Steering column switch for automobiles

• US 5,606,156 A
• Filed: 02/10/1995
• Issued: 02/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Kunz, Peter, Mahr, Herrmann
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, J. R.
• Application Number:
  US08/386,585
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 200/61.34, 200/61.35, 200/61.27, 200/61.54-61.57, 200/293-307
• US Class Current: 200/61.54
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1461 Multifunction switches for dimming headlights and controlling additional devices, e.g. for controlling direction indicating lights

Abstract

An automotive steering column switch arranged on the end of a jacket (7) accommodating the steering column (8) and featuring several separate switches (12) consisting each of a casing (5, 15) with electrical connectors (13) and an actuating member (3, 16), at least one separate switch (2) can be slipped on the other separate switch (1) against the force of a spring (20) and with interaction of appropriate guiding means (19). The limit position of the separate switches (1, 2) relative to each other is fixed by a releasable clip connector (21).

Claims

1. An automotive steering column switch arranged on the end of a jacket accommodating the steering column and featuring several separate switches consisting each of a casing with electrical connectors and an actuating member, characterized in that a first switch is slipped on the column jacket and a second separate switch slipped on the first switch against the force of a spring (20) with the interaction of appropriate guiding means (19) and is fixed in its limit position by a releasable clip connector (21).

2. The steering column switch according to claim 1, characterized in that said first switch is mounted on the end of the steering column jacket, as a base switch (21), and the second separate switch is slipped on the casing (5) of the base switch (1) as a slip-on switch.

3. The steering column switch according to claim 1, characterized in that the second switch (2) has at least one tongue type slider (22) engaging a slot (23) in the base switch (1).

4. The steering column switch according to claim 1, characterized in that said second switch has webs (24) on the casing (15) and there are two tongue type sliders (22) of the second switch (2) arranged to have about the same length as the casing (5) of the base switch (1) and bear by way of straps (25) on the casing (15).

5. The steering column switch according to claim 1, characterized in that the second switch (2) has a tongue type slider which is T-shaped, the surface (26) between the web (24) and the head (27) of the tongue type slider (22) being skewed.

6. The steering column switch according to claim 1, characterized in that the first switch (1) has a slot with walls (28) molded perpendicularly to the casing (5) and one each angle (29) extending perpendicularly to the wall (28), the angles (29) being in mutual alignment, the inside surface (30) between wall (28) and angle (29) extending obliquely, and the wall (28) and angle (29) being joined at one end (31) of the slot (23).

7. The steering column switch according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring (20) fashioned as a helical spring is secured against loosening in a blind hole (33) in the casing (15) of the slip-on switch (2).

8. The steering column switch according to claim 7, characterized in that a wall of the blind hole (33) features a slot (34) that extends axially in relation to the blind hole (33).

9. The steering column switch according to claim 1, characterized in that on the casing (5) of the first switch (1) there is arranged a stub projection (35) which in establishing the clip connection (21) engages a slot (34) in a blind hole (33) in the casing (15) of the second switch (2), compressing the spring (20).

10. The steering column switch according to claim 1, characterized in that the clip connector (21) features an elastic arm (38) with a nose (39) that snaps in place behind a shoulder (40) of a web (41).

11. The steering column switch according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic clip arm (38) of the clip connector (21) is arranged on the casing (15) of the second switch (2), and the clip web (41) with the shoulder (40) on the casing (5) of the first switch (1), the elastic clip arm (38) featuring a release lever (42) which protrudes beyond the shoulder (40) of the clip web (41) and into a space (43).

12. An automotive steering column switching assembly of the type disposed on the steering column jacket and stalk actuated by the user comprising:

(a) a first switch having a casing, an electrical connector, and an actuating stalk with the casing attached to the steering column jacket; and

,

(b) a second switch having a separate casing, electrical connector and actuating stalk, said second switch having the casing thereof slidably attached to the casing of said first switch and biased to a limit position thereon.