Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Multiple circuit control – Reciprocating contact
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-05
2003-10-07
Donovan, Lincoln (Department: 2832)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Multiple circuit control
Reciprocating contact
C200S252000, C200S537000, C200S550000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06630636
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inhibitor switch.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a conventional inhibitor switch apparatus described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 134672/1998 as shown by FIG.
16
. The inhibitor switch
201
is provided with a plurality of fixed contacts
205
at a lower face of a pole disk
203
and a moving contact
209
is supported by a moving disk
207
movable relative to the pole disk
203
. The moving contact
209
is provided with a plurality of contact arms
211
in a cantilever style. The respective contact arm
211
is brought into slidable contact with the respective fixed contact
205
. A state of contact to the respective fixed contact
205
by the respective contact arm
211
is as shown by, for example, FIG.
17
.
The respective fixed contact
205
is provided to the pole disk
203
formed by resin by insert molding and a bent contact portion
213
of the contact arm
211
is made slidable relative to the fixed contact
205
. Further, an ON/OFF switch position
215
by slidable movement of the moving contact
211
relative to the fixed contact
205
, constitutes a boundary of insert molding of the fixed contact
205
and the pole disk
203
.
Therefore, in accordance with movement of the moving disk
207
, the respective contact arm
211
is slidingly moved relative to the respective fixed contact
205
while in contact therewith, contact
on-contact of the contact arm
211
with respect to the fixed contact
205
, is carried out by passing the ON/OFF switch position
215
and selective conduction of the respective fixed contact
205
can be ensured.
In this case, the contact portion
213
of the contact arm
211
is formed to bend and is brought into a substantially linear contact state relative to the fixed contact
205
. Therefore, by determining the ON/OFF switch position
215
by accurately setting the boundary of the insert molding, switching between contact
on-contact of the respective contact arm
211
with respect to the respective fixed contact
205
, can accurately be carried out.
However, the contact arm
211
is slidingly moved relative to the fixed contact
205
as described above and therefore, there poses a problem that the contact portion
213
of the contact arm
211
is ageingly worn and is brought into a face contact state as shown by FIG.
18
. Moreover, an ON/OFF switch range H is enlarged, a time period during which the contact portion
213
rides on the ON/OFF switch position
115
is prolonged and hysteresis of a circuit is increased.
Particularly, in the case of an inhibitor switch used in a transmission case, oil is scattered and worn powder of an insulator or the like mixed into the oil is liable to be put between the contact portion
213
of the contact arm
211
and the fixed contact
205
and there is a concern that wear is progressed at an early stage such that the ON/OFF switch range H is increased at an early stage.
Further, there also poses a problem that the ON/OFF switch position
115
is extremely difficult to adjust on dies. That is, according to the above-described structure, when the ON/OFF switch position
115
is adjusted, an end portion of the fixed contact
205
is machined by, for example, {fraction (1/100)} mm, dies for insert molding must be adjusted in conformity therewith. Accordingly, both dies of the pole disk
203
and the fixed contact
205
need to change and there is a concern that it is extremely difficult to determine the ON/OFF switch position
115
by adjusting them both.
Further, in press-forming the fixed contact
205
, droop
219
is caused as shown by FIG.
19
A and burr
221
is caused as shown by FIG.
19
B. Accordingly, when the ON/OFF switch position
115
is determined, an actual ON/OFF switch position
223
or
225
is shifted from the above-described ON/OFF switch position
115
by the droop
219
or the burr
221
and there poses a problem that it is extremely difficult to accurately adjust the ON/OFF switch position also in this respect.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is aimed to provide an inhibitor switch apparatus capable of accurately maintaining an ON/OFF switch position and facilitating adjustment of the ON/OFF switch position even when wear is caused at a moving contact.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an inhibitor switch comprising a pole disk having a fixed contact, and a moving disk having a moving contact slidable relative to the fixed contact and movable relative to the pole disk, the inhibitor switch being arranged in a transmission case of an automatic transmission, with a speed change position of the automatic transmission being detected by the moving contact and the fixed contact, wherein the pole disk is projected with an insulator portion formed by an insulating member in correspondence with an ON/OFF switch position of the fixed contact constituting a boundary of contact and non-contact by sliding movement of the moving contact relative to the fixed contact; the moving contact includes a ride-on portion capable of riding on the insulator portion; and when the moving contact is slidingly moved relative to the fixed contact and the moving contact is disposed at the ON/OFF switch position of the fixed contact, the ride-on portion rides on the insulator portion, the moving contact is separated from and brought into non-contact with the fixed contact and when the ride-on portion comes down from the insulator portion, the moving contact is brought into contact with the ON/OFF switch position of the fixed contact.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided the inhibitor switch according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein the ride-on portion of the moving contact includes a rounded portion for riding on; and the insulator portion includes a sliding face for making the rounded portion of the ride-on portion ride thereon and guiding the rounded portion.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided the inhibitor switch according to the first or second aspect of the invention, wherein the moving contact includes a pair of contact portions in a cantilever shape simultaneously brought into elastic contact with the fixed contact; and the ride-on portion is arranged between the two contact portions and formed in a cantilever shape shorter than the contact portions.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided the inhibitor switch according to the first or second aspect of the invention, wherein the moving contact includes a plurality of contact portions simultaneously brought into elastic contact with the fixed contact; and the fixed contact includes discharge portions for discharging a foreign object interposed between the two contacts from discharge ports provided at the fixed contact respectively in correspondence with the contact portions of the moving contact.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided the inhibitor switch according to the fourth aspect of the invention, wherein the respective discharge portions in correspondence with the respective contact portions are arranged at positions shifted from each other in a sliding direction of the movable contact.
According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided the inhibitor switch according to the fourth or fifth aspect of the invention, wherein the discharge portions are provided at vicinities of the ON/OFF switch position of the fixed contact.
According to a seventh aspect of the invention, there is provided the inhibitor switch according to any one of the fourth to sixth aspects of the invention, wherein the discharge port communicates with a through hole of the base disk.
According to the first aspect of the invention, in the inhibitor switch apparatus comprising the pole disk having the fixed contact and the moving disk having the moving contact slidable relative to the fixed contact and movable relative to the base disk, wherein the inhibitor switch apparatus is arranged in the
Donovan Lincoln
Kananen, Esq. Ronald P.
Lee K.
Niles Parts Co., Ltd.
Rader & Fishman & Grauer, PLLC
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