Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Electric switch details – Cases and bases
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-14
2001-08-14
Friedhofer, Michael (Department: 2832)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Electric switch details
Cases and bases
C200S329000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06274831
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to mounting systems, and more particularly to a mounting structure for a switch that allows the switch to be securely attached to the mounting structure by at least one snap lock mechanism attached to a body of the switch.
2. Description of the Related Art
A switch may be used in an electronic system as a control device. For example, the switch may be a power control that turns a system on and off. A switch may be attached to an electronic system in a variety of ways. A switch may attach to a system by a snap lock mechanism or by snap lock mechanisms. Snap lock mechanisms may attach the switch to a support structure of the electronic system. Optionally, a cover may be placed over the support structure and a portion of the switch to form a part of an enclosure for the electronic system. An example of an electronic system that typically uses a cover positioned over a portion of a switch is a computer system.
A snap lock mechanism may be used to fasten a switch to an electronic system. The snap lock mechanism may be attached to a body of the switch. One type of snap lock mechanism may include a spring-like member and engaging surfaces. In a typical application of this type of snap lock mechanism, the switch is inserted into an opening in a panel. The spring-like member in an initial configuration contacts a wall of the opening during insertion. Inserting the switch into the opening in the panel may compress and alter the configuration of the spring-like member. The snap lock mechanism may be pushed into the opening until an engaging surface of the snap lock mechanism passes through a bottom surface of the panel. When an engaging surface of the snap lock mechanism passes through the bottom surface of the panel, the spring-like member may expand towards the initial configuration. An engaging surface of the snap lock mechanism may contact the bottom surface of the panel when the switch is filly inserted into the panel. The contact between the panel and the engaging surface of the snap lock mechanism may inhibit removal of the switch from the panel.
FIG. 1
shows a switch
10
that may be mounted to opening
12
in panel
14
. The switch shown in
FIG. 1
is a rocker switch. The phantom lines in
FIG. 1
show where corners of switch
10
may be positioned when the switch is inserted into the opening
12
. The switch
10
may include body
16
, facing
18
, actuator
20
and snap lock mechanisms
22
(only one shown). A second snap lock mechanism
22
may be located on an opposite side of the switch body
16
. The snap lock mechanisms
22
may be attached to sides of the body
16
. Each snap lock mechanism
22
may include a plurality of engaging surfaces
24
. Each snap lock mechanism
22
may include an outermost edge
26
. A cover (not shown in
FIG. 1
) may be placed on top of the facing
18
in some applications.
The panel
14
may have a thickness that is less than a vertical distance between bottom surface
28
of the facing
18
and the outermost edges
26
of the snap lock mechanisms
22
. When the switch
10
is inserted into the opening
12
in panel
14
, slanted surfaces of the snap lock mechanisms
22
may compress until the outermost edges
26
pass through the opening. When the outermost edges
26
pass through the opening
12
, the slanted surfaces of the snap lock mechanisms
22
may expand towards an initial configuration. When the switch
10
is fully inserted into the opening
12
, engaging surfaces
24
may contact bottom surface
30
of the panel
14
. The contact between the engaging surfaces
24
and the panel
14
may inhibit removal of the switch
10
from the panel.
An opening
12
in a panel
14
for the switch
10
may have a shape that corresponds to a shape of a perimeter of the switch body
16
. Typically, the opening
12
is a rectangular shape. A width of the opening
12
may be slightly larger than a width of the body
16
. For example, a width of a body
16
of a switch
10
may be about 12.6 millimeters, and a width of an opening
12
for the switch may be about 13.0 millimeters.
A length of the opening
12
may be larger than a length of the body
16
so that the opening may accommodate the snap lock mechanisms
22
. For example, a length of a body
16
of a switch
10
may be about 17.2 millimeters, a length between outermost edges
26
of snap lock mechanisms
22
may be about 21 millimeters, and a length of an opening
12
for the switch may be about 19.4 millimeters. The differences in lengths between the opening
12
and the switch body
16
may allow a large gap to form between walls forming the opening and the switch body. The large gap between the body
16
and walls may allow the switch
10
to move when the actuator
20
is activated during use. Movement of the switch
10
may allow the switch to backout of the opening
12
. If a cover is placed on top of the facing
18
, the movement of the switch
10
may allow the actuator
20
to be trapped beneath the cover when the actuator is engaged. Trapping the actuator
20
beneath the cover may inhibit proper functioning of the switch
10
. A large gap and an ability of the switch
10
to move within the gap may also lead to stack-up tolerance problems during assembly of the system.
In certain applications, the outermost edges
26
of snap lock mechanisms
22
may contact walls formed by the opening
12
when the switch
10
is fully inserted into the panel
14
. Such a situation may occur when the switch
10
is attached to a thick walled panel or support structure, or when the switch is attached to a support structure (not shown in
FIG. 1
) such that the facing bottom surface
28
does not contact the panel when the switch
10
is fully inserted into the panel. In such a situation, the walls may inhibit complete actuation of the snap lock mechanisms
22
. The switch
10
may be held in the opening
12
only by a frictional connection between the edges
26
of the snap lock mechanisms
22
and the walls forming the opening. A switch
10
held in such a manner may backout of the opening
12
during normal use. If a cover is placed on top of the facing
18
, the cover may inhibit the switch
10
from backing out, but the actuator
20
may become trapped beneath the cover during use. Trapping the actuator
20
beneath the cover may inhibit proper functioning of the switch
10
.
Inserting a switch
10
into a panel
14
or support structure may cause stresses to be applied to the panel and to the switch. Additional stress may be imparted to the switch
10
and to the panel
14
during normal use of the switch. The stress may bow or crack the panel
14
or a cover coupled to the panel. It is desirable to relieve some of the stress applied to a system due to the insertion of a switch into the system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The problems outlined above may in large part be solved by a mounting system that may be used to attach a switch to a mounting structure of an electronic system. In an embodiment, snap lock mechanisms may be attached to sides of a body of the switch. Alternately, snap lock mechanisms may be formed as integral portions of sides of a body of a switch. When the switch is inserted into an opening in the mounting structure, engaging surfaces of the snap lock mechanisms may contact undercut portions of the mounting structure. In an embodiment, the opening may include channels. The snap lock mechanisms attached to the switch may fit within the channels so that the remaining portion of the opening may have a shape that closely conforms to a shape of the body of the switch.
In an embodiment, the mounting structure may be a support structure of the electronic system. The mounting structure may include a plurality of structural openings. A gap may be formed between an opening for the switch and a structural opening. The gap may relieve some stress placed on the electronic system when the switch is inserted into the mounting structure. The gap may relieve stress placed on the electronic system and the switch w
Adams Marcus
Kim David K. J.
Larson Sven
Conley Rose & Tayon PC
Friedhofer Michael
Kivlin B. Noäl
Sun Microsystems Inc.
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