Tilt switch

• US 6,028,275 A
• Filed: 07/13/1999
• Issued: 02/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tien-Ming Jou
• Original Assignee: Tien-Ming Jou
• Inventors: Jou, Tien-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): FRIEDHOFER, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US09/352,326
• Time in Patent Office: 224 Days
• Field of Search: 200/61.45 R-61.45 M
• US Class Current: 200/61.52
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/02 Switches operated by change of position, inclination or orientation of the switch itself in relation to gravitational field tilting mercury container H01H29/20; change of position due to change of liquid level H01H35/18

Abstract

A tilt switch includes an insulating switch body with top and bottom walls and an inner circumferential wall surrounding an upright central axis. An upright electric contact member is secured to the top wall, and extends along the central axis to form a first electric contact terminal outwardly of the bottom wall. An annular electric contact member engages the inner circumferential wall, and has an inner peripheral wall, and an annular rolling surface forming with the inner peripheral wall at the juncture thereof an annular edge. A second electric contact terminal is integrally formed with the annular electric contact member, and extends downwardly and outwardly of the bottom wall. An electrically conductive ball member is disposed in the insulating switch body such that when the annular rolling surface remains in a horizontal plane, the ball member will be retained between the upright electric contact member and the annular edge to establish an electrical connection between the first and second electric contact terminals. Once the annular rolling surface is tilted from the horizontal plane, the change of gravity will move the ball member over the annular edge and away from the upright electric contact member so as to break the electrical connection.

Claims

1. A tilt switch adapted to be mounted on and in electric contact with a support in an upright position, said tilt switch comprising:

an insulating switch body including

top and bottom walls spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction when said tilt switch is in the upright position; and

an inner circumferential wall extending from said top wall to said bottom wall in the longitudinal direction and spacedly surrounding a central axis parallel to the longitudinal direction;

an upright electric contact member having an upper end secured to said top wall, and a lower end fixed on said bottom wall and extending along the central axis, said upright electric contact member defining with said inner circumferential wall of said switch body first radial lengths, said lower end further extending downwardly and outwardly of said bottom wall to form a first electric contact terminal adapted to be mounted on the support;

an annular electric contact member disposed in said insulating switch body, and including an outer peripheral wall engaging said inner circumferential wall, an inner peripheral wall circumferentially opposite to said outer peripheral wall, and an annular rolling surface interposed between said outer and inner peripheral walls and defining a horizontal plane when said first electric contact terminal is mounted on the support, said annular rolling surface being spaced apart from said top wall with an upright length, said annular rolling surface forming with said inner peripheral wall at the juncture thereof an annular edge which defines with said upright electric contact member second radial lengths;

a second electric contact terminal disposed beneath and integrally formed with said annular electric contact member, said second electric contact terminal extending downwardly and outwardly of said bottom wall, and being spaced apart from said first electric contact terminal in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction so as to be adapted to be mounted on the support; and

an electrically conductive ball member disposed in said insulating switch body, and movable on said annular rolling surface, said ball member having a diameter smaller than both a shortest one of the first radial lengths and the upright length, and a radius smaller than a shortest one of the second radial lengths, whereby, when said annular rolling surface remains in a horizontal plane, said ball member will be retained between said upright electric contact member and said annular edge to establish an electrical connection between said first and second electric contact terminals, and once said annular rolling surface is tilted from the horizontal plane, the change of gravity will move said ball member over said annular edge and away from said upright electric contact member so as to break the electrical connection between said first and second electric contact terminals.

2. The tilt switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inner peripheral wall includes a first wall section extending inwardly and radially from said annular edge toward said upright electric contact member and inclining downwardly, and a second wall section extending downwardly in the longitudinal direction from said first wall section around the central axis.

3. The tilt switch as claimed in claim 2, wherein said insulating switch body further has a protrusion extending upwardly from said bottom wall and of a dimension to engage in said second wall section.

4. The tilt switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inner peripheral wall of said annular electric contact member extends downwardly in the longitudinal direction from said annular edge.

5. The tilt switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bottom wall of said switch body has an annular inner wall portion extending along the central axis for passage of said lower end of said upright electric contact member.

6. The tilt switch as claimed in claim 5, wherein said lower end of said upright electric contact member further has a stop portion extending therefrom in the transverse direction so as to be disposed beneath and abut against said bottom wall when said upper end is secured to said top wall.

7. The tilt switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said insulating switch body has an annular recess to receive and engage said outer peripheral wall of said annular electric contact member.

8. The tilt switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said top wall of said insulating switch body has an engaging hole formed in the central axis for engagement with said upper end of said upright electric contact member.