Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Electric switch details – Contact
Patent
1987-06-09
1989-05-02
Luebke, Renee S.
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Electric switch details
Contact
200243, 200284, H01H 106
Patent
active
048270962
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a UNIVERSAL SWITCH WITH INTEGRAL CONTACT TABS. This invention is useful in electric switches and similar devices, including thermostatic switches or similar devices which are power-operated and/or controlled by various parameters (moisture meters, thrust meters, etc.).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional switches usually have different functions but each particular switch has a feature of being designed for one specific function. Therefore, they usually involve complex manufacturing problems due to the necessity of producing different types of devices according to the application they are intended for. For example, the necessity to have a different fixing system for attaching the switch to an object with which it is to be used involves the production of a specific device for this purpose.
Moreover, the conventional switches are generally designed with contact strips made of valuable materials and such strips are generally riveted or welded so that they cannot be replaced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention aims at removing the above mentioned disadvantages by means of a simple, cheap and highly reliable device having a high conductance. The invention also provides a universal support fixing means and a tab-contact insulating case.
This invention solves the above-mentioned problem by means of an interchangeability of the support fixing means and of the tab-contact insulating case of the switch.
The inventive features allow: itself to the specific requirements of various appliances;
In its preferred form, the switch has two composition-metal tabs which are electric conductors and originally L-shaped. The lower part of the "L" is the part intended to make electrical contact being associated with a bridge conductor which allows the opening and closing of the circuit.
This feature makes the switch universal as either different ways of fixing the switch to a support or different insulating cases can be used.
A further important characteristic of such contact tabs is that they are "weakened", i.e. the material thereof is pre-yielded in order to obtain various possibilities of bending after the assembly.
This characteristic also allows different orientations of the contact tabs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings which show some preferential embodiments whose manufacturing details, however, are purely illustrative and not restrictive.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of possible combinations of components which, in this case, may form after assembly four different thermostatic switches.
FIG. 2 shows a front view of a pair of contact tabs which, in this case, are used in a single-circuit switch.
FIGS. 3a-d show the successive stages of the yielding operation carried out on a contact tab so that it can be bent in the desired position.
FIG. 3 shows one of the possible bending positions of the contact tab.
FIG. 4 shows a different orientation of the contact tab shown in FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 shows a view from side A of the contact tabs shown in FIG. 2; the dashing points out the bending solution according to FIG. 4.
FIG. 6a-d show an enlarged view of the fibers during thee pre-bending operation (FIGS. 6a and 6b) and the possible final bending after assembly (FIGS. 6c and 6d).
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As outlined in the above mentioned figures the preferred thermostatic switch includes a switch formed by two spaced-apart opposed contact tabs which are each formed from a deformable metallic electrically conductive plate. The contact tabs include a foot portion 3a and a leg portion 3b, the leg portion 3b including at least a part 3c thereof which extends in an axial direction such that the parts 3c of both contact tabs 3 are parallel to each other, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The foot portion 3a extends perpendicularly from the part 3c and the foot portions 3a of both of the contact tabs 3 are spaced apart in a direction paral
REFERENCES:
patent: 2824194 (1958-02-01), Moorhead
patent: 3612793 (1971-10-01), Roeser
patent: 3882440 (1975-05-01), Hollweck et al.
patent: 4350967 (1982-09-01), Doherty, Jr.
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