Magnetic switch assembly

A magnetic switch for detecting relative movement between first and second members when the members are moved from a first, substantially adjacent position to a second position where the members are separated, said switch comprising:

• a switch assembly for mounting to said first member, including a housing formed of electrically conductive material and presenting a chamber with a circumscribing sidewall and a bottom wall, and a top cover, said top cover having a component thereof formed of non-electrically conductive material, said housing defining a second switch element, a plurality of spaced apart switch elements each in the form of an elongated, rod-like component and extending through said top cover component into said chamber, and a shiftable body within the chamber formed of an electrically conductive permanently, magnetized material;
• and
• an attractive component for coupling to said second member,
• said plurality of switch elements, said attractive component and said body being selected and located so that, when said first and second members are in said first adjacent position, said body will be in simultaneous contact with at least one of said plurality of switch elements and said second switch elements by virtue of a magnetic attraction between said body and said attractive components, and such that when said first and second members are in said second separated position, said body will be in simultaneous contact with at least one of said plurality of switch elements by virtue of a magnetic attraction between said body and said at least one of said plurality of switch elements.

A magnetic switch assembly comprising:

• a first switch element, a second switch element in spaced relationship to the first element, and an electrically conductive, shiftable body,
• said body shiftable between a first position where the body is in simultaneous contact with said first and second switch elements, and a second position where the body is out of said simultaneous contact with the first and second switch elements;
• and
• said first switch element formed of electrically conductive material which magnetically attracts said body, said body formed of electrically conductive, permanently magnetized material which is magnetically attracted to said first switch element,
• said body remaining in contact with said first switch element when the body is in either of the first or second positions thereof, by virtue of the magnetic attraction between said body and said first switch element.

A proximity detector for detecting the proximity of an adjacent ferromagnetic or magnetized object, comprising:

• a switch assembly including a first switch element, a second switch element in spaced relationship to the first element, and an electrically conductive, shiftable body,
• said body shiftable between a first position where the body is in simultaneous contact with said first and second switch elements, and a second position where the body is out of said simultaneous contact with the first and second switch elements;
• and
• said first switch element formed of electrically conductive material which magnetically attracts said body, said body formed of electrically conductive, permanently magnetized material which is magnetically attracted to said first switch element,
• said body remaining in contact with said first switch element when the body is in either of the first or second positions thereof, by virtue of the magnetic attraction between said body and said first switch element,
• said body shiftable from the first or second position thereof to the second or first position thereof when said object is proximal to the switch assembly.

A method of detecting the proximity of a ferrometallic or magnetized object, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a switch assembly including a first switch element, a second switch element in spaced relationship to the first element, and an electrically conductive, shiftable body,
• said body shiftable between a first position where the body is in simultaneous contact with said first and second switch elements, and a second position where the body is out of said simultaneous contact with the first and second switch elements;
• and
• said first switch element formed of electrically conductive material which magnetically attracts said body, said body formed of electrically conductive, permanently magnetized material which is magnetically attracted to said first switch element,
• said body remaining in contact with said first switch element when the body is in either of the first or second positions thereof, by virtue of the magnetic attraction between said body and said first switch element;
• and
• shifting said body from the first or second position thereof to the second or first position thereof when said object is proximal to the switch assembly.