# US 10,319,548 B2 · Shock-resistant electrical switch > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,319,548 B2 - Document ID: US10319548B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/604,149 - Filed: 2017-05-24 - Published: 2017-11-30 - Granted: 2019-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-27 - Assignees: Webasto Charging Systems, Inc. - Applicants: AeroVironment, Inc. - Inventors: Scott Ryan Shumaker - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10319548B2 ## CPC - H01H 50/30: Mechanical arrangements for preventing or damping vibration or shock, e.g. by balancing of armature - B60L 53/00: Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles - H01H 49/00: Apparatus or processes specially adapted to the manufacture of relays or parts thereof - H01H 50/023: {Details concerning sealing, e.g. sealing casing with resin} - H01H 50/04: Mounting complete relay or separate parts of relay on a base or inside a case - H01H 50/26: Parts movable about a knife edge - H01H 50/58: Driving arrangements structurally associated therewith; Mounting of driving arrangements on armature - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract Systems, devices, and methods for an electrical switch including: an enclosure; a hinged armature disposed within the enclosure; a moveable contact electrically coupled to the hinged armature and disposed substantially parallel to the hinged armature; and a rib positioned between the hinged armature and an outer edge of the electrical switch, where the rib transfers external forces applied to the electrical switch to the enclosure by limiting movement of the hinged armature towards an outer edge of the electrical switch. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrical switch comprising: an enclosure; a hinged armature disposed within the enclosure, wherein the hinged armature moves in a path of travel from a first position to a second position; a moveable contact electrically coupled to the hinged armature and disposed substantially parallel to the hinged armature; and a rib positioned outside of the path of travel, wherein the rib is positioned between the hinged armature and an outer edge of the electrical switch, and wherein the rib transfers an external force applied to the electrical switch to the enclosure by limiting movement of the hinged armature outside of the path of travel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrical switch of claim 1 wherein the hinged armature and the moveable contact deflect towards the outer edge of the electrical switch upon application of the external force, and wherein the rib limits the deflection of the hinged armature and the moveable contact. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electrical switch of claim 1 wherein the moveable contact comprises a resilient material, and wherein the moveable contact is susceptible to deform relative to the hinged armature. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electrical switch of claim 3, wherein the moveable contact is made of copper. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electrical switch of claim 1, wherein the hinged armature moves between the first position with the moveable contact contacting a normally closed contact and the second position with the moveable contact contacting a normally open contact, and wherein the rib limits movement of the hinged armature between the first position and the outer edge of the electrical switch. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electrical switch of claim 1 wherein the rib is molded into the enclosure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electrical switch of claim 1 wherein the rib is a cuboid. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electrical switch of claim 1 further comprising: a fixed armature, wherein the hinged armature is rotatably connected to the fixed armature about a hinge; and a yoke disposed on the hinged armature, wherein the yoke limits separation of the fixed armature and the hinged armature about the hinge. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electrical switch of claim 1, wherein the hinged armature moves outside the path of travel upon application of the external force, and wherein the rib limits the movement of the hinged armature outside the path of travel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The electrical switch of claim 1, wherein limiting the movement of the hinged armature outside the path of travel prevents deflection of the moveable contact. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The electrical switch of claim 1, wherein the hinged armature is limited in movement in two axes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The electrical switch of claim 1 further comprising: a contact of a magnetic coil, wherein the hinged armature touches the contact of the magnetic coil in the second position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The electrical switch of claim 12, wherein the hinged armature moves away from the contact of the magnetic coil in the first position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The electrical switch of claim 13, wherein the contact of the magnetic coil is disposed distal from the rib. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The electrical switch of claim 1, wherein the moveable contact remains disposed substantially parallel to the hinged armature after the external force is applied to the electrical switch by limiting movement of the hinged armature outside of the path of travel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The electrical switch of claim 1, wherein the rib does not interfere with an operation of the electrical switch during movement of the hinged armature from the first position to the second position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The electrical switch of claim 1, wherein the rib is made of a non-electrically conductive material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The electrical switch of claim 1, wherein a space is provided between the hinged armature and the rib in the first position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The electrical switch of claim 18, wherein a minimum width of the space provided between the hinged armature and the rib in the first position is an allowable deflection of the hinged armature prior to damage occurring. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The electrical switch of claim 1 wherein the rib is adhered to the enclosure.