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US 4,289,963 AGranted
Control device and method of making the same
AssigneeRobertshaw Controls Company
InventorCharles J. Everett
Life of this patent
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AssigneeRobertshaw Controls Company
InventorCharles J. Everett
Estimating the term…
A control device having a housing provided with an actuator chamber separated from a pressure differential chamber by a wall having an opening therethrough receiving an axially movable actuator pin that transmits axial movement of a movable part in the pressure differential chamber to the actuator chamber, the actuator pin being separate from and engageable with the movable part. An optical switch unit is disposed in the actuator chamber and the actuator pin has an interrupter vane for actuating the optical switch unit when the movable part axially moves the actuator pin to a certain axial position relative to the housing. The actuator pin has an orientation arrangement that cooperates with an orientation arrangement of the wall opening to maintain the interrupter vane of the actuator pin in proper rotational alignment with the optical switch unit.
In a control device having a housing means provided with an actuator chamber separated from a pressure differential chamber by wall means having opening means therethrough receiving an axially movable actuator pin that transmits axial movement of a movable part in said pressure differential chamber to said actuator chamber, said actuator pin being separate from and engageable with said movable part, the improvement comprising optical switch means in said actuator chamber, said actuator pin having interrupter means for actuating said optical switch means when said movable part axially moves said actuator pin to a certain axial position relative to said housing means, said actuator pin having orientation means, said opening means having orientation means cooperating with said orientation means of said actuator pin to maintain said interrupter means of said actuator pin in proper rotational alignment with said optical switch means.
A control device as set forth in claim 11 wherein said actuator pin has an end provided with spring retainer means that engages said one end of said range spring to maintain alignment of said range spring with said actuator pin.
A control device as set forth in claim 14 wherein said cradle-like member has means for snap-fitting said light source means and said sensing means thereto.
In a method of making a control device having a housing means provided with an actuator chamber separated from a pressure differential chamber by wall means having opening means therethrough receiving an axially movable actuator pin that transmits axial movement of a movable part in said pressure differential chamber to said actuator chamber, said actuator pin being separate from and engageable with said movable part, the improvement comprising the steps of disposing an optical switch means in said actuator chamber, forming said actuator pin with interrupter means for actuating said optical switch means when said movable part axially moves said actuator pin to a certain axial position relative to said housing means, forming said actuator pin to have orientation means, and forming said opening means to have orientation means cooperating with said orientation means of said actuator pin to maintain said interrupter means of said actuator pin in proper rotational alignment with said optical switch means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.