US 2023/0118335 A1Published application

Switch with integral overcurrent protection

AssigneeMP Hollywood

InventorCuong Ha

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A switch with an integrated overcurrent protection element can include multiple arc gap between the contacts when opening the circuit during overload protection and switching operations. The switch can include an overcurrent protection element which can make contact with two contact terminals, and which can change to a different shape upon exposure to an overcurrent condition. The overcurrent protection element can also be moved in a direction normal to the two contact terminals between a first position and a second position through the use of a rotary switch to selectively place the overcurrent protection element in contact with the two contact terminals.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A switch including an integrated overcurrent protection device, the switch comprising:

a generally cup shaped housing having one open end;
a generally flat cover for the open end of the housing;
a first terminal extending into the housing and electrically connected to a first terminal contact;
a second terminal extending into the housing and electrically connected to a second terminal contact;
a central shaft withing the housing, perpendicular to the cover, able to slide axially within an internal hole in the housing and hosting an indent on the end facing the cover;
a compression spring concentric to the central shaft and opposing the sliding of the central shaft in a direction away from the cover;
a first lever external to the cover and rotatable parallel with respect to the cover from a first or “on” position to a second or “off” position;
a rotatable shaft perpendicular to the cover, passing through a hole in the cover and connected on one end to one end of the first lever;
a second lever internal to the housing, parallel to the first lever, connected on one end to the rotatable shaft;
an indent on the second lever on the side facing the cover and at the end of the second shaft opposite the rotatable shaft;
a centrally located boss on the side of the cover internal to the housing, mating with the indent on the second lever when the first lever is rotated into the first position;
a boss on the second lever on the side opposite the indent on the second lever and mating with the indent on the central shaft when the first lever is rotated into the first position thereby moving the central shaft away from the cover and compressing the compression spring;
a spring rotationally biasing said first lever, second lever and rotatable shaft to the second rotational position whereby the boss on the cover no longer mates with the indent on the second lever and the boss on the second lever no longer mates with the indent on the central shaft;
a conductive element within the housing having a through hole centered on the central shaft and moving with the central shaft when the first lever is in the first position, electrically connecting the first terminal contact and the second terminal contact and in conjunction with the compression spring providing sufficient spring force to maintain the engagement of the boss on the second lever with the indent on the central shaft and the boss on the cover with the indent on the second shaft when the first lever is in said first position, and when the first lever is rotated into the second position moved toward the cover by the force of the compression spring so as to not electrically connect the first terminal contact and the second terminal contact.

11 more elements

A switch comprising an integrated overcurrent protection device, the switch comprising:

a housing;
first and second terminal contacts within the housing;
an axially translatable central shaft comprising an indent on an end of the central shaft facing an interior surface of the housing;
a spring member inhibiting axial translation of the central shaft in a direction away from the interior surface of the housing;
an external lever external to the housing;
a boss supported by the interior surface of the housing and spaced apart from the axially translatable central shaft;
an internal lever within the housing and rotationally coupled to the external lever, such that rotation of the external lever induces rotation of the internal lever, the internal lever comprising an indent on a side of the internal lever facing the internal cover and a boss on a side of the internal lever opposite the indent on the internal lever, the internal lever rotatable to a first position in which the boss supported by the interior surface of the housing mates with the indent on the internal lever and the boss supported on the internal lever mates with the indent on the central shaft;
a spring rotationally biasing the internal lever to a second rotational position in which the boss supported by the interior surface of the housing no longer mates with the indent on the internal lever and the boss supported on the internal lever no longer mates with the indent on the central shaft;
and
a conductive element in the housing supported by the central shaft and moving with the central shaft when the central shaft is axially translated, the spring member biasing the central shaft and conductive element to a first axial position in which the conductive element is spaced apart from the first and second terminal contacts, wherein when the internal lever is rotated to the first rotational position the central shaft and conductive element are moved to a second axial position in which the conductive element is in contact with the first and second terminal contacts.

7 more elements

A switch comprising an integrated overcurrent protection device, the switch comprising:

a housing;
first and second terminal contacts within the housing;
an overcurrent protection element disposed within the housing and configured to change shape from a first shape to a second shape in response to an overcurrent condition;
a central shaft extending from a first interior surface of the housing and supporting the overcurrent protection element, the central shaft comprising an axially translatable end of the central shaft, axial translation of the end of the central shaft towards the first interior surface inhibited by a biasing member;
a contact surface supported by and extending from a second interior surface of the housing opposite the first interior surface of the housing, the contact surface axially aligned with the first end of the central shaft and spaced apart from the first end of the central shaft;
an external lever external to the housing;
an internal lever within the housing and rotationally coupled to the external lever such that rotation of the external lever induces rotation of the internal lever, the internal lever comprising an indent on a first side of the internal lever and a boss on a second side of the internal lever opposite the indent on the internal lever, the internal lever rotatable to a first rotational position in which the boss and the indent on the internal lever are positioned between the contact surface and the first end of the central shaft and axially aligned with the central shaft, rotation of the internal lever to the first rotational position moving the first end of the central shaft axially in the direction of the first interior surface and bringing the overcurrent protection element into contact with the first and second terminal contacts when the overcurrent protection element is in the first shape;
a spring rotationally biasing the internal lever to a second rotational position in which the boss and the indent on the internal lever are no longer axially aligned with the central shaft, the movement of the boss and the indent on the internal lever away from the first end of the central axis allowing the first end of the central axis to be axially translated away from the first interior surface, spacing the overcurrent protection element away from the first and second terminal contacts when the overcurrent protection element is in the first shape.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A switch including an integrated overcurrent protection device, the switch comprising:

a generally cup shaped housing having one open end;
a generally flat cover for the open end of the housing;
a first terminal extending into the housing and electrically connected to a first terminal contact;
a second terminal extending into the housing and electrically connected to a second terminal contact;
a central shaft withing the housing, perpendicular to the cover, able to slide axially within an internal hole in the housing and hosting an indent on the end facing the cover;
a compression spring concentric to the central shaft and opposing the sliding of the central shaft in a direction away from the cover;
a first lever external to the cover and rotatable parallel with respect to the cover from a first or “on” position to a second or “off” position;
a rotatable shaft perpendicular to the cover, passing through a hole in the cover and connected on one end to one end of the first lever;
a second lever internal to the housing, parallel to the first lever, connected on one end to the rotatable shaft;
an indent on the second lever on the side facing the cover and at the end of the second shaft opposite the rotatable shaft;
a centrally located boss on the side of the cover internal to the housing, mating with the indent on the second lever when the first lever is rotated into the first position;
a boss on the second lever on the side opposite the indent on the second lever and mating with the indent on the central shaft when the first lever is rotated into the first position thereby moving the central shaft away from the cover and compressing the compression spring;
a spring rotationally biasing said first lever, second lever and rotatable shaft to the second rotational position whereby the boss on the cover no longer mates with the indent on the second lever and the boss on the second lever no longer mates with the indent on the central shaft;
a conductive element within the housing having a through hole centered on the central shaft and moving with the central shaft when the first lever is in the first position, electrically connecting the first terminal contact and the second terminal contact and in conjunction with the compression spring providing sufficient spring force to maintain the engagement of the boss on the second lever with the indent on the central shaft and the boss on the cover with the indent on the second shaft when the first lever is in said first position, and when the first lever is rotated into the second position moved toward the cover by the force of the compression spring so as to not electrically connect the first terminal contact and the second terminal contact.

11 more elements