Slide switch with self cleaning structure including grooves in rectangular substrate
AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
InventorYoshiyuki Aoki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A slide switch that can remove foreign particles, such as metallic dust, from its ground terminals. When the movable contact slides toward a stroke end, the power source contact first passes through an end section of the power source terminal before disengaging the terminal. At that instant, arcs are generated between the contact and the terminal. Arcs produce metallic dust, carbide particles, etc. that adhere to the insulator and terminals creating buildup and obstructing the sliding path of the contacts. The switch is provided with a discharge hole and arc gaps along the sliding path of the contacts to eliminate the arc buildup. The contacts carry the metallic dust and carbide particles while sliding so that the dust and particles drop into the discharge hole or arc gap.
Claims15
A slide switch to close a current feed circuit to a load by connecting a ground terminal to a power source terminal, comprising:
- a body having a first side and a second side, and said body defining at least one opening and a discharge hole;
- a ground terminal disposed on said first side of said body, and positioned at least over a portion of said discharge hole, and said ground terminal defining a notch hole section positioned substantially over said discharge hole;
- a power source terminal disposed on said second side of said body, and positioned next to said at least one opening;
- and
- a movable contact slidably attached to said slide switch having a first contact engaged along said ground terminal, and a second contact selectively engaged along said power source terminal.
A slide switch, comprising:
- a rectangular insulating body having a surface with first, second, third and fourth corners, wherein said first and second corners are opposite said third and fourth corners, and said body defining a first opening and a discharge hole;
- a ground terminal consisting of a rectangular plate disposed on said surface of said rectangular insulating body, spanning a substantial length of said rectangular insulating body from said first corner to said second corner, and positioned at least over a portion of said discharge hole, and said ground terminal defining a notch hole section positioned substantially over said discharge hole;
- a power source terminal disposed on said surface of said rectangular insulating body, positioned in said third corner and abutting said first opening;
- and
- a movable contact slidably attached to said slide switch, comprising:
- a rectangular member with first and second edge sections;
- a ground contact attached to said first edge section;
- and
- a power source contact attached to said second edge section;
- wherein said rectangular member spans a distance between said ground terminal and said power source terminal and said ground contact is positioned to engage said ground terminal, and said power source contact is positioned to selectively engage said power source terminal when said movable contact slides across said surface of said rectangular insulating body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.