SWITCH

• US 20080224803A1
• Filed: 03/12/2008
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Minoru, Ide, Takahiro, Nakayama, Teruyuki, Makigawa, Tsuyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,999,644 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 335/78
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9502 Measures for increasing reliability
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9515 using non-linear magnetic devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/97 using a magnetic movable element

Abstract

A central magnet of a plurality of magnets arranged to be different in polarities is detected by two hall ICs; therefore, reduction in size can be achieved by reducing the number of the magnets; and at the same time, the number of the hall ICs can be maintained and the reliability can be secured, as compared with a configuration in which the magnets and the hall ICs individually respond in one to one correspondence.

Claims

1. A switch comprising:

a switch body; and

an operating member which is relatively approached to and separated from the switch body,

wherein the operating member is arranged and incorporated with a plurality of magnets, the plurality of the magnets being arranged to be different polarities between neighboring the magnets, and to have a magnetic pole of one side to be positioned on the side opposed to the switch body at a position being defined by the approach; and

the switch body is arranged and incorporated with not less than three magnetic sensors different from the number of the magnets in response to the polarities and the position of the magnets to be objects for detection, and

wherein the magnetic sensors give a detection output when the magnets to be objects for detection are approached and placed in a detection region,

at least one of the magnets is an object for detection of the plurality of the magnetic sensors, and

a switch output is generated on the basis of the outputs of all the three magnetic sensors of not less than three.

2. The switch according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the magnets is the object for detection of two pieces of the magnetic sensors;

and

the switch output indicating that the switch body and the operating member are approached is generated when the detection output is given from all the magnetic sensors.

3. The switch according to claim 2, wherein the magnets of odd number in quantity are arranged in line at equally spaced intervals along a longitudinal direction of the operating member;

and

a magnet other than magnets at both ends of the longitudinal direction of the magnets of the odd number in quantity, and a central magnet and/or a symmetrically positioned magnet with respect to the central magnet is the object for detection of the two pieces of the magnetic sensors.

4. The switch according to claim 3, wherein the operating member is incorporated with three pieces of the magnets;

the switch body is incorporated with four pieces of the magnetic sensors; and

a centrally positioned magnet of the three pieces of the magnets is the object for detection of the two pieces of the magnetic sensors.

5. The switch according to claim 1, the operating member is mounted on the door side to be opened and closed, and the switch body is mounted on the fixed frame side of the door.