US3596013A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rotary switch with detent
Assignee: Minelco Inc
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Filing: 1970-01-08
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Granted: 1971-07-27
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Expires: 1990-01-08
Abstract
Abstract A miniature rotary switch having a detent mechanism comprising cooperating sets of triangular teeth and a wiper contact that undergoes lifting and lowering with respect to a series of fixed contacts as it is rotated from one to another of said fixed contacts.
Inventors
- 👤 George E Pihl
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 16:27
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H19/00; H01H19/54; H01H19/56; H01H19/58; H01H19/02; H01H19/10; H01H19/11; H01H19/563; H01H9/00; H01H9/16; H01H9/165; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/20; Y10T74/20576; Y10T74/20636
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
383 words
A rotary switch comprising a housing that is open at one end and has an end wall with an opening at the other end, a base plate secured to said housing and closing off said one open end thereof, said base plate having a circular array of stationary switch contacts exposed to the interior of said housing and terminal means for said stationary switch contacts accessible for circuit connections outside of said housing, said base plate also having a circular track of first teeth exposed to the interior of said housing, a shaft rotatably mounted in said opening in said end wall, said shaft having an axial extension within said housing, a detent plate mounted on said axial extension, means coupling said detent plate to said axial extension so that said detent plate will rotate with said axial extension but is slidable as a whole longitudinally of said axial extension, a circularly extending array of second teeth carried by said detent plate so as to rotate therewith, said second teeth facing said first teeth, a compression spring surrounding said axial extension and urging said detent plate longitudinally of said axial extension toward said base plate so as to hold said second teeth in engagement with said first teeth, and a wiper unit connected to said detent plate, said wiper including a first electrically conductive member disposed so as to engage each stationary switch contact in turn as said shaft is turned, said base plate having another stationary contact exposed to the interior of said housing with terminal means accessible for a circuit connection outside of said housing, said wiper unit including a second electrically conductive contact member conductively connected to said first contact member and engaging said another stationary contact, said first and second teeth and said compression spring cooperating in the absence of an applied turning force to lock said detent plate and shaft against rotation, said first and second teeth and Said compression spring also cooperating when said shaft is rotated by means of an applied turning force to produce reciprocal sliding motion of said detent plate axially of said axial extension so that as said first contact member moves from one switch contact to another it also reciprocates first away from and then back to said array of switch contacts.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
383 words
A rotary switch comprising a housing that is open at one end and has an end wall with an opening at the other end, a base plate secured to said housing and closing off said one open end thereof, said base plate having a circular array of stationary switch contacts exposed to the interior of said housing and terminal means for said stationary switch contacts accessible for circuit connections outside of said housing, said base plate also having a circular track of first teeth exposed to the interior of said housing, a shaft rotatably mounted in said opening in said end wall, said shaft having an axial extension within said housing, a detent plate mounted on said axial extension, means coupling said detent plate to said axial extension so that said detent plate will rotate with said axial extension but is slidable as a whole longitudinally of said axial extension, a circularly extending array of second teeth carried by said detent plate so as to rotate therewith, said second teeth facing said first teeth, a compression spring surrounding said axial extension and urging said detent plate longitudinally of said axial extension toward said base plate so as to hold said second teeth in engagement with said first teeth, and a wiper unit connected to said detent plate, said wiper including a first electrically conductive member disposed so as to engage each stationary switch contact in turn as said shaft is turned, said base plate having another stationary contact exposed to the interior of said housing with terminal means accessible for a circuit connection outside of said housing, said wiper unit including a second electrically conductive contact member conductively connected to said first contact member and engaging said another stationary contact, said first and second teeth and said compression spring cooperating in the absence of an applied turning force to lock said detent plate and shaft against rotation, said first and second teeth and Said compression spring also cooperating when said shaft is rotated by means of an applied turning force to produce reciprocal sliding motion of said detent plate axially of said axial extension so that as said first contact member moves from one switch contact to another it also reciprocates first away from and then back to said array of switch contacts.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A rotary switch according to claim 1 wherein one end of said axial extension engages said base plate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
A rotary switch according to claim 1 wherein said axial extension is hollow and said another stationary contact projects within said axial extension, and further wherein said second contact member extends into said axial extension through a side opening in said axial extension for engagement with said another stationary switch contact.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
A rotary switch according to claim 1 further including stop means for limiting rotation of said shaft, said stop means comprising a first projection rotatable with said shaft and a second projection attached to said housing and positioned to intercept said first projection as it rotates with said shaft.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A rotary switch according to claim 1 wherein the spacing of said first teeth is the same as the spacing of said second teeth and further wherein the base to apex height of said teeth increases with increasing distance from the axis of rotation of said shaft.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
A rotary switch according to claim 5 wherein the apexes and the bases of said first and second teeth extend along radial lines at oblique angles to the axis of rotation of said shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
A rotary switch according to claim 6 wherein the apexes of said first teeth and the bases of said second teeth extend at one oblique angle and the bases of said first teeth and the apexes of said second teeth extend at a second oblique angle to the axis of rotation of said shaft.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
287 words
A rotary switch comprising a housing, a circular array of stationary switch contacts in said housing, terminal means for said stationary switch contacts accessible for circuit connections outside of said housing, a stationary circular track of first teeth within said housing, a shaft rotatably mounted in one end of said housing, said shaft having an axial extension within said housing, a detent plate mounted on said axial extension, means coupling said detent plate to said axial extension so that said detent plate will rotate with said axial extension but is slidable axially of said axial extension, an array of second teeth carried by said detent plate so as to rotate therewith, a compression spring surrounding said axial extension and urging said detent plate in a direction to hold said second teeth in engagement with said first teeth, a wiper connected to said detent plate, said wiper including a contact member disposed so as to engage each stationary switch contact in turn as said shaft is turned, another stationary contact with terminal means accessible for a circuit connection outside of said housing, and means providing an electrical connection between said wiper and said another stationary contact, said first and second teeth and said compression spring cooperating in the absence of an applied turning force to lock said detent plate and shaft against rotation, said first and second teeth and said compression spring also cooperating when said shaft is rotated by means of an applied turning force to produce reciprocal sliding motion of said detent plate axially of said axial extension so that as said contact member moves from one switch contact to another it also reciprocates first away from and then back to said array of switch contacts.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
287 words
A rotary switch comprising a housing, a circular array of stationary switch contacts in said housing, terminal means for said stationary switch contacts accessible for circuit connections outside of said housing, a stationary circular track of first teeth within said housing, a shaft rotatably mounted in one end of said housing, said shaft having an axial extension within said housing, a detent plate mounted on said axial extension, means coupling said detent plate to said axial extension so that said detent plate will rotate with said axial extension but is slidable axially of said axial extension, an array of second teeth carried by said detent plate so as to rotate therewith, a compression spring surrounding said axial extension and urging said detent plate in a direction to hold said second teeth in engagement with said first teeth, a wiper connected to said detent plate, said wiper including a contact member disposed so as to engage each stationary switch contact in turn as said shaft is turned, another stationary contact with terminal means accessible for a circuit connection outside of said housing, and means providing an electrical connection between said wiper and said another stationary contact, said first and second teeth and said compression spring cooperating in the absence of an applied turning force to lock said detent plate and shaft against rotation, said first and second teeth and said compression spring also cooperating when said shaft is rotated by means of an applied turning force to produce reciprocal sliding motion of said detent plate axially of said axial extension so that as said contact member moves from one switch contact to another it also reciprocates first away from and then back to said array of switch contacts.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
A rotary switch according to claim 1 further including stop means for limiting rotation of said shaft, said stop means comprising a first projection rotatable with said shaft and a second projection attached to said housing and positioned to intercept said first projection as it rotates with said shaft.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-07-26 | 1975-01-25 | 1975-07-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-26 | 1979-01-25 | 1979-07-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-26 | 1983-01-25 | 1983-07-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |