US3602677A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Switch with particular transverse deflection characteristics and movable contact plate with contact making wires attached
Assignee: Wild Rover Corp
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Filing: 1968-12-30
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Granted: 1971-08-31
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Expires: 1988-12-30
Abstract
Abstract A low force, low throw, touch operated switch comprising at least one flexible-contact element having a flexible portion and an electrical contact-making portion that is to be deflected into contact with at least one base element. The flexible portion has an effective dimension L and an equivalent spring constant in an axial direction. The contact-making portion is separated by a distance d from an associated base element which is chosen to be less than about 0.008 inch to provide low throw in the switch and to ensure substantially simultaneous and broad area electrical contacting and arc distribution between contact-making portion and base element. The length L is also selected so that the ratio d/L is less than about 0.02, so as to enhance the transverse deflection. The switch is rendered a low force device by selection of the equivalent axial spring constant so that with the d to L relationship just-mentioned the transverse force necessary to touch actuate the switch to produce electrical contact between the contact-making portion and the associated base contact is less than about 100 grams. Parallel contact operation for suitable current division is achieved through the use of a plurality of parallel and extended contact segments that constitute the contact-making portion of the element. Series gaps are utilized to aid in arc suppression and making and breaking of the electrical circuit by including the flexible-contact element as an intermediate element making contact with a plurality of base elements. A corrugated flexible-contact element structure is included to provide good spring action and to achieve a wiping effect to break welds that may be formed during contact closure. The flexible-contact element structure may be provided by a bowed plate with wires affixed thereto.
Inventors
- 👤 Alexander M Adelson
- 👤 Jerome Swartz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 06:20
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H13/00; H01H13/02; H01H13/12; H01H1/00; H01H1/12; H01H1/14; H01H1/18; H01H1/24; H01H1/245; H01H1/36; H01H1/40; H01H1/403
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 45
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
A low throw switch, comprising a flexible-contact element having a flexible portion and an electrical contact-making portion, said contact-making portion being comprised of a plurality of parallel and extended contact segments, said flexible portion having an effective dimension L and an equivalent spring constant in an axial direction, a base contact spaced a distance d in a transverse direction from said contact segments in the fully open position of said flexible-contact element and adapted to be contacted by said contact segments upon transverse deflection of said flexible portion, the distance d being chosen to be less than about 0.008 inch and the distance L being chosen so that the ratio d/L is less than about 0.02, so that in the closed-circuit condition of said switch substantially simultaneous broad area arc distribution and electrical contacting take place between said contact segments and said base contact and enhanced deflection is obtained in the transverse direction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
153 words
A low throw switch, comprising a flexible-contact element having a flexible portion and an electrical contact-making portion, said contact-making portion being comprised of a plurality of parallel and extended contact segments, said flexible portion having an effective dimension L and an equivalent spring constant in an axial direction, a base contact spaced a distance d in a transverse direction from said contact segments in the fully open position of said flexible-contact element and adapted to be contacted by said contact segments upon transverse deflection of said flexible portion, the distance d being chosen to be less than about 0.008 inch and the distance L being chosen so that the ratio d/L is less than about 0.02, so that in the closed-circuit condition of said switch substantially simultaneous broad area arc distribution and electrical contacting take place between said contact segments and said base contact and enhanced deflection is obtained in the transverse direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
A switch as defined in claim 1, constituting a low force, touch-operated switch, wherein the equivalent axial spring constant is selected so that with said d to L relationship the thereby reduced transverse force necessary to touch actuate the switch to produce electrical contact between said contact segments and said base contact is less than about 100 grams.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A switch as defined in claim 2, including two base elements adapted to be contacted by said contact segments, said contact segments thereby completing parallel electrical connections between said two base elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A switch as defined in claim 3, in which said flexible-contact element comprises a bowed plate and a plurality of wires secured to said plate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A switch as defined in claim 4, in which said two base elements are mounted in a housing, and including a metallic ring constituting a heat sink encircling said base elements for supporting said plate along opposite edges thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A switch as defined in claim 5, in which a surface of said housing acts as an abutment for engaging said plate to limit and to prevent excessive transverse movement of said plate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A switch as defined in claim 1, in which said flexible contact element comprises a plate and a plurality of wires affixed to said plate constituting said contact-making portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A switch as defined in claim 1, in which said flexible-contact element comprises a corrugated plate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
A switch as defined in claim 8, in which peaks of said corrugated plate adjacent to said base element constitute said contact segments.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
A switch as defined in claim 8, in which peaks Of said corrugated plate adjacent to said base element include wires which constitute said contact segments.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
A switch as defined in claim 8, in which said corrugated plate comprises a spring material clad with a contacting material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
A switch as defined in claim 8, in which said corrugated plate includes peaks lying in a plurality of planes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
A switch as defined in claim 12, in which adjacent ones of said peaks define an inclined plane, so that said adjacent peaks contact said base element sequentially as said flexible-contact element is actuated.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
A switch as defined in claim 13, in which adjacent ones of said peaks are made of different materials.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
A switch as defined in claim 12, in which a plurality of said peaks adjacent to said base element are supported by insulating members resting upon said base element.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
A switch as defined in claim 12, including a stabilizer plate bearing against those peaks furthest away from said base.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
A switch as defined in claim 16, in which said stabilizer plate is secured to a plurality of the peaks against which it bears, the number of peaks to which said stabilizer plate is secured determining the stiffness of the flexible-contact element.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
A switch as defined in claim 16, including an activator member bearing against said stabilizer plate, said activator member being actuated to actuate said switch.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
A switch as defined in claim 18, in which said activator member comprises a plate bearing against said stabilizer plate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
A switch as defined in claim 19, in which said activator member is spring mounted to a housing that supports all the elements of said switch.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
A switch as defined in claim 1, in which said flexible portion includes inclined portions which, when the switch is actuated, cause axial deflection of said contact segments so that said segments wipe over said base element.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
A switch as defined in claim 21, in which said inclined portions are at edges of said flexible portion.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
A switch as defined in claim 21, in which said inclined portions are intermediate the edges of said flexible portion.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
41 words
A switch as defined in claim 1, in which said flexible-contact element comprises a plate which is corrugated at edges thereof for flexiblity and which includes a rigid section carrying another corrugated plate of which peaks thereof constitute said contact segments.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
47 words
A switch as defined in claim 1, wherein said contact segments extend over a distance in the axial direction only so far that substantially all of said contact segments are brought into electrical contact with said base element upon touch actuation by the finger of a user.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
52 words
A switch as defined in claim 1, including a plurality of base elements that together with said contact-making portion define a plurality of electrical series connected gaps, said plurality of contact segments being electrically connected together and bridging each gap in an electrical parallel sense in the actuated state of the switch.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
A switch as defined in claim 1, in which said flexible-contact element comprises a plate, and including means providing a support surface for the edges of said plate.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
68 words
A contact element for a switch, comprising a flexible conductive plate of thickness such that the plate is actuable upon finger contact when the plate is mounted for such finger contact, and a plurality of conductive wires curved in section and conductively affixed to the plate to exhibit pronounced wiping and rolling action upon touch activation along with enhanced impact pressures due to the curvature of the wires.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
68 words
A contact element for a switch, comprising a flexible conductive plate of thickness such that the plate is actuable upon finger contact when the plate is mounted for such finger contact, and a plurality of conductive wires curved in section and conductively affixed to the plate to exhibit pronounced wiping and rolling action upon touch activation along with enhanced impact pressures due to the curvature of the wires.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
A contact element for a switch as defined in claim 28, in which said plate is bowed so that it is concave.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
26 words
A contact element for a switch as defined in claim 29, in which said concave plate includes no compound curves on said surface containing said wires.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
A contact element for a switch as defined in claim 28, in which said plate is substantially planar.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
18 words
A cOntact element for a switch as defined in claim 28, in which said plate is of brass.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
20 words
A contact element for a switch as defined in claim 28, in which said wires are of silver cadmium oxide.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
31 words
A contact element for a switch as defined in claim 28, in which said wires are all positioned parallel with respect to each other, each wire constituting a straight line segment.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
72 words
A contact element for a switch as defined in claim 34, in which said wires are between about 0.009 and 0.017 inch in diameter and are spaced no more than about 0.050 inch from each other, said flexible conductive plate is no more than about 0.002 inch thick, and said wires extend over a distance of less than about 1 inch in an axial direction transverse to the direction of the wires.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
93 words
A switch incorporating a contact element as defined in claim 34, including a fixed base element adjacent said contact element and which is contacted by said wires in the closed-circuit condition of said switch, said switch being designed for touch operation, in which said wires are spaced no more than about 0.008 inch on the average from said base element in the fully open position of said contact element, and said wires extend over a distance of less than about one inch in an axial direction transverse to the direction of the wires.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
22 words
A switch as defined in claim 36, in which said plate is of brass, and said wires are of silver cadmium oxide.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
34 words
A switch incorporating a contact element as defined in claim 28, and including a fixed base element adjacent the contact element which is contacted by said wires in the closed-circuit condition of said switch.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
33 words
A switch as defined in claim 38, in which the flexibility of the conductive plate is such that a contact force of less than about 100 grams is required to actuate the switch.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
22 words
A switch as defined in claim 38, in which said base element includes a single piece of material conductive throughout its entirety.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
45 words
A switch incorporating a contact element as defined in claim 28, including two fixed base elements adjacent said contact element and which are contacted by said wires in the closed-circuit condition of said switch thereby to complete parallel electrical connections between said two base elements.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
151 words
A switch, comprising a first electrically conductive contact element, and a second contact element movable into and out of electrical contact with the first element, the second contact element comprising flexible plate means having a smooth outer surface and an inner surface facing the first contact element and which is actuable upon finger contact with the outer surface, and a plurality of conductive wires curved in section and affixed to the inner surface of said plate means and which are in electrical contact with the first contact element in the closed-circuit condition of said switch, a change in the electrical condition of said switch being effected upon actuation of said plate means and concomitant movement of said conductive wires with respect to said first contact element, said second contact element exhibiting pronounced wiping and rolling action upon touch activation along with enhanced impact pressures due to the curvature of the wires.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
151 words
A switch, comprising a first electrically conductive contact element, and a second contact element movable into and out of electrical contact with the first element, the second contact element comprising flexible plate means having a smooth outer surface and an inner surface facing the first contact element and which is actuable upon finger contact with the outer surface, and a plurality of conductive wires curved in section and affixed to the inner surface of said plate means and which are in electrical contact with the first contact element in the closed-circuit condition of said switch, a change in the electrical condition of said switch being effected upon actuation of said plate means and concomitant movement of said conductive wires with respect to said first contact element, said second contact element exhibiting pronounced wiping and rolling action upon touch activation along with enhanced impact pressures due to the curvature of the wires.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-08-30 | 1975-03-01 | 1975-08-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-30 | 1979-03-01 | 1979-08-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-30 | 1983-03-01 | 1983-08-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |