Pushbutton switch operator assembly
AssigneeAllen-Bradley Company, Inc.
InventorsMichael S. Baran, Arthur J. Felber, Gary C. Fillus
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pushbutton switch operator assembly including concentrically arrayed tubular members permitting dual action of an actuator to release switch contacts from a first maintained position to a second maintained position either by a rotative manual operation of a tubular actuator or by manual axial "push-pull" actuator operation. This dual action is provided by longitudinal movement of a switching member having a cam profile acting against spring bias of a detent member, and wherein this longitudinal movement is obtained by said manual "push-pull" operation or by a camming action provided by mating ramp surfaces during rotation of the actuator with respect to a stationary supporting member.
Claims8
A pushbutton switch operator assembly comprising:
- a supporting, apertured base slidably receiving an axially movable switching member having a longitudinal cam profile, said cam profile defining first and second longitudinal operating switch positions;
- spring-biased detent means engageable with said cam profile for alternatively maintaining said switching member in one of said first and second switch operating positions;
- a manually operable actuator adapted for axial and rotatable movement relative to said base, and arranged to retain and rotatably receive said switch member;
- cam means between said base and said actuator for providing axial movement to said actuator concurrently with manual rotation of the actuator;
- whereby said actuator may be manually moved axially in a direction away from said base either by rotative operation under the action of said cam means, or alternatively, by a manual pulling action on said actuator to thereby, in either case, cause said retained switch member to move longitudinally against the biasing action of said detent member.
A pushbutton switch operator assembly comprising:
- a supporting member including a base portion defining a laterally extending cavity slidably carrying a spring-biased detent member and an aperture in the bottom surface of said groove, an integral, upstanding post extending from said base portion and including a longitudinal groove substantially coextensive of its length and communicating at one end with said aperture, and an integral upstanding cam portion having a rise-return ramp profile;
- a reciprocating linear, notched switching member slidably seated in the longitudinal groove of said post and having a switch operating portion extending through said aperture, said switching member including a longitudinal cam surface engageable with the spring-biased detent member and defining a dwell-rise-fall-dwell cam profile;
- and a tubular actuator member rotatably and slidably received by the upstanding post of said supporting member and defining an inwardly extending ledge slidably received by the notch of said switching member, said actuator having its innermost end formed to provide a rise-return ramp profile rotatably engageable with the rise-return ramp profile formed in upstanding cam portion of said supporting member;
- and torsion spring means for biasing said actuator towards cam return position;
- whereby said actuator may be manually moved axially in a direction away from said base member either by rotative operation under the action of said mating ramp surfaces, or alternatively, by a manual pulling action on said actuator to thereby, in either case, cause said switch member to move longitudinally against the action of said detent member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.