Limit switch module and cam for use in the same

A limit switch module, comprising:

• a modular housing mounting a limit switch therein;
• a cam rotatably mounted in said housing at a predetermined distance from said limit switch, said cam having a large radius portion for actuating said switch when said cam is rotated to a predetermined position relative to said housing;
• a shaft for rotating said cam;
• and
• a spring collar means, integrally molded with and from the same material as said cam, said spring collar means for supplying a large enough restoring force on said shaft to ensure rotation of said cam with said shaft, and wherein said restoring force is small enough to permit manual adjustment of an angular position of said cam relative to said shaft.

A limit switch module, comprising:

• a module housing mounting a limit switch therein;
• a cam rotatably mounted in said housing at a predetermined distance from said limit switch, said cam having a large radium portion for actuating said switch when said cam is rotated to a predetermined position relative to said housing;
• a shaft for rotating said cam;
• and
• a spring collar integrally molded with and from the same material as said cam, wherein said spring collar includes a plurality of collar segments, each collar segment having an axial length along a longitudinal axis of said shaft and an arcuate length extending in an arc partially around the circumference of said shaft.

A unitarily molded cam, comprising:

• a continuous outer ring, having a thickness, an axial height, and a non-uniform outer diameter;
• and
• a discontinuous inner ring formed by a plurality of collar segments each connected to said outer ring by a separate joining web, said collar segments each having an axial height, an arcuate length, and a thickness;
• wherein the axial height of said outer ring is substantially equal to the axial height of each of said collar segments, and wherein said separate joining webs have an axial height substantially shorter than the axial height of said collar segments so as to provide an elastic restoring force to each of said collar segments when said segments are deflected by a shaft inserted in said discontinuous inner ring.

A limit switch module comprising:

• a housing mounting a limit switch therein;
• a protruding cylindrical bearing within said housing, said cylindrical bearing protruding from an inner surface of said housing;
• a cam rotatably mounted within said housing with said cylindrical bearing projecting into said cam such that said cylindrical bearing is at least partially disposed interiorly of a cam surface of said cam, said cam including a collar extending into an interior of said cylindrical bearing;
• and
• a shaft extending into said collar of said cam for rotating said cam.