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US 5,826,709 AGranted
Self-adjusting plunger switch
AssigneeTRW Fahrzeugelektrik GmbH & Co. KG
InventorHans-Ullrich Jacob
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-adjusting plunger switch having a housing (3) carrying contacts (7, 19) with an actuation element (5, 27) for actuation of the contacts (7, 19). A resilient element (11) biases the actuating element outwardly of the housing toward an inoperative position. The actuating element comprises a housing-guided slider (5) and a plunger (27) adjustably connected with the slider. The plunger (27) has a first stop arrest (45) which can be brought from an adjustment between the plunger (27) and the slider (5) through rotational movement around the longitudinal axis of the plunger to engage with a second stop arrest (29a) of the slider as a result of which an arrest of the position between the plunger (27) and slider (5) is attainable.
Claims27
A self-adjusting plunger switch comprising:
- a housing carrying at least one contact member;
- an actuation element guided in said housing for actuation of said at least one contact member;
- a resilient element in said housing biasing said actuation element outwardly of said housing toward an inoperative position;
- and,
- said actuation element including a plunger and a slider and including therebetween cooperating first arresting means and a second arresting means for allowing relative axial adjustment between said plunger and said slider while permitting rotational movement of the plunger when said plunger is disposed in a first rotational position relative to said slider and to obtain an arrest of an adjustment position between said plunger and said slider when said plunger is disposed in a second rotational position relative to said slider.
2 more elements
A self-adjusting plunger switch comprising:
- a housing carrying at least one contact;
- an actuation element guided in said housing for actuation of said at least one contact;
- a resilient element in said housing biasing said actuation element outwardly of said housing toward an inoperative position;
- said actuation element including a plunger and a slider and including therebetween a first arresting means and a second arresting means for allowing axial adjustment between said plunger and said slider while permitting rotational movement of said plunger around its longitudinal axis to obtain an arrest of an adjustment position between said plunger and said slider;
- said plunger further including a zone and said slider including an axial recess and wherein the first arresting means is provided at said zone and the second arresting means is in the slider;
- the first and second arresting means including cooperating stop elements which form a locking mechanism;
- the second arresting means having at least one resilient arm adapted to engage the first arresting means;
- and,
- the second arresting means including a U-spring having arms that respectively cooperate with opposite longitudinal sides of the plunger.
6 more elements
A self-adjusting plunger switch comprising:
- a housing carrying at least one contact;
- an actuation element guided in said housing for actuation of said at least one contact;
- a resilient element in said housing biasing said actuation element outwardly of said housing toward an inoperative position;
- said actuation element including a plunger and a slider and including therebetween a first arresting means and a second arresting means for allowing axial adjustment between said plunder and said slider while permitting rotational movement of said plunger around its longitudinal axis to obtain an arrest of an adjustment position between said plunger and said slider;
- the plunger further including a zone and the slider including an axial recess and wherein the first arresting means is provided at said zone and the second arresting means is in the slider;
- the first and second arresting means including cooperating stop elements which form a locking mechanism;
- the second arresting means having at least one resilient arm adapted to engage the first arresting means;
- and,
- the plunger being generally cylindrical and having a radius, said radius being adjacent to the first arresting means such that the plunger and an interior wall of the axial recess of the slider limit radial movement of at least the one resilient arm.
6 more elements
A self-adjusting plunger switch comprising:
- a housing carrying at least one contact;
- an actuation element guided in said housing for actuation of said at least one contact;
- a resilient element in said housing biasing said actuation element outwardly of said housing toward an inoperative position;
- said actuating element including a plunger and a slider and including therebetween a first arresting means and a second arresting means for allowing axial adjustment between said plunger and said slider while permitting rotational movement of said plunger around its longitudinal axis to obtain an arrest of an adjustment position between said plunger and said slider;
- the plunger further including a zone and having a substantially circular cross-section with at least one flattened longitudinal side which in the adjustment position cooperates with the at least one resilient arm and the slider including an axial recess and wherein the first arresting means is provided at said zone and the second arresting means is in the slider, the first and second arresting means including cooperating stop elements which form a locking mechanism;
- and,
- the second arresting means having at least one resilient arm adapted to engage the first arresting means.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.