Assembly for sequential switching

• US 5,510,583 A
• Filed: 03/18/1994
• Issued: 04/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (Aptiv PLC)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Pescetto, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Friedhofer, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US08/210,868
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 200/1 R, 200/1 B, 200/4, 200/5 R, 200/5 B, 200/5 C, 200/5 D, 200/6 R, 200/6 B, 200/6 BA, 200/6 BB, 200/6 C, 200/17 R, 200/18, 200/50 R, 200/50 C, 200/553, 200/557 , 200/558, 200/559, 200/560, 200/562, 200/339
• US Class Current: 200/1.00B
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/00 Power-operated mechanisms for wings motor-operated accessories in locks for completing closing or initiating opening of a wing E05B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/854 Switches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/86 by hand
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/018 Tumbler
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/018 Consecutive operations
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/003 with more than one electrically distinguishable condition in one or both positions
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/01 Application power window

Abstract

A switch assembly having a rocker type actuator user moveable for actuating plural switches in a housing. The rocker type actuator includes first and second rocker members journalled together for rotation about a common axis. The first member has a paddle extending out of the housing and a first cam portion for actuating a first switch upon initial rotation in one direction. Upon continued rotation in the same direction, overtravel of the first switch is absorbed by a torsion spring which permits resiliently biased lost motion of the first cam with respect to a second cam for subsequent actuation of a second switch. The torsion spring provides a significant increase in the force required to move the actuator between the first and second switch actuation to provide tactiley discernable feedback to the user of the state of switch actuations.

Claims

1. A switch assembly comprising

(a) housing means having disposed therein a plurality of switches, each of said switches with a stationary and a moveable contact and an actuator member operable upon movement to effect opening and closing of the moveable contact against the stationary contact for each of the switches;

(b) a user moveable rocker member pivotally mounted on said housing means for rotation in opposite directions about an axis and including a first cam portion thereof operable upon user movement in a first direction to effect movement of said actuator of one of said plurality of switches for effecting closing of the contacts thereof;

(c) a second rocker member mounted for rotation about said axis on said housing means and including a second cam portion operable upon continued user movement of said first rocker member in said first direction to effect movement of said actuator of a second one of said plurality of switches and closing of the contacts thereof; and

,

(d) means for biasing said second rocker member in a direction opposite said first direction and operable to provide for lost-motion between said first and second rocker members during said continued movement.

2. The switch assembly defined in claim 1, wherein said means for biasing includes a torsion spring.

3. The switch assembly defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second rocker members include portions thereof interconnected in a journalling relationship.

4. The switch assembly defined in claim 1, wherein said first rocker member includes a user contactable portion extending exteriorly of said housing means.

5. A switch assembly comprising:

(a) housing means;

(b) a plurality of electrical switches mounted in said housing means;

(c) rocker means rotatably mounted on said housing means and user moveable in opposite directions and operable for sequentially actuating selected ones of said plurality of switches;

(d) means for providing a limited resiliently biased lost motion during user movement of said rocker means in one direction between actuation of a first of said switches and a second of said switches.

6. The switch assembly defined in claim 5, wherein said rocker means includes a first user moveable rocker member and a second rocker member interconnected with said first rocker member in a journalling arrangement;

and, said means for providing lost motion includes torsion spring means having one reaction end anchored to said first rocker member and an opposite reaction end anchored to said second rocker member.

7. The switch assembly defined in claim 5, wherein said means for providing a lost motion includes a torsion spring.

8. The switch assembly defined in claim 5, wherein said housing means includes light source means;

and, said rocker means includes light transmitting means operable to provide an illuminated indicia of a position, of said rocker means.

9. A method of actuating a plurality of switches sequentially comprising:

(a) providing a housing and disposing a plurality of switches therein;

(b) pivoting a first rocker member on said housing for rotation about an axis;

(c) pivoting a second rocker member on said housing for rotation about said axis;

(d) interconnecting said first and second rockers for relative rotation therebetween; and

(e) rotating said first and second rocker members and actuating a first switch with said second rocker member, continuing rotation of said first rocker member in a limited resiliently biased lost motion with said second rocker member and actuating a second switch by rotation of said first rocker member.