Modular D.C. tool switch assembly

• US 5,835,351 A
• Filed: 05/30/1997
• Issued: 11/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Douglas D. Matthews, Emma L. Matthews, Linda L. Matthews
• Original Assignee: Lucerne Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Ulanski, Robert M., Kovach, Scott M., Michaud, Jan L., Andrisin, John J. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chervinsky, Boris L.
• Application Number:
  US08/865,669
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 361/600, 361/622, 361/625, 361/704, 361/707, 361/710, 200/332.1, 200/332.2, 200/289, 200/293.1, 200/303, 174/16.3, 310/50, 310/64, 165/80.1
• US Class Current: 361/704
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2009/065 Battery operated hand tools in which the battery and the switch are directly connected
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/06 Casing of switch constituted by a handle serving a purpose other than the actuation of the switch, e.g. by the handle of a vacuum cleaner
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/52 Cooling of switch parts cooling of contacts H01H1/62
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 25/14 Universal motors H02P25/12 takes precedence

Abstract

A D.C. tool switch assembly is provided with a pair of field effect transistors (FETs) maintained internally of the housing. The switch assembly is configured of a number of subassemblies maintained within the housing, including a contact subassembly having the motor and battery contacts and a pair of pivoting contacts. The field effect transistors are maintained on a second subassembly which nests within the housing and is substantially orthogonal to the contact subassembly. A post passes through the pair of FETs and is formed to engage a heat sink on each of opposite sides of the switch housing. The heat sinks are separate and distinct from each other and individually formed. Each of the heat sinks makes close contacting engagement with an associated one of the FETs. The post provides for interconnection between the FETs and the pair of heat sinks.

Claims

1. A D.C. tool switch assembly, comprising:

a contact subassembly;

an FET subassembly;

a pair of housing halves joined together to form a housing defining an envelope receiving and maintaining said contact and FET subassemblies;

a heat sink received by said housing and in heat dissipating engagement with said FET subassembly; and

wherein said FET subassembly comprises first and second FETs, both of said FETs being maintained within said housing, said FETs being mounted on a printed circuit board and interconnected by a metallic post, and wherein said heat sink comprises first and second metallic plates, one on each of said housing halves.

2. The D.C. tool switch according to claim 1, wherein said metallic post has a pair of rivet heads on opposite ends thereof.

3. The D.C. tool switch according to claim 2, wherein said first and second metallic plates are respectively secured to said first and second FETs by said rivet heads on respective ends of said metallic posts.

4. The D.C. tool switch according to claim 3, wherein said contact subassembly comprises a ground conductor having an aperture therein receiving said post.

5. The D.C. tool switch according to claim 3, wherein each of said metallic plates is of a nonuniform thickness, being rounded on an outer surface in a region nearest its associated FET.

6. The D.C. tool switch according to claim 5, wherein said metallic plates are of different sizes and are interconnected by said post.

7. The D.C. tool switch according to claim 1, wherein said contact subassembly is adapted to receive a pair of pivoting contacts.

8. The D.C. tool switch according to claim 7, wherein said contact subassembly further comprises a power contact, a brake contact and a by-pass contact, a first of said pivoting contacts reciprocatingly interposed between said power and brake contacts.

9. The D.C. tool switch according to claim 8, wherein said contact subassembly further comprises an insulative frame structure receiving a pair of battery contacts and a pair of motor contacts.

10. The D.C. tool switch according to claim 9, wherein said battery contacts and motor contacts engage one of said housing halves and secure said contact subassembly therein.

11. The D.C. tool switch according to claim 7, wherein said pivoting contacts comprise a base having a leg angled therefrom, and an axle extending orthogonally from said base at a point of joinder with said leg.

12. A D.C. tool switch assembly, comprising:

first and second halves interconnected to form a housing defining an envelop;

a contact subassembly securedly engaging one of said pair of housing halves and maintained within said envelop;

first and second FETs maintained within said envelop;

first and second heat sink plates respectively received by said first and second housing halves external to said envelop and respectively engaging said first and second FETs

a post interconnecting said first and second FETs and said first and second heat sinks, said post having first and second rivet heads at each end thereof, said rivet heads engaging respective ones of said first and second heat sinks; and

wherein said heat sinks comprise cast plates, said cast plates being of non-uniform thickness and being rounded on an outer surface in regions nearest the associated FET.