Rolling-ball tilt switch
OwnerTien-Ming Chouinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rolling-ball tilt switch includes a conductive housing having an inner surface that surrounds a longitudinal axis and that defines a roller cavity, an insulating seat inserted into the roller cavity, a conductive terminal having a protruding section extending through the insulating seat into the roller cavity, and a conductive rolling-ball disposed in the roller cavity and movable between a conducting position and a non-conducting position. The longitudinal axis and an extension of a surface portion of the inner surface of the conductive housing cooperatively define an angle ranging from 5 to 55 degrees.
Claims8
A rolling-ball tilt switch adapted to be electrically connected to a circuit board that is on a reference surface, said rolling-ball tilt switch comprising:
- a conductive housing adapted to be secured to the circuit board, and having
- an inner surface that is adapted to surround a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the circuit boar, and that defines a roller cavity,
- an outer surface that surrounds and is opposite to said inner surface,
- a rim end surface that interconnects said inner surface and said outer surface, and
- a distal end surface that interconnects said inner surface and said outer surface, and that is opposite to said rim end surface along the longitudinal axis,
- said inner surface having
- a first surface portion that is proximate to said rim end surface,
- a second surface portion that is connected to said first surface portion, that extends from said first surface portion along the longitudinal axis towards said distal end surface, and that diverges away from the longitudinal axis,
- a third surface portion that extends from said second surface portion along the longitudinal axis towards said distal end surface, and
- a fourth surface portion that extends from said third surface portion along the longitudinal axis towards said distal end surface and that converges towards the longitudinal axis,
- the longitudinal axis and an extension of said second surface portion of said inner surface cooperatively defining a first angle that ranges from 5 to 55 degrees;
- an insulating seat being adjacent to said rim end surface and fittingly inserted into said roller cavity;
- a conductive terminal having a protruding section extending through said insulating seat into said roller cavity and cooperating with said insulating seat to seal an end of said roller cavity adjacent to said rim end surface;
- and
- a conductive rolling-ball disposed in said roller cavity, and movable between a conducting position, where said conductive rolling-ball is concurrently in contact with said protruding section of said conductive terminal and said second surface portion, and a non-conducting position, where said conductive rolling-ball is separated from said protruding section of said conductive terminal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.