EP0261702A1 - Interrupteur avec contacts en forme de fil - Google Patents

Interrupteur avec contacts en forme de fil Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0261702A1
EP0261702A1 EP87201414A EP87201414A EP0261702A1 EP 0261702 A1 EP0261702 A1 EP 0261702A1 EP 87201414 A EP87201414 A EP 87201414A EP 87201414 A EP87201414 A EP 87201414A EP 0261702 A1 EP0261702 A1 EP 0261702A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
contact member
limbs
switch
wire
wire guide
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP87201414A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Allard Eli Bijlsma
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Koninklijke Philips NV
Original Assignee
Philips Gloeilampenfabrieken NV
Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Philips Gloeilampenfabrieken NV, Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV filed Critical Philips Gloeilampenfabrieken NV
Publication of EP0261702A1 publication Critical patent/EP0261702A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/12—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage
    • H01H1/14—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting
    • H01H1/24—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with resilient mounting
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/50—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a single operating member

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a switch provided with a displaceable wire-shaped first metal contact member anchored at least at one end in a support and with a second metal contact member cooperating therewith, the first contact member being subjected, when displaced between a first and a second position, to an elastic deformation determined by an actuation force and a resistance force and the said resistance force exerted by a wire guide on the first contact member increasing uniformly in value during at least part of the displacement of the first contact member.
  • the first contact member consists of a wire, which is helically wound in a conical form and one end of which is anchored in the support, while the actuation force is exerted on the other end.
  • the break contact to be considered as the second contact member is wire-shaped.
  • a straight portion of the first contact member engaging the support serves as a so-called wire guide, which exert resistance force on a turn of the first contact member during the switching movement. This resistance force increases uniformly in value till the switching instant. The extent to which the resistance force increases during the switching movement entirely depends upon the wire diameter and upon the form of the first contact member.
  • a disadvantage of the known switch is that its manufacturing process has to be modified comparatively drastically if according to desires of users the same type of switch has to be delivered with a different force - displacement characteristic. For example, a characteristic is often required with which a resistance force initially increasing uniformly in value is followed by a resistance force uniformly decreasing in value.
  • the invention has for its object to provide a switch in which the said disadvantage is avoided.
  • a switch according to the invention is for this purpose characterized in that the wire guide is a projection which is dimensioned independently of the wire diameter of the first contact member and is electrically insulated from the second contact member, said form piece cooperating with a U-shaped part of the first contact member displaceable in two orthogonal directions.
  • both the first and the second contact member are made of metal wire, the U-shaped second contact member being anchored in the support at both ends and being located in a plane which is at right angles to the plane in which the U-shaped part of the first contact member is located, which contact members engage each other in one of the said positions of the first contact member at two contact points, while the first contact member is in engagement with the wire guide, a ridge of the wire guide exerting during the displacement of the first contact member from the first position located on one side of the ridge to the second position located on the other side of the ridge an initially uniformly increasing and then uniformly decreasing and again uniformly increasing resistance force on the bracket-shaped part of the first contact member.
  • a further embodiment of the switch in which the force - displacement characteristic is also determined to a considerable extent by torsion in the first contact member, is characterized in that the first contact member is symmetrical and comprises a first pair of parallel limbs which are anchored at their one ends in the support and adjoin at their other ends a second pair of aligned limbs, which are located together with a third pair of adjoining limbs in a plane at right angles to a plane including the first pair of limbs, the third pair of parallel limbs being interconnected by a bridge to form the bracket-shaped part of the first contact member.
  • a still further embodiment of the switch in which, whilst maintaining the torsion in the first contact member, the desired distance between the wire guide and the contact points can be obtained, is characterized in that the bracket-shaped part of the first contact member has two limbs diverging in the direction of the second contact member.
  • the switch 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 has a housing 3, made by injection-moulding from a synthetic material, such as, for example, polycarbonate with a teflon filling and a glass filling, and in which a push-button 5 is displaceable in a direction parallel to an arrow 7.
  • the push-button 5 is provided with a ram 9 which engages a first wire-shaped contact member 11, which is made of metal (for example a nickel-manganese alloy) and is indicated diagrammatically in Fig.5.
  • the contact member 11 has a pair of parallel vertical limbs L1 and L2, a pair of aligned horizontal limbs L3 and L4, a pair of parallel horizontal limbs L5 and L6 and a horizontal limb L7 which is parallel to the limbs L3 and L4.
  • the limbs L1-L7 are formed from one piece of round wire by bending and cutting on a known processing machine.
  • the said vertical or horizontal location of the limbs L1-L7 corresponds in the aforementioned case to the switched-off state of the switch.
  • the position of the first contact member 11 corresponding to the switched-on state of the switch 1 is indicated by dotted lines.
  • the switch 1 further has a second wire-shaped contact member 13 made of metal (for example a nickel-manganese alloy).
  • the U-shaped contact member 13 is manufactured from one piece of round wire by bending and cutting on a similar or the same processing machine on which the first contact member 1 is formed.
  • the second contact member 13 has two vertical limbs L8,L9 and a horizontal limb L10.
  • the limbs L1 and L2 of the first contact member 11 and the limbs L8 and L9 of the second contact member 13 are located by injection-moulding or are clamped (anchored) in holes 15,17 and 19,21, respectively, of the housing 3 serving as a support.
  • the housing 3 of the switch 1 injection-moulded from synthetic material is provided with a so-called wire guide 23, which consists of a form piece of electrically insulating material, which is manufactured (moulded) integrally with the housing and whose dimensions are independent of the wire diameter of the first contact member 11.
  • the housing 3 further has a stop 25 for the limbs L5 and L6 of the first contact member 11 formed integrally with the housing.
  • the limb L10 of the second contact member 13 is supported in a horizontal gutter 27 of the housing 3.
  • the switch 1 is symmetrical with respect to a plane at right angles to the plane of the drawing in Fig. 3 and including the line I-I.
  • the ram 9 engaging the limbs L5 and L6 of the first contact member 11 causes a downward movement parallel to the Z direction of the limb L7, which is simultaneously subjected to a displacement parallel to the direction by means of the wire guide 23.
  • the limb L7 has passed the ridge-shaped wire guide 23, which limb engages at two contact points C1 and C2 (cf. Fig.2) the limb L10 of the second contact member 13.
  • the stop 25 for the limbs L5 and L6 prevents too large a deformation of the first contact member 11 and also determines the maximum contact force at the contact points C1 and C2.
  • the wire guide 23 Since the wire guide 23 is ridge-shaped, the operator meets during the switching movement an initially uniformly increasing resistance force, which is followed by a uniformly decreasing resistance force and then by a resistance force again increasing uniformly to a maximum value.
  • the form of the force - displacement diagram corresponding thereto is often prescribed by the user of the switch because in this manner a remote indication is obtained of the fact that the switch has operated.
  • the first contact member 11 In the switched-on state of the switch 1 shown in Fig.1, the first contact member 11 is subjected to a resetting force which is sufficiently large to set the switch to its neutral switched-off state after the push-button 5 has been released.
  • the displacement of the limb L7 parallel to the X direction during the switching movement results in an elastic deformation of the first contact member 11 which is a combination of bending and torsion of the limbs L1 and L2 and of bending of the limbs L3 and L4.
  • the displacement of the limb L7 parallel to the Z-direction results in an elastic deformation of the contact member 11 which is built up of torsion of the limbs L3 and L4 and of bending of the limbs L1 and L2 and the limbs L5 and L6.
  • the limbs L5, L6 and L7 of the first contact member 11 form a bracket-shaped or U-shaped part of the contact member which cooperates with or is in engagement with the wire guide 23 and is then subjected to a displacement both parallel to the X direction and parallel to the Z direction.
  • This combined movement in two orthogonal directions of a wire-shaped limb (L7) along a four piece (wire guide 23) offers the possibility of many variations in the desired force- displacement characteristic and many variations of the switch itself.
  • the form of the two contact members, the length and thickness of the limbs and the form of the wire guide are the parameters which are available for variations of the switch whilst maintaining the principle of the invention. The manner in which the contact members and the wire guide can be constructed will be explained below. As an introduction thereto, a second embodiment of the switch is now described with reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5, in which use is made of reference numerals corresponding as far as possible to those used in Figures 1, 2 and 5.
  • the second embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4 of a switch 29 according to the invention is distinguished from the switch 1 of Figures 1 and 2 by a first contact member 11 whose limbs L5 and L6 diverge in a direction towards the second contact member 13, while the contact member 13 is no longer located in a single plane and has five limbs.
  • the push-button 5 is omitted in Figures 3 and 4. Due to the divergence of the limbs L5 and L6, in general the contact points C1 and C2 can be arranged in lateral direction comparatively remotely from the area at which the limb L7 is in engagement with the wire guide 23, while nevertheless the effective torsional length of the limbs L3 and L4 can be comparatively great.
  • the contact points C1 and C2 should not be arranged too closely in order to prevent contamination.
  • the switch 29 shown in Figures 3 and 4. in principle there is a greater risk of contamination of the contact points C1 and C2 than in the switch 29 shown in Figures 3 and 4.
  • the synthetic material used for the wire guide 23 for example polycarbonate with a teflon filling and a glass filling
  • the amount of wear and hence also the permissible variation in the force - displacement characteristic can be kept within acceptable limits.
  • the second contact member 13 of the switch 29 has besides the limbs L8 further limbs L11 and L12.
  • an actuation force K a (2 ⁇ 1 ⁇ 2 K a ) exerted by the ram 9 of the push- button 5 on the lines L5 and L6 is absorbed during the switching movement entirely in the anchorages of the limbs L1 and L2 in the housing 3.
  • a reaction force is not yet exerted on the limbs L5 and L6 by the limb L10.
  • the wire guide 23 exerts a horizontal reaction force K h on the limb L7 and a vertical reaction force K v is also exerted thereon.
  • the force K h causes torsion of the limbs L1 and L2, while the force K v and the actuation force K a determine the torsion in the limbs L3 and L4. Further, the pairs of limbs L1-L2, L3-L4 and L5-L6 are subjected to bending. It will be appreciated that a modification of the switches 1 and 29 described is obtained if the pair of limbs L1-L2 or both pairs of limbs L1-L2 and L3-L4 of the first contact member 11 are omitted. In fact, the aforementioned elementary bracket-shaped part constituted by the three limbs L5,L6 and L7 is then only left, of which the limb L7 cooperates with the wire guide 23.
  • the limbs L5 and L6 are anchored in the housing 3.
  • the limbs L5, L6 and L7 must have a comparatively small resistance to bending and the limbs L3 and L6 must preferably further have a comparatively small resistance to torsion.
  • the limbs L3 and L4 are anchored in the housing 3.
  • limbs L3 and L4 can contribute by means of torsion to the displacement in the Z direction of the limb L7, in principle a comparatively smaller switch can be composed than when the two pairs of limbs L1-L2 and L3-L4 are omitted.
  • the wire guide 23 can be constructed as a form piece having solely an ascending edge or as a form piece having an ascending edge and a descending edge and thus being ridge-shaped.
  • a force - displacement characteristic is obtained, in which K a solely rises uniformly
  • a characteristic is obtained having a K a successively increasing uniformly, decreasing uniformly and increasing uniformly.
  • the invention has additionally the advantage that without modifications of the nature of the manufacturing process a series of switches of different dimensions can be obtained. By the comparatively free choice of force - displacement characteristics and dimensions, a mass production of switches is possible which can be adapted in a flexible manner.
  • the switch according to the invention may have make and/or break contacts and may be of multiple construction.
  • the second contact member may be strip- or plate-shaped. At the area of the anchoring, the contact members may have a rectangular cross-section.
  • the wire guide, which is electrically insulated from the second contact member may be made either of an insulating synthetic material or of a metal. In the latter case, the wire guide must be separated by a separate arrangement or by an insulating envelope from the second contact member.
  • the wire guide may also be in the form of a non-integral insert. The wire guide may be either narrower or wider than the distance between the limbs L5 and L6.
  • the push-button 5 may be locked by means of hooks in the housing or may be integrally connected to the housing 3 by means of a flexible hinge or diaphragm if a hermetically sealed switch is desired.

Landscapes

  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
EP87201414A 1986-08-27 1987-07-23 Interrupteur avec contacts en forme de fil Withdrawn EP0261702A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL8602179 1986-08-27
NL8602179 1986-08-27

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0261702A1 true EP0261702A1 (fr) 1988-03-30

Family

ID=19848465

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP87201414A Withdrawn EP0261702A1 (fr) 1986-08-27 1987-07-23 Interrupteur avec contacts en forme de fil

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0261702A1 (fr)
JP (1) JPS6369114A (fr)
KR (1) KR880003357A (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0339209A3 (fr) * 1988-03-31 1991-03-13 Oki Electric Industry Company, Limited Interrupteur à bouton-poussoir

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH02117629U (fr) * 1989-03-06 1990-09-20
JPH02119329U (fr) * 1989-03-13 1990-09-26

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3205318A (en) * 1963-06-11 1965-09-07 Itt Wire spring pushbutton assembly
US3274355A (en) * 1965-02-08 1966-09-20 Scantlin Electronics Inc Cam operated snap switch having wire contacts
GB1155505A (en) * 1967-02-24 1969-06-18 Ericsson Telefon Ab L M Electric Contact Mechanism
FR2197218A1 (fr) * 1972-08-23 1974-03-22 Siemens Ag
DE2350041A1 (de) * 1973-10-05 1975-04-10 Marquardt J & J Schnappschalter und schaltvorrichtung mit wenigstens zwei schnappschaltern
US4034177A (en) * 1976-11-19 1977-07-05 Burroughs Corporation Plunger-actuated, lost motion switch with tactile feedback
DE2657783A1 (de) * 1975-12-22 1977-07-07 Eskil Raeder Drucktastenschalter und tastensatz
DE2925653A1 (de) * 1979-06-26 1981-01-08 Standard Elektrik Lorenz Ag Elektrischer schalter

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3205318A (en) * 1963-06-11 1965-09-07 Itt Wire spring pushbutton assembly
US3274355A (en) * 1965-02-08 1966-09-20 Scantlin Electronics Inc Cam operated snap switch having wire contacts
GB1155505A (en) * 1967-02-24 1969-06-18 Ericsson Telefon Ab L M Electric Contact Mechanism
FR2197218A1 (fr) * 1972-08-23 1974-03-22 Siemens Ag
DE2350041A1 (de) * 1973-10-05 1975-04-10 Marquardt J & J Schnappschalter und schaltvorrichtung mit wenigstens zwei schnappschaltern
DE2657783A1 (de) * 1975-12-22 1977-07-07 Eskil Raeder Drucktastenschalter und tastensatz
US4034177A (en) * 1976-11-19 1977-07-05 Burroughs Corporation Plunger-actuated, lost motion switch with tactile feedback
DE2925653A1 (de) * 1979-06-26 1981-01-08 Standard Elektrik Lorenz Ag Elektrischer schalter

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0339209A3 (fr) * 1988-03-31 1991-03-13 Oki Electric Industry Company, Limited Interrupteur à bouton-poussoir

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
KR880003357A (ko) 1988-05-16
JPS6369114A (ja) 1988-03-29

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Inventor name: BIJLSMA, ALLARD ELI