Proximity switch

An improved proximity switch for sensing an object in any one of a plurality of different planes, comprising:

• a base assembly (16, 18) having a first connecting portion;
• a first support part (44) rotatably mounted at said first connecting portion for rotation about a first axis (26);
• a post (94) fixedly attached to said first support part (44), said post (94) defining a second axis (72) intersecting said first axis (26) at an angle of substantially 45.degree.;
• a sensing part (50) mounted for rotation about said post (94);
• a fastening member (46) passing from said base assembly (16, 18) into said first support part (44) along said first axis (26);
• two receiving members (48, 48a) mounted in said sensing part (50) for receiving said fastening member (46) to hold said sensor lower portion (44) in said first position or in said second position, respectively;
• sensing apparatus (68) mounted within said sensing part (50) for providing sensitivity at a target face (24) for detecting nearby objects, and
• rotation of said sensing part (50) substantially 180.degree. about said second axis (72) provides said target face a first position substantially parallel to said first axis (26) and a second position substantially perpendicular to said first axis (26), and rotation of said support part (44) about said first axis, when said target face (24) is in said first position substantially parallel to said first axis (26), provides said target face with a plurality of positions each of which has said target face substantially parallel to said first axis (26),
• and said fastening member (46) locks said sensing part (50) in either said first position or said second position, and also said fastening member (46) locks said first support part (44) in a selected rotation position about said first axis (26).

An improved proximity switch for sensing an object in any one of a plurality of different planes, comprising:

• a base assembly (16, 18) having a first connecting portion;
• a first support part (44) rotatably mounted at said first connecting portion for rotation about a first axis (26);
• a post (94) fixedly attached to said first support part (44), said post (94) defining a second axis (72) intersecting said first axis (26) at an angle of substantially 45.degree.;
• a sensing part (50) mounted for rotation about said post (94), said sensing part (50) having a substantially conical cavity formed therein, said substantially conical cavity having an axis substantially coincident with said second axis (72);
• and,
• said sensing part (50) has a substantially cubic shape, and has a lower portion (74) and a sensing portion (78), a junction between said lower portion (74) and said sensing portion (78) being along a plane, said plane passing through a first edge and a second edge of said cubic shape where said first edge and said second edge are parallel and are diagonally opposite edges of said cubic shape, and said plane passes through a diagonal line of a first face and a diagonal line of a second face of said cubic shape where said first face is parallel to said second face, said first face and said second face are joined by said first edge and said second edge, and said first edge joins said diagonal line of said first face, said diagonal line of said first face joins said second edge, and said diagonal line of said second face joins both said first edge and said second edge, thereby said first edge and said second edge and said diagonal line of said first face and said diagonal line of said second face lie in said plane and form a rectangle;
• sensing apparatus (68) mounted within said sensing part (50) for providing sensitivity at a target face (24) for detecting nearby objects, said substantially conical cavity being formed in said lower portion (74) and providing additional volume within said sensing part (50) for mounting said sensing apparatus (68) therein, whereby rotating of said sensing part (50) substantially 180.degree. about said second axis (72) provides said target face a first position substantially parallel to said first axis (26) and a second position substantially perpendicular to said first axis (26), and rotation of said support part (44) about said first axis, when said target face (24) is in said first position substantially parallel to said first axis (26), provides said target face with a plurality of positions each of which has said target face substantially parallel to said first axis (26).

An improved proximity switch for sensing an object in any one of a plurality of different planes, comprising:

• a base assembly (16, 18) having a first connecting portion;
• a first support part (44) rotatably mounted at said first connecting portion for rotation about a first axis (26);
• a post (94) fixedly attached to said first support part (44), said post (94) defining a second axis (72) intersecting said first axis (26) at an angle of substantially 45.degree.;
• a sensing part (50) mounted for rotation about said post (94);
• sensing apparatus (68) mounted within said sensing part (50) for providing sensitivity at a target face (24) for detection of objects near to said target face (24);
• a plurality of electrical conductors (86) fixedly mounted on a wall of said sensing part (50) so as to face a mating wall of said base assembly (16, 18);
• a plurality of electrical contacts (66, 66C) mounted in said base assembly (16, 18) proximate to and providing electrical connection with at least some of said plurality of electrical conductors (86), in order to establish electrical connection between said sensing apparatus (68) and electrical components mounted in said base assembly (16, 18), whereby rotation of said sensing part (50) substantially 180.degree. about said second axis (72) provides said target face a first position substantially parallel to said first axis (26) and a second position substantially perpendicular to said first axis (26), and rotation of said support part (44) about said first axis, when said target face (24) is in said first position substantially parallel to said first axis (26), provides said target face with a plurality of positions each of which has said target face substantially parallel to said first axis (26);
• a fastening member (46) passing from said base assembly (16, 18) into said first support part (44);
• and,
• at least one receiving member (48, 48a) mounted in said sensing part (50) for receiving said fastening member (46), said fastening member (46) being capable of being tightened into said at lease one receiving member (48, 48a) in order to provide mechanical force compressing said plurality of electrical conductors (86) into said plurality of electrical contacts (66, 66C), thereby providing said electrical connection.

An improved proximity switch for sensing an object in any one of a plurality of different planes, comprising:

• a head;
• a base having a connecting portion;
• a support portion of said head rotatably mounted at said connecting portion of said base and capable of rotation about a first axis;
• a second axis defined in said head and intersecting said first axis at an angle of substantially 45 degrees;
• a target face portion of said head for detecting nearby objects, said target face mounted for rotation about said second axis, and rotation of said target face about said second axis being capable of rotating said target face from an orientation perpendicular to said first axis to an orientation parallel to said first axis, and rotation of said support part about said first axis being capable of rotating said target face into selected orientations parallel to said first axis;
• said head having a substantially cubic shape, said target face being a face of said cubic shape, said cubic shape being cut along a diagonal plane passing through a first edge and a second edge of said cubic shape where said first edge and said second edge are parallel and are diagonally opposite edges of said cubic shape, and said diagonal plane being substantially perpendicular to said second axis;
• a sensor portion of said head formed by at least said target face, a second face of said cubic shape, and said diagonal plane;
• a concave wall extending into said support portion, said concave wall forming a cavity between said concave wall and said diagonal plane, and a single volume formed by said cavity and a space enclosed by said sensor portion;
• sensing apparatus mounted within said sensor portion, said sensing apparatus capable of providing sensitivity at said target face, said sensing apparatus being mounted within said single volume and occupying space within said sensor portion and within said cavity.

An improved proximity switch for sensing an object in any one of a plurality of different planes, comprising:

• a head;
• a base having a connecting portion;
• a support portion of said head rotatably mounted at said connecting portion of said base and capable of rotation about a first axis;
• a second axis defined in said head and intersecting said first axis at an angle of substantially 45 degrees;
• a target face portion of said head for detecting nearby objects, said target face mounted for rotation about said second axis, and rotation of said target face about said second axis being capable of rotating said target face from an orientation perpendicular to said first axis to an orientation parallel to said first axis, and rotation of said support part about said first axis being capable of rotating said target face into selected orientations parallel to said first axis;
• a single fastening member passing from said base into said support part and capable of detachably securing said target face against movement about said first axis and against movement about said second axis;