SWITCHING MEANS FOR AN ELECTRO-SURGICAL DEVICE INCLUDING PARTICULAR CONTACT MEANS AND PARTICULAR PRINTED-CIRCUIT MOUNTING MEANS

• US 3,801,766 A
• Filed: 01/22/1973
• Issued: 04/02/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles F. Morrison Jr
• Original Assignee: Charles F. Morrison Jr
• Inventors: Morrison, Charles F. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hohauser, Herman J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vanderhye, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US05/325,828
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 200/153K,157,166BH,166BA,166PC,61.85,164R,6BB,6BA,6C 128/303.14
• US Class Current: 200/553
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/403 Contacts forming part of a printed circuit multilayer keyboard switches H01H13/702; thumbwheel switches H01H19/001; for rotary switches with axial contact pressure H01H19/585
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/014 Application surgical instrument
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/06 Casing of switch constituted by a handle serving a purpose other than the actuation of the switch, e.g. by the handle of a vacuum cleaner

Abstract

An electrical switching device is disclosed herein and comprises the major components suitable for use as a compact, easily installed switching device and also in an electro-surgical tool which, through the operation of the switching device, is readily adaptable for different intended uses and highly reliable. In one embodiment, the switching device includes a tubular housing having an intermediate longitudinally extending slot formed in its wall and a pair of longitudinally extending diametrically opposed recesses formed on its inner surface. A rectangularly shaped printed circuit board is mounted within the diametrically opposed recesses and includes at least three spaced apart electrical contacts which are positioned so as to be accessable through the slot formed in the housing. An integrally formed, elongated spring contact member is disposed in electrical conducting engagement with the center one of these electrical contacts and includes opposing energy absorbing coils, each of which is adapted to engage reliably a corresponding one of the otherwise free contacts. In this regard, in order to increase further the reliability of the engagement of the contacts, means are provided for securing the printed circuit board against inadvertent longitudinal movement within the housing. An arcuately shaped insert is mounted within the aforedescribed slot and engages portions of the lower surface of the circuit board for further securing said insert in place. In addition, the arcuately shaped insert includes a longitudinally extending slot adapted to receive therein a portion of a longitudinally extending rocker type switch actuator for pivotal movement about an axis generally normal to the axis of alignment of the electrical contacts. The free ends of the aforedescribed spring contact member are positioned within recess guides formed in the actuator and move into engagement with their corresponding contacts in response to selective pivotal movement.

Claims

1. An integrally formed, spring contact member adapted for use in an electrical switching device having at least two spaced apart electrical contacts, said member comprising:

a. an energy absorbing coil the ends of which extend from said coil at an obtuse angle with respect to one another, one end of said coil being adapted to be disposed in electrical conducting engagement with one electrical contact of an electrical switching device; and

b. a generally L-shaped portion attached to the other end of said energy absorbing coil, said L-shaped portion having a free end adapted to be disposed normally out of electrical conducting engagement with the other electrical contact of the electrical switching device.

2. In an electrical switching device as described in claim 1 above including means for attaching the electrical switching device to the surface of an item.

3. In an electrical switching device as described in claim 2 above in which said attaching means includes a flexible member having opposite sides thereof coated with a pressure sensitive material.

4. An integrally formed, elongated spring contact member adapted for use in an electrical switching device having at least three longitudinally spaced apart electrical contacts, said member comprising:

a. a center portion adapted to be disposed in electrical conducting engagement with the middle electrical contact of an electrical switching device;

b. an energy absorbing coil formed at each end of said center portion with the ends of each said coil extending from each said coil at an obtuse angle with respect to one another; and

c. a generally L-shaped portion attached to each energy absorbing coil and estending outwardly away from said center portion, each L-shaped portion having a free end adapted to be disposed out of electrical conducting engagement with a corresponding one of a remaining contacts of the electrical switching device.

5. An electro-surgical switching device, comprising:

a. a housing at least a part of which is cylindrical, said housing having an opening therein;

b. means for mounting at least a pair of spaced apart electrical contacts within the cylindrical portion of said housing and accessible through said opening therein;

c. an integrally formed, elongated spring contact member, said member including i. an energy absorging coil disposed in electrical conducting engagement with one of said spaced apart electrical contacts and ii. a generally L-shaped portion attached to said energy absorbing coil, said L-shaped portion having a free end normally disposed above and out of electrical conducting engagement with the other one of said electrical contacts; and

d. a switch actuator having guide means formed on a surface portion thereof, said switch actuator being mounted on said housing so that said guide means can cooperate with the free end of said L-shaped portion whereby upon application of a force to said actuator said guide means will guide the free end of said L-shaped portion into electrical conducting engagement with said other one of said electrical contacts thereby closing an electrical circuit and, siMultaneously, storing energy in the energy absorbing coil, and, upon removing said force from said actuator, energy will be released from said energy absorbing coil, thereby causing the free end of said L-shaped portion to move out of electrical conducting engagement with said other one of said electrical contacts whereby said closed electrical circuit will be opened.

6. An electro-surgical electrical switching device, comprising:

a. an elongated tubular housing;

b. a slot formed in the wall of said housing intermediate the ends thereof;

c. a printed circuit board mounted within said tubular housing;

d. at least a pair of spaced apart electrical contacts mounted on said printed circuit board and accessible through said slot formed in the wall of said housing;

e. an integrally formed, elongated spring contact member, said member including i. an energy absorbing means disposed in electrical conducting arrangement with one of said spaced apart electrical contacts and ii. a generally L-shaped portion attached to said energy absorbing means, said L-shaped portion having a free end normally disposed above and out of electrical conducting engagement with the other one of said electrical contacts;

f. an arcuately shaped insert mounted within said slot formed in the wall of said housing; and

g. a switch actuator pivotally mounted on said insert so as to rotate about an axis generally normal to a line interconnecting said electrical contacts, said actuator including a free end having guide means formed on the lower surface thereof, a part of said L-shaped portion cooperating with said guide means whereby upon application of a force to said actuator, to cause pivotal movement thereof, said guide means will guide the free end of the L-shaped portion into electrical conducting engagement with said other one of said electrical contacts thereby closing an electrical circuit and, simultaneously, storing energy in the energy absorbing means and, upon removing said force from said actuator, energy will be released from said energy absorbing means thereby causing the free end of said L-shaped portion to move out of electrical conducting engagement with said other one of said electrical contacts whereby said closed electrical circuit will be opened.

7. In an electrical switching device as described in claim 6 above in which said energy absorbing means includes a coil the ends of which extend from said coil at an obtuse angle with respect to one another with one end being connected to said one of said spaced apart electrical contacts and the other end being connected to said generally L-shaped portion.

8. In a three-position electrical switching device:

a. a printed circuit board having at least three spaced apart generally longitudinally aligned contacts formed thereon;

b. an integrally formed, elongated spring contact member, including i. a center portion having an energy absorbing coil formed at each end thereof with the ends of each said coil extending from each said coil at an obtuse angle with respect to one another, ii. a generally L-shaped portion attached to a each energy absorbing coil and extending outwardly away from said center portion, each L-shaped portion having a free end, iii. the center portion being disposed in electrical conducting engagement with the center one of said electrical contacts of said printed circuit board, and iv. the free end of each L-shaped portion being normally disposed generally above and out of electrical conducting engagement with a corresponding one of the remaining electrical contacts of said printed circuit board; and

c. a rocker-type switch actuator pivotally mounted to rotate about an axis generally normal to the axis of alignment of the electrical contacts of said printed circuit board, said actuator including guide means formed in the lower surface thereof, a part of each L-shaped portion of said member cooperating with said guide means Whereby upon application of a force to said actuator, to cause pivotal movement thereof, the guide means will guide the free end of one of said L-shaped portions into electrical conducting engagement with a corresponding one of the remaining contacts of said printed circuit board thereby closing an electrical circuit and, simultaneously, storing energy in the energy absorbing coil associated with said L-shaped portion, and, upon removing said force from said actuator, energy will be released from said energy absorbing coil thereby causing the free end of said L-shaped portion to move out of electrical conducting engagement with its associated electrical contact whereby said electrical circuit will be opened.

9. An electrical switching device comprising:

a. an elongated tube having i. a cylindrical bore extending therethrough forming a tubular housing, ii. a slot formed in the wall of said housing intermediate the ends thereof, and iii. a pair of longitudinally extending, diametrically opposed recesses formed on the inner surface of said housing;

b. a rectangularly shaped printed circuit board mounted within the diametrically opposed recesses formed within said housing, said printed circuit board including at least three spaced apart, generally longitudinally aligned electrical contacts, said contacts being accessible through the slot formed in the wall of said housing;

c. an integrally formed, elongated spring contact member, said member including i. a center portion having an energy absorbing coil formed at each end thereof, ii. a generally L-shaped portion attached to each coil and extending outwardly from said center portion, each L-shaped portion having a generally arcuately shaped free end including a convex part, iii. the center portion being disposed in electrical conducting engagement with the center one of said electrical contact of said printed circuit board, and iv. the free end of each L-shaped portion being normally disposed generally above and out of electrical conducting engagement with a corresponding one of the remaining electrical contacts of said printed circuit board;

d. means for securing said printed circuit board within said housing to prevent inadvertent longitudinal movement thereof relative to said housing;

e. an arcuately shaped insert complementally mounted within the slot formed in the wall of said housing, said insert including i. a pair of longitudinally extending, diametrically opposed recesses formed on the inner surface thereof and disposed in alignment with the recesses of said housing, ii. a pair of longitudinally extending but radially inwardly directed fingers disposed in contacting engagement with a surface portion of said printed circuit board, iii. a longitudinally extending slot formed through the wall of said insert and intermediate the ends thereof, and iv. a pair of aligned recesses formed on the inner surface of said insert and disposed transversely to the longitudinal axis thereof; and

f. a longitudinally extending rocker type switch actuator having transversely disposed trunions disposed within the recesses formed on the inner surfaces of said insert whereby said actuator is disposed to contact a portion of said printed circuit board for pivotal movement about an axis generally normal to the axis of alignment of the electrical contacts of said printed circuit board, said actuator including guide means formed on the lower surface thereof, said guide means comprising longitudinally extending recess portions formed in the lower surface thereof adjacent each end of said actuator, a part of each L-shaped portion of said spring contact member being disposed within a corresponding one of said recess portions, said actuator having a finger engaging portion on one side of its pivotal mounting disposed outside of the housing and adapted to be engaged by a finger of an operator for selectively rotating same in opposite directions whereby Upon application of a force to said actuator, to cause pivotal movement thereof, the guide means will guide the convex part of the free end of said L-shaped portion into electrical conducting engagement with a corresponding one of the remaining electrical contacts of said printed circuit board thereby closing an electrical circuit and, simultaneously, energy will be stored in the coil associated with a corresponding one of said L-shaped portions, and, upon removing said force from said actuator, energy will be released from said coil thereby causing the convex part of the free end of said L-shaped portion to move out of electrical conducting engagement with its associated electrical contact whereby said electrical circuit will be opened.

10. An electrical switching device as described in claim 1 above in which each each recess portion of said guide means and the convex part of the spring contact member associated therewith are constructed to effect a wiping action across their associated electrical contact when said convex part is brought into electrical conducting engagement with said electrical contact.