Electrical switch and fixed contact therefor
OwnerMemie Wong, Sam Wonginventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical rotary switch has a rotor with a periphery, a moving contact on the rotor and several connected parts adjacent the rotor periphery, and four fixed contacts around the rotor for short-circuiting by the moving contact. Each fixed contact has first, second, and third integrally connected sections. The first section bears resiliently against the rotor periphery for sliding contact with the moving contact parts. The second section turns through an angle larger than 135° from the first section. The third section turns through an angle smaller than 90° from the second section for connection of an electrical cable by self-gripping. The moving contact has an undulating profile matching with that of an adjacent part of the rotor periphery.
Claims52
An electrical rotary switch comprising:
- a casing;
- a rotor supported within the casing for rotation about an axis and having a rotor periphery surrounding the axis;
- a moving contact mounted on the rotor for rotation with the rotor and having a plurality of connected parts adjacent the rotor periphery;
- and
- a plurality of fixed contacts located laterally of the rotor for short-circuiting by the moving contact wherein at least one of the fixed contacts comprises first, second, and third integrally connected sections, the first section bearing resiliently against the rotor periphery for sliding contact with the moving contact parts, the second section turning through an angle larger than 135° from the first section, and the third section turning through an angle smaller than 90° from the second section for connection of an electrical cable.
An electrical contact for use in an electrical switch, comprising:
- a contact portion for making contact with or breaking contact from another electrical contact in a switch to perform switching;
- and
- a terminal portion connected to the contact portion for connection to an electrical cable, wherein the terminal portion comprises:
- a first section having a tab and a link, the tab being bendable out of a plane of the first section, leaving a void in the first section;
- and
- a second section integrally connected to the first section by the link and located adjacent the tab such that, upon being bent out of the plane of the first section by an end of the electrical cable passing through the void, the tab resiliently grips and presses the cable end against the second section, resulting in the cable end being connected on opposite sides of the cable end.
An electrical rotary switch comprising:
- a casing;
- a rotor supported within the casing for rotation about an axis and having a rotor side radially extending about the axis and a rotor periphery surrounding the axis, the rotor periphery having an undulating profile;
- a moving contact mounted on the rotor for rotation with the rotor;
- and
- a plurality of fixed contacts located laterally of the rotor and bearing resiliently against the rotor periphery for sliding contact with the moving contact and short-circuited thereby, wherein the moving contact comprises a base at the rotor side and a plurality of parts adjacent the rotor periphery for contact by the fixed contacts, the parts being integrally connected to the base, folded therefrom, and extending substantially parallel to the axis, at least one of the parts having an undulating profile matching the undulating profile of an adjacent part of the rotor periphery.
An electrical rotary switch comprising:
- a casing;
- a rotor supported within the casing for rotation about an axis and having a rotor side radially extending about the axis and a rotor periphery surrounding the axis;
- a moving contact mounted on the rotor for rotation with the rotor, having a base at the rotor side and a plurality of parts adjacent the rotor periphery;
- at least two fixed contacts located laterally of the rotor, bearing resiliently against the rotor periphery for sliding contact with the parts of the moving contact, and short-circuited thereby;
- and
- an additional fixed contact, located generally between the two fixed contacts, and including an inner portion in continuous sliding contact with the base of the moving contact and an outer portion for connection to an electrical cable.
The electrical rotary switch as claimed in 45, wherein the outer portion of the additional fixed contact has integrally connected first and second parts for gripping an end of the cable therebetween, the first part being bendable inwardly by the cable end, upon insertion, to engage the cable end at an angle inwardly and to press the cable end against the second part.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.