Switch assembly for withstanding shock and vibration

A switch assembly, comprising:

• a reed switch having an elongate body with electrical leads extending from a first end and a second end of said elongate body;
• a first o-ring and a second o-ring mounted in spaced apart relation about said elongate body;
• an elongate rigid housing having openings at either end thereof and having a port formed in a side thereof for accessing a cavity therein, said housing encasing said switch, said first o-ring and said second o-ring, said housing in circumferential contact with said first o-ring and said second o-ring, said housing extending past said first o-ring and said first end of said elongate body to define a first open-ended chamber, said housing extending past said second o-ring and said second end of said elongate body to define a second open-ended chamber, said electrical leads extending from said first end of said elongate body passing through said first open-ended chamber, said electrical leads extending from said second end of said elongate body passing through said second open-ended chamber;
• said first o-ring and said second o-ring being spaced apart from one another on either side of said port, wherein an annular chamber is defined between said elongate body and said housing between said first o-ring and said second o-ring;
• and
• a damping material filling said annular chamber, said first open-ended chamber and said second open-ended chamber, said damping material encasing said electrical leads passing through each of said first open-ended chamber and said second open-ended chamber.

A method of enclosing a switch in a protective assembly, said switch having an elongate body with electrical leads extending from a first end and a second end of said elongate body, said method comprising the steps of:

• placing a first o-ring and a second o-ring on said elongate body such that said first o-ring and said second o-ring are spaced apart from one another relative to a longitudinal axis of said elongate body;
• providing an elongate rigid housing longer than said elongate body and having a first opening and a second opening at opposing ends thereof and a port formed in a side thereof for accessing a cavity therein;
• threading said electrical leads extending from said first end of said elongate body through said first opening of said housing;
• pushing said elongate body along with said first o-ring and said second o-ring into said housing until said first o-ring and said second o-ring reside on either side of said port with said housing extending past said first o-ring and said first end of said elongate body to define a first open-ended chamber and said housing extending past said second o-ring and said second end of said elongate body to define a second open-ended chamber wherein said electrical leads extending from said first end of said elongate body pass through said first open-ended chamber and said electrical leads extending from said second end of said elongate body pass through said second open-ended chamber, said first o-ring and said second o-ring being in circumferential contact with said housing wherein an annular chamber is defined between said elongate body and said housing between said first o-ring and said second o-ring;
• and
• filling said annular chamber through said port with a damping material.