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US 4,900,946 AGranted
Multi-function switch for automotive vehicles
AssigneeNavistar International Transportation Corp.
InventorsEdward L. Williams, Donald E. Riley
Life of this patent
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AssigneeNavistar International Transportation Corp.
InventorsEdward L. Williams, Donald E. Riley
Estimating the term…
A multi-function turn signal switch comprises a cylindrical switch body on which an operating lever is mounted for pivotal motion about a pivot located on the longitudinal axis of the body. Located internally of the body on a transverse end wall through which the lever passes, is a circular array of four sealed membrane switches, arranged at 90 degree intervals about the longitudinal axis. The lever is mounted in ball and socket type joint enabling the interior end of the lever to describe a frustoconical zone of swivelling. Internal mechanism, including an electromagnetic cancellation mechanism, within the body bears against the interior end of the lever to define various operating positions for the lever around the zone of swivelling, each correlated with actuation of a particular one of the membrane switches by means of a transverse circular disc that is on the lever between the lever mounting and the interior end of the lever. The lever is also displaceable longitudinally for simultaneous actuation of all the array's switches. Circumferential arrays of membrane switches are disposed on the outside of the switch body for selective actuation by rotary actuators. Compressible, resilient pads overlie all arrays to permit membrane switch actuation by the corresponding actuating device while absorbing a certain amount of the actuating device's travel.
A multi-function turn signal switch for an automotive vehicle comprising a switch body having a longitudinal axis, a lever that has an exterior end disposed exteriorly of the switch body for operating the lever and an interior end that is disposed interiorly of the switch body, a mount for mounting the lever between its ends on the switch body to enable the interior end of the lever, when operated via its exterior end, to describe a frustoconical zone of motion within the switch body with the apex of the frustoconical zone of motion lying on said longitudinal axis, means acting against the interior end of said lever to create plural discrete positions for the lever circumferentially around the frustoconical zone of motion for giving signals, including right and left turn signals, at each of which discrete positions the lever will be retained when operated to that position, plural electrical switches arranged on said switch body in a circumferentially extending array about said axis and each of said electrical switches being particular to a particular one of said discrete positions of the lever, and switch actuating means on said lever for actuating the particular electrical switch that is particular to the corresponding one of said discrete positions of said lever when the lever is operated to that position.
A multi-function turn signal switch as set forth in cIaim 24 includes means for causing the interior end of said lever to re-seat on said end face when said force-producing means is de-activated.
A multi-function switch for mounting on the steering column of an automotive vehicle to produce signals for the control of various electrical circuits of the vehicle, said switch comprising a switch body having a longitudinal axis that is for disposition generally transverse to the steering column, an array of sealed membrane switches on a wall of said switch body, resiliently yieldable pad structure overlying the array of sealed membrane switches, an actuator that is positionable on said switch body, and switch actuating means on said switch actuator which, when said actuator is positioned to various positions on said body, selectively depresses said pad structure to in turn selectively depress said sealed membrane switches of said array.
In combination, a right turn signal circuit, a left turn signal circuit, a headlamp dimmer circuit, and a marker lamp interrupt circuit of an automotive vehicle, a multi-function switch for operating said circuits, said switch comprising four sets of contacts, each of which is particular to a particular one of said circuits, said multi-function switch comprising a switch body having a longitudiknal axis, said four sets of contacts being arranged on said switch body in a circumferential array about said longitudinal axis at 90 degree intervals, and an actuating lever that is pivotally mounted on said switch body such that the pivot point is located on said axis and the lever is pivotable in two opposite directions 180 degrees apart about said axis to respectively actuate the two sets of contacts that are particular to the right turn signal circuit and left turn signal circuit respectively for giving respective right and left turn signals, said lever also being pivotable in an additional two opposite directions that are themselves 180 degrees apart about said axis but at 90 degrees to the pivotable directions for actuating the sets of contacts that are particular to the turn signal circuits, the lever being effective when pivoted in respective ones of said additional two opposite directions to respectively actuate the two sets of contacts that are particular to the headlamp dimmer circuit and the marker lamp interrupt circuit respectively for actuating the headlamp dimmer circuit and the marker lamp interrupt circuit respectively for giving headlamp dinner and marker lamp interrupt signals respectively.
In combination, a right turn signal turn signal circuit, a left turn signal turn signal circuit and a hazard warning signal circuit of an automotive vehicle, a multi-function switch for operating said circuits, said switch comprising a switch body on which are mounted plural sets of contacts, one of which sets of contacts is particular to the right turn signal circuit and another of which is particular to the left turn signal circuit, said switch body having a longitudinal axis, said plural sets of contacts being arranged in a circumferential array about said longitudinal axis, and an actuating lever that is pivotally mounted on said switch body such that the pivot point is located on said axis and the lever is pivotable in two opposite directions l80 degrees apart about said axis to actuate the right and left turn signal circuits respectively by the respective actuation of the particular sets of contacts that are particular to the right and left turn signal circuits respectively, and wherein said lever is also arranged to be longitudinally displacable bodily along said longitudinal axis to simultaneously actuate said plural sets of contacts, the actuation of said plural sets of contacts being effective to actuate the hazard warning signal circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.