Ball actuated position sensitive switch
First Claim
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1. A multi-directional switch comprising:
- a housing comprising two electrical contacts, one of said contacts being movable between a closed position and an open position;
an actuating member movably disposed in the housing and having a control portion engaging the movable contact and a cup-shaped recess opening away from the contacts;
mutually engageable first and second fulcrum means provided respectively on the actuating member and in the housing, radially between a deepest area of the cup-shaped recess and an outer edge of the cup-shaped recess;
a ball movable in the housing;
the housing being internally shaped so as to limit movement of the actuating member and of the ball, and maintain the ball in the cup-shaped recess, and the first and second fulcrum means in a mutually facing relationship;
wherein the control portion controls displacement of the movable contact into one of its positions when the actuating member is in a seated position in which the first and second fulcrum means are mutually engaged all around the deepest area, whereas the control portion controls displacement of the movable contact into its other of said closed and open positions when the actuating member is in a tilted-away position with the first and second fulcrum means being at least partly lifted from one another.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The multi-directional switch according to the invention possesses a housing (1), in which at least two electrical contacts (2, 3) are arranged opposite one another, a tilting member (5) being supported in the housing (1) by means of a tilting part (6) and having a control part (7) extending in the vicinity of one of the electrical contacts, the ball being carried by a surface (9) of the tilting member (5) opposite the tilting part (6) and having a profile in the form of a cup.
25 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A multi-directional switch comprising:
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a housing comprising two electrical contacts, one of said contacts being movable between a closed position and an open position; an actuating member movably disposed in the housing and having a control portion engaging the movable contact and a cup-shaped recess opening away from the contacts; mutually engageable first and second fulcrum means provided respectively on the actuating member and in the housing, radially between a deepest area of the cup-shaped recess and an outer edge of the cup-shaped recess; a ball movable in the housing; the housing being internally shaped so as to limit movement of the actuating member and of the ball, and maintain the ball in the cup-shaped recess, and the first and second fulcrum means in a mutually facing relationship; wherein the control portion controls displacement of the movable contact into one of its positions when the actuating member is in a seated position in which the first and second fulcrum means are mutually engaged all around the deepest area, whereas the control portion controls displacement of the movable contact into its other of said closed and open positions when the actuating member is in a tilted-away position with the first and second fulcrum means being at least partly lifted from one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A switch comprising:
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a housing having two electrical contacts, one of said contacts being movable between a closed position and an open position; a tilter member having an inclined surface and a control portion; and
a ball adapted to bear against said inclined surface of said tilter member and movable along a path on said inclined surface, said surface facing away from the contacts and said path overriding a position where the tilter member is tiltingly supported in said housing between a first position in which a control portion of said tilter member controls displacement of the movable contact into one of its positions, and a second position in which the control portion controls displacement of the movable contact into its other of said closed and open positions;means for maintaining the ball captive adjacent the inclined surface. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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Specification