Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Solid contact – Push button operated
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-12
2004-04-06
Enad, Elvin (Department: 2832)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Solid contact
Push button operated
C200S553000, C200S0050EA, C336S066000, C336S030000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06717085
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a press-button switch, and more particularly, to a switch which makes use of a push element and a hook member at the side of the switch to rotate a rotary body in a single direction, thereby causing a push-pull rod to move upwards and downwards in an eccentric way so that the switch can change between on state and off state. In addition, the press-button switch can be smoothly disconnected in off state for ensuring the electric safety in case of overload current.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The kinds of switches are various. The common ones are, for example, seesaw switch, press-button switch, etc. In earlier period, they only have on-off function. In case of overload current, they are not able to be disconnected, thereby causing the electric danger in use. Therefore, a safety switch with automatic shutdown device was developed. The inventor of the present invention owns over ten patents in this field. However, the safety switch in the earlier period is mainly the type of seesaw switch while only few press-button switches are provided with automatic shutdown device due to the restriction of the internal construction.
FIGS.
1
(A) and
1
(B) show a safety see-saw switch
1
disclosed in Taiwanese Patent No. 320355 by the inventor of the present invention in which the on-off control is performed by the up-and-down movement of the press-button
11
. In case of the overload current of the conductive strip
12
, an automatic shutoff of the switch is achieved.
Since the press-button switch is more suitable for use in computers and electrical appliances, the press-button switch with automatic shutdown device for overload current began to be developed.
FIGS.
2
(A) and
2
(B) show a safety press-button switch disclosed in Taiwanese Patent No. 422404. This safety press-button switch includes a housing
21
, a press button
22
and an actuating piece
23
. The press button
22
and the actuating piece
23
are integrated in a body. The present invention is characterized in that the actuating piece
23
has a heart-like locating groove
24
. A terminal
25
at the right side is connected with a metal engaging piece
26
made of double material and provided with an engaging projection
261
in such a way that the interconnection between terminals are achieved. In case of overload current, a great heat is produced and transmitted to the metal engaging piece
26
through the right terminal
25
so that the metal engaging piece
26
is, after being heated, bent to the right side to be separate from engagement. In addition, the press button
22
is raised by means of the main spring
27
in the off state. However, the above-mentioned construction is not optimal, or even inapplicable. As shown in FIG. (B), when the contact points
281
,
251
of the middle terminal
28
and the right terminal
25
are in contact with the contact points
291
,
292
of the arched seat
29
in lowering the arched seat
27
, the overload current is effected upon the middle and right terminals
28
,
25
and the arched seat
29
, rather than directly upon the metal engaging piece
26
. Accordingly, it's too late for the metal engaging piece
26
to be deformed for disconnection when the heat created in case of short circuit is transmitted from the arched seat
29
to the right terminal
25
and further to the metal engaging piece
26
, thereby causing the electric danger in use.
Moreover, the aforementioned has to use four contact points
281
,
291
,
292
,
251
. In comparison with another switches with two contact points, it's not a practical design.
Referring to FIGS.
3
(A),
3
(B) and
3
(C), a further press-button switch disclosed in the Taiwanese Patent No. 458362 comprises:
a housing
31
being hollow inside and having an opening
311
divided into two operating rooms
313
,
314
by a separation member
312
, a press button assembly
32
and a conducting assembly
33
being arranged within the operating rooms
313
,
314
, said conducting assembly
33
being connected with a switching assembly
35
; and
a coupling mechanism
34
having a press element
341
disposed in the operating area and plugged into a through hole
311
of the separation member
312
, a resilient element
342
connected to the press element
341
and the separation member, and a rotary seat
344
pivotably connected to the housing and provided with a guide groove
343
for receiving the press element
341
in the rotary seat
344
, said rotary seat
344
further having a locating part
345
in connection with the switching assembly
35
.
Based upon the above-mentioned, the press element
341
is pressed downwards by the press button assembly
32
, and the resilient element
342
is compressed so that the other end of the press element
341
is pressed against the guide groove
343
in such a way that the rotary seat
344
is deflected to move the switching assembly
35
and to enable the conducting assembly
33
in connection state. Besides, the press button assembly
32
and the press element
341
restores itself back to its original position by means of the resilient element
342
so that a press-button switch is created.
However, the upper part (I) of the above-mentioned configuration is formed as a conventional press-button switch while the lower part (II) thereof is formed as a conventional seesaw switch. This is only an improvement of Taiwanese Patent No. 83365 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,748). Based upon the U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,748, the press button assembly
32
is added to the top of the housing
31
while the rotary seat
344
is the see-saw press button of U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,748. Accordingly, the Taiwanese Patent No. 458362 has a too complicated construction so that the assembly is difficult and its cost is high. Moreover, too many components lead to a high malfunction rate. Consequently, it's applicable, but not perfect and practical.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to remove the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional press-button switch and to provide a press-button switch which has simple components so that it's easy for assembly.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a press-button switch which has low production cost and malfunction rate.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a press-button switch which has the automatic shutoff function in case of overload current for ensuring the electric safety.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5262748 (1993-11-01), Tsung-Mou
Enad Elvin
Poker Jennifer A.
Rosenberg , Klein & Lee
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