through hole for passage of the rivet, and formed with an insertion hole for insertion of the elastic connecting member; the annular connecting member made of a conducting metal, and having a through hole for passage of the rivet, the annular connecting member formed with a ring portion defining a penetration hole for passage of the rotation shaft, the penetration hole formed with a locking portion for locking the elastic connecting member, so that the annular connecting member may be rotated by the elastic connecting member, the ring portion provided with two contact guide portions corresponding to the positions of the contact portions of the two electrodes terminals; the elastic connecting member having a first end inserted into the insertion hole of the rotary member, and a second end locked in the locking portion of the annular connecting member; an insulating plate having a periphery formed with combination recesses, and a center defining a hole, the insulating plate having a front end riveted with the two electrode terminals, and a rear end defining a slide slot for limiting displacement of the elastic connecting member that protrudes from the locking portion of the annular connecting member; a switch portion seat having a periphery formed with multiple combination pins, a center formed with a receiving hole, and having a front side formed with an opening for receiving each part of the switch portion; wherein, the control plate is rotated by the rotation shaft, and the lug of the control plate is rested on the rotary member, so that the rotary member is rotated about the rivet, while the annular connecting member is rotated when the rotary member is rotated, so that the two contact guide portions of the annular connecting member is rotated to contact and conduct one of the two contact portions of the electrodes terminals on the insulating plate 53, thereby forming an opened or closed status.
  • 2. The switch type variable resistor in accordance with claim 1, wherein the variable resistor portion in a dual connection includes a pair of terminal seats each having variable resistor carbon film plates and terminals, a pair of contact plates, and a contact plate seat, each contact plate is rotated by the rotation shaft to contact the variable resistor carbon film plates of the terminal seat at different locations, thereby changing the resistance values, the contact plate seat consists of an upper seat and a lower seat, the upper seat has a periphery formed with adjusting teeth, while the housing is formed with adjusting windows corresponding to the positions of the adjusting teeth, thereby adjusting mutual deflection of the contact plates of the upper and lower seats and the variable resistor carbon film plates.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Number Name Date Kind
2230187 Meuer et al. Jan 1941 A
2958838 Puerner Nov 1960 A
3913059 Matsui et al. Oct 1975 A
4228846 Smorol Oct 1980 A
4297671 Flanders Oct 1981 A
4523175 Sakurai Jun 1985 A