OPERATING MEANS FOR HERMETICALLY SEALED DOUBLE-THROW DOUBLE-POLE SWITCH

• US 3,858,012 A
• Filed: 02/27/1974
• Issued: 12/31/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph Larue Lockard
• Original Assignee: Joseph Larue Lockard
• Inventors: Lockard, Joseph LaRue
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, James R.
• Application Number:
  US05/446,260
• Time in Patent Office: 307 Days
• Field of Search: 200/16R,16C,16D,16F,17R,18,153P,158,302,303,324,330,332,335-337,339,291
• US Class Current: 200/16.00D
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 15/005 adapted for connection with printed circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 15/10 Operating parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/164 with rectilinearly movable member carrying the contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/04 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings

Abstract

The present invention relates to a double-throw double-pole switch the design of which requires but a minimum number of parts and a minimum requirement for fasteners, adhesives and the like thereby facilitating ease in manufacture. The switch is additionally well adapted for miniaturization in the form of a microelectronic component known as dual-in-line package (DIP). The poles of the switch are in the form of electrical contacts aligned to provide the well-known opposed pairs of electrical leads for the DIP. A lever or cam for actuating the switch is assembled without the need for conventional fasteners, such as screws or adhesives and the like, thereby permitting rapid manufacture of the switch without the time consumption and skill otherwise required for assembly using such conventional fasteners.

Claims

1. A switch comprising:

a base of dielectric material, a cover of dielectric material overlying said base, said base and said cover together comprising a housing, at least two adjacent electrically conducting springs on each opposed side of said base, said springs having first portions projecting in depending relationship from said base to provide electrical terminals protruding externally of said base for making electrical connections externally of said housing, said springs having second portions in opposed spaced relationship in said housing, a carriage slidably received for sliding displacement in said housing, said carriage being received between each opposed pair of second portions of said springs and having a first and a second conductor strip on opposed sides of said carriage, said carriage being displaceable to a first position and having a first conductor strip electrically engaging two adjacent springs to complete a first electrical circuit therebetween, said carriage being displaceable to said first position and having said second conductor strip electrically engaging two adjacent springs to complete a second electrical circuit therebetween, said carriage being displaceable in said housing to a second position to disengage said first conductor strip from one of said springs and thereby interrupt said first electrical circuit, and to disengage said second conductor strip from another of said springs and thereby interrupt said second circuit, and a lever on said carriage protruding externally of said housing for receiving applied forces thereto for pivoting said lever and for displacing said carriage to either of said first or said second positions.

2. The structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said lever includes a pivotal connection to said carriage, said housing having an aperture receiving said lever therethrough, and said housing having at least a portion adjacent said aperture to provide a fulcrum over which said lever is pivoted, said lever being pivotally displaceable in one direction to slidably displace said carriage to said first position, said lever being pivotally displaceable in a second direction to slidably displace the carriage to said second position.

3. The structure as recited in claim 2, wherein said pivotal connection comprises projecting dowel portions on said lever, said carriage having a pair of inverted grooves respectively receiving said dowel portions, and further including:

an opening in said carriage freely receiving said lever therethrough.

4. The structure as recited in claim 2, wherein said base includes a projection thereon, said lever having an end slidably engageable over said projection upon pivotal displacement of said lever in either of said first direction or said second direction, said projection providing a latch to prevent pivotal motion of said lever in the absence of forces applied to said lever.

5. The structure as recited in claim 2, wherein each of said springs interfits with a groove on said base, said cover overlies said base, and said cover retains said springs between said base and said cover.

6. A sealed switch, comprising:

a housing, a plurality of electrical contacts having first portions protruding from said base providing electrical terminals externally of said base, said electrical contacts having second portions internally of said housing in spaced relationship, a carriage having an electrical conductor element and being displaceable in said housing for engagement of said conductor element sequentially with selected contact second portions, a cylindrical cam element protruding from an aperture provided in said housing, a sealing ring encircling said cam element and in sealing compression between said cam element and said housing to seal said housing aperture from leakage of contaminants into said housing, said cam element being rotatable about fixed axis of rotation, and means connecting said cam element and said carriage for transmitting rotation of said cam element into linear displacement of said carriage, whereby rotation of said cam element causes translation of said carriage to engage said conductor element against selected contact second portions.

7. A structure as recited in claim 6, wherein said means includes:

a cylindrical projection depending from said cam element and being offset from the axis of rotation of said cam element, whereby rotation of said cam element causes a curvalinear displacement of said projection about the cam element axis of rotation, an elongated slot in said carriage extending transversely of the direction of linear displacement of said carriage; and

said slot receiving the projection therein, said projection upon curvilinear displacement thereof causing linear translation of said carriage and simultaneous translation of said projection along said slot.

8. The structure as recited in claim 6, and further including:

said housing being provided with a plurality of detents, a resilient projection depending from said carriage for registration in said detents, said projection being resiliently deflected by said housing and resiliently deflecting into registration with each detent in turn to position and locate said carriage in desired positions within said housing.

9. The structure as recited in claim 8, wherein said projection means comprises a pair of resilient fingers integral with said carriage, said detent means comprises a slot having relatively wide and relatively narrow width portions, said fingers being forcibly resiliently deflected toward each other upon passage of said fingers along said relatively narrow portions of said slot, and said fingers being permitted to resiliently deflect away from each other for registration within said relatively wide portions of said slot and thereby detent said carriage in desired positions, with said fingers being in registration in said slot between relatively narrow portions of said slot to provide a resilient latch against displacement of said carriage from said desired positions.

10. The structure as recited in claim 6, wherein, said carriage slidably abuts said base portion and said cover portion, and said cam element slidably abuts said carriage.

11. The structure as recited in claim 6, wherein said base portion and said cover portion overlap each other to provide relatIvely large surface areas abutting to resist flow of contaminants.

12. The structure as recited in claim 6, and further including:

said housing being provided with a plurality of detents, a resilient portion on said cam element for registration in turn within each of said detents, said projection being resiliently deflected into and out of registration within said detents to position and locate said carriage in desired positions within said housing.

13. The structure as recited in claim 12, wherein said cam element is provided with a substantially hollow portion defining a resilient flap portion to which said projection is mounted, said housing having said detents spaced opposite the periphery of said cam element, and said projection adapted for registration in turn with each of said detents as said cam element is rotated.

14. The structure as recited in claim 6, wherein the housing includes a bottom wall provided with a track, said carriage being provided with a pair projecting feet slidably received in said track.

15. The structure as recited in claim 14, wherein said feet project outwardly in outrigger relationship from said carriage to assist said carriage in slidable displacement within said housing.