Patent US3571535A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3571535A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electric rotary switch with improved stamped contact means
Assignee: CTS Corp
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Filing: 1969-03-10
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Granted: 1971-03-23
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Expires: 1989-03-10
Abstract
Abstract An electric switch having a plurality of individual spaced contacts and a common contact lying in the same plane and supported by a stationary contact carrier of insulating material. Certain of the individual spaced contacts and at least a portion of the common contact have edge portions equally spaced from an elongated surface of the stationary contact carrier. Depending upon the switching requirements, the individual spaced contacts and the common contact can be provided with integral terminal means for connecting the contacts into an electrical circuit or some of the individual spaced contacts can be provided with integral stamped inductance means. A movable contact carrier of insulating material is movable along the elongated surface of the stationary contact carrier and a bridging contactor constrained to move with the movable contact carrier selectively connects or shorts certain individual spaced contacts. The bridging contactor for the electric switch is blanked from sheet material with a plurality of contact portions and stored for future use. Depending upon the application of the switch, the extra contact portions are severed from the contactor which is then curved and ready for assembly to produce the electric switch.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas R Beaver
- 👤 Kenneth C Allison
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 20:13
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H19/00; H01H19/54; H01H19/56; H01H19/58; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49204; Y10T29/49208; Y10T29/49222
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
228 words
An electric switch comprising a stationary contact carrier of insulating material having an elongated surface transverse to and lying between two parallel planes, a plurality of individual spaced stationary contacts fixed to the stationary contact carrier and projecting from said surface thereof, said individual spaced stationary contacts being arranged in a row along said surface and lying in a common plane intersecting said surface, each of said individual spaced stationary contacts having an edge portion spaced a predetermined distance from the elongated surface, a common stationary contact, supporting means integral with the common stationary contact and fixed to said stationary contact carrier mounting the common stationary contact in a position extending along said surface of the carrier, the common stationary contact having an edge portion spaced said predetermined distance from the elongated surface, a movable contact carrier of insulating material in front of and movable along said surface of the stationary contact carrier, and a bridging contactor carried by the movable contact carrier, said bridging contactor having first and second contact portions connected together the first contact portion moving in a path having circuit making engagement with said common stationary contact and the second contact portion moving in a path selectively engaging the individual spaced stationary contacts as the movable contact carrier is actuated to selectively electrically connect the individual spaced stationary contacts with the common stationary contact.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
228 words
An electric switch comprising a stationary contact carrier of insulating material having an elongated surface transverse to and lying between two parallel planes, a plurality of individual spaced stationary contacts fixed to the stationary contact carrier and projecting from said surface thereof, said individual spaced stationary contacts being arranged in a row along said surface and lying in a common plane intersecting said surface, each of said individual spaced stationary contacts having an edge portion spaced a predetermined distance from the elongated surface, a common stationary contact, supporting means integral with the common stationary contact and fixed to said stationary contact carrier mounting the common stationary contact in a position extending along said surface of the carrier, the common stationary contact having an edge portion spaced said predetermined distance from the elongated surface, a movable contact carrier of insulating material in front of and movable along said surface of the stationary contact carrier, and a bridging contactor carried by the movable contact carrier, said bridging contactor having first and second contact portions connected together the first contact portion moving in a path having circuit making engagement with said common stationary contact and the second contact portion moving in a path selectively engaging the individual spaced stationary contacts as the movable contact carrier is actuated to selectively electrically connect the individual spaced stationary contacts with the common stationary contact.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The electric switch of claim 1, wherein the contact carrier is annular, the plurality of individual spaced stationary contacts project from a portion of the elongated surface of the annular contact carrier, and the common stationary contact spans a portion of the elongated surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The electric switch of claim 2, wherein certain of the individual spaced stationary contacts have edge portions spaced less than the predetermined distance from the elongated surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The switch of claim 2, wherein a plurality of individual spaced contacts are fixed to the contact carrier and disposed between the common contact and the elongated surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
181 words
In a rotary multiposition electric switch, the combination of a stator comprising an annular member of insulating material having elongated inner and outer edges, a plurality of individual contacts fixed to said annular member and having edge portions projecting in an arc from the inner edge thereof, all of said individual contacts being flat and coplanar, a flat arcuate common contact having an edge portion projecting in an arc, the arc formed by the edge portions of the individual contacts and the arc formed by the edge portion of the common contact defining an imaginary circle having a radius R, and a supporting arm for the common contact integral therewith and fixed to said annular member, said supporting arm being flat and coplanar with the individual contacts and holding the common contact coplanar with the individual contacts in edgewise spaced relation, terminals integral with the contacts, a radially extending support arm integral with the annular member, at least a portion of the terminal being embedded in the support arm, and a rotor comprising a bridging contactor for electrically interconnecting the contacts.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
181 words
In a rotary multiposition electric switch, the combination of a stator comprising an annular member of insulating material having elongated inner and outer edges, a plurality of individual contacts fixed to said annular member and having edge portions projecting in an arc from the inner edge thereof, all of said individual contacts being flat and coplanar, a flat arcuate common contact having an edge portion projecting in an arc, the arc formed by the edge portions of the individual contacts and the arc formed by the edge portion of the common contact defining an imaginary circle having a radius R, and a supporting arm for the common contact integral therewith and fixed to said annular member, said supporting arm being flat and coplanar with the individual contacts and holding the common contact coplanar with the individual contacts in edgewise spaced relation, terminals integral with the contacts, a radially extending support arm integral with the annular member, at least a portion of the terminal being embedded in the support arm, and a rotor comprising a bridging contactor for electrically interconnecting the contacts.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
68 words
The switch of claim 5, wherein the plurality of stationary contacts are fixed to the annular member, all of the stationary contacts being flat and coplanar with the individual contacts, each of the stationary contacts having an edge portion projecting in an arc having a radius greater than R and projecting from the inner Edge, at least some of the stationary contacts being spanned by the common contact.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
75 words
The switch of claim 5, wherein the bridging contactor comprises first and second contact portions connected together, the first contact portion moving in a path having a circuit-making engagement with the common contact and the second contact portion moving in a path selectively engaging the individual contacts as the rotor is actuated to selectively connect the individual contacts with the common contact, the first and second contact portions being connected together by an arcuate section.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The switch of claim 5, wherein the annular member is a molding, a plurality of contact fingers are embedded in the annular member between the inner and outer edges thereof, and the individual contacts extend from the contact fingers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The switch of claim 8, wherein the first stamped inductance members are integral with a least a plurality of the contact fingers and project from the outer edge of the annular member, said inductance members being provided with a slot.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
The switch of claim 9, comprising a plurality of second stamped inductance members connecting the first stamped inductance members in series, each of the second stamped inductance members being provided with a slot and comprising a fan for altering the inductance thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
192 words
In an electric switch, the combination of a first contact carrier of insulating material, a plurality of individual contacts fixed to the first contact carrier and projecting from a surface thereof, a common contact, supporting means integral with the common contact and fixed to said carrier mounting the common contact in spaced relationship to the individual contacts, a second contact carrier of insulating material in front of and movable relative to said surface of the first contact carrier, said bridging contactor comprising a first and second contact engaging portions, a base portion connecting the contact engaging portions together, one of the contact engaging portions having a predetermined transverse dimension, the longitudinal axis of the one contact engaging portion being spaced from the longitudinal axis of the other contact engaging portion at least twice predetermined dimension, the first contact engaging portion moving in a path having circuit making engagement with said common contact and the second contact engaging portion moving a in a path selectively engaging the individual contacts as the second contact carrier is actuated relative to the first contact carrier to selectively electrically connect the individual contacts with the common contact.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
192 words
In an electric switch, the combination of a first contact carrier of insulating material, a plurality of individual contacts fixed to the first contact carrier and projecting from a surface thereof, a common contact, supporting means integral with the common contact and fixed to said carrier mounting the common contact in spaced relationship to the individual contacts, a second contact carrier of insulating material in front of and movable relative to said surface of the first contact carrier, said bridging contactor comprising a first and second contact engaging portions, a base portion connecting the contact engaging portions together, one of the contact engaging portions having a predetermined transverse dimension, the longitudinal axis of the one contact engaging portion being spaced from the longitudinal axis of the other contact engaging portion at least twice predetermined dimension, the first contact engaging portion moving in a path having circuit making engagement with said common contact and the second contact engaging portion moving a in a path selectively engaging the individual contacts as the second contact carrier is actuated relative to the first contact carrier to selectively electrically connect the individual contacts with the common contact.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The switch of claim 11, wherein the base portion connecting the contact engaging portions together spans a distance equal to the distance spanned by the plurality of individual contacts.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The switch of claim 12, wherein the individual contacts and the common contact are spaced the same distance from the surface of the first contact carrier.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-03-22 | 1974-09-21 | 1975-03-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-03-22 | 1978-09-21 | 1979-03-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-03-22 | 1982-09-21 | 1983-03-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |