Electronic switch

• US 4,654,471 A
• Filed: 04/25/1985
• Issued: 03/31/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Omron Tateisi Electronics Co. (Omron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Omron Tateisi Electronics Co. (Omron Corporation)
• Inventors: Moriyasu, Yoshio, Masaki, Akio, Ueda, Kenji, Miyamoto, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Grimley, Arthur T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TONE, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US06/727,050
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/52 R, 328/5, 361/179, 361/180, 361/181, 307/116, 324/234-238, 324/156, 340/693, 200/DIG. 1
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9505 Constructional details

Abstract

An electronic switch includes a detector head in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped having a detecting surface and connecting members disposed on a corner thereof including a surface opposite to the detecting surface, the connecting members being identical in shape when the detecting surface is oriented in either a forward or lateral direction, the connecting members being symmetrically arranged with respect to an edge of the detector head, a head joint having an end to which the detector head is connectable by the connecting members and also having a rotatable annular connector on an opposite end thereof, and a switch box having engagement means for slidable engagement with the annular connector of the head joint so that the head joint can be rotatably mounted on the switch box. The detecting surface can be oriented in all of lateral directions by rotating the head joint. Since the head joint can be rotated without detaching the detector head, the electronic switch can easily detect desired objects which may be differently positioned.

Claims

1. An electronic switch comprising:

(a) a detector head in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped having a detecting surface and connecting members disposed on a corner thereof including a surface opposite to said detecting surface, said connecting members being symmetrically arranged with respect to an edge of said detector head;

(b) a head joint having an end to which said detector head is connectable by said connecting members and also having a rotatable annular connector on an opposite end thereof;

(c) a switch box having engagement means for slidable engagement with said annular connector of said head joint so that said head joint can be rotatably mounted on said switch box; and

wherein said annular connector comprises an annular slot, said head joint having snap fingers projecting radially inwardly over said annular slot, said engagement means of said switch box comprising an annular projection engageable in said annular slot in engagement with said snap fingers.

2. An electronic switch according to claim 1, wherein said head joint has an annular slot having angularly spaced locking recesses corresponding to detecting directions of said detector head, said switch box having a projection insertable in said arcuate slot and lockable in a selected one of said locking recesses.