Force amplified low pressure depth activated switch

A submersible switch, comprising:

• an internal switch disposed in a body of the submersible switch;
• a cap rotatably coupled to the body and having a semi-rigid top wall that
• deflects towards a center of the submersible switch when hydrostatic pressure is applied thereto, and
• directly applies a pushing force onto an actuator of the internal switch so as to cause an operational state change of the submersible switch;
• wherein a trigger depth of the submersible switch is selectable by rotating the cap which threadingly engages the body.

A submersible switch, comprising:

• an internal switch disposed in a body of the submersible switch;
• a cap rotatably coupled to the body and having a semi-rigid top wall that
• bends towards a center of the submersible switch when hydrostatic pressure is applied thereto, and
• directly applies a pushing force onto an actuator of the internal switch so as to cause an operational state change of the submersible switch;
• wherein an amount of deflection experienced by the semi-rigid top wall of the submersible switch's cap is limited using a protruding portion of the body of the submersible switch;
• and
• wherein a trigger depth for the submersible switch is selected by rotating the cap in a given direction.

A method of operating a submersible switch positioned below a body of water's surface, comprising:

• deflecting a semi-rigid top wall of the submersible switch's cap towards a center of the submersible switch when hydrostatic pressure is applied thereto;
• directly applying a pushing force by the submersible switch's cap onto an actuator of an internal switch disposed in a body of the submersible switch;
• causing an operational state change of the submersible switch in response to the pushing force being applied directly to the actuator of the internal switch;
• and
• placing a protruding portion the submersible switch's body in proximity to the semi-rigid top wall of the submersible switch's cap;
• wherein a distance between the protruding portion of the submersible switch's body and the semi-rigid top wall of the submersible switch's cap is selected so that the semi-rigid top wall remains exclusively in an elastic region of a curve representing the semi-rigid top walls stress-strain relationship while the submersible switch is in use at any given depth.

A method of operating a submersible switch positioned below a body of water's surface, comprising:

• deflecting a semi-rigid top wall of the submersible switch's cap towards a center of the submersible switch when hydrostatic pressure is applied thereto;
• directly applying a pushing force by the submersible switch's cap onto an actuator of an internal switch disposed in a body of the submersible switch;
• causing an operational state change of the submersible switch in response to the pushing force being applied directly to the actuator of the internal switch;
• and
• placing a protruding portion the submersible switch's body in proximity to the semi-rigid top wall of the submersible switch's cap;
• wherein the protruding portion of the submersible switch's body limits the deflection and the stress realized in the submersible switch's cap caused by hydrostatic pressure having a value equal to or greater than an amount of hydrostatic pressure at which a stress-strain relationship of the semi-rigid top wall transitions from an elastic region of a curve to a plastic region of the curve.

A method of operating a submersible switch positioned below a body of water's surface, comprising:

• deflecting a semi-rigid top wall of the submersible switch's cap towards a center of the submersible switch when hydrostatic pressure is applied thereto;
• directly applying a pushing force by the submersible switch's cap onto an actuator of an internal switch disposed in a body of the submersible switch;
• causing an operational state change of the submersible switch in response to the pushing force being applied directly to the actuator of the internal switch;
• and
• selecting a trigger depth for the submersible switch by rotating the submersible switch's cap which threadingly engages the submersible switch's body.

A method of operating a submersible switch positioned below a body of water's surface, comprising:

• selecting a trigger depth for the submersible switch by rotating the submersible switch's cap in a given direction;
• deflecting a semi-rigid top wall of the submersible switch's cap towards a center of the submersible switch when hydrostatic pressure is applied thereto, where the semi-rigid top wall bends in a direction towards a center of the submersible switch during said deflecting;
• limiting an amount of deflection experienced by the semi-rigid top wall of the submersible switch's cap using a protruding portion of a body of the submersible switch;
• directly applying a pushing force by the submersible switch's cap onto an actuator of an internal switch disposed in the body of the submersible switch;
• and
• causing an operational state change of the submersible switch in response to the pushing force being applied directly to the actuator of the internal switch.