Toggle switch actuating mechanism
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsShakil Moonamkandy, Phaneendra Govindasetty Tirumani, Niranjan Manjunath, Michael Jay Skarlupka
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Abstract
A toggle switch comprises a housing, a plurality of switches disposed within the housing, an actuating lever coupled to a pivot pin, and an actuator assembly coupled to the actuating lever. The actuating lever extends into the housing. The actuator assembly comprises an actuation pin coupled to the actuating lever, and a spring disposed about the actuating lever. The actuation pin is configured to actuate one or more of the plurality of switches, and the spring is configured to bias a cam follower into engagement with a cam profile on a bracket and bias the actuating lever into an actuation position.
Claims17
A toggle switch comprising:
- a housing;
- a plurality of switches disposed within the housing;
- an actuating lever coupled to a pivot pin, wherein the actuating lever extends into the housing;
- and
- an actuator assembly coupled to the actuating lever, the actuator assembly comprising:
- an actuation pin coupled to the actuating lever, wherein the actuation pin is configured to actuate one or more of the plurality of switches, and
- a spring disposed about an outer surface of the actuating lever, wherein the spring is configured to bias a cam follower into engagement with a cam profile on a bracket, and bias the actuating lever into an actuation position,
- wherein the cam follower comprises a roller disposed about a pin, wherein the pin is configured to travel within a longitudinal travel slot disposed in the actuating lever.
A method of operating a toggle switch, the method comprising:
- providing an actuation force to an actuating lever while the actuating lever is in a first actuation position;
- moving a cam follower along a cam profile from the first actuation position to a peak in the cam profile in response to the actuation force,
- wherein moving the cam follower along the cam profile comprises rotating a roller disposed on a pin along the cam profile, and moving the pin in a longitudinal direction within a longitudinal travel slot disposed in the actuating lever;
- compressing a spring disposed about an outer surface of the actuating lever in response to the moving;
- de-actuating a first switch in response to the moving;
- actuating the cam follower along the cam profile from the peak to a second actuation position based, at least in part, on a bias force provided by the compressed spring;
- and
- actuating a second switch in response to actuating the cam follower to the second actuation position.
A toggle switch comprising:
- a housing;
- a plurality of switches disposed within the housing;
- an actuating lever configured to rotate about a pivot point, wherein the actuating lever extends into the housing;
- and
- an actuator assembly coupled to the actuating lever, the actuator assembly comprising:
- an actuation pin coupled to the actuating lever, wherein the actuation pin is configured to actuate one or more of the plurality of switches, and
- a spring disposed about an outer surface of the actuating lever and configured to bias a cam follower into engagement with a cam profile and bias the actuating lever into an actuation position, wherein the cam follower comprises a roller rotatably coupled to a pin, wherein the pin is coupled to the actuating lever, and wherein the pin is configured to travel within a longitudinal travel slot disposed in the actuating lever.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.