Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6580045
-
Patent Number
6,580,045
-
Date Filed
Monday, June 3, 200221 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, June 17, 200320 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Enad; Elvin
- Klaus; Lisa N.
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 200 343
- 200 335
- 200 558
- 200 559
- 200 6 BB
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A switch includes a lower insulator body having a terminal bridging cavity, front and rear terminals spaced apart from each other and having contact end portions that extend into the terminal bridging cavity, a conductive contact member having an anchoring segment mounted on the lower insulator body and a bridging segment disposed above the contact end portions of the front and rear terminals, an upper insulator body mounted on the lower insulator body and having an actuator mounting cavity, and a pivotable actuator mounted in and extending outwardly of the actuator mounting cavity and having a pressing projection above the bridging segment of the contact member. Operation of the actuator enables the pressing projection to press the bridging segment of the contact member downward so that the contact end portions of the front and rear terminals are bridged together to make electrical connection there between.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a switch, more particularly to a switch with a pivotable actuator.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
FIGS. 1
,
2
,
3
and
4
, a conventional state-setting switch
1
is shown to comprise a lower insulator body
2
, an upper insulator body
3
mounted on the lower insulator body
2
, and a set of switch actuators
4
pivoted to the upper insulator body
3
.
The lower insulator body
2
is a rectangular body made of an insulator material, such as rubber or plastic, and has a top surface
21
. A flange
23
is disposed around the rim of the top surface
21
. A plurality of conductive terminal sets
22
extend parallel to the top surface
21
along a longitudinal direction. Each terminal set
22
includes a long terminal
221
and a short terminal
222
. The short terminal
222
extends above the long terminal
221
to make electrical connection therebetween, as best shown in FIG.
3
. Each of the terminals
221
,
222
extends downwardly to form a terminal tail
223
.
The upper insulator body
3
is a rectangular body made of an insulator material, such as rubber or plastic, and has an open bottom end
31
, a retaining cavity
32
extending inwardly from the open bottom end
31
, and a peripheral wall
33
for engaging the flange
23
of the lower insulator body
2
. The upper insulator body
3
further has a set of actuator slots
321
, each corresponding to a terminal set
321
of the lower insulator body
2
and being communicated with the retaining cavity
32
.
Each switch actuator
4
is made of an insulator material, such as rubber or plastic, and has a mounting portion
41
retained pivotally in the retaining cavity
32
, a pressing projection
42
projecting downwardly from the mounting portion
41
, and an operating portion
43
extending from the mounting portion
41
outwardly of the retaining cavity
32
via a respective one of the actuator slots
321
.
During assembly, the mounting portions
41
of the switch actuators
4
are first mounted pivotally in the retaining cavity
32
of the upper insulator body
3
such that the operating portions
43
extend through the actuator slots
321
. Then, with the pressing projections
42
abutting against the long terminals
221
, the peripheral wall
33
of the upper insulator body
3
is mounted on the flange
23
of the lower insulator body
2
.
As shown in
FIG. 4
, the application of a pressing force on the operating portion
43
of the actuator
4
will cause the pressing projection
42
to move the long terminal
221
away from the short terminal
222
, thus breaking the electrical connection between the terminals
221
,
222
. The switch
1
is at a switch-off state at this time. As shown in
FIG. 3
, the application of an uplifting force on the operating portion
43
of the actuator
4
will move the pressing projection
42
away from the long terminal
221
such that, by virtue of the resiliency of the long terminal
221
, the long terminal
221
once again contacts the short terminal
222
, thus making the electrical connection between the terminals
221
,
222
. The switch
1
is at a switch-on state at this time.
The following are some of the drawbacks of the aforesaid conventional switch
1
:
1. The terminal set
22
is normally made of copper, which is highly susceptible to spring fatigue after a period of use. Spring fatigue results in failure of the long terminal
221
to connect properly with the short terminal
222
. This situation is aggravated in view of the contact configuration between the long and short terminals
221
,
222
, which requires a fairly strong torque on the long terminal
221
to make and break electrical connection with the short terminal
222
.
2. No positioning mechanism is provided for stable positioning of the terminal sets
321
during the assembly process, which can result in an increase in defective products during mass production, thereby resulting in lower yield and higher costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a switch with a pivotable actuator that can overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art.
Accordingly, a switch of this invention comprises:
a lower insulator body including a bottom wall with front and rear portions spaced apart in a longitudinal direction, and front and rear lower walls respectively extending upward from the front and rear portions of the bottom wall so as to define an upwardly opening terminal bridging cavity;
front and rear terminals spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, each of the front and rear terminals having a middle portion embedded in a junction between the bottom wall and a respective one of the front and rear lower walls, a contact end portion extending from the middle portion into the terminal bridging cavity, and a connecting end portion extending from the middle portion and outwardly of the terminal bridging cavity;
a resilient conductive contact member having an anchoring segment mounted on the rear lower wall, and a bridging segment extending from the anchoring segment in the longitudinal direction and disposed above the contact end portions of the front and rear terminals in the terminal bridging cavity;
an upper insulator body including a top wall with front and rear ends spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, and front and rear upper walls respectively extending downward from the front and rear ends of the top wall so as to define a downwardly opening actuator mounting cavity, the front and rear upper walls respectively engaging the front and rear lower walls, the upper insulator body having an actuator slot formed through the front upper wall and communicated with the actuator mounting cavity; and
a pivotable actuator having
a mounting portion disposed pivotally in the actuator mounting cavity and pivotable about a pivot axis that extends in a transverse direction transverse to the longitudinal direction,
an operating portion extending from the mounting portion outwardly of the actuator mounting cavity via the actuator slot, and
a pressing projection projecting downwardly from the mounting portion toward the bridging segment of the contact member.
Application of a pressing force on the operating portion of the actuator causes the actuator to pivot in the actuator mounting cavity to a switch-on state and enables the pressing projection to press the bridging segment of the contact member downward so that the bridging segment bridges together the contact end portions of the front and rear terminals to make electrical connection between the front and rear terminals.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a conventional state-setting switch;
FIG. 2
is an exploded perspective view of the conventional switch of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is an assembled partly sectional view of the conventional switch of
FIG. 1
in a switch-on state;
FIG. 4
is an assembled partly sectional view of the conventional switch of
FIG. 1
in a switch-off state;
FIG. 5
is an exploded perspective view showing the preferred embodiment of a state-setting switch according to the present invention;
FIG. 6
is an assembled partly sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in a switch-off state; and
FIG. 7
is an assembled partly sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in a switch-on state.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to
FIGS. 5 and 6
, the preferred embodiment of a state-setting switch according to the present invention is shown to include a lower insulator body
5
, an upper insulator body
6
mounted on the lower insulator body
5
, and a plurality of identical sets (four sets in this embodiment) of a resilient conductive contact member
7
disposed on the lower insulator body
5
, a pivotable actuator
8
mounted pivotably on the upper insulator body
6
, and a front terminal
562
and a rear terminal
561
.
The lower insulator body
5
is made of an insulator material, such as rubber or plastic, and includes a bottom wall
51
with front and rear portions spaced apart in a longitudinal direction and left and right portions spaced apart in a transverse direction transverse to the longitudinal direction, front and rear lower walls
511
,
512
respectively extending upward from the front and rear portions of the bottom wall
51
, and left and right lateral walls
53
respectively extending upward from the left and right portions of the bottom wall
51
. The lower insulator body
5
is defined with a plurality of upwardly opening terminal bridging cavities
52
(four cavities in this embodiment).
The front terminal
562
and the rear terminal
561
are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction. Each of the front and rear terminals
562
,
561
has a middle portion embedded in a junction between the bottom wall
51
and a respective one of the front and rear lower walls
511
,
512
, a contact end portion extending from the middle portion into the terminal bridging cavity
52
, and a connecting end portion
563
extending from the middle portion and outwardly of the terminal bridging cavity
52
. Preferably, the connecting end portion
563
extends downwardly relative to the bottom wall
51
.
The conductive contact member
7
, which is made of an alloy of titanium and copper in this embodiment, includes an anchoring segment
71
mounted on the rear lower wall
512
of the lower insulator body
5
, and a bridging segment
72
extending from the anchoring segment
71
in the longitudinal direction and disposed above the contact end portions of the front and rear terminals
562
,
561
in the terminal bridging cavity
52
. The bridging segment
72
of the contact member
7
includes a first curved section
721
for contacting the contact end portion of the front terminal
562
, and a second curved section
722
for contacting the contact end portion of the rear terminal
561
. The anchoring segment
71
of the contact member
7
is planar and is formed with a positioning hole
711
therethrough. The rear lower wall
512
of the lower insulator body
5
has a top side formed with a positioning block
55
for engaging the positioning hole
711
. The lower insulator body
5
further includes left and right lower walls
54
extending upwardly from bottom wall
51
and disposed at opposite sides of the contact member
7
, thus positioning the contact member
7
securely in the terminal bridging cavity
52
.
The upper insulator body
6
includes a top wall
63
with front and rear ends spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, and front and rear upper walls
640
,
641
respectively extending downward from the front and rear ends of the top wall
63
. The upper insulator body
6
is defined with a plurality of downwardly opening actuator mounting cavities
64
. The front and rear upper walls
640
,
641
respectively engage the front and rear lower walls
511
,
512
. The upper insulator body
6
has a plurality of actuator slots
65
formed through the front upper wall
640
and the front end of the top wall
63
. Each of the actuator slots
65
is communicated with a corresponding actuator mounting cavity
64
.
Preferably, a tongue-and-groove unit is provided on the lower insulator body
5
and the upper insulator body
6
for interlocking the same. In this embodiment, the tongue-and-groove unit includes projections
644
on left and right side walls
62
of the upper insulator body
6
, and grooves
531
in the lateral walls
53
of the lower insulator body
5
. The upper insulator body
6
further includes left and right upper walls
642
extending downwardly from the top wall
64
and formed with a notch
643
to receive a respective one of the left and right lower walls
54
of the lower insulator body
5
therein.
Each pivotable actuator
8
includes a mounting portion
81
disposed pivotally in the respective actuator mounting cavity
64
and pivotable about a pivot axis that extends in the transverse direction, an operating portion
83
extending from the mounting portion
81
outwardly of the actuator mounting cavity
64
via the corresponding actuator slot
65
, and a pressing projection
82
projecting downwardly from the mounting portion
81
toward the bridging segment
72
of the.contact member
7
.
The mounting portion
81
of the pivotable actuator
8
is formed with left and right axles, each of which extends into the notch
643
in a respective one of the left and right upper walls
642
and is supported by a respective one of the left and right lower walls
54
of the lower insulator body
5
.
During assembly, the contact members
7
are first positioned on the lower insulator body
5
. The left and right lower walls
54
of the lower insulator body
5
serve as barriers to facilitate proper positioning of the contact members
7
. As shown in
FIG. 6
, the first curved sections
721
of the bridging segments
72
are in contact with the contact end portions of the front terminals
562
, and the second curved sections
722
of the bridging segments
72
are spaced apart from the contact end portions of the rear terminals
561
. Then, the pivotable actuators
8
engage the notches
643
in the left and right upper walls
642
, and the upper insulator body
6
is disposed on top of the lower insulator body
5
such that the pressing projections
82
of the pivotable actuators
8
abut against the bridging segments
72
of the contact members
7
. After the upper insulator body
6
is locked to the lower insulator body
5
, resin is applied to seal the gaps between the upper insulator body
6
and the lower insulator body
5
to complete the assembly process.
As shown in
FIG. 6
, when the pivotable actuator
8
is at a switch-off state, the first curved section
721
is in contact with the contact end portion of the front terminal
562
, and the second curved section
722
is spaced apart from the contact end portion of the rear terminal
561
, thereby breaking electrical connection between the front and rear terminals
562
,
561
. As shown in
FIG. 7
, to operate the pivotable actuator
8
from the switch-off state to the switch-on state, a pressing force is applied on the operating portion
83
to cause the actuator
8
to pivot in the actuator mounting cavity
64
and to enable the pressing projection
82
to press the bridging segment
72
downward so that the first curved section
721
is in contact with the contact end portion of the front terminal
562
, and the second curved section
722
is in contact with the contact end portion of the rear terminal
561
, thereby making electrical connection between the front and rear terminals
562
,
561
.
In practice, a retaining unit is provided on the pivotable actuator
8
and the upper insulator body
5
for releasably retaining the pivotable actuator
8
at the switch-on state. In this embodiment, the retaining includes a stop flange
651
on the upper insulator body
6
and a stop flange
831
on the pivotable actuator
8
, as shown in FIG.
5
.
The following are some of the advantages of the switch of this invention:
1. Since the contact member
7
is made of an alloy of copper and titanium, it possesses much better resilience as compared to terminals made of copper and has greater resistance to spring fatigue.
2. The bridging design for connection between the terminal
562
,
561
avoids the problems of friction and impact of springing action of terminals that occur in the conventional switch, and thus prolong the service life of the switch.
3. The existence of the positioning hole
711
and another hole
722
proximate thereto in the contact member
7
can facilitate automated assembly of the contact members
7
during mass production, thereby reducing the assembly time and cost.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
Claims
- 1. A switch comprising:a lower insulator body including a bottom wall with front and rear portions spaced apart in a longitudinal direction, and front and rear lower walls respectively extending upward from said front and rear portions of said bottom wall so as to define an upwardly opening terminal bridging cavity; front and rear terminals spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, each of said front and rear terminals having a middle portion embedded in a junction between said bottom wall and a respective one of said front and rear lower walls, a contact end portion extending from said middle portion into said terminal bridging cavity, and a connecting end portion extending from said middle portion and outwardly of said terminal bridging cavity; a resilient conductive contact member having an anchoring segment mounted on said rear lower wall, and a bridging segment extending from said anchoring segment in the longitudinal direction and disposed above said contact end portions of said front and rear terminals in said terminal bridging cavity; an upper insulator body including a top wall with front and rear ends spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, and front and rear upper walls respectively extending downward from said front and rear ends of said top wall so as to define a downwardly opening actuator mounting cavity, said front and rear upper walls respectively engaging said front and rear lower walls, said upper insulator body having an actuator slot formed through said front upper wall and communicated with said actuator mounting cavity; and a pivotable actuator having a mounting portion disposed pivotally in said actuator mounting cavity and pivotable about a pivot axis that extends in a transverse direction transverse to the longitudinal direction, an operating portion extending from said mounting portion outwardly of said actuator mounting cavity via said actuator slot, and a pressing projection projecting downwardly from said mounting portion toward said bridging segment of said contact member; wherein application of a pressing force on said operating portion of said actuator causes said actuator to pivot in said actuator mounting cavity to a switch-on state and enables said pressing projection to press said bridging segment of said contact member downward so that said bridging segment bridges together said contact end portions of said front and rear terminals to make electrical connection between said front and rear terminals and; wherein said lower insulator body further includes left and right lower walls extending upwardly from said bottom wall and disposed at opposite lateral sides of said contact member.
- 2. The switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper insulator body further includes left and right upper walls extending downwardly from said top wall and formed with a notch to receive a respective one of said left and right lower walls therein.
- 3. The switch as claimed in claim 2, wherein said mounting portion of said pivotable actuator is formed with left and right axles, each of said left and right axles extending into said notch in a respective one of said left and right upper walls and being supported by a respective one of said left and right lower walls.
- 4. A switch comprising:a lower insulator body including a bottom wall with front and rear portions spaced apart in a longitudinal direction, and front and rear lower walls respectively extending upward from said front and rear portions of said bottom wall so as to define an upwardly opening terminal bridging cavity; front and rear terminals spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, each of said front and rear terminals having a middle portion embedded in a junction between said bottom wall and a respective one of said front and rear lower walls, a contact end portion extending from said middle portion into said terminal bridging cavity, and a connecting end portion extending from said middle portion and outwardly of said terminal bridging cavity; a resilient conductive contact member having an anchoring segment mounted on said rear lower wall, and a bridging segment extending from said anchoring segment in the longitudinal direction and disposed above said contact end portions of said front and rear terminals in said terminal bridging cavity; an upper insulator body including a top wall with front and rear ends spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, and front and rear upper walls respectively extending downward from said front and rear ends of said top wall so as to define a downwardly opening actuator mounting cavity, said front and rear upper walls respectively engaging said front and rear lower walls, said upper insulator body having an actuator slot formed through said front upper wall and communicated with said actuator mounting cavity; and a pivotable actuator having a mounting portion disposed pivotally in said actuator mounting cavity and pivotable about a pivot axis that extends in a transverse direction transverse to the longitudinal direction, an operating portion extending from said mounting portion outwardly of said actuator mounting cavity via said actuator slot, and a pressing projection projecting downwardly from said mounting portion toward said bridging segment of said contact member; wherein application of a pressing force on said operating portion of said actuator causes said actuator to pivot in said actuator mounting cavity to a switch-on state and enables said pressing projection to press said bridging segment of said contact member downward so that said bridging segment bridges together said contact end portions of said front and rear terminals to make electrical connection between said front and rear terminals and; wherein said anchoring segment of said contact member is planar and is formed with a positioning hole therethrough, said rear lower wall of said lower insulator body having a top side formed with a positioning block for engaging said positioning hole.
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A |
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Henley et al. |
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A |
4389549 |
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Jun 1983 |
A |
4423300 |
Chesemore et al. |
Dec 1983 |
A |
4644110 |
Watanabe et al. |
Feb 1987 |
A |
4975548 |
Brouilette et al. |
Dec 1990 |
A |
5601183 |
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A |