Patent US650066A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3665130A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3665130A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hazard warning switch for automotive vehicles
Assignee: Tokai Rika Co Ltd
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Filing: 1970-10-28
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Granted: 1972-05-23
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Expires: 1990-10-28
Abstract
Abstract This switch is mounted adjacent a vehicle''s steering shaft. It has a reciprocable actuating member resiliently biased away from the steering shaft, and a movable cancelling lever resiliently biased toward the shaft, but normally held in a retracted position by the actuating member. The actuating member can be pushed manually toward the shaft to an operative position where it closes a hazard warning circuit, and also allows the lever to advance to a position where it is engageable with cam means on the steering shaft. The actuating member can be released from its actuating position either manually or by engagement of the advanced lever with the cam means, when the steering shaft is rotated. Also, the actuating member can be moved to its actuating position regardless of the position of the cam means.
Inventors
- 👤 Masaru Suzuki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 20:43
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60Q; B60Q1/00; B60Q1/26; B60Q1/34; B60Q1/40; B60Q1/42; B60Q1/425
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
555 words
In combination with a direction indicating signalling device for a vehicle having a rotatable steering device, a housing surrounding a portion of said steering device, and a plurality of trip members mounted on said steering device to be rotatable in an orbital path upon rotation of the steering device to return said signalling device to a neutral position from either a left or right actuating position corresponding to energization of the vehicl''s left or right direction signalling lamps for indicating the turn of the vehicle either to a left or right direction, a hazard warning switch structure comprising a box mounted on said housing and provided on one side thereof with a projection, fixed contact means provided on the opposite side of said box and including at least one contact for connection to an electric power source and at least one other contact for connection to all of said direction signalling lamps, a hazard warning actuating member mounted in said box for reciprocation in a direction radially of the axis of said steering device, and having thereon an operating knob projecting outwardly from said box, and carrying movable contact means which face said fixed contact means, and an abutment piece movably mounted on said actuating member so as to be movable with the actuating member in said radial direction, and also to be movable on said member transverse to said radial direction to be selectively engageable with said projection on said box, first resilient means normally urging said actuating member to an inoperative position where said movable contact means is not engaged with said fixed contact means, said actuating member being movable manually by said knob to an actuating position where said abutment piece releasably engages with said projection, and the movable contact means electrically connects said fixed contact means so as to close a hazard warning circuit which energizes said lamps, second resilient means being disposed between said actuating member and the movable contact means and being operative to normally urge said actuating member towards said one side of said box, and being also operative to urge said movable contact means towards the fixed contact means, a cancelling lever movably mounted on said actuating member so as to be slidable thereon in said radial direction and to be swingable transversely to said radial direction, and third resilient means urging said lever radially towards said steering device to an advanced position where it protrudes into the orbital path of movement of said trip members, when the actuating member is moved to actuating position, said lever being movable with said actuating member against the resistance of said third resilient means to a retracted position where said lever is withdrawn from the orbital path of movement of said trip members, when the actuating member is returned manually to its inoperative position, and being retuRnable from its advanced position to its retracted position by engagement with said trip members, when the latter are rotated with the steering device, said lever being swung by said trip members transversely to the radial direction of movement of the actuating member, thereby causing said abutment piece to move relative to the actuating member and to become disengaged from the projection on said box thereby permitting automatic return of said actuating member to its inoperative position through action of said first resilient means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
555 words
In combination with a direction indicating signalling device for a vehicle having a rotatable steering device, a housing surrounding a portion of said steering device, and a plurality of trip members mounted on said steering device to be rotatable in an orbital path upon rotation of the steering device to return said signalling device to a neutral position from either a left or right actuating position corresponding to energization of the vehicl''s left or right direction signalling lamps for indicating the turn of the vehicle either to a left or right direction, a hazard warning switch structure comprising a box mounted on said housing and provided on one side thereof with a projection, fixed contact means provided on the opposite side of said box and including at least one contact for connection to an electric power source and at least one other contact for connection to all of said direction signalling lamps, a hazard warning actuating member mounted in said box for reciprocation in a direction radially of the axis of said steering device, and having thereon an operating knob projecting outwardly from said box, and carrying movable contact means which face said fixed contact means, and an abutment piece movably mounted on said actuating member so as to be movable with the actuating member in said radial direction, and also to be movable on said member transverse to said radial direction to be selectively engageable with said projection on said box, first resilient means normally urging said actuating member to an inoperative position where said movable contact means is not engaged with said fixed contact means, said actuating member being movable manually by said knob to an actuating position where said abutment piece releasably engages with said projection, and the movable contact means electrically connects said fixed contact means so as to close a hazard warning circuit which energizes said lamps, second resilient means being disposed between said actuating member and the movable contact means and being operative to normally urge said actuating member towards said one side of said box, and being also operative to urge said movable contact means towards the fixed contact means, a cancelling lever movably mounted on said actuating member so as to be slidable thereon in said radial direction and to be swingable transversely to said radial direction, and third resilient means urging said lever radially towards said steering device to an advanced position where it protrudes into the orbital path of movement of said trip members, when the actuating member is moved to actuating position, said lever being movable with said actuating member against the resistance of said third resilient means to a retracted position where said lever is withdrawn from the orbital path of movement of said trip members, when the actuating member is returned manually to its inoperative position, and being retuRnable from its advanced position to its retracted position by engagement with said trip members, when the latter are rotated with the steering device, said lever being swung by said trip members transversely to the radial direction of movement of the actuating member, thereby causing said abutment piece to move relative to the actuating member and to become disengaged from the projection on said box thereby permitting automatic return of said actuating member to its inoperative position through action of said first resilient means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
79 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1, in which the actuating member is returnable from its actuating position by first manually depressing it towards said fixed contact means against the resistance of said second resilient means so as to release the engagement between said abutment piece and the projection on said box, thereby to permit said first resilient means automatically to return said actuating member to its inoperative position and to return said cancelling lever to its retracted position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
332 words
A switching device for controlling the hazard warning circuit of an automotive vehicle of the type having a trip element movable with the steering device of the vehicle, comprising a housing supported by said steering device, a switch in said housing movable between open and closed positions selectively to energize and deenergize the hazard warning circuit of the vehicle, a first member in said housing movable between an active position in which it closes said switch to energize said circuit, and an inactive position in which it opens said switch, first resilient means urging said first member to its inactive position, means operable manually from the exterior of said housing to shift said first member to its active position, means for releasably latching said first member in its active position, a second member mounted in said housing for movement between an active position in which one end thereof projects into the path of movement of said trip element for engagement thereby, and an inactive position in which said one end is withdrawn from said path, and second resilient means constantly urging said second member into the path of movement of said element, means releasably connecting said members normally to move said second member to its active position when said first member is moved to its active position, and operative to release said latching means and return said members to their inactive positions, when said one end of said second member is engaged by said element, said connecting means including lost motion means operative, when said one end of said second member engages said element during movement of said members toward their active positions, to enable said first member to continue movement to its active position, and to remain latched in active position until, said element is disengaged from said second member, to permit continued movement of said second member to its active position, and is subsequently moved into engagement with said one end of said second member to release said latching means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
332 words
A switching device for controlling the hazard warning circuit of an automotive vehicle of the type having a trip element movable with the steering device of the vehicle, comprising a housing supported by said steering device, a switch in said housing movable between open and closed positions selectively to energize and deenergize the hazard warning circuit of the vehicle, a first member in said housing movable between an active position in which it closes said switch to energize said circuit, and an inactive position in which it opens said switch, first resilient means urging said first member to its inactive position, means operable manually from the exterior of said housing to shift said first member to its active position, means for releasably latching said first member in its active position, a second member mounted in said housing for movement between an active position in which one end thereof projects into the path of movement of said trip element for engagement thereby, and an inactive position in which said one end is withdrawn from said path, and second resilient means constantly urging said second member into the path of movement of said element, means releasably connecting said members normally to move said second member to its active position when said first member is moved to its active position, and operative to release said latching means and return said members to their inactive positions, when said one end of said second member is engaged by said element, said connecting means including lost motion means operative, when said one end of said second member engages said element during movement of said members toward their active positions, to enable said first member to continue movement to its active position, and to remain latched in active position until, said element is disengaged from said second member, to permit continued movement of said second member to its active position, and is subsequently moved into engagement with said one end of said second member to release said latching means.
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) | 1975-05-23 | 1975-11-22 | 1976-05-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-23 | 1979-11-22 | 1980-05-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-23 | 1983-11-22 | 1984-05-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |