US3916512A - Method of making microswitches - Google Patents

Method of making microswitches Download PDF

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Publication number
US3916512A
US3916512A US478579A US47857974A US3916512A US 3916512 A US3916512 A US 3916512A US 478579 A US478579 A US 478579A US 47857974 A US47857974 A US 47857974A US 3916512 A US3916512 A US 3916512A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
strip
legs
main
molding
subsidiary
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
US478579A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Yutaka Sato
Yoshinori Nakata
Shoji Nishimori
Takeshi Nishii
Masayasu Wakita
Yoshimasa Takeshita
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.)
Panasonic Electric Works Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Matsushita Electric Works Ltd
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
Priority claimed from JP6705273A external-priority patent/JPS5340708B2/ja
Priority claimed from JP24874A external-priority patent/JPS5419062B2/ja
Application filed by Matsushita Electric Works Ltd filed Critical Matsushita Electric Works Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3916512A publication Critical patent/US3916512A/en
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
    • H01H11/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches
    • H01H11/0056—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches comprising a successive blank-stamping, insert-moulding and severing operation
    • 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
    • H01H13/02—Details
    • H01H13/26—Snap-action arrangements depending upon deformation of elastic members
    • H01H13/36—Snap-action arrangements depending upon deformation of elastic members using flexing of blade springs
    • H01H13/40—Blade spring with at least one snap-acting leg and at least one separate contact-carrying or contact-actuating leg
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T29/00—Metal working
    • Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
    • Y10T29/49002—Electrical device making
    • Y10T29/49105—Switch making

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT 30 F'AlitPr"tDta 1 J fg ca y a 4 A method of continuously making microswitches, Dune 27, Japan 8-67052 he e a n me Strip of a material pte to CC.
  • apan 49-248 p of h microswitch o be formed mostly I by punching operation is supplied along a main pro- [52] Cl 29/622 29/630 Z/ duction line, wherein at least one subsidiary metal I t C] 2 HOIH 11/00 strip of a material different from that of the main strip [58] d 250 263 and adapted to making parts to be formed substano 26 630 B 3 tially by such special operation as bending process is supplied from lateral side to the main line, and wherein both semi-products made from the respective [56] References Clted strips are combined integrally by a molding.
  • This invention relates to a method of making microswitches.
  • a main object of the present invention is to provide a method which enables one to produce as many microswitches as desired in a continuous manner.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of making microswitches wherein a metal strip bent in advance to a desired form corresponding to desired portions in the respective elements can be used.
  • a further object of the present invention is to provide a method of making microswitches wherein molding flashes can be easily removed even in the case where complicated bent terminal parts and insulators are integrally molded.
  • FIG. 11 shows in section a microswitch made according to the method of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a movable spring supporting member used in the microswitch to be made by the present invention
  • FIGS. 3A and 3B show the respective steps in an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectioned view of subsidiary metal strips employed in the method according to the present invention.
  • a base member 1 of a microswitch is provided with a pair of through holes 2 and 2 for fitting the microswitch to any frame or device with which the microswitch is to be used and with such a terminal 5 as shown in FIG. 2 having a supporting part 4 for a movable spring 3 at one end and a stepped bent part 5a, and terminals 9 and 9 having respective parts 8 and 8 for respectively supporting normally-closed fixed contact 7 and normally-opened fixed contact 7 which are arranged as opposed to each other on both sides (above and below in the illustrated case) of a movable contact 6 fitted to the movable spring 3, which terminals 5, 9
  • the supporting part 4 formed on the terminal 5 is bent at right angles with respect to the surface of the terminal body and is provided with an engaging part 4a on one surface so that the movable spring 3 will be engaged at one end with said engaging part 40 and at the other end with a concave part 10 provided on the other side of the base member 1.
  • the movable spring 3 When the movable spring 3 is fitted between these engaging parts 4a and 10, the movable contact 6 provided on the movable spring 3 will contact the fixed contact 7 so that the terminals 5 and 9 will conduct with each other.
  • a lever 11 is provided integrally with the movable spring 3 so that, when said lever 11 is pressed with a push button 13, the movable contact 6 will separate from the fixed contact 7 and shift into contact with the fixed contact 7.
  • cover member 12 is fitted above the base member 1 so that the push button 13 will be slidably fitted in the cover member 12.
  • FIGS. 3A and 3B the respective steps of an embodiment of the method according to the present invention shall be explained, wherein the steps are represented by references A through I-I defining sequential sections of a line production.
  • 14 is a main metal strip, at both sides of which subsidiary metal strips 15 and 16 are fed additionally to the main production line along which the main strip 14 is fed, from left to right in the drawings. It is possible to employ, as the subsidiary metal strips 15 and 16, such preliminarily bent strips as shown in FIG. 4 in section.
  • the strip is punched with holes and apertures 17, 18 and 19.
  • the holes 17 are for feeding and positioning the strip along the production line, and apertures 18 and 19 are defining the sections which will be the terminals 9 and 9' later.
  • the fixed contacts 7 and 7' are welded to said sections to be the terminals later.
  • the subsidiary metal strips 15 and 16 consisting of plates of such a highly conductive material as, for example, German silver, which are to be utilized as the common terminals 5 at the later stage, are punched to form holes and apertures 20 to 23. Holes 20 and 23 are for positioning and feeding the subsidiary strips towards the main line, and apertures 21 and 22 are defining a section which is to be the common terminal 5 later.
  • the stepped bent part 5a is simultaneously formed at a section 24.
  • This stepped part 50 is provided for the purpose of arranging the supporting part 4 substantially in alinement at its center with parts 8 and 8' of the other terminals 9 and 9.
  • the subsidiary strips 15 and 16 are to be of the same material and the required four elements for the microswitch are simultaneously combined together in the next primary molding step D.
  • hollow-molding frames 26 of such a thermoplastic synthetic resin generally high in molding performance causing iisi fins to be produced as, for example, glass-fiber reinfoi'EEQ hylon, are molded through a gate 25.
  • 27 is a hollow pal t mat lb In each frame 26, which is to be filled with such a thermosetting resin generally high in electric performahce as, for example, a phenol resin, at a later described EiQB F.
  • the step E is a gate removing step, at which step the frames 26 are also subjected to a preparation for the next step.
  • the step F is a secondary molding step in which the hollow frames 26 are filled with the above described thermosetting resin so that the bases 1 will be formed.
  • the fitting holes 2 and 2' are also formed in the base 1 at this step.
  • the tip of the section to form such terminal 5 as shown in FIG. 1 is bent at right angles to form the supporting part 4, the sections to form the respective terminals 5, 9 and 9' are subjected to a punching to form these terminals and the rest of the parts of the respective strips are removed, so that finished products will be obtained at the step H.
  • the present invention is featured in respect that the main metal strip is fed to the main production line, the subsidiary metal strips are fed from both sides of the main metal strip and, after desired punching steps, semi-products made from the main metal strip and semi-products made from the subsidiary metal strips are combined with each other through a synthetic resin molding.
  • the main strip a material which is suitable for forming such parts generally to be arranged in the same plane and to be made by punching such as the terminals 9 and 9' and, as the subsidiary strips, a material which is suitable for forming such parts requiring right-angle bending process or stepforming process, and it is possible to perform an accurate and precise bending process after combining the parts made from the main metal strip and the parts made from the subsidiary metal strips together in the base 1. Since it is thus possible to use different materials for the main metal strip and subsidiary metal strips, one is enabled to employ optionally a high conductivity material, or another material which is plated with the high conductivity material, as for example the common terminal 5 and its supporting part 4.
  • a hollow molding frame is first formed of a thermoplastic material and then the hollow chamber is filled with a thermosetting material. Therefore, a base that is effectively prevented from causing molding fins and is high in the electric characteristics can be made.
  • the method according to the present embodiment shows such effects that the above disadvantage of the molding operation is compensated for and, moreover, the manufacturing efficiency can be remarkably improved by increasing the number of elements for the microswitches to be obtained at each molding operation.
  • a main strip of metal 14 is punched with openings at regular intervals to define successive sets of spaced first and second legs 9, 9 having marginal connecting portions.
  • openings are punched in a subsidiary strip of metal at regular intervals to define spaced third legs 5 having marginal connecting portions.
  • the main strip 14 is fed with indexed movement into a molding station indicated at D in FIG. 3A.
  • the subsidiary strip 15 is also fed with indexed movement into the same molding station D at right angles to the main strip.
  • the two strips are positioned so that the three legs are properly spaced with respect to one another.
  • Plastic is then molded about the legs, following which the third leg is severed from the subsidiary strip so that the third leg is free to move with the main strip out of the molding station.
  • the main strip is then indexed out of the molding station, as indicated at E.
  • the marginal connecting portions are punched away to separate the first and second legs 9, 9' from the main strip and to electrically isolate the legs from one another.
  • the preferred procedure includes two additional elements, one is the performance of the molding step in two successive molding stations, station D in which the parts are interconnected with thermoplastic material and F in which the molding is completed by injection of thermosetting material.
  • the third leg preferably includes a wing portion 4 which is bent out of the plane of the third leg, and thus out of the plane of the assembly, prior to the final severence of the assembly from the main strip.
  • the subsidiary strip is fed in, to join the main strip, (in station D) in a direction which is at right angles to the main strip. It is a further feature of the invention, as disclosed, that the third leg is the only leg which includes a bent-out wing portion.
  • the method of making a micro type switch assembly which comprises the steps of supplying a main metal strip having openings at regular intervals to define a first set of switch elements arranged substantially in the same plane, supplying at right angles to said main strip a subsidiary metal strip having openings at regular intervals to define a switch element including a wing portion requiring bending out of said plane, performing a molding operation so as to integrally join the leading endof the subsidiary metal strip with the main metal strip in spaced relation, severing the subsidiary strip to free the switch element which includes the wing portion, and bending the wing portion out of the plane of the assembly.
  • said mold performing step comprises a primary molding operation of molding a hollow mold member with a thermoplastic synthetic resin and a secondary molding operation of filling the hollow part of said hollow mold member with a thermosetting synthetic resin.
  • terminal members having normally closed and normally opened contacts respectively are made from said main metal strip, and a terminal member having a common cohtact is made from the wing portion.
  • the method of making a micro type switch assembly formed of first, second and third legs laterally spaced and generally coplanar in a molded body which comprises punching openings in a main strip of metal at regular intervals to define successive sets of spaced first and second legs having marginal connecting portions, punching openings in a subsidiary strip of metal at regular intervals to define spaced third legs having marginal connecting portions, feeding the main strip with indexed movement into a molding station, feeding the subsidiary strip with indexed movement into the same molding station at right angles to the main strip, positioning the two strips so that the three legs in the station are properly spaced with respect to one another, molding about the three legs a body of insulating material, severing the third leg from the subsidiary strip so that it is free to move with the main strip, indexing the main strip out of the molding station, and then punching away the marginal connecting portions to separate the first and second legs from the main strip and to electrically isolate the legs from one another.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Manufacture Of Switches (AREA)
US478579A 1973-06-13 1974-06-12 Method of making microswitches Expired - Lifetime US3916512A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP6705273A JPS5340708B2 (it) 1973-06-13 1973-06-13
JP24874A JPS5419062B2 (it) 1973-12-27 1973-12-27

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3916512A true US3916512A (en) 1975-11-04

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Family Applications (1)

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US478579A Expired - Lifetime US3916512A (en) 1973-06-13 1974-06-12 Method of making microswitches

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US (1) US3916512A (it)
IT (1) IT1013393B (it)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3999287A (en) * 1975-03-10 1976-12-28 Amp Incorporated Method of making a switch having a diode mounting feature
US4043030A (en) * 1976-07-30 1977-08-23 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Process for preparing distribution rotor
GB2149213A (en) * 1983-09-30 1985-06-05 Hosiden Electronics Co Electrical switch
US5712611A (en) * 1994-04-19 1998-01-27 Marquardt Gmbh Electrical switch having a stationary contact of a bimetallic material

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3189705A (en) * 1961-05-09 1965-06-15 Texas Instruments Inc Relay with a central, coaxial core magnetizable with the relay coil conductor
US3230607A (en) * 1961-07-13 1966-01-25 Littelfuse Inc Method of assembling and calibrating a thermostatic switch
US3263306A (en) * 1959-05-27 1966-08-02 Controls Co Of America Method of making a snap action switch
US3344250A (en) * 1967-09-26 Means and method for making electri- cal connections including weld pro- jection means at the distal end sur- face of the shank
US3436811A (en) * 1966-02-14 1969-04-08 Emerson Electric Co Method for encapsulating dynamoelectric machine stators using a conformable sleeve
US3574929A (en) * 1969-06-02 1971-04-13 Bourns Inc Adustable resistors and method

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3344250A (en) * 1967-09-26 Means and method for making electri- cal connections including weld pro- jection means at the distal end sur- face of the shank
US3263306A (en) * 1959-05-27 1966-08-02 Controls Co Of America Method of making a snap action switch
US3189705A (en) * 1961-05-09 1965-06-15 Texas Instruments Inc Relay with a central, coaxial core magnetizable with the relay coil conductor
US3230607A (en) * 1961-07-13 1966-01-25 Littelfuse Inc Method of assembling and calibrating a thermostatic switch
US3436811A (en) * 1966-02-14 1969-04-08 Emerson Electric Co Method for encapsulating dynamoelectric machine stators using a conformable sleeve
US3574929A (en) * 1969-06-02 1971-04-13 Bourns Inc Adustable resistors and method

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3999287A (en) * 1975-03-10 1976-12-28 Amp Incorporated Method of making a switch having a diode mounting feature
US4043030A (en) * 1976-07-30 1977-08-23 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Process for preparing distribution rotor
GB2149213A (en) * 1983-09-30 1985-06-05 Hosiden Electronics Co Electrical switch
GB2149576A (en) * 1983-09-30 1985-06-12 Hosiden Electronics Co Jack with embedded contacts
US5712611A (en) * 1994-04-19 1998-01-27 Marquardt Gmbh Electrical switch having a stationary contact of a bimetallic material

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2427288A1 (de) 1975-01-02
DE2427288B2 (de) 1976-01-15
IT1013393B (it) 1977-03-30

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