Switch mounting structure

• US 6,344,621 B1
• Filed: 11/20/1997
• Issued: 02/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyo Denso Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Toyo Denso Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Hiroshi, Shiratori, Toshihiko, Igarashi, Masazumi
• Primary Examiner(s): FRIEDHOFER, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US08/975,106
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• Field of Search: 200/1.R, 200/5.R, 200/51.R, 200/51-2-, 200/51-1-, 200/61-4-, 200/293, 200/295, 200/296, 200/303, 200/307, 200/329, 200/339, 200/341, 439/76.1, 439/206, 439/519, 439/521, 439/620
• US Class Current: 200/61.54
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/005 Electro-mechanical devices, e.g. switched electric switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0207 Wire harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 11/19 specially adapted for electric wires
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/14 Handlebar constructions, or arrangements of controls thereon, specially adapted thereto hand controls per se B62K23/02
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 23/06 Levers

Abstract

A switch housing (21) of a starter switch (Ss) is inserted into an opening (1₄) defined in a rear handlebar cover (1) in a motor vehicle, and a locking claw (21₂) projectingly provided on the switch housing (21) is locked in the opening (1₄) to fix the switch housing (21). When the switch housing (21) is inserted into the opening (1₄), a leaf spring-like terminal (24₂) of a stationary contact (24) exposed to a surface of the switch housing (21) comes into resilient abutment against a terminal (31₂) of a bus bar (31) exposed to the opening (1₄) in the rear handlebar cover (1), thereby automatically completing the connection of the starter switch (Ss) and the bus bar (31) to each other. Thus, it is possible to simply and reliably perform the operation of mounting the starter switch (Ss) to the rear handlebar cover (1) and the operation of electrically connecting the starter switch (Ss) to the bus bar (31).

Claims

1. A switch mounting structure in which a plurality of switches are mounted, the switch mounting structure is used on a two-wheeled motor vehicle having a handlebar and a steering shaft, comprising:

a handlebar cover covering said handlebar and having a plurality of notches and an opening defined within the handlebar cover, the handlebar and steering shaft passing through the notches;

a connection device is provided on said handlebar cover and connected to said switches via bus bars embedded in said handlebar cover to provide connection of said switches to an external power source;

at least one of said switches having a switch housing, a stationary contact provided on the switch housing, and a movable contact which is provided on the switch housing and can be placed in contact with said stationary contact,

wherein a terminal of the one switch is connected to said stationary contact and is electrically connectable to a terminal of one of said bus bars rigidly mounted on the handlebar cover, wherein the terminal of the bus bar has an end exposed to the opening in the handlebar cover; and

said switch housing has at least one locking claw extending from a side of the switch housing, and wherein when the switch housing is inserted into the opening defined in said handlebar cover, the switch housing is locked therein by the at least one locking claw and the terminal of said switch resiliently abuts the terminal of said bus bar, thereby completing the electrical connection of the switch to the bus bar.

2. A switch mounted structure according to claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle is a motorcycle.

3. A switch mounting structure in which a plurality of switches are mounted, the switch mounting structure is used on a two-wheeled motor vehicle having a handlebar and a steering shaft, comprising:

a bus bar-embedded substrate having a plurality of notches and an opening defined within the substrate, the handlebar and steering shaft passing through the notches;

a connection device is provided on said bus bar-embedded substrate and connected to said switches via bus bars embedded in said substrate to provide connection of said switches to an external power source;

at least one of said switches having a switch housing, a stationary contact provided on the switch housing, and a movable contact which is provided on the switch housing and can be placed in contact with said stationary contact, wherein

a terminal of the one switch is connected to said stationary contact and is electrically connectable to a terminal of one of said bus bars rigidly mounted on the substrate, wherein and the terminal of the bus bar has an end exposed to the opening in the substrate; and

said switch housing has at least one locking claw extending from a side of the switch housing, and wherein when the switch housing is inserted into the opening defined in said substrate, the switch housing is locked therein by the at least one locking claw and the terminal of said switch resiliently abuts the terminal of said bus bar, thereby completing the electrical connection of the switch to the bus bar.