Electric circuit actuating mechanism

• US 5,510,587 A
• Filed: 10/19/1994
• Issued: 04/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reitech Corporation
• Original Assignee: Reitech Corporation
• Inventors: Reiter, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walczak, David J.
• Application Number:
  US08/325,795
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 200/341, 200/329, 200/330, 200/333, 200/334, 200/5 A, 200/5 R, 200/61.54, 200/61.55, 200/520, 200/533
• US Class Current: 200/341
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/022 Emergency operating parts, e.g. for stop-switch in dangerous conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/14 adapted for operation by a part of the human body other than the hand, e.g. by foot

Abstract

A mechanism (10) for actuating an electric circuit is shown including a switch box (11) fastened to a housing (26) to which a cover (60) is movably mounted. The threaded stems (54) of four de-energizing momentary switches (52) extend through and are held to the front wall (32) of the housing (26). The cover (60) includes a sleeve extending rearwardly of its broad surface front wall (62) and slideably received in a tubular extension (46) of the housing (26). A flange (72) on the sleeve abuts with ledges (50) formed in the tubular extension (46) to prevent movement therebeyond. The cover (60) can be pushed against the bias of coil springs (74) arranged concentrically around the stems (54) such that any point of the broad surface front wall (62) can be moved in an actuation direction to slide the actuating pins (58) slideable in the stems (54) of one or more of the de-energizing switches (52) to de-energize the electric circuit. The electric circuit is energized by actuating an energizing momentary switch (18) mounted to the switch box (11).

Claims

1. Mechanisms for actuating an electric circuit comprising, in combination:

a housing;

a front wall having a broad surface;

means for movably mounting the front wall relative to the housing enabling any point of the broad surface to move in an actuation direction from a normal position to an actuation position, with the front wall being biased from the actuation position to the normal position; and

a multiplicity of de-energizing momentary switches mounted to the housing in a spaced arrangement, with the de-energizing momentary switches each including a slideable actuating pin biased in a direction opposite to the actuation direction from a first position to a second position, with movement of any point of the broad surface of the front wall in the actuation direction from the normal position sliding the actuating pin of at least one of the de-energizing momentary switches in the actuation direction, with the de-energizing momentary switches de-energizing the electric circuit when the actuating pin of at least one of the de-energizing momentary switches is slid in the actuation direction from the second position, with the energizing of the electric circuit not occurring as the result of the movement of the front wall.

2. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 1 wherein at least three de-energizing momentary switches are arranged in a non linear manner.

3. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 2 wherein four de-energizing momentary switches are arranged at the corners of a right parallelepiped.

4. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 2 wherein the movably mounting mechanism comprises, in combination:

a multiplicity of coil springs corresponding to the number of de-energizing momentary switches, with the coil springs being sandwiched between the housing and the front wall and located concentric to the actuating pin.

5. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 4 wherein the movably mounting mechanism comprises, in combination:

ledge portions located in a spaced relation on one of the housing and the front wall; and

flange portions on the other of the housing and the front wall for abutting with the ledge portions in the normal position, with the flange portions being movable from the ledge portions when the front surface moves from the normal position.

6. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 5 wherein the housing includes a tubular extension;

and wherein the front wall includes a sleeve of a size corresponding to and for receipt within the tubular extension, with the ledge portions located on one of the tubular extension and the sleeve and the flange portions located on the other of the tubular extension and the sleeve.

7. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 6 wherein the tubular extension includes a free edge, with the tubular extension including the ledge portions spaced from the free edge in the actuating direction to recess the flange portions inside of the tubular extension.

8. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 7 further comprising, in combination:

at least one energizing momentary switch which can be actuated to energize the electric circuit, with the actuation of the energizing momentary switch not occurring as the result of the movement of the front wall.

9. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 7 wherein the housing comprises, in combination:

a front plate of a solid construction; and

a switch box in the form of an enclosure of a solid construction having an open front, with the front plate closing the open front and defining an interior, with the de-energizing momentary switches mounted to the front plate and located within the interior with the actuating pins sliding through the front plate, with the energizing momentary switch mounted to the switch box, with the interior enabling the electrical components of the switches and the electric circuit to be enclosed therein and environmentally protected.

10. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 9 wherein the front plate includes a multiplicity of depressions corresponding to the number of de-energizing momentary switches and each having a depth;

and wherein each of the de-energizing momentary switches include a threaded stem passing through the front plate and for threadable receipt of a nut having a thickness, with the actuating pin of the momentary switch being slideable in the threaded stem.

11. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 10 wherein the depth of the depressions is generally equal to the thickness of the nut.

12. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 1 wherein the movably mounting mechanism comprises, in combination:

a multiplicity of coil springs corresponding to the number of de-energizing momentary switches, with the coil springs being sandwiched between the housing and the front wall and located concentric to the actuating pin.

13. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 1 wherein the movably mounting mechanism comprises, in combination:

ledge portions located in a spaced relation on one of the housing and the front wall; and

flange portions on the other of the housing and the front wall for abutting with the ledge portions in the normal position, with the flange portions being movable from the ledge portions when the front surface moves from the normal position.

14. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 13 wherein the housing includes a tubular extension;

and wherein the front wall includes a sleeve of a size corresponding to and for receipt within the tubular extension, with the ledge portions located on one of the tubular extension and the sleeve and the flange portions located on the other of the tubular extension and the sleeve.

15. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 14 wherein the tubular extension includes a free edge, with the tubular extension including the ledge portions spaced from the free edge in the actuating direction to recess the flange portions inside of the tubular extension.

16. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises, in combination:

a front plate of a solid construction; and

a switch box in the form of an enclosure of a solid construction having an open front, with the front plate closing the open front and defining an interior, with the de-energizing momentary switches mounted to the front plate and located within the interior with the actuating pins sliding through the front plate, with the energizing momentary switch mounted to the switch box, with the interior enabling the electrical components of the switches and the electric circuit to be enclosed therein and environmentally protected.

17. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 16 wherein the front plate includes a multiplicity of depressions corresponding to the number of de-energizing momentary switches and each having a depth;

and wherein each of the de-energizing momentary switches include a threaded stem passing through the front plate and for threadable receipt of a nut having a thickness, with the actuating pin of the momentary switch being slideable in the threaded stem.

18. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 15 wherein the depth of the depressions is generally equal to the thickness of the nut.

19. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 1 wherein the housing includes a front plate having a multiplicity of depressions corresponding to the number of de-energizing momentary switches and each having a depth;

and wherein each of the de-energizing momentary switches include a threaded stem passing through the front plate and for threadable receipt of a nut having a thickness, with the actuating pin of the momentary switch being slideable in the threaded stem.

20. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 19 wherein the depth of the depressions is generally equal to the thickness of the nut.

21. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 1 further comprising, in combination:

a network of ribs formed on the front wall, with the housing including a front plate, with the actuating pins of the momentary switches being slideable relative to the front plate;

with the network of ribs extending from the front wall to engage the front plate before the actuating pins are forced to over travel in the de-energizing momentary switches.

22. The electric circuit actuating mechanism of claim 1 further comprising, in combination:

at least one energizing momentary switch which can be actuated to energize the electric circuit, with the actuation of the energizing momentary switch not occurring as the result of the movement of the front wall.