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US 7,726,297 B2Granted
Electromechanical momentary-contact switch having timed supplementary functions
AssigneeBSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
InventorsEgon Feisthammel, Dieter Rosmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In order to simplify and reduce the production costs of a push-button switch, especially a push switch or a rocker switch, the switch has a time function, which is manually operated and can be reset by an electric pulse. The electromechanical rocker or push-button switch can be combined to form a device block switch with other rocker or push-button switches as usually used in exhauster hoods. As a result, time-controlled intensive and follow-up steps can be carried out.
Claims19
A switching apparatus for controlling a device, the switching apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of mechanical momentary-contact switches that mechanically switch a plurality of functionalities of the device, one of said mechanical momentary-contact switches is manually operable and resets in response to an electrical pulse and said one mechanical momentary-contact switch includes an electrical contact element and the switching apparatus further comprises an electrical opposing contact, said at least one mechanical momentary-contact switch being movably mounted relative to a housing such that said electrical contact element is movable between a contact position in which said electrical contact element is in electrical contact with said electrical opposing contact and a non-contact position in which said electrical contact element is not in electrical contact with said electrical opposing contact, the switching apparatus further comprising a biasing means for biasing said electrical contact element into the non-contact position and said biasing means being located at a spacing from said electrical opposing contact, a permanent magnet for selectively releasably maintaining said electrical contact element in electrical contact with said electrical opposing contact via a magnetic force sufficient to override the biasing force applied by said biasing means against said electrical contact element that would otherwise move said electrical contact element from its contact position into its non-contact position, and an electromagnet operable, when the electrical pulse is applied thereto, to counteract the magnetic force applied by said permanent magnet to an extent such that the magnetic force applied by said permanent magnet is no longer sufficient to override the biasing force applied by said biasing means against said electrical contact element and said biasing means moves said electrical contact element out of its contact position with said electrical opposing contact into its non-contact position in which said electrical contact element is not in electrical contact with said electrical opposing contact.
A device, comprising:
- a unit selected from the group consisting of air-conditioning units and ventilation units;
- and
- a switching apparatus connected and controlling said unit, said switching apparatus containing a plurality of mechanical momentary-contact switches that mechanically switch a plurality of functionalities of the device, one of said mechanical momentary-contact switches is manually operable and resets in response to an electrical pulse and said one mechanical momentary-contact switch includes an electrical contact element and the switching apparatus further comprises an electrical opposing contact, said at least one mechanical momentary-contact switch being movably mounted relative to a housing such that said electrical contact element is movable between a contact position in which said electrical contact element is in electrical contact with said electrical opposing contact and a non-contact position in which said electrical contact element is not in electrical contact with said electrical opposing contact, the switching apparatus further comprising a biasing means for biasing said electrical contact element into the non-contact position and said biasing means being located at a spacing from said electrical opposing contact, a permanent magnet for selectively releasably maintaining said electrical contact element in electrical contact with said electrical opposing contact via a magnetic force sufficient to override the biasing force applied by said biasing means against said electrical contact element that would otherwise move said electrical contact element from its contact position into its non-contact position, and an electromagnet operable, when the electrical pulse is applied thereto, to counteract the magnetic force applied by said permanent magnet to an extent such that the magnetic force applied by said permanent magnet is no longer sufficient to override the biasing force applied by said biasing means against said electrical contact element and said biasing means moves said electrical contact element out of its contact position with said electrical opposing contact into its non-contact position in which said electrical contact element is not in electrical contact with said electrical opposing contact.
A switching apparatus for controlling a device, the switching apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of mechanical momentary-contact switches that mechanically switch a plurality of functionalities of the device, one of said mechanical momentary-contact switches is manually operable and resets in response to an electrical pulse and
- the one of said mechanical momentary-contact switches comprises:
- a momentary-contact;
- a housing;
- a helical compression spring coiled around the momentary-contact and biasing the momentary-contact away from the housing;
- an electrical contact on the momentary-contact;
- an electrical opposing contact opposing the electrical contact in an axial direction of the momentary-contact;
- an electromagnet surrounding the electrical opposing contact;
- and
- a permanent magnet on the electrical opposing contact, wherein the permanent magnet provides a magnetic force that holds the electrical contact in contact with the electrical opposing contact against the biasing force of the helical compression spring to establish an electrical circuit through the contact between the electrical contact and the electrical opposing contact and wherein the electromagnet is responsive to an electrical pulse to generate an opposing magnetic force such that the biasing force of the helical compression spring releases the electrical contact from contact with the electrical opposing contact to disconnect the electrical circuit.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.