Rocker switch with snap dome contacts

#The present invention relates generally to rocker switches, and more particularly to a new and improved rocker switch which has snap dome contacts incorporated therein so as to provide the rocker switch with a shortened actuation stroke and a tactile feel which is desirable in connection with switch applications which require rapidly or accurately controlled incremental movements in both a positive and negative sense, or in other words, applications which comprise incremental movements in opposite directions.

#Rocker switch assemblies or mechanisms are of course well-known in the electrical switch industry. Examples of rocker switches may be found within U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,815 which issued on May 23, 2000 to Joseph J. Spedale, U.S. Pat. No. 5,982,269 which issued on Nov. 9, 1999 to Richard W. Sorenson, U.S Pat. No. 5,950,812 which issued on Sep. 14, 1999 to Tanacan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,303 which issued on Feb. 2, 1999 to Gernhardt et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,918 which issued on Feb. 4, 1997 to Malecke et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,380 which issued to Kiyotaka Naitou on Dec. 17, 1996. Snap-dome contact assemblies are likewise well-known in the industry and have been employed within a wide variety of applications. Exemplary snap-dome type contact assemblies are disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,084 which issued to Brad A. Armstrong on Dec. 7, 1999, U.S. Pat. No. 5,986,228 which issued on Nov. 16, 1999 to Okamoto et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,555 which issued on Jul. 20, 1999 to Sadamori et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,147 which issued on Apr. 27, 1999 to Domzalski et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,522 which issued on Jun. 12, 1990 to Ronald C. Celander, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,988 which issued on Jan. 9, 1990 to Toshihiro Ishii.

#As can readily be seen and appreciated from the aforenoted patents directed toward the snap-dome contact assemblies, snap-dome contacts are usually used within panel or membrane type applications. Similarly, as can readily be seen and appreciated from the aforenoted patents directed toward the rocker switch assemblies and systems, while such conventional rocker switches are obviously quite satisfactory with respect to their operation or performance in connection with certain predeterminedly designed modes of operation or applications, the required throw or movement of such rocker switches, when activated for performing, for example, a circuit closure connection, is larger than required or desired for other operative modes or applications, such as for example, small throw and rapidly controllable operational movements for providing operatively associated servo drive mechanisms with rapidly and accurately controllable oppositely oriented incremental movements. In addition, when such rocker switches are to be utilized in connection with the aforenoted small throw, rapidly performed incremental movements, it is also often desired for the operator to experience or receive tactile feedback in order for the operator to properly, suitably, or accurately control the desired implementation of the aforenoted incremental movements as well as to sense the closure of the contact members in order to effectively confirm completion of the contact and the ensuing servo movement.

#Various other objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a new and improved rocker switch assembly constructed in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention and showing the cooperative parts thereof when the rocker switch assembly is disposed in a normally-centered OFF state;

#FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the new and improved rocker switch assembly disclosed within FIG. 1 showing the cooperative parts thereof both when the rocker switch assembly is disposed in a normally-centered OFF state and when the new and improved rocker switch assembly is disposed in a first actuated state whereby a first one of the two electrical circuits controlled by means of the rocker switch assembly is disposed in a CLOSED state;

#Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, a new and improved rocker switch assembly, constructed in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention and showing the cooperative parts thereof, is disclosed and is generally indicated by the reference character 10. The rocker switch assembly 10 is seen to comprise a rocker switch housing 12 and a rocker switch actuator 14 wherein the rocker switch actuator 14 is pivotally mounted upon upper end portions of oppositely disposed side walls 16 of the rocker switch housing 12. More particularly, each one of the upper end portions of the oppositely disposed side walls 16 of the rocker switch housing 12 is provided with a through-aperture 18, and the oppositely disposed side walls 20 of the rocker switch actuator 14 are respectively provided with coaxially disposed oppositely extending trunnions 22 wherein the trunnions 22 are adapted to be snap-fitted within the through-apertures 18 of rocker switch housing side walls 16. It is noted that both the rocker switch housing 12 and the rocker switch actuator 14 may be fabricated from a suitable thermoplastic material.

#With reference continuing to be made to FIG. 1, it is seen that the rocker switch housing 12 further comprises a horizontally extending floor or foundation portion 24 which is located at a substantially central elevational level as considered along the vertical extent or height dimension of the rocker switch housing 12, and it is seen that a pair of dependent tubular posts 26,28 project downwardly from an undersurface portion 30 of the floor or foundation 24 so as to respectively define a pair of through-bores 32, 34 therethrough. Upper end portions of the through-bores 32, 34 are countersunk, as at 36,38, within an upper surface portion 40 of the floor or foundation 24, and a pair of first and second electrical circuit contact pins 42,44 are respectively disposed within the through-bores 32, 34 of the dependent tubular posts 26,28. More particularly, it is to be appreciated that each one of the through-bores 32,34 defined within the dependent tubular posts 26,28 has a predetermined diametrical extent, and that the primary shank portion of each electrical circuit contact pin 42,44 has a diametrical extent which is just slightly less than that of its respective through-bore 32,34. The primary shank portion of each electrical circuit contact pin 42,44 is provided, however, with a radially outwardly projecting annular rib memer 46,48 whereby the first and second electrical circuit contact pins 42,44 are disposed and fixedly mounted within the respective bores 32,34 of the dependent tubular posts 26,28 through means of a press-fit or an interference fit. In addition, it is further appreciated that the countersunk portions 36,38 of the through-bores 32,34 define shoulder portions 50,52 upon which flanged head portions 54,56 of the first and second electrical circuit contact pins 42,44 are adapted to be seated when the first and second electrical circuit contact pins 42,44 are fully and properly mounted within the rocker switch housing 12.

#With reference still being made to FIG. 1, and with additional reference also being made to FIGS. 3 and 4, it is further seen that the rocker switch housing floor or foundation 24 is provided with a pair of transversely spaced upstanding posts 58,60, and a common or ground plate 62 is adapted to be fixedly mounted and supported upon the upper surface portion 40 of the floor or foundation 24 as a result of being disposed and fitted upon the upstanding posts 58,60. More particularly, as can best be seen from FIGS. 3 and 4, the ground plate 62 is provided with a first set of apertures 64,66 which are transversely spaced from each other by means of a center-to-center distance which substantially corresponds to the transverse spacing of the upstanding posts 58,60 of the rocker switch housing 12, and it is noted that the diametrical extent of each aperture 64,66 is substantially the same as the diametrical extent of each upstanding post 58,60. Each one of the upstanding posts 58,60 is provided with a circumferentially spaced array of crush ribs 68,70, and in this manner, when the ground plate 62 is to be mounted upon the floor or foundation 24 of the rocker switch housing 12, the apertures 64,66 of the ground plate 62 are coaxially aligned with the upstanding posts 58, 60, the ground plate 62 is then moved downwardly so as to effectively insert the upstanding posts 58,60 through the ground plate apertures 64,66, and accordingly, the interaction of the peripheral portions of the ground plate apertures 64,66 with the crush ribs 68,70 defines an interference or press fit between each apertured portion of the ground plate 62 and its upstanding mounting post 58,60.