Switch assembly and method of operating same
AssigneeDelta Systems, Inc.
InventorSorin Hodea
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A switch assembly and method of operation comprises a housing having top and bottom ends spaced about a longitudinal axis and a selectively movable knob coupled to a plunger arrangement having a shaft that extends from inside the housing to couple to the knob. The switch assembly also comprises a printed circuit board having at least one wiper for engaging a contact extending from the plunger arrangement. A step shaft projects from the shaft of the plunger arrangement such that when a maintained mode of operation is desired by the switch assembly, the step shaft engages a retaining assembly formed by a portion of the housing, and when a momentary mode of operation is desired by the switch assembly the step shaft is positioned such that is free from engaging the retaining assembly.
Claims20
A switch assembly comprising:
- a housing having top and bottom ends spaced about a longitudinal axis,
- a selectively movable knob coupled to a plunger arrangement having a shaft that extends from inside said housing to couple to said knob;
- a printed circuit board having at least one wiper for engaging contact extending from said plunger arrangement;
- and
- a step shaft projecting from the shaft of said plunger arrangement such that when a maintained mode of operation is selected by said switch assembly, said step shaft engages a retaining assembly formed by a portion of said housing, and when a momentary mode of operation is selected by said switch assembly said step shaft is positioned such that it is free from engaging said retaining assembly.
A method of constructing a switch assembly to operate between a maintained operating mode and a momentary operating mode, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a housing having top and bottom ends spaced about a longitudinal axis,
- attaching a selectively movable knob to a plunger arrangement having a shaft that extends from inside said housing;
- securing a contact to said shaft for selectively engaging a wiper on a printed circuit board, the contact being in a momentarily engaged mode or in a maintained engaged mode based on the orientation of a step shaft projecting from the shaft when the switch assembly is assembled;
- and
- selectively orienting said step shaft to engage with a retaining assembly formed by a portion of said housing in a maintained mode of operation of said switch assembly, wherein the step shaft engages the retaining assembly until disengagement is selected, or selectively orienting said step shaft freely from engaging said retaining assembly in a momentary mode of operation of said switch assembly, wherein the step shaft recoils from the retaining assembly.
A switch assembly comprising:
- a housing forming a cavity spaced about a longitudinal axis,
- a selectively movable knob coupled to a plunger arrangement having a shaft that extends from inside said housing to couple to said knob;
- a printed circuit board having at least one wiper for engaging a contact extending from said plunger arrangement;
- and
- an asymmetrical step shaft comprising first and second arms of differing length projecting from the shaft of said plunger arrangement such that when a maintained mode of operation is selected by said switch assembly, said first arm of said step shaft having a greater length than said second arm engages a retaining assembly formed in one of a plurality of walls forming said cavity of said housing, and when a momentary mode of operation is selected by said switch assembly said second arm of said step shaft having a lesser length than said first arm is positioned such that it is free from engaging said retaining assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.