# US 7,465,897 B2 · Rotary circuit selection device with crown detent > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,465,897 B2 - Document ID: US7465897B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/581,240 - Filed: 2004-10-05 - Published: 2007-12-20 - Granted: 2008-12-16 - Earliest claimed: 2004-10-05 - Assignees: Emrise Corporation - Applicants: Pamela A. Horton, legal representative - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7465897B2 ## CPC - H01H 19/62: Contacts actuated by radial cams - H01H 19/11: with indexing means - H01H 19/63: Contacts actuated by axial cams {(H01H19/6355 takes precedence)} - H01H 3/40: using friction, toothed, or screw-and-nut gearing - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) ## Abstract A rotary circuit selection device (400) having a driving cam (430) and an operating cam (440), each having a series of alternating peaks (442) and valleys (455). A biasing mechanism (420) biases the driving cam toward the stationary cam such that the peaks of one cam are received by the valleys of the other cam and vice versa. Selection of an alternative circuit includes rotating and translating the driving cam in relation to stationary cam. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rotary circuit selection device, comprising: a driving cam and an opposing stationary cam each having a series of alternating peaks and valleys and further wherein the driving cam and the opposing stationary cam have peaks wherein the peaks and valleys have angles formed by converging sides having angles that are substantially equal; a biasing mechanism configured to bias the driving cam toward the stationary cam such that the peaks of each cam are received by the valleys of the opposing cam; the peaks and valleys of the cams extending towards each other along a translational direction of motion of the driving cam; and a shaft that rotates and translates the driving cam in relation to the stationary cam in order to select the circuit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises electrical components. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises optical components. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises magnetic components. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The switch of claim 1, wherein each peak has an angle formed by converging sides of the peak and each valley has an angle formed by converging sides of the valley, and wherein the angles of the peaks and the angles of the valleys are substantially equal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The switch of claim 1, wherein the biasing mechanism is a compression spring. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The switch of claim 6, wherein the spring has an outer diameter less than an outer diameter of the driving cam. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The switch of claim 6, wherein the spring has an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the driving cam. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The switch of claim 8, further comprising a washer disposed between the spring and the driving cam. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The switch of claim 1, wherein each cam has 8 peaks and 8 valleys. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The switch of claim 1, wherein each cam has 10 peaks and 10 valleys. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The switch of claim 1, wherein the shaft extends through inner apertures of each cam. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The switch of claim 1, wherein an amount of torque required to rotate the shaft is at least partly based on an amount of force of the biasing mechanism. ### Claim 14 A method of changing a circuit, the method comprising the steps of: providing a driving cam and an opposing stationary cam, the driving cam rotating about an axis, and each of the cams having a body and a plurality of alternating peaks and valleys that extend outward from the respective bodies parallel to the axis and further wherein the peaks and valleys are radially spaced along the entire circumference of the driving cam and the opposing stationary cam; selecting a first circuit by aligning particular peaks with particular valleys; and subsequently selecting a second circuit by torquing the driving cam relative to the stationary cam in order to align other peaks with other valleys. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the step of selecting a first circuit further comprises a step of biasing the driving cam toward the stationary cam. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the step of torquing the driving cam causes the driving cam to translate between a received configuration and a distal configuration. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the step of selecting a second circuit further comprises a step of aligning an electrical contact with a trace on a printed circuit board. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the step of selecting a second circuit further comprises a step of providing a path from an optical source to an optical sensor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the step of selecting a second circuit further comprises a step of aligning a magnetic source with a magnetic receiver.