Control device and method of making the same
AssigneeRobertshaw Controls Company
InventorWilliam S. Hayes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A control device and method of making the same are provided, the control device having a plurality of electrical switch units carried by a support, a bracket structure carried by the support and having a plurality openings passing therethrough and being respectively aligned with the switch units, a cover carried by the bracket structure and having a plurality of finger movable areas respectively covering the openings, and a plurality of plungers disposed in the openings, the plungers each having been initially integral and one-piece with the bracket structure and having been separated therefrom to freely float relative to the bracket structure between its respective movable area of the cover and its respective switch unit.
Claims20
In a control device comprising a housing means, a plurality of electrical switch means carried by said housing means and each having a movable actuator means, said housing means having a part thereof provided with a plurality of opening means and being respectively aligned with said actuator means, said housing means comprising a cover means having a plurality of finger movable areas respectively covering said opening means, and a plurality of plunger means having first parts thereof respectively disposed in said opening means and having second parts thereof being engagable with said actuator means, the improvement wherein each said plunger means was initially integral and one-piece with said part of said housing means and has been separated therefrom to freely float relative to said housing means between its respective movable area of said cover means and its respective actuator means whereby each movable area of said cover means is adapted to be finger depressed to move its respective plunger means and thus its respective actuator means to change the operating condition of its respective switch means.
In a method of making a control device comprising a housing means, a plurality of electrical switch means carried by said housing means and each having a movable actuator means, said housing means having a part thereof provided with a plurality of opening means and being respectively aligned with said actuator means, said housing means comprising a cover means and having a plurality of finger movable areas respectively covering said opening means, and a plurality of plunger means having first parts thereof respectively disposed in said opening means and having second parts thereof being engagable with said actuator means, the improvement comprising the steps of forming each said plunger means to be initially integral and one-piece with said part of said housing means, and then separating said plunger means from said housing means so that said separated plunger means freely float relative to said housing means between its respective movable area of said cover means and its respective actuator means whereby each movable area of said cover means is adapted to be finger depressed to move its respective plunger means and thus its respective actuator means to change the operating condition of its respective switch means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.