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US 5,889,246 AGranted
Automotive brake switch
AssigneesJoseph Pollak Corporation, Chrysler Corporation
InventorsCarl Frank, Mark Susser, Mark S. Grimes
Life of this patent
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AssigneesJoseph Pollak Corporation, Chrysler Corporation
InventorsCarl Frank, Mark Susser, Mark S. Grimes
Estimating the term…
An automotive brake switch including a body having a linearly traveling profiled carriage which makes or breaks various circuits as the carriage travels. The switch includes a plunger which, at first, is free to move relative to the carriage, but upon installation is locked to the carriage. A rotatable lever arm holds the carriage in a desired neutral operating position, and maintains free movement of the plunger relative to the carriage. When the switch body is installed, the plunger comes into contact with an arm of the brake which causes the brake to move against the force from a spring to assume a desired adjustment position relative to the carriage for proper operation. The rotatable lever arm is turned to lock the plunger to the carriage and to free the carriage for travel within the body. Thereafter, the carriage responds to movement of the plunger caused by the brake arm to make and break circuits in the normal fashion to control the operation of cruise control, stop lamps, etc. Also, the length of the carriage is somewhat less than the space provided in the switch body. This permits overtravel of the carriage within the body without causing readjustment.
A switch for making and breaking circuits in a vehicle in response to movement of the brake of said vehicle between active and rest positions comprising:
A method of installing a switch for a brake in a vehicle, said brake including a brake arm and a striker plate fixed to said brake arm, said method comprising:
A method of installing in a vehicle an automotive brake switch comprising a body, a carriage disposed for linear travel in said body, a plunger mounted on said carriage and normally biased by relatively light pressure to extend therefrom, a rotatable lever arm having radial extensions disposed on said body adjacent said carriage for locking said plunger to said carriage and freeing said carriage for travel in said body comprising the steps of installing said switch in said vehicle with said plunger in contact with said brake under pressure greater than said relatively light pressure and rotating said lever arm first to lock said plunger in fixed position on said carriage and second to free said carriage for predetermined linear movement in said body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.