Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Electric switch details – Cases and bases
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-28
2001-07-17
Luebke, Renee (Department: 2833)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Electric switch details
Cases and bases
C200S400000, C267S173000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06262382
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to switch mechanisms and, more particularly, to an improved switch mechanism apparatus and a method for assembly of switch mechanisms.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Typical conventional switch mechanisms, as shown for example in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, are comprised of a mechanism housing
22
, a link
12
, switch rotor
26
, a rotor socket
28
into which the switch rotor is attached, a driver cam
24
, a spring cam
16
, and spring arm components which include a spring guide
14
, spring retainer
18
, and spring
20
(not shown). The spring retainer
18
is retained in a slot in the housing by inserting and positioning a spring retainer pin
19
extending from the retainer and having a button end head and a reduced diameter shank (not shown).
The spring arm components of the prior art switch mechanism assembly were assembled to the mechanism housing while the spring is maintained in a compressed position. Maintaining the spring in compression on the spring guide while at the same time positioning the button of the spring retainer into the slot in the housing is a difficulty which complicates the assembly of the device.
More specifically, the spring which is positioned on the spring guide must be maintained in such a position so as to keep it in compression while the spring guide and spring retainer are positioned so that the button of the spring retainer can be inserted into a slot in the housing where the spring arm components will ultimately be secured into an operable switch position.
Not only does maintaining the spring in compression on the spring guide make it difficult to get the button of the spring retainer into the slot in the housing, such a structure typically necessitates the use of a spring compression pin. This necessitates the extra steps of installing the pin and then after assembly of the spring retainer pin into the housing slot, removing the spring compression. The installation of the spring compression pin oftentimes requires off-loading the compression spring on the spring guide from the switch assembly line and subsequently returning it to the assembly line for incorporation into the switch mechanism. This slows down the manufacturing time of the switch as well as increases the probability/possibility of failure or of defective/improper assembly.
It would therefore be an advantage over the prior art devices to provide an arrangement and configuration which overcomes the above-stated disadvantages and which accomplishes the foregoing objective by providing a novel, simple, inexpensive and reliable combination of components which facilitate the assembly of the spring arm components into the switch mechanism housing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, an improved switch mechanism is provided comprising: a link, a switch rotor, a rotor socket into which the switch rotor is attached, a drive cam, a spring cam, spring arm components including a spring guide having a spring guide pin including a reduced diameter shank and at one end a button end head, and a spring retainer having a spring retainer pin including a reduced diameter shank and a button end head and a spring; where a mechanism housing is formed to provide a Z-shaped slot having an enlarged keyhole opening for receiving the button end head of the spring retainer pin and for engaging in sliding relationship in the Z-shaped slot, the Z-shaped slot comprising a laterally extending portion in communication with a transversely extending portion which is in communication with a second laterally extending portion where laterally extending slot portion and second laterally extending slot portion extend angularly from transversely extending portion and in opposite directions from one another.
In accordance with another embodiment, a method for installing spring arm components of a switch mechanism into the housing of a switch mechanism is provided where the switch mechanism includes a switch rotor; a rotor socket into which the switch rotor is attached; a drive cam; a spring cam having a slot for receiving a button end head of a spring guide; the spring arm components including a spring guide having a spring guide pin including at one end a button end head and a reduced diameter shank; a spring retainer having a spring retainer pin including a button end head and a reduced diameter shank; a spring; and wherein the mechanism housing is formed to provide a Z-shaped slot having an enlarged opening for receiving the button end head of spring retainer pin and for engaging the reduced diameter shaft in sliding relationship in the Z-shaped slot, the Z-shaped slot comprising a laterally extending portion in communication with a transversely extending portion in communication with a second laterally extending portion where laterally extending slot portion and second laterally extending slot portion extend angularly from transversely extending portion and in opposite directions from one another; comprising the steps of: (a) assembling the spring arm components comprising a spring guide having a button end head, a spring retainer having a button end head, and a spring; (b) positioning the assembled spring arm components and inserting the button end head of the spring guide into the spring cam slot; (c) rotating the assembled spring arm components for insertion of the button end head of spring retainer into the enlarged opening of the Z-shaped slot; (d) sliding the button end head of the spring retainer through the enlarged opening into the laterally extending slot portion and then into transversely extending slot portion and then into second laterally extending slot portion.
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Luebke Renee
Siemens Energy & Automation Inc.
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