Cam operated switch having wavy spring contact assembly abutting stop or fixed contact thereby storing kinetic energy prior to subsequent engagement with a fixed contact assembly
First Claim
1. An electric switch comprising a housing, at least one fixed contact in said housing, at least one resilient movable contact in said housing having a fixed end secured on said housing and an opposite movable end with a contact portion held by said movable end in a position spaced from said fixed contact, a supporting member in said housing located between said movable and fixed ends of said movable contact and on the same side of said movable contact as said fixed contact, and actuating means engageable with said movable resilient contact intermediate its length on a portion thereof between said supporting member and said fixed contact to move it towards said support member and said fixed contact, said intermediate portion of said movable contact including a portion extending in the direction of said support member, said support member being located in a position to be engageable with said movable contact intermediate portion by movement of said actuating means in a direction to move said contact portion into engagement with said fixed contact, said support member engaging said intermediate portion before said movable contact is engaged with said fixed contact and said actuating means bearing against said movable contact so as to bias it into engagement with said fixed contact by deflecting it downwardly from said support member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical switch comprises a housing with at least one fixed contact thereon and at least one resilient movable contact which has a fixed end secured on said housing and an opposite movable end with a contact portion which is held by the fixed end in a position spaced from the fixed contact. The housing includes a supporting member located between the movable and fixed ends of the movable contact and on the same side as the fixed contact. The movable contact is engageable by actuating means which includes a rotatable cam which first contacts an intermediate wave-shaped portion to cause an inwardly directed portion of the movable contact to move first into engagement with the support member and to subsequently cause the contact portion to move into engagement with the fixed contact.
36 Citations
16 Claims
- 1. An electric switch comprising a housing, at least one fixed contact in said housing, at least one resilient movable contact in said housing having a fixed end secured on said housing and an opposite movable end with a contact portion held by said movable end in a position spaced from said fixed contact, a supporting member in said housing located between said movable and fixed ends of said movable contact and on the same side of said movable contact as said fixed contact, and actuating means engageable with said movable resilient contact intermediate its length on a portion thereof between said supporting member and said fixed contact to move it towards said support member and said fixed contact, said intermediate portion of said movable contact including a portion extending in the direction of said support member, said support member being located in a position to be engageable with said movable contact intermediate portion by movement of said actuating means in a direction to move said contact portion into engagement with said fixed contact, said support member engaging said intermediate portion before said movable contact is engaged with said fixed contact and said actuating means bearing against said movable contact so as to bias it into engagement with said fixed contact by deflecting it downwardly from said support member.
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16. An electric switch comprising a housing having a plurality of chambers therein, at least one fixed contact in each of said chambers, at least one resilient movable contact in each of said housing chambers having a fixed end secured on said housing and an opposite movable end with a contact portion held by said fixed end in a postion spaced from said fixed contact, a supporting member in each of said housing chambers located between said movable and said fixed ends of said movable contact and on the same side of said movable contact as said fixed contact, a rotatable shaft mounted in said housing and having a cam portion located in each of said housing chambers engageable with said movable resilient contact intermediate its length, said shaft being rotatable to cause said cam portions to move said movable contact towards said support member and said fixed contact, said intermediate portion of said movable contact including a portion extending in the direction of said support member which is engageable with said support member, said support member being located in a position to be engageable with said movable contact intermediate its length by movement of said cam portion in a direction to move said movable contact portion into engagement with said fixed contact before said movable contact portion is engaged with said fixed contact, said cam bearing against said movable contact so as to bias it into engagement with said fixed contact by deflecting it downwardly from said support member.
Specification