Switch

• US 6,005,201 A
• Filed: 11/14/1997
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Kiyotaka, Shimizu, Keiichi, Tanaka, Yasuhide
• Primary Examiner(s): SCOTT, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US08/970,399
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5 R, 200/6 R-6 BB, 200/16 R, 200/16 C, 200/16 D, 200/339, 200/433-438, 200/526, 200/11 J, 200/11 K, 200/547-551, 200/564, 200/570, 200/571 , 200/572, 200/303
• US Class Current: 200/16.00C
• 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 15/18 acting with snap action
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2021/225 with push-pull operation, e.g. which can be pivoted in both directions by pushing or pulling on the same extremity of the operating member
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/164 with rectilinearly movable member carrying the contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/01 Application power window

Abstract

In a switch, the speed at which contacts are separated from each other is increased without depending on the speed at which an operating member is operated, so that an arc is prevented from being generated, to prevent the operating member to be deformed by heat generation and prevent the durability of the switch to be decreased due to the abrasion of the contacts. A movable contact member having movable contacts at both its ends is swingably supported with a common fixed contact projecting upward and serving as a fulcrum. A leaf spring is fixed to a slider. The leaf spring has a portion projecting in a U shape. The U-shaped portion is engaged with the center of the movable contact member. When the slider is moved, the U-shaped portion is distorted in the transverse direction. When the slider is further moved, the U-shaped portion gets beyond the fulcrum, so that the movable contact is rapidly separated from a normally open fixed contact.

Claims

1. A switch comprising:

a terminal base including

a first fixed contact,

a second fixed contact,

a movable contact member having a movable contact in its part and swingably supported at the position of the first fixed contact,

a resilient member for biasing the movable contact member such that the movable contact is brought into contact with or separated from the second fixed contact; and

an operating member connected to said terminal base for supporting the resilient member, wherein

said first fixed contact is formed in a projecting shape, and serves as a fulcrum of said movable contact member,

said resilient member is deformable in a first direction in which said movable contact is brought into contact with said second fixed contact and in a second direction along the length of the movable contact member,

said resilient member, having a base end and a free end, is fixed to said operating member at the base end, and is engaged with said movable contact member at the free end, and

said resilient member is deformed in said second direction when said operating member is moved in the direction along the length of said movable contact member, and the movable contact member is moved along its length in this state, and swings so that said movable contact which is in contact with said second fixed contact is separated from the second faxed contact when the free end of the resilient member crosses over said fulcrum.

2. The switch according to claim 1, wherein

said movable contact member is biased by the free end of said resilient member in the direction in which said movable contact is brought into contact with said second fixed contact due to the deformation in said first direction of the resilient member, a biasing force caused by the deformation in the first direction of said resilient member being gradually increased as said operating member is moved, while being decreased when the free end of the resilient member crosses over said fulcrum.

3. The switch according to claim 1, wherein

an engaging portion is formed on the lower surface of said movable contact member, and said engaging portion being engaged with said first fixed contact when the movable contact member is moved, while being disengaged therefrom by further movement of said operating member, so that the movement and the swing of the movable contact member are accelerated.

4. A switch comprising:

a terminal base including

a movable contact member having a moveable contact in its part and swingably supported by a fulcrum,

a resilient member having a base end and a pushing end, said resilient member being brought into contact with said movable contact member at the pushing end and is deformable in a first direction in which the resilient member pushes the movable contact member and in a second direction along the length of the movable contact member; and

an operating member connected to said terminal base for supporting said resilient member at the base end and moved by an external force, wherein

the deformation of said resilient member in said second direction becomes large as the operating member is moved in a state where said movable contact of the movable contact member is brought into contact with a fixed contact, and the movable contact member swings so that the movable contact is separated from said fixed contact when said pushing end crosses over said fulcrum by further movement of said operating member.

5. The switch according to claim 4, wherein

the pushing end of said resilient member is engaged with said movable contact member, and the movable contact member is moved along its length as the operating member is moved.

6. The switch according to claim 4, wherein

the pushing end of said resilient member is movable along said movable contact member.

7. The switch according to claim 6, wherein

said fulcrum is provided in said movable contact member.

8. The switch according to claim 4,

said fulcrum is formed of a second fixed contact.

9. The switch according to claim 4, wherein

said resilient member comprises a spring, or a spring and a pushing member.

10. The switch according to claim 4, wherein

said operating member is slid.

11. The switch according to claim 4, wherein

said resilient member is gradually deformed in said first direction as said operating member is moved, so that a pushing force of the resilient member is gradually increased.

12. The switch according to claim 11, wherein

said pushing force is decreased when the pushing end of said resilient member goes beyond said fulcrum.

13. The switch according to claim 4, wherein

an engaging portion is formed in said movable contact member, and the pushing end of said resilient member or the fulcrum is engaged with said engaging portion as said operating member is moved, while being disengaged therefrom by further movement of the operating member, so that the swing of the movable contact member is accelerated.

14. The switch according to claim 4, wherein said operating member is rotated.