SWITCH HAVING OPPOSED DOME AND FLEXIBLE BIFURCATED CONTACTS

• US 3,689,856 A
• Filed: 09/15/1971
• Issued: 09/05/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Data Switch Corp. (SPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: A., Henry Morgan, James B. Lambert, Lewis J. Seiden
• Inventors: James, B. Lambert, Lewis, J. Seiden, A., Henry Morgan
• Primary Examiner(s): Harold Broome
• Application Number:
  US05/180,629
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 335/106,131,133,196 200/166BH,166J,164,67D
• US Class Current: 335/133
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/18 with subsequent sliding
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/28 Assembly of three or more contact-supporting spring blades
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2011/047 on both sides of the contact body portion

Abstract

In a switch a convex domed contact is opposed to a bifurcated contact consisting of a pair of elements providing contact surfaces spaced from one another and each having a dome contact wiping edge opposed to a portion of the dome contact and supported by a pair of flexible spring supports capable of resilient flexing and twisting so that as the contacts are urged together the spring supports continuously urge each of the contact surfaces into wiping engagement with the dome contact.

Claims

1. In a switch employing a pair of contacts at least one of which is supported on a resilient support with an insulating support frame to hold the contact support structure and maintain a predetermined relationship between said contacts and actuator means for moving at least one contact relative to the other contact to change switch condition, the improvement comprising providing one contact with a convex dome shaped contact area with flat portion over said area making the second contact bifurcated and consisting of a pair of elements providing contact surfaces spaced from one another, each having a dome contact wiping edge opposed to a portion of the dome contact and supported by a pair of flexible spring supports capable of resilient flexing and twisting such that as the contacts are urged together the flexible spring supports will continuously urge each of the contact surfaces into wiping engagement with the dome contact, independently flexing, twisting and yielding as needed to accomodate the position of the other while maintaining good contact itself.

2. The switch of claim 1 in which at least the pair of contact wiping surfaces of the bifurcated contact are coated with precious metal.

3. The switch of claim 2 in which the bifurcated contacts are integral with their spring supports and comprise conductive spring sheetmetal in an elongated strip whose thickness in the direction of principal movement toward the dome contact is small compared to its width.

4. The switch of claim 3 in which each resilient support for each of the bifurcated contacts is sufficiently long and narrow relative to its thickness to permit needed twisting to accomodate movement necessary to keep each of the bifurcated contacts in good wiping condition with the dome contact.

5. The switch of claim 4 in which the bifurcated contacts are made from an integral strip and a slot extending part way along the strip divides the flexible spring supports and defines the separate supports.