Rocker-type electrical switch

• US 5,382,768 A
• Filed: 11/13/1992
• Issued: 01/17/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Schroeder, David, Kurek, Stephen R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walczak, David J.
• Application Number:
  US07/976,073
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 200/553, 200/557, 200/558, 200/559, 200/339, 200/556, 200/561, 200/547, 200/548, 200/563, 200/315
• US Class Current: 200/556
• CPC Class Codes: F02F 7/006 Camshaft or pushrod housings
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/143 having a generally flat elongated shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/16 Driving mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/164 with rectilinearly movable member carrying the contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/62 Lubricating means structurally associated with the switch for lubricating contact-making surfaces H01H1/60

Abstract

A rocker-type electrical switch of the kind known as a "quiet switch" includes a manually depressible rocker having two opposed contact surfaces at a small angle to each other from which rocker depends a rocker arm terminating in a rocker cam. A slider positioned intermediately of the rocker and the rocker cam is moved back and forth by side-to-side movements of the rocker arm and opens and closes one or more pairs of contacts. Rocker movement is controlled by a rocker cam leaf spring engaging the rocker cam which spring has a cammed profile traversed by the rocker cam to slow the switch, lock the rocker and provide other desirable effects. The rocker cam spring is housed in a spring chamber longer than itself, allowing the rocker cam spring to float.

Claims

1. An electrical rocker switch comprising:

a switch housing;

a manually movable rocker cover mounted on said housing;

actuator means having a first end and a second end, said actuator means attached to said rocker cover at said first end and movable in response to the movement of said rocker cover;

said housing comprising a support means adjacent to and spaced apart from said second end of said actuator means;

slider means comprised wholly of insulating material, coupled to and adjacent said second end of said actuator means and responsive to movement of said actuator means to move in one of two opposite directions along a common linear axis;

a fixed terminal assembly mounted in said housing and having a contact thereon and a movable brush assembly comprising a resilient brush arm fixed to said housing at a first end and having a first contact on said resilient brush arm at a second end, said resilient brush arm biased to bring said first contact on said resilient brush arm into mating position with said contact of said fixed terminal assembly to thereby electrically close said switch and said resilient brush arm being movable by said slider means to disengage said first contact on said resilient brush arm from said contact of said fixed terminal assembly to thereby electrically open said switch; and

a cam spring positioned adjacent to said second end of said actuator means and upon said support means;

said second end of said actuator means engaging said cam spring to aid in the control of the movement of said actuator means.

6. The electrical rocker switch of claim 1, wherein said housing further comprises a switch base having separate chambers therein for individually housing said slider means, said cam spring, said fixed terminal assembly, and said movable brush assembly in a separate chamber.

7. The electrical rocker switch of claim 6, wherein said spring chamber in which said cam spring is located, has a length greater than that of said cam spring such that said cam spring is free to float therein.

8. The electrical rocker switch of claim 6, further comprising a rocker cover frame in which said rocker cover is mounted and which is mateable with said switch base.

9. The electrical rocker switch of claim 8, wherein said switch base and said rocker cover frame are each made of a high-impact thermoplastic material.

10. The electrical rocker switch of claim 9, wherein said high-impact thermoplastic material is polycarbonate.

11. The electrical rocker switch of claim 8, further comprising illumination means mounted in said rocker cover frame.

12. The electrical rocker switch of claim 11, wherein said illumination means comprises a light bulb and a voltage dropping resistor connected in series with said light bulb.

13. The electrical rocker switch of claim 6, further comprising front and rear wire clamp assemblies mounted in said housing.

14. The electrical rocker switch of claim 1, further comprising a unitary mounting strap attached to said housing, said mounting strap providing a cradle-like support for holding said switch in a wall box.

15. The electrical rocker switch of claim 14, wherein said mounting strap is made of sheet metal.

2. An electrical rocker switch comprising:

a switch housing;

a manually movable rocker cover mounted on said housing;

actuator means having a first end and a second end, said actuator means attached to said rocker cover at said first end and movable in response to the movement of said rocker cover;

said housing comprising a support means adjacent to and spaced apart from said second end of said actuator means;

slider means comprised wholly of insulation material coupled to and adjacent said second end of said actuator means and responsive to movement of said actuator means to move in one of two opposite directions along a common linear axis;

said actuator means comprises a rocker arm whose movement corresponds to movement of said rocker cover to swing in a direction to move said slider means in said one of two opposite directions, said rocker arm having a rocker cam at said second end remote from said rocker cover;

a fixed terminal assembly mounted in said housing having a contact thereon and a movable brush assembly comprising a resilient brush arm fixed to said housing at a first end and having a first contact on said resilient brush arm at a second end, said resilient brush arm biased to bring said first contact on said resilient brush arm into mating position with said contact of said fixed terminal assembly to thereby electrically close said switch and said resilient brush arm being movable by said slide means to disengage said first contact on said resilient brush arm from said contact of said fixed terminal assembly to thereby electrically open said switch; and

a cam spring positioned adjacent to said rocker cam and upon said support means, said rocker cam engaging said cam spring to aid in the control of the movement of said activating means.

3. The electrical rocker switch of claim 2, wherein said slider means comprises a slider having a midportion including a tapered slot, to receive therein said rocker arm, said tapered slot having predetermined dimensions to provide a tight fit with said rocker arm inserted in said slot whereby substantially all of the swinging motion of said rocker arm is applied to said slider to contact and move said resilient brush arm.

4. The electrical rocker switch of claim 2, wherein said rocker cover, said rocker arm, and said slider means are all made of a high-impact thermoplastic material.

5. The electrical rocker switch of claim 4, wherein said high-impact thermoplastic material is polycarbonate.

16. An electrical rocker switch comprising:

a switch housing;

a mechanically movable rocker cover mounted on said housing;

actuator means having a first end and a second end, said actuator means attached to said rocker cover and movable in response to movement of said rocker cover;

slider means responsive to movement of said actuator means to move in one of two opposite directions along a common linear axis;

a fixed terminal assembly mounted in said housing and having a contact thereon and a movable brush assembly comprising a resilient brush arm fixed to said housing at a first and having a first contract on, said resilient brush arm biased to bring said first contract on said resilient brush arm into mating position with said contact of said fixed terminal assembly to electrically close said switch and said resilient brush arm being movable by said slider means to disengage said first contact of said resilient brush arm from said contact of said fixed terminal assembly to electrically open said switch; and

a cam spring positioned in said housing and adjacent to said second end of said actuator means to contact said second end of said actuator means to aid in the control of the movement of said actuator means;

said cam spring is substantially symmetrical about a central apex and comprises two relatively short cam portions which extend downwardly, respectively on each side of said apex, meeting at an obtuse angle to each other, two respective relatively long upwardly directed support portions respectively connected to ends of said two cam portions, and two mined under outer end portions respectively connected to end of said two support portions.

17. An electrical rocker switch comprising;

a switch housing

a mechanically movable rocker cover mounted on said housing;

actuator means having a first end and a second end, said actuator means attached to said rocker cover and movable in response to movement of said rocker cover;

slider means composed wholly of insulating material and responsive to movement of said actuator means to move in one of two opposite directions;

a fixed terminal assembly mounted in said housing and having a contact thereon and a movable brush assembly comprising a resilient brush arm fixed to said housing at a first end and having a first contact on said resilient brush arm at a second end said resilient brush arm biased to bring said first contact on said resilient brush arm into mating position with said contact of said fixed terminal assembly to electrically close said switch and said resilient brush arm being movable by said slider means to disengage said first contact of said resilient brush arm from said contact of said fixed terminal assembly to electrically open said switch;

said housing further including a switch base having separate chambers therein for individually housing said slider means, said cam spring, said fixed terminal assembly and said movable brush assembly in a separate chamber; and

and

a cam spring positioned adjacent to one end of said actuator means to contact said one end of said actuator means and thus oppose movement thereof, said cam spring is substantially symmetrical about a center plane and comprises a small center well whose sides respectively rise to a pair of aspics, a pair of downward ramp portions respectively joined to said well sides at said pair of apices, a pair of horizontal support portions, respectively joined to the ends of said pair of downward ramp portions remote from said apices, and a pair of folded under end portions respectively joined to ends of said pair of horizontal support portions.

18. An electrical rocker switch comprising:

a switch housing;

a manually movable rocker cover mounted on said housing;

said rocker cover has two relatively short side walls, two relatively long end walls, and two upper contact surfaces oriented to be canted to each other at a small angle;

actuator means having a first end and a second end, said actuator means attached to said rocker cover at said first end and movable in response to the movement of said rocker cover;

said housing comprising a support means adjacent to and spaced apart from said second end of said actuator means;

slider means comprised wholly of insulating material coupled to and adjacent said second end of said actuator means and responsive to movement of said actuator means to move in one of two opposite directions along a common linear axis;

a fixed terminal assembly mounted in said housing and having a contact thereon and a movable brush assembly comprising a resilient brush arm fixed to said housing at a first end and having a first contact on said resilient brush arm at a second end, biased to bring said first contact on said resilient brush into mating positions with said contact of said fixed terminal assembly to thereby electrically close said switch and said resilient brush arm being movable by said slider means to disengage said first contact on said resilient brush arm from said contact of said fixed terminal assembly to thereby electrically open said switch;

a cam spring positioned adjacent to said second end of said actuator means and upon said support means, said second end of said actuator means engaging said cam spring to aid in the control of the movement of said actuator means;

said housing further comprising

a switch base having separate chambers therein for individually housing said slider means, said cam spring, said fixed terminal assembly, and said movable brush assembly in a separate chamber;

a rocker cover frame in which said rocker cover is mounted and which is matable with said switch base; and

said rocker cover frame has at each end thereof a pair of inwardly facing load bearing stops against the tops of which said rocker cover end walls can abut when said rocker cover is pressed.