Miniature electrical switch

• US 4,031,345 A
• Filed: 11/26/1975
• Issued: 06/21/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Grayhill Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Grayhill Incorporated
• Inventors: Garcia, Ricardo L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayewsky, Volodymyr Y.
• Application Number:
  US05/635,652
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5 A, 200/5 B, 200/6 R, 200/6 B, 200/6 BB, 200/8 R, 200/11 J, 200/11 K, 200/16 R, 200/16 C, 200/16 D, 200/29, 200/50 C, 200/51 R, 200/61.59 , 200/65.67 R, 200/67 A, 200/67 AA, 200/68, 200/69, 200/74, 200/75, 200/76, 200/77, 200/88, 200/100 R, 200/144, 200/153 L, 200/153 LA, 200/153 G, 200/153 A , 200/153 J, 200/154, 200/235, 200/287, 200/275, 200/277, 200/287, 200/293, 200/303, 200/332, 200/333, 200/336, 200/DIG. 29
• US Class Current: 200/455
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/16 by rolling; by wrapping; Roller or ball contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/006 adapted for connection with printed circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 200/29 Ball

Abstract

A miniature electrical switch including a housing having a cover and a base plate and a switching assembly within the housing. The switching assembly includes a switch actuator, a ball contactor and a spring, together with a contact assembly. A plurality of contacts are engageable by the ball contactor to electrically interconnect contacts connected to a circuit. The contacts are arranged to enable the switch to be used in single-pole double-throw, double-pole double-throw or multiple-pole double-throw modes.

Claims

1. A miniature electrical switch for controlling the operation of circuit means comprising,

a housing of electrical insulating material,

said housing including a cover and a base plate,

said cover being generally rectangular in shape and having a top wall, opposed side and end walls and defining an opening opposite the top wall,

and switching means within the housing which includes a contact assembly, a switch actuator, a biasing means and an electrically conductive ball contactor, wherein said switch actuator, biasing means and ball contactor move together between first and second switch positions relative said contact assembly,

said base plate being sized to close the opening opposite the top wall and retain said switching means within the housing,

said cover having bearing means for pivotally mounting said actuator therein and an opening in one wall through which a part of the actuator protrudes for access to operate same,

said actuator having a recess for receiving said biasing means and said ball contactor, said recess having an end wall, whereby said biasing means seats at one end on the recess end wall and the ball contactor engages the other end thereof,

said contact assembly including a terminal support member of electrical insulating material and a set of first, second and third electrically conductive members, each conductive member having a contact portion and a conductor connection portion, said contact portions being spaced apart along a line transverse the pivot axis of the actuator and in alignment with the path of movement of the ball contactor for engagement therewith, and said conductor connection portions extending through holes in said base plate to the exterior of the housing,

and said biasing means urging said actuator into seated position in the bearing means and said contactor into engagement with said contact portions, said contact portions being arranged to cause positive positioning of the contactor with said first and second contact portions or said second and third contact portions thereby causing positive positioning of said actuator and electrical connection between said first and second contact portions or said second and third contact portions.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said actuator and said terminal support member of the contact assembly include means for limiting the pivotal movement of the actuator.

3. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said biasing means comprises a coil spring.

4. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said switch includes a plurality of switching means and coacting contact assemblies.

5. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said switching means includes an actuator coacting with a plurality of biasing means and ball contactors, and a plurality of contact assemblies one for each ball contactor.

6. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said switching means includes an actuator coacting with a pair of biasing means and ball contactors, and a plurality of contact assemblies one for each ball contactor so that the contact assemblies can be connected to provide a double-pole double-throw mode.

7. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said actuator is a rocker.

8. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said actuator is a toggle.

9. A miniature electrical switch for controlling the operation of circuit means comprising,

a housing of electrical insulating material,

said housing including a cover and a base plate,

said cover being generally rectangular in shape and having a top wall, opposed side end walls and defining an opening opposite the top wall,

and switching means within the housing which includes a contact assembly, a plurality of switch actuators, a plurality of biasing means and a plurality of electrically conductive ball contactors, wherein one of said switch actuators, biasing means and ball contactors move together between first and second switch positions relative the contact assembly,

said base plate being sized to close the opening opposite the top wall and retain said switching means within the housing,

said cover having a plurality of bearing means for pivotally mounting said actuators therein in juxtaposed position and openings in one wall through which a part of each actuator protrudes for access to operate same,

each said actuator having a recess for receiving a biasing means and a ball contactor, each said recess having an end wall, whereby each said biasing means seats on one end on a recess end wall and a ball contactor engages the other end thereof,

said contact assembly including a terminal support member of electrical insulating material and a plurality of sets of first, second and third electrically conductive members, each conductive member having a contact portion and a conductor connection portion, said contact portions of each set being spaced apart along a line transverse the pivot axes of the actuator for said set and in alignment with the path of movement of the ball contactor therefor for engagement therewith, and the conductor connection portions of each set extending through holes in said base plate to the exterior of the housing,

and the biasing means for each actuator urging same into seated position in a bearing means and the contactor therefor into engagement with a set of contact portions,

said contact portions being arranged to cause positive positioning of the contactor with said first the second contact portions or said second and third contact portions thereby causing positive positioning of said actuator and electrical connection between said first and second contact portions or said second and third contact portions.

10. The combination as defined in claim 9, wherein each said actuator and said terminal support member of the contact assembly include means for limiting the pivotal movement of each actuator.

11. The combination as defined in claim 9, wherein each said acutator is a rocker.

12. The combination as defined in claim 9, wherein each said actuator is a toggle.

13. A miniature electrical switch for controlling the operation of circuit means comprising,

a housing of electrical insulating material,

said housing including a cover and a base plate,

said cover being generally rectangular in shape and having a top wall, opposed side and end walls and defining an opening opposite the top wall,

and switching means within the housing which includes a contact assembly, a switch actuator, a pair of biasing means and a pair of electrically conductive ball conductors, wherein said switch actuator, biasing means and ball contactors move together between first and second switch positions relative said contact assembly,

said base plate being sized to close the opening opposite the top wall and retain said switching means within the housing,

said cover having bearing means for pivotally mounting said actuator therein and an opening in one wall through which a part of the actuator protrudes for access to operate same,

said actuator having a pair of spaced recesses each receiving a biasing means and a ball contactor, each recess having an end wall whereby the biasing means therefor seats at one end on the recess end wall and the ball contactor therefor engages the other end thereof,

said contact assembly including a terminal support member of electrical insulating material and a pair of sets of first, second and third electrically conductive members, each conductive member having a contact portion and a conductor connection portion, said contact portions of each said set being spaced apart along a line transverse the pivot axis of the actuator and in alignment with the path of movement of one of said ball contactors for engagement therewith, and said conductor connection portions extending through holes in said base plate to the exterior of the housing,

and both said biasing means urging said actuator into seated position in the bearing means and both said actuators into respective engagement with the contact portions of each said set, said contact portions being arranged to cause positive positioning of the contactors respectively with said first and second contact portions or said second and third contact portions of a set thereby causing positive positioning of said actuator and electrical connection between said first and second contact portions or said second and third contact portions of each said set.

14. The combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said actuator and said terminal support member of the contact assembly include means for limiting the pivotal movement of said actuator.

15. The combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said actuator is a rocker.

16. The combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said actuator is a toggle.

17. A miniature electrical switch for controlling the operation of circuit means comprising,

a housing of electrical insulating material,

said housing including a cover and a base plate,

said cover being generally rectangular in shape and having a top wall, opposed side and end walls and defining an opening opposite the top wall,

and switching means within the housing which includes a contact assembly, a plurality of switch actuators, a pair of biasing means a pair of electrically conductive ball contactors for each said switch actuator, wherein each said switch actuator, respective biasing means and ball contactors move together between first and second switch positions relative said contact assembly,

said base plate being sized to close the opening opposite the top wall and retain said switching means within the housing,

said cover having a plurality of bearing means for pivotally mounting said acuators therein in juxtaposed position and openings in one wall through which a part of each actuator protrudes for access to operate same,

each said actuator having a pair of spaced recesses each receiving a biasing means and a ball contactor, each recess having an end wall whereby the biasing means therefor seats at one end on the recess end wall and the ball contactor therefor engages the other end thereof,

said contact assembly including a terminal support member of electrical insulating material and a pair of sets of first, second and third electrically conductive members for each actuator, each conductive member having a contact portion and a conductor connection portion, said contact portions of each said set being spaced apart along a line transverse the pivot axis of the actuator and in alignment with the path of movement of one of said ball contactors for engagement therewith, and said conductor connection portions extending portion holes in said base plate to the exterior of the housing,

and both said biasing means for each said actuator urging said actuator into seated position in the bearing means and both said contactors therefor into respective engagement with the contact portions of a set, said contact portions being arranged to cause positive positioning of the contactors respectively with said first and second contact portions or said second and third contact portions of a set thereby causing positive positioning of said actuator and electrical connection between said first and second contact portions or said second and third contact portions of each said set.

18. The combination as defined in claim 17, wherein each said actuator and said terminal support member of the contact assembly include means for limiting the pivotal movement of each actuator.

19. The combination as defined in claim 17, wherein each said actuator is a rocker.

20. The combination as defined in claim 17, wherein each said actuator is a toggle.

21. A miniature electrical switch for controlling the operation of circuit means comprising,

a housing of electrical insulating material,

said housing being generally rectangular in shape and having a top wall, opposed side and end walls and defining an opening opposite the top wall,

and switching means within the housing which includes a contact assembly, a switch actuator, a biasing means and an electrically conductive ball contactor, wherein said switch actuator, biasing means and ball contactor move together between first and second switch positions relative said contact assembly,

said housing having bearing means therein for pivotally mounting said acutator therein and an opening in one wall through which a part of the actuator protrudes for access to operate same,

said actuator having a recess for receiving said biasing means and said ball contactor, said recess having an end wall, whereby said biasing means seats at one end on the recess end wall and the ball contactor engages the other end thereof,

said contact assembly including a terminal support member of electrical insulating material and a set of first, second and third electrically conductive members, each conductive member having a contact portion and a conductor connection portion, said contact portions being spaced apart along a line transverse the pivot axis of the actuator and in alignment with the path of movement of the ball contactor for engagement therewith,

and said biasing means urging said actuator into seated position in the bearing means and said contactor into engagement with said contact portions, said contact portions being arranged to cause positive positioning of the contactor with said first and second contact portions or said second and third contact portions thereby causing positive positioning of said actuator and electrical connection between said first and second contact portions or said second and third contact portions.