SWITCH STRUCTURE

• US 3,796,888 A
• Filed: 09/05/1972
• Issued: 03/12/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Norman H. Berry
• Original Assignee: Norman H. Berry
• Inventors: Berry, Norman H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hohauser, Herman J.
• Application Number:
  US05/286,128
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 200/85 337/99,101,1 307/1R,1SB,118,149
• US Class Current: 180/270
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/003 Switches operated by other part of human body than hands push-button switches H01H13/16; slide switches H01H15/20; cord switches H01H17/10; other switches H01H19/16 and H01H21/26

Abstract

A bimetal, pressure actuated switch which when placed between the springs and cushioning material of an automobile seat or the like will be actuated by a person having approximately the same weight under extremes of temperature, said switch comprising an insulating base having a contact member thereon, a bimetal spring secured to the base and extending over the contact member, cover means movable toward the base and into contact with the bimetal spring for urging the bimetal spring into engagement with the contact member, and resilient means supporting the cover in spaced relation to the base.

Claims

1. Switch structure comprising a relatively rigid base having at least one electrical contact secured thereto, a second contact member supported above the first contact member at a distance and with a force representative of temperature, cover means movable toward the base for contacting the second contact member and moving it into contact with the first contact member and resilient means for supporting the cover in spaced relation to the base with a force variable with temperature in a manner inversely related to the force supporting the second contact member above the first contact member whereby substantially the same weight positioned on the cover of the switch will activate the switch at all operating temperatures.

2. Structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second contact member is a bimetal spring.

3. Structure as set forth in claim 1 including a plurality of first and second contact members connected in parallel.

4. Structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein the second contact members are elongated bimetal springs, the base is an elongated rectangle, the bimetal springs are secured to the base centrally thereof and extend away from the base at the ends thereof over associated first contact members, the cover means is relatively flexible paper and the resilient means is a foamed material positiones about the periphery of the rectangular base between the base and cover means.

5. An automobile seat cushion including springs and cushioning material positioned on the springs, a seat switch positioned on the automobile seat cushion between the springs and cushioning material comprising a relatively rigid base having at least one electrical contact secured thereto, a second contact member supported above the first contact member at a distance and with a force representative of temperature, cover means movable toward the base for contacting the second contact member and moving it into contact with the first contact member and resilient means for supporting the cover in spaced relation to the base with a force variable with temperature in substantially the same manner as the cushioning material and in a manner inversely related to the force supporting the second contact member above the first contact member whereby substantially weight positioned on the cover of the switch will activate the switch at all operating temperatures, and a logic circuit and an automobile ignition circuit in series with the seat switch.

6. Structure as set forth in claim 5 wherein there are three seat switches spaced across the automobile seat cushion at the two ends and centrally thereof each of which is connected in parallel with the others and in series with the logic circuit and the automobile ignition circuit.

7. Structure as set forth in claim 6 wherein the seat switch located centrally includes a plurality of parallel portions.

8. STructure as set forth in claim 5 wherein the second contact membver is a bimetal spring.

9. Structure as set forth in claim 5 including a plurality of first and second contact members connected in parallel.

10. Structure as set forth in claim 5 wherein the second contact members are elongated bimetal springs, the base is an elongated rectangle, the bimetal springs are secured to the base centrally thereof and extend away from the base at the ends thereof over associated first contact members, the cover means is relatively flexible paper and the resilient means is a foamed material positioned about the periphery of the rectangular base between the base and cover means.

11. Switch structure comprising a generally rectangular, relatively rigid, electrically insulating base having at least two electrical contacts secured thereto in spaced apart relation longitudinally of the rectangular base, an elongated bimetal spring contact member having a substantially flat portion centrally thereof secured to the base member in surface to surface contact therewith and having end portions inclined with respect to the base diverging outwardly from the base and terminating over the contact members, which bimetal spring has a spring rate which is variable in accordance with temperature, a cover positioned over the base with the contacts and bimetal spring between the cover and the base which cover is movable toward the base for contacting the bimetal spring and moving the ends thereof into contact with the contact members, and resilient means positioned between the cover and base supporting the cover from the base with a force variable with temperature in a manner inversely related to variation in the spring rate of the bimetal spring in response to variation in temperature whereby a predetermined weight placed on the cover will cause the ends of the bimetal spring to engage the contacts without regard to temperature.

12. Structure as set forth in claim 11 wherein the switch includes a plurality of additional pairs of contact members spaced apart longitudinally of the base and a cooperating additional bimetal spring for each pair of contact members whereby a plurality of parallel circuits are provided through the switch.

13. Structure as set forth in claim 11 wherein the switch is positioned between the springs and cushioning material of an automobile seat with the base positioned on the springs and wherein the cushioning material is substantially the same as the resilient means supporting the cover from the base of the switch.