Illuminated electric switches

• US 4,221,945 A
• Filed: 02/16/1979
• Issued: 09/09/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Jobst, Wolfgang, Ehrenberger, Gunter, Mobus, Dietmar
• Primary Examiner(s): Marcus, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US06/012,955
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 200/312-317, 116/257, 116/258, 116/279, 116/DIG. 28, 116/DIG. 29
• US Class Current: 200/316
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/182 Illumination of the symbols or distinguishing marks H01H9/181 takes precedence

Abstract

In an illuminated rotary electric switch, for use in a motor vehicle to indicate the location of the switch, its condition of operation, and, if desired, its function, a manually rotatable switch member is provided with a central opening arranged so that light can be projected longitudinally therethrough from a single light source so as to indicate the location of the switch (and its function, if desired) and with a further opening which can be brought into and out of registration with an aperture in a fixed portion of the switch through which light from said source can be projected laterally, so as thereby to uncover or mask said aperture and thus indicate the condition of operation of the switch.

Claims

1. A rotary switch provided with a light source for indicating the location of the switch when installed, and its condition, said rotary switch comprising a stationary carrier member including a base plate and concentric outer and inner cylindrical walls extending therefrom, a manually operable switch knob having a hollow cylinder portion mounted for rotation about said inner cylindrical wall between an "OFF" position and an "ON" position, a radially extending flange formed with said cylinder portion and extending between said inner and outer cylindrical walls, detent means located between said switch knob and said carrier member for maintaining said switch knob in said "OFF" and "ON" positions, a light bulb supported by said carrier member and located within said inner cylindrical wall and said cylinder portion of said switch knob, said switch knob having a first opening formed therein to permit light rays emitted by said light bulb to be projected through said opening longitudinally of said cylinder portion so as to indicate the location of the rotary switch, said inner cylindrical wall having an opening therein adapted to receive light projected laterally of said inner cylindrical wall from said bulb, and said switch knob cylinder portion having in the wall thereof an opening of sufficient circumferential extent, and so arranged, that rotation of said switch knob brings the opening in the switch knob into and out of radial alignment with the opening in said inner cylindrical wall but permits projected light from said bulb to pass through the opening in said cylinder portion in the "OFF" and in the "ON" positions of said switch knob, said knob having thereon a member carrying symbols which represent the different positions of the switch and which are illuminated by said laterally projected light, and said outer cylindrical wall having a masking flange which overlies said symbol-carrying member and is formed with an opening therein of dimensions sufficient to permit only one of said indicia to be rendered visible to a viewer in each position of rotation of said switch knob, and thereby indicate to a viewer that the switch is in an "ON" or "OFF" condition.

2. A rotary switch provided with a light source for indicating the location and the particular position of the switch, said rotary switch comprising a stationary carrier member including a base plate and concentric outer and inner cylindrical walls extending therefrom, a manually operable switch knob having a hollow cylinder portion mounted for rotation about said inner cylindrical wall between an "OFF" position and "ON" position, a radially extending flange formed with said cylinder portion and extending between said inner and outer cylindrical walls, detent means located between said switch knob and said carrier member for maintaining said switch knob in said "OFF" and "ON" positions, a light bulb supported by said carrier member and located within said inner cylindrical wall, a first opening formed in said switch knob to permit light emitted by said light bulb to be projected longitudinally of said cylinder portion so as to indicate the location of the rotary switch, a second opening formed in said inner cylindrical wall to permit light from said light bulb to be projected through said second opening laterally of said inner cylindrical wall, and an aperture formed in said cylinder portion and having a circumferential length such that said laterally projected light can pass therethrough in the "ON" and in the "OFF" positions of the switch knob, a member carried on said switch knob and bearing symbols to denote the "ON" and "OFF" positions of said switch knob and arranged to be illuminated by said laterally projected light in all positions of rotation of said switch knob, and a masking flange formed on said outer wall so as to overlie and conceal from view said illuminated symbols, said masking flange being formed with an aperture therein such that, in each position of rotary adjustment of said switch knob, only the symbol which corresponds to the adjusted position of the switch knob is exposed to view.