Illuminating rotary switch

• US 6,608,272 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2001
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: COLE Instrument Corporation
• Original Assignee: COLE Instrument Corporation
• Inventors: Garcia, Ricardo L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Enad, Elvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOMZA, LISA NHUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/772,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20020100672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 200/316, 200/11.R, 200/17.R, 362/555
• US Class Current: 200/316
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/025 Light-emitting indicators

Abstract

The present invention is a rotary switch with illumination capabilities utilizing a light pipe within the rotary switch to carry light from a light source to the outside of the rotary switch. The light source is preferably an LED or incandescent bulb, and the light pipe may be a fiber optic material or a glass tube. In conjunction with the rotary switch is a corresponding knob that includes a lens disposed adjacent the end of the light pipe for dispersing light communicated through the light pipe to a face on the knob. The rotary switch may include multiple lights corresponding to operating conditions of the rotary switch such as nominal and fail, where the operator can determine the condition by the color of light passing through the lens on the knob.

Claims

1. An improved rotary switch having a rotating contact member for determining a circuit path from among several possible circuit paths, the improvement comprising:

a light pipe dispose within the rotary switch along a longitudinal axis, the light pipe having first and second ends and where a first end lies in a shaft that protrudes through an end of the rotary switch and a second end located within the rotary switch;

a plurality of contact decks arranged longitudinally along the rotary switch, a contact drum associated with each contact deck, the contact drum including a contact to provide electrical contact between a universal contact and a selected individual contact on the deck; and

,

a light source disposed within the rotary switch and adjacent the second end of the light pipe, whereby illumination from the light source is carried through the light pipe and transmitted at the first end of the light pipe to illuminate the shaft.

2. The improved rotary switch of claim 1 wherein the light source is a light emitting diode (LED).

3. The improved rotary switch of claim 1 wherein the light source is an incandescent light bulb.

4. The improved rotary switch of claim 1 wherein the light pipe is a glass tube.

5. The improved rotary switch of claim 1 wherein the light pipe is an optical fiber.

6. The improved rotary switch of claim 1 further including a removable knob adapted to be secured on the rotary switch generally at the first end of the light pipe, the knob including a lens disposed adjacent the first end of the light pipe for dispersing light emitting from the light pipe on a face of said knob.

7. The improved rotary switch of claim 1 further comprising a second light source disposed adjacent the light pipe, wherein the first and second light sources correspond to first and second conditions relating to the rotary switch, the first light source illuminating upon the event of a first condition and the second light source illuminating upon the event of a second condition.

8. A rotary switch with illuminating knob face comprising:

a plurality of contact decks arranged longitudinally along the rotary switch, each deck including a contact drum with a universal contact in rotatable contact with an individual contact member corresponding to individual circuit paths;

a light pipe passing through a center of one or more contact drums and extending outside a body of the rotary switch within a shaft also protruding outside the body of the rotary switch;

a light source disposed within the body of the rotary switch adjacent a light receiving end of the light pipe, said light source including terminals connectable to a power source outside the rotary switch; and

a knob adapted to be secured to the body of the rotary switch at the shaft protruding outside the body of the rotary switch, the knob including a lens disposed on the knob such that the lens is adjacent a light transmitting end of the light pipe within the shaft when the knob is secured to the rotary switch, whereby light from the light source is communicated through the rotary switch in the light pipe and received by the lens on the knob secured to the rotary switch, and where the lens dsperses the light on the face of the knob.

9. The rotary switch of claim 8 wherein the light source is a light emitting diode (LED).

10. The rotary switch of claim 8 wherein the light source is an incandescent light bulb.

11. The rotary switch of claim 8 wherein the light pipe is a glass tube.

12. The rotary switch of claim 8 wherein the light pipe is an optical fiber.

13. The rotary switch of claim 8 further comprising a second light source disposed adjacent the light pipe, wherein the first and second light sources correspond to first and second conditions relating to the rotary switch, the first light source illuminating upon the event of a first condition and the second light source illuminating upon the event of a second condition.

14. The rotary switch of claim 8 wherein the light source is selected from different colors based on a visibility criteria.

15. An improved rotary switch having a longitudinal axis and a rotating contact member for determining a circuit path from among several possible circuit paths, the improvement comprising:

a light pipe disposed within a shaft along the longitudinal axis, the light pipe having a first and second end where the shaft and the first end of the light pipe extend from the rotary switch and the second end of the light pipe is located within the rotary switch;

a light source disposed exterior to the light pipe and adjacent the second end of the light pipe, whereby illuminati n from the light source is transmitted at the first end of the light pipe; and

a plurality of contact decks arranged longitudinally along the rotary switch, a contact drum associated with each contact deck, the contact drum including a contact to provide electrical contact between a universal contact and a selected individual contact on the deck.