Switching device

• US 5,731,558 A
• Filed: 12/26/1996
• Issued: 03/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ichikoh Industries Limited (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Ichikoh Industries Limited (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Kyoden, Tatsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Khanh
• Application Number:
  US08/773,356
• Time in Patent Office: 453 Days
• Field of Search: 200/1 R, 200/5 R, 200/11 E, 200/11 EA, 200/11 J, 200/11 K, 200/16 C, 200/16 D, 200/17 R, 200/18, 200/547, 200/548, 200/549, 200/553, 200/557, 200/6 A
• US Class Current: 200/5.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/07 by electrically powered actuators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/40 Contact mounted so that its contact-making surface is flush with adjoining insulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/012 Application rear view mirror

Abstract

A switching device is provided which comprises a casing, a printed wiring board disposed inside the casing, a plurality of fixed contacts formed on the casing, and a plurality of moving contacts for making an electrical connection or disconnection between said plurality of fixed contacts. Since many fixed contacts are not only disposed on the printed wiring board but also on the casing, the printed wiring board can be designed compact. Also the plurality of fixed contacts disposed on the casing has such a form of a terminal as to be electrically connectable to motors and a power source as well as to a connector extended to the switching device. Therefore, the number of places to be soldered for electrical connection between many fixed contacts, motors and power source can be reduced.

Claims

1. A switching device, comprising:

a casing;

a printed wiring board disposed inside said casing;

a first fixed contact group including a plurality of fixed contacts formed integrally with said casing, each of said fixed contacts consisting of a contact portion lying substantially in a plane in which said printed wiring board also lies and a terminal portion extended to outside said casing;

a second fixed contact group including a plurality of fixed contacts formed on said printed wiring board; and

a changeover member provided with first and second moving contacts corresponding to said first and second fixed contact groups and which are disposed movably inside said casing;

said first and second moving contacts being so arranged as to slide and make an electrical connection or disconnection between said first and second fixed contact groups as said changeover member is moved.

2. The switching device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of fixed contacts included in said first fixed contact group are buried integrally in said casing being molded and said plurality of fixed contacts included in said second fixed contact group are formed on said printed wiring board through wiring by printing.

3. The switching device according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of fixed contacts included in said second fixed contact group are disposed vertically and horizontally around a predetermined position on said printed wiring board.

4. The switching device according to claim 3, wherein said changeover member comprises:

a slider disposed inside said casing in such a manner as to be slidable horizontally and vertically;

an actuator housed in said casing and installed to said slider;

a changeover knob installed to said actuator and said casing in such a manner as to be tiltable horizontally and vertically; and

a spring to automatically reset said slider, actuator and changeover knob to their respective neutral positions.

5. The switching device according to claim 4, wherein said actuator is made of a translucent material, said changeover knob is provided thereon with translucent markings, and said casing is provided therein with a light source, the light emitted from said light source passing through said actuator to said markings on said changeover knob to illuminate any selected one of said markings.

6. The switching device according to claim 4, wherein a packing is provided between said changeover knob and said casing.

7. The switching device according to claim 2, wherein said first and second moving contacts are projections integrally formed on end portions of electrically conductive contact plates installed on said changeover member, and always forced toward said first and second fixed contacts under the action of springs provided between said changeover member and contact plates.

8. The switching device according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of fixed contacts included in said second fixed contact group are disposed vertically or horizontally around a predetermined position on said printed wiring board.