Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Snap – Double snap
Patent
1995-03-13
1996-11-26
Walczak, David J.
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Snap
Double snap
200406, 200447, H01H 514
Patent
active
055776043
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention is based on an electrical snap-action switch according to the preamble of the main claim.
Snap-action spring switching mechanisms are known in a very wide range of embodiments. The common aim is to make the actual switching speed, the switching force and the switching movement independent of the operation of the switch.
German patent document DE 3807411 A1 describes a snap-action switching element in which a contact link is operated via a slide which is guided in a straight line in the housing. The slide is in turn activated via a snap-action spring mechanism, by means of a spring-loaded plunger, toggle levers engaging in the slide once more on both sides. The complexity for functional isolation is considerable and leads to a complicated construction.
In addition to a large number of embodiments of snap-action springs, a structural form has been increasingly implemented such as that described in German patent document DE 3236255 A1. A snap-action spring having a spring tongue supported in a supporting bearing is in this case operated by plungers which in each case act on the two outer limbs of the snap-action spring. In this case, the current flows from the bearing at the clamped-in end via the outer limbs of the spring, and from the spring tongue bearing, via the spring tongue, to the contact points. German patent document DE 3438304 A1 shows a double snap-action spring of the above-mentioned type, the spring being borne in the center between the switching function regions. Flat switching plungers operate the individual snap-action springs, on the outer limbs of the spring in each case.
German patent document DE 38 01 991 C2 shows a toggle switch having two integrated snap-action switching elements, which are operated as a function of the position of the toggle lever. Corresponding plungers in each case act on the two outer limbs of the snap-action switching elements, whose spring tongues are clamped into supporting bearings in a prestressed manner. The current flows from the bearing at the clamped-in end, via the outer limbs, and from the spring tongue bearing, via the spring tongue, to the contact head. In order to ensure that the contact is made sufficiently well, only one point of the crowned contact head need come into contact with the mating contact.
German patent document DE 4003241 C2 shows a pressure switch (push button switch) with an integrated snap-action spring.
Furthermore, a pressure switch (push button switch) is known European patent document from EP 0 074 004 A2 in whose housing two fixed-position contact points are arranged, which are connected by a contact link. An operating element acts on the contact link, via a spring clip. During the forward travel, a snap-action effect is triggered by means of the spring clip, which is manufactured from round wire, in order to achieve a defined switching behavior and satisfactory contact making. The return travel is effected by means of an additional compression spring, without which the return travel could not take place. In the case of this type of return travel, the switch shows a switching behavior which is dependent on the operation. The contact link and the spring clip are not directly operatively connected, so that the switching behavior is influenced by a plurality of tolerances and is defined only in this framework.
In the case of all the types of switches equipped with the above-mentioned snap-action springs, a metal sheet made of spring bronze or copper/beryllium alloy is used as the base material for the spring. The spring material is on the one hand subject to the requirement for good conductivity while, on the other hand, good mechanical properties are expected in terms of springing. At the same time, very stringent requirements are placed on thickness tolerances and the surface quality of the initial material as well as the completed stamped part being free of burrs. These inherently contradictory material requirements relating to the mechanical switching behavior (spring effect) and good electrical conductivit
REFERENCES:
patent: 5016140 (1991-05-01), Prestel et al.
Dahmen Hans P.
Stanitzok Ewald
Delphi Automotive Systems Deutschland GmbH
Walczak David J.
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