Sensor switch
OwnerTien-Ming CHOUinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sensor switch includes a ceramic body, first and second conductive units and a conductive member. The ceramic body includes intermediate, bottom and top layer assemblies cooperatively defining a chamber. The intermediate layer assembly has an intermediate layer inner peripheral surface. The first conductive unit has a first conductive layer covering the intermediate layer inner peripheral surface. The second conductive unit has a second conductive layer protruding from the bottom layer top surface and spaced apart from the first conductive layer. The conductive member is rollably disposed in the chamber and is limited by the second conductive layer for forming a current path with the first and second conductive layers.
Claims10
A sensor switch comprising:
- a ceramic body made from a plurality of raw ceramic blanks that are sintered after being stacked, said ceramic body including an intermediate layer assembly, a bottom layer assembly disposed on a bottom portion of said intermediate layer assembly, and a top layer assembly disposed on a top portion of said intermediate layer assembly and opposite to said bottom layer assembly, wherein said intermediate layer assembly, said bottom layer assembly and said top layer assembly cooperatively define a chamber, said intermediate layer assembly having an intermediate layer inner peripheral surface facing said chamber, and an intermediate layer outer peripheral surface opposite to said intermediate layer inner peripheral surface, said bottom layer assembly having a bottom layer top surface connected to said bottom portion of said intermediate layer assembly and facing said chamber, and a bottom layer outer peripheral surface connected to an outer periphery of said bottom layer top surface;
- a first conductive unit made of metal and including a first conductive layer disposed on and covering said intermediate layer inner peripheral surface, and at least one first internal circuit connected to said first conductive layer and extending from said first conductive layer to said intermediate layer outer peripheral surface;
- a second conductive unit made of metal and including a second conductive layer disposed on said bottom layer top surface, and at least one second internal circuit connected to said second conductive layer and extending from said second conductive layer to said bottom layer outer peripheral surface, said second conductive layer having a protruding portion protruding from said bottom layer top surface toward said chamber and spaced apart from said first conductive layer;
- and
- a conductive member rollably disposed in said chamber and movable between a first closed circuit position and an open circuit position;
- when said conductive member is in the first closed circuit position, said first conductive layer, said conductive member and said second conductive layer form a current path;
- when said conductive member is in the open circuit position, said first conductive layer, said conductive member and said second conductive layer do not form a current path;
- and
- when said ceramic body is placed in a normal and horizontal position, in which said bottom layer assembly, said intermediate layer assembly and said top layer assembly are arranged in a bottom-to-top direction, said conductive member is limited by said protruding portion of said second conductive layer and is positioned at the first closed circuit position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.