Trigger actuated control having supplemental heat sink

• US 6,049,460 A
• Filed: 07/19/1999
• Issued: 04/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Lin, Yu Min
• Primary Examiner(s): Tolin, Gerald
• Assistant Examiner(s): DATSKOVSKIY, MICHAIL V
• Application Number:
  US09/378,136
• Time in Patent Office: 267 Days
• Field of Search: 361/702-704, 361/707-711, 310/47, 310/50, 310/64, 310/67 R, 318/301, 318/305, 318/345 C, 318/345 G, 318/345 H, 318/345 D, 430/17 R, 430/17 B, 430/17 C, 200/5 R, 200/43.17, 200/155 R, 200/157, 200/239-243, 200/267, 200/287, 200/292, 200/321, 200/328, 200/307, 200/140-141, 200/139, 29/846, 29/852, 29/829, 29/860, 29/589, 29/585, 29/622
• US Class Current: 361/709
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/635 Contacts actuated by rectilinearly-movable member linked to operating part, e.g. by pin and slot
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/061 enclosing a continuously variable impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/52 Cooling of switch parts cooling of contacts H01H1/62

Abstract

A heat sink is slideably attached to a housing of an electronic control, retained by complemental snap-in elements and has a projection extending through a wall of the housing into abutting thermal engagement with an internal heat sink which is in intimate contact with the electronics of the control.

Claims

1. A trigger actuated control for controlling rotational speed of an electric motor of a portable tool, said control having:

an electrically insulating housing;

a manually displaceable trigger mounted to said housing;

an electric circuit in said housing comprising a variable resistor operably connected to said trigger and a thyristor connected in circuit with said variable resistance and the electric motor of said portable tool for varying rotational speed of said motor as a function of displacement of said trigger; and

a primary heat sink in said housing thermally coupled with at least said thyristor;

wherein the improvement comprises;

an opening in said housing;

a supplemental heat sink disposed externally of said housing and having a projection extending through said opening into thermally coupled relationship with said primary heat sink; and

complemental attachment means on said housing and said supplemental heat sink for attaching said supplemental heat sink to said housing.

2. The trigger actuated control defined in claim 1 wherein said projection directly engages said primary heat sink.

3. The trigger actuated control defined in claim 1 wherein a surface on said projection is in abutting engagement with a surface on said primary heat sink.

4. The trigger actuated control defined in claim 1 wherein said projection and said primary heat sink comprise mating surfaces disposed at complementary angles, said surfaces being retained in a wedged abutting engagement by said attachment of said supplemental heat sink to said housing.

5. The trigger actuated control defined in claim 1 wherein said complemental attachment means comprise grooves along opposite sides of said opening, said grooves being open at one side of said housing, and oppositely directed lateral ribs on said supplemental heat sink slideably received in said grooves from said one side of said housing.

6. The trigger actuated control defined in claim 5 wherein said housing and said supplemental heat sink comprise interlocking retention means engaged upon complete insertion of said supplemental heat sink to said housing for blocking withdrawal of said supplemental heat sink from said housing.

7. The trigger actuated control defined in claim 5 wherein said housing is open at said one side and comprises a base assembly containing said primary heat sink slideably inserted from said one side in a direction common with a direction in which said ribs are received in said grooves, said projection and said primary heat sink comprising mating surfaces positioned in abutting relationship with said base assembly and said supplemental heat sink disposed outside said housing, said base assembly and said supplemental heat sink being simultaneously inserted into said housing for attaching said supplemental heat sink to said housing and retaining said mating surfaces in abutting relation.

8. The trigger actuated control defined in claim 7 wherein said base assembly overlaps said projection for blocking removal of said supplemental heat sink with said base assembly inserted in said housing.

9. The trigger actuated control defined in claim 3 wherein said housing comprises an extension and said supplemental heat sink is supported by said extension.

10. The trigger actuated control defined in claim 9 wherein said supplemental heat sink and said extension comprise interlocking retention means engaged upon complete insertion of said supplemental heat sink to said housing for blocking withdrawal of said supplemental heat sink from said housing.