US3821528A - Pushbutton switch latching mechanism - Google Patents

Pushbutton switch latching mechanism Download PDF

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Publication number
US3821528A
US3821528A US00330574A US33057473A US3821528A US 3821528 A US3821528 A US 3821528A US 00330574 A US00330574 A US 00330574A US 33057473 A US33057473 A US 33057473A US 3821528 A US3821528 A US 3821528A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
actuator
plunger
latch member
latch
further characterized
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00330574A
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English (en)
Inventor
Benschoten P Van
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.)
Oak Industries Inc
Original Assignee
Oak Industries Inc
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 Oak Industries Inc filed Critical Oak Industries Inc
Priority to US00330574A priority Critical patent/US3821528A/en
Priority to IT48187/74A priority patent/IT1008806B/it
Priority to DE19742405893 priority patent/DE2405893C3/de
Priority to FR7404108A priority patent/FR2217785A1/fr
Priority to NL7401796A priority patent/NL7401796A/xx
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3821528A publication Critical patent/US3821528A/en
Assigned to ZENITH ELECTRONICS CORPORATION, A CORP. OF DE reassignment ZENITH ELECTRONICS CORPORATION, A CORP. OF DE LICENSE (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: OAK INDUSTRIES, INC.
Assigned to ZENITH ELECTRONICS CORPORATION, A CORP OF DELAWARE reassignment ZENITH ELECTRONICS CORPORATION, A CORP OF DELAWARE LICENSE (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: OAK INDUSTRIES, INC.,
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • 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
    • H01H13/56—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 the contact returning to its original state upon the next application of operating force
    • H01H13/562—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 the contact returning to its original state upon the next application of operating force making use of a heart shaped cam

Definitions

  • An alternate action pushbutton switch includes a plunger which is movable between latch and release positions. The switch associated with the plunger is only operated when the plunger has been committed to a latch position.
  • the present invention relates to a push to latch and push to release switch arrangement and is particularly directed to such an alternate action type of switch in which switching cannot be accomplished unless the latching operation is performed simultaneously therewith.
  • a primary purpose of the invention is a switch of the type described in which there can be no operation of the switch without latching of the plunger.
  • Another purpose is in an alternate action type of switch mechanism using fewer parts than previous mechanisms of the same general type.
  • Another purpose is in an alternate action type of switch of the type described requiring substantially reduced assembly time over previous constructions.
  • Another purpose is a push to latch and push to re lease switch utilizing a pivotal latch member and a pivotal actuator which are in direct contact with each other.
  • Another purpose is a switching mechanism of the type described in which a common spring provides the force for the actuator to operate the switch and urges the latch member into contact with the plunger cam.
  • FIG. I is a front view with portions in section of the switch mechanism
  • FIG. 2 is a partial side view in section of the switch mechanism
  • FIG. 3 is a partial front view, similar to FIG. 1, showing the mechanism in a latched position
  • FIG. 4 is a partial side view, similar to FIG. 2, showing the mechanism in a latched position
  • FIG. 5 is a top view of the switch plunger
  • FIG. 6 is a section along plane 6-6 of FIG. 5;
  • FIG. 7 is a section along plane 7-7 of FIG. 3.
  • a popular type of alternate action switch uses a latching mechanism to hold the pushbutton in a depressed position until the button is released by a second operation.
  • This type of switch gives a positive visual indication of the on-off condition due to the differences in pushbutton positions.
  • latching mecha nisms have been of a kind where when the pushbutton has been depressed sufficiently, releasing it will cause it to latch.
  • latching mecha nisms have been of a kind where when the pushbutton has been depressed sufficiently, releasing it will cause it to latch.
  • latching mecha nisms have been of a kind where when the pushbutton has been depressed sufficiently, releasing it will cause it to latch.
  • the present invention provides a switching mechanism of the type described in which the electrical switching operation cannot take place until the pushbutton has been committed to move to a latching positron.
  • a housing is indicated generally at 10 and may include an upper housing section 12 and a lower housing section 14.
  • a plunger 16 which may be reciprocally moved between the latch and release positions indicated in FIGS. 3 and 1 respectively.
  • a lens 18 containing a suitable light bulb or the like 20.
  • a switch assembly 22 having an operating button 24 extending upwardly therefrom.
  • an actuator 26 Positioned above the switch assembly 22 is an actuator 26, the opposite sides of which are pivotally mounted on rods 28 fixed in opposite side walls of the housing 14.
  • a latch member or latch wire is indicated at 30 and has an inwardly directed end 32 which cooperates with a generally heart-shaped cam 34 fonned on one side of the plunger 16.
  • the lower end of the latch wire 30, indicated at 36 is pivotally mounted to actuator 26 by spaced integral rings 38 and 42 on the actuator.
  • the latch wire is pivotally movable on the actuator and the actuator is pivotally movable relative to the housing section 14.
  • a latch spring 40 has its lower end mounted on ring 42 of the actuator and has its upper end mounted within the plunger as described hereinafter. The latch spring 40 biases the latch wire end section 32 into frictional contact with the cam 34 and also biases the actuator toward the switch operator 24.
  • the plunger 16 has downwardly directed feet 44 which contact the switch assembly 22 when the plunger has been moved to its fully depressed position.
  • the feet 44 accordingly provide an inward stop for plunger movement.
  • the bottom surface of the plunger 16 may have a series of openings.
  • One such opening, indicated at 46, receives the upper end of the latch spring 40.
  • Openings 48 generally diametrically spaced within the plunger receive lamp springs 50, there being a pair of such springs which are effective to normally bias the plunger to the outward or release position shown in FIG. 1.
  • a pair of lamp terminals are indicated at 52, such terminals being positioned within the housing 14 and outside of the switch assembly 22.
  • the lamp terminals 52 have inwardly and upwardly directed portions 54 which mount the lamp springs 50.
  • the cam surface 34 on the plunger 16 includes an upwardly inclined ramp 55, the lower end of which terminates at the plunger lower surface 56.
  • the upper end of the ramp 55 terminates in a ledge 58 which extends into the plunger.
  • a plunger latching area 60 Above and inside of ledge 58 is a plunger latching area 60.
  • a depression 62 Integral with the ledge 58 is a depression 62 which is formed to receive the inwardly directed portion 32 of the latch wire when the plunger is in the latched position of FIG. 3.
  • Adjacent to one side of the depression 62 is a release ramp 64 which leads from the latching area 60 outwardly to the inclined ramp 64.
  • the cam 34 has several levels, relative to the latch wire 32.
  • the inclined ramp 55 and the ledge 58 define a surface 66, which is inside of the outer surface 67.
  • the release ramp 64 connects area 60 and surface 66 through a stop 69 and defines the internal island or heart-shaped area 68.
  • the stop 69 prevents the latch spring from accidentally passing into ramp 64 when the plunger is depressed from the outward position.
  • the release position of the switch assembly is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
  • the latch wire holds the actuator in position away from the switch operator 24.
  • the inwardly directed end 32 of the latch wire 30 is in contact with surface 66 of cam 34 and is held in such frictional contact by the spring 40.
  • the ramp 55 will cause the end 32 of the latch wire 30 to pivot to the left as shown in FIGv 1.
  • the latch wire will be snapped inwardly, to the position of FIG. 4.
  • the plunger is committed to a latching position.
  • Such inward movement of the latch wire 30 permits the compressed spring to pivot the actuator 26 about the rods 28 such that the base of the actuator will cause the switch operator 24 to be depressed to operate the switch assembly 22.
  • the spring 40 not only provides a bias to insure frictional contact between the latch wire and the cam surface, but also provides the operating force for the actuator 26.
  • the latch wire 30 holds the actuator away from the switch operator until such time as the latch wire end 32 passes over the ledge 58 to commit the plunger to move to a latching position. Release of the plunger at this point will cause a slight upward movement of the plunger as the latch wire end 32 moves into the depression 62 of the cam 34.
  • a switching mechanism including a housing, a plunger reciprocally movable in said housing, a switch assembly positioned in said housing, an actuator in said housing positioned to effect operation of said switch assembly,
  • a latch member positioned in said housing and associated cam means on said plunger, yielding means urging said latch member into contact with said cam means, said latch member and cam means being arranged to alternately latch and release said lunger as it is reciprocally moved within the housmg, said latch member being movable between latch and release positions by said cam means and plunger,

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  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
US00330574A 1973-02-08 1973-02-08 Pushbutton switch latching mechanism Expired - Lifetime US3821528A (en)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US00330574A US3821528A (en) 1973-02-08 1973-02-08 Pushbutton switch latching mechanism
IT48187/74A IT1008806B (it) 1973-02-08 1974-02-06 Perfezionamento negli interruttori a pulsante
DE19742405893 DE2405893C3 (de) 1973-02-08 1974-02-07 Schalter
FR7404108A FR2217785A1 (it) 1973-02-08 1974-02-07
NL7401796A NL7401796A (it) 1973-02-08 1974-02-08

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US00330574A US3821528A (en) 1973-02-08 1973-02-08 Pushbutton switch latching mechanism

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3821528A true US3821528A (en) 1974-06-28

Family

ID=23290365

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00330574A Expired - Lifetime US3821528A (en) 1973-02-08 1973-02-08 Pushbutton switch latching mechanism

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3821528A (it)
FR (1) FR2217785A1 (it)
IT (1) IT1008806B (it)
NL (1) NL7401796A (it)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5059754A (en) * 1989-02-15 1991-10-22 Omron Corporation Compact switch device having a push button with long stroke
GB2253517A (en) * 1991-02-12 1992-09-09 Otehall Limited Electrical switch arrangement

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE8408000U1 (de) * 1984-03-15 1986-01-16 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München Druckknopfschalter mit mindestens einer Schaltbrücke
DE3621946A1 (de) * 1986-06-30 1988-01-14 Schunk Metall & Kunststoff Befehlsgeraet fuer den frontplatteneinbau

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5059754A (en) * 1989-02-15 1991-10-22 Omron Corporation Compact switch device having a push button with long stroke
GB2253517A (en) * 1991-02-12 1992-09-09 Otehall Limited Electrical switch arrangement

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2405893B2 (de) 1976-06-10
IT1008806B (it) 1976-11-30
FR2217785A1 (it) 1974-09-06
DE2405893A1 (de) 1974-08-22
NL7401796A (it) 1974-08-12

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: ZENITH ELECTRONICS CORPORATION, GLENVIEW, IL A COR

Free format text: LICENSE;ASSIGNOR:OAK INDUSTRIES, INC.;REEL/FRAME:005164/0006

Effective date: 19881102

AS Assignment

Owner name: ZENITH ELECTRONICS CORPORATION, A CORP OF DELAWARE

Free format text: LICENSE;ASSIGNOR:OAK INDUSTRIES, INC.,;REEL/FRAME:005284/0010

Effective date: 19881102