# US 11,309,147 B2 · Linear slide switch used for speed-control

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- Number: US 11,309,147 B2
- Document ID: US11309147B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/095,643
- Filed: 2020-11-11
- Published: 2022-03-24
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2020-09-23
- Assignees: Schneider Electric (Australia) PTY LTD
- Applicants: Schneider Electric (Australia) Pty Ltd
- Inventors: Fuhua Shan; Zhen Ma; Dahai Zhang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11309147B2

## CPC

- H01H 15/10: Operating parts
- H01H 1/40: Contact mounted so that its contact-making surface is flush with adjoining insulation
- H01H 1/50: Means for increasing contact pressure, preventing vibration of contacts, holding contacts together after engagement, or biasing contacts to the open position
- H01H 15/005: {adapted for connection with printed circuit boards}
- H01H 15/24: having a single operating part only protruding from one side of the switch casing for alternate pushing and pulling
- H01H 2205/016: Separate bridge contact
- H01H 2227/032: Operating force
- H01H 2231/052: Selectors, e.g. dimmers
- 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)

## Abstract

Disclosed embodiments relate to a socket. A speed-control switch, including: a housing including a top plate provided with a central opening extending in a length direction; a push rod at least partially contained in the housing, and a first end of the push rod protruding out of the housing from the central opening and capable of sliding in the central opening; a plurality of connection terminals provided in pairs in the housing and configured to: selectively engage with a second end of the push rod opposite to the first end to limit a plurality of speed indications of the speed-control switch; and a speed selection assembly with a part thereof set on the top plate and configured to allow a selection for a plurality of speed indications of the speed-control switch as the push rod slides in the central opening. The speed-control switch achieve speed switching with a small force. The speed-control switch is suitable for high-power electrical appliances, requires a small number of components, reducing manufacturing costs and assembly time and assembly difficulty.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A speed-control switch, comprising:
a housing comprising a top plate provided with a central opening extending in a length direction;
a push rod at least partially received in the housing, a first end of the push rod protruding out of the housing from the central opening and capable of sliding in the central opening;
a plurality of connection terminals provided in pairs in the housing and configured to selectively engage with a second end of the push rod opposite to the first end to define a plurality of speed indications of the speed-control switch;
a speed selection assembly, a part of the speed selection assembly being provided on the top plate, and the speed selection assembly being configured to allow a selection for the plurality of speed indications of the speed-control switch, as the push rod slides in the central opening; and
a push button panel provided on a first surface of the top plate and capable of translating relative to the top plate,
wherein the speed selection assembly comprises:
one or more protrusions provided on one of the top plate and the push button panel; and
one or more grooves provided on the other of the top plate and the push button panel,
wherein the one or more protrusions can be engaged with the one or more grooves for a certain number of times corresponding to a number of the plurality of speed indications.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The speed-control switch according to claim 1, wherein the one or more grooves are formed in the form of troughs of a wavy surface, and the one or more protrusions are formed in the form of crests of the wavy surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The speed-control switch according to claim 1, wherein each of the one or more grooves can be engaged with a certain number of the protrusions corresponding to the number of the plurality of speed indications.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The speed-control switch according to claim 1, wherein each of the one or more protrusions can be engaged with a certain number of the grooves corresponding to the number of the plurality of speed indications.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The speed-control switch according to claim 1, wherein the one or more grooves are provided on a side wall of the central opening of the top plate; and
the one or more protrusions are provided on an outward-facing side surface of a support arm, the support arm extending from the push button panel in a direction perpendicular to the push button panel.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The speed-control switch according to claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a lower housing to which the top plate is attached.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The speed-control switch according to claim 1, wherein the housing is provided with a guide groove, and the push rod is provided with a guided portion at a middle position of the push rod, wherein the guided portion slides in the guide groove.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The speed-control switch according to claim 1,
wherein the push button panel is configured to be engaged with the first end of the push rod protruding from the central opening, so that the push rod can slide in the central opening with the translating of the push button panel relative to the top plate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The speed-control switch according to claim 8, wherein the push button panel comprises a recess recessed from a second surface of the push button panel facing the top plate in an assembled state and protruding beyond a plane where the push button panel is located, and
the first end of the push rod is held within the recess.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The speed-control switch according to claim 1, wherein the second end of the push rod is provided with a conductor rod fixedly attached to the second end of the push rod and extending in a width direction, and
at one of the plurality of speed indications, the conductor rod causes a pair of connection terminals of the plurality of connection terminals to be electrically conducted.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The speed-control switch according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of connection terminals comprise two rows of connection terminals spaced apart from each other in the width direction, and the second end of the push rod moves between the two rows of connection terminals; and
each pair of connection terminals is symmetrically arranged with respect to the second end of the push rod.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The speed-control switch according to claim 10, further comprising an elastic piece attached to the push rod and in contact with the conductor rod to bias the conductor rod toward the plurality of connection terminals.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The speed-control switch according to claim 1, wherein the one or more grooves are provided on a cantilever extending from the top plate.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The speed-control switch according to claim 13, wherein the top plate is provided with a first opening and a second opening located on both sides of the central opening, respectively,
the cantilever is provided in at least one of the first opening and the second opening, and
the cantilever is spaced apart from the first opening and the second opening in the length direction.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The speed-control switch according to claim 13, wherein the cantilever comprises:
a first arm plate extending perpendicularly to the top plate from a second surface of the top plate opposite to the first surface; and
a second arm plate extending towards the central opening from an end of the first arm plate away from the top plate,
wherein the one or more grooves are provided on a surface of the second arm plate facing the central opening, and
wherein the one or more protrusions are provided on an outward-facing side surface of a support arm, the support arm extending from a second surface of the push button panel facing the top plate in an assembled state.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The speed-control switch according to claim 13, wherein the cantilever comprises:
a first arm plate extending perpendicularly to the top plate from the first surface of the top plate;
a second arm plate extending towards the central opening from an end of the first arm plate away from the top plate,
a third arm plate extending perpendicularly to the second arm plate from an end of the second arm plate away from the first arm plate,
wherein the one or more grooves are provided on a surface of the third arm plate facing the central opening, and
wherein the one or more protrusions are provided on an outward-facing side surface of a support arm, the support arm extending from a second surface of the push button panel facing the top plate in an assembled state.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The speed-control switch according to claim 13, wherein the cantilever extends parallel to the top plate from a side wall of the central opening of the top plate;
the one or more grooves are provided on a surface of the cantilever facing a second surface of the push button panel, the second surface facing the top plate in an assembled state; and
the one or more protrusions extend from the push button panel toward the top plate.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The speed-control switch according to claim 17, wherein the cantilever is spaced apart from the central opening in the length direction, and the push rod slides in a gap between opposite cantilevers extending from opposite side walls of the central opening.
