Three position pivotal switch with improved spring biased joystick actuator and contact

Claim 2

A switch assembly, comprising: a housing means; stationary ground terminal means carried by said housing means; a plurality of stationary terminals carried by said housing means and positioned in a spaced relationship about said ground terminal means; said ground terminal means and said stationary terminals being adapted to be connected to electric circuit means; a bridging contact member being pivotally supported upon said ground terminal means for pivoting movement around said ground terminal means to different positions to bridge different ones of said stationary terminals and said ground terminal means, said bridging contact member having a rounded dome portion; a manually manipulatable actuator means swivelly supported by said housing means and operatively connected with said bridging contact member for pivoting the latter to different positions; said actuator means having a plunger member spring biased into engagement with said dome portion of said bridging contact member, and said plunger member rolling in engagement with said dome portion when said actuator means is manipulated to maintain a substantially equal distribution of pressure upon said bridging contact member which maintains said bridging contact member in engagement with different ones of said stationary terminals when iT is moved between its different positions.

Claim 3

A switch assembly, comprising: a housing means; a stationary ground terminal carried by said housing means; a plurality of stationary terminals carried by said housing means and positioned in a spaced relationship about said ground terminal; said ground terminal and said stationary terminals being adapted to be connected to electric circuit means; a bridging contact member having a plurality of contact portions and being pivotally supported in an eccentric manner upon said ground terminal for movement to different positions to bridge different ones of said stationary terminals and said ground terminal, said bridging contact member having a rounded dome portion with a hole therethrough; a manually manipulatable actuator means swivelly supported by said housing means and having a slidably supported plunger with one end received within said hole of said bridging contact member for pivoting said bridging contact member to different positions in response to manual manipulation, said plunger having a shoulder portion and being spring biased with said shoulder portion in constant engagement with said dome portion of said bridging contact member, and said shoulder portion rolling in engagement with said dome portion when said actuator means is manipulated to maintain a substantially equal distribution of pressure upon said bridging contact member which maintains said contact portions of said bridging contact member in engagement with different ones of said stationary terminals when it is moved to its different positions.

Claim 4

A switch assembly, comprising: a housing means; a stationary ground terminal carried by said housing means; a plurality of stationary terminals carried by said housing means and positioned in a spaced relationship about said ground terminal; said ground terminal and said stationary terminals being adapted to be connected to electric circuit means; a bridging contact member having a plurality of contact portions and being pivotally supported in an eccentric manner upon said ground terminal for movement to different positions to bridge different ones of said stationary terminals and said ground terminal, said bridging contact member having a rounded dome portion with a hole therethrough; a manually manipulatable actuator means swivelly supported by said housing means and having a slidably supported plunger with one end received within said hole of said bridging contact member for pivoting said bridging contact member to different positions in response to manual manipulation, said plunger having a shoulder portion and being spring biased with said shoulder portion in constant engagement with said dome portion of said bridging contact member, and said shoulder portion rolling in engagement with said dome portion when said actuator means is manipulated to maintain a substantially equal distribution of pressure upon said bridging contact member which maintains said contact portions of said bridging contact member in engagement with different ones of said stationary terminals when it is moved to its different positions.

Claim 5

A light switch assembly for controlling the operation of a vehicle headlight system having a low beam mode, an intermediate beam mode, and a high mode comprising: a housing means defining an inner chamber having a triangularly shaped guide slot in its back wall; a stationary ground terminal carried by the back wall of said housing means and including a pin-like projection extending from the center of said triangularly shaped guide slot into said inner chamber; a plurality of stationary terminals carried by said back wall of said housing means and positioned in a spaced relationship about said guide slot; said ground terminal and said stationary terminals being adapted to be connected to the vehicle headlamp circuit means; a bridging contact member having a plurality of contact portions and an eccentrically located, elongated slot with said pin-like projection of said ground terminal being received therein whereby said bridging contact member is pivotally supported, said bridging contact member being pivotally movable between first and second and third positions in which said bridging contact member selectively bridges different ones of said stationary terminals to effect said low and intermediate and high beam modes respectively, said bridging contact member having a hole therethrough at approximately its center and having a rounded dome portion; a manually manipulatable actuator for moving said bridging contact member between its different positions, said actuator comprising an upper member swivelly supported by said housing means opposite said back wall and having a slidably supported, spring biased lower plunger member with one end extending through said hole of said bridging contact member and received within said guide slot whereby said actuator can be moved in a triangular pattern between a low beam position and an intermediate beam position and a high beam position, said plunger member having a shoulder portion in engagement with said dome portion of said bridging contact member, and said shoulder portion rolling in engagement with said dome portion when said actuator is pivoted between its different positions to maintain a substantially equal distribution of pressure upon said bridging contact member which maintains said contact portions of said bridging contact member in engagement with different ones of said stationary terminals when it is pivoted between its different positions.

Claim 6

A light switch assembly for controlling the operation of a vehicle headlight system having a low beam mode, an intermediate beam mode, and a high mode comprising: a housing means defining an inner chamber having a triangularly shaped guide slot in its back wall; a stationary ground terminal carried by the back wall of said housing means and including a pin-like projection extending from the center of said triangularly shaped guide slot into said inner chamber; a plurality of stationary terminals carried by said back wall of said housing means and positioned in a spaced relationship about said guide slot; said ground terminal and said stationary terminals being adapted to be connected to the vehicle headlamp circuit means; a bridging contact member having a plurality of contact portions and an eccentrically located, elongated slot with said pin-like projection of said ground terminal being received therein whereby said bridging contact member is pivotally supported, said bridging contact member being pivotally movable between first and second and third positions in which said bridging contact member selectively bridges different ones of said stationary terminals to effect said low and intermediate and high beam modes respectively, said bridging contact member having a hole therethrough at approximately its center and having a rounded dome portion; a manually manipulatable actuator for moving said bridging contact member between its different positions, said actuator comprising an upper member swivelly supported by said housing means opposite said back wall and having a slidably supported, spring biased lower plunger member with one end extending through said hole of said bridging contact member and received within said guide slot whereby said actuator can be moved in a triangular pattern between a low beam position and an intermediate beam position and a high beam position, said plunger member having a shoulder portion in engagement with said dome portion of said bridging contact member, and said shoulder portion rolling in engagement with said dome portion when said actuator is pivoted between its different positions to maintain a substantially equal distribution of pressure upon said bridging contact member which maintains said contact portions of said bridging contact member in engagement with different ones of said stationary terminals when it is pivoted between its different positions.

Claim 7

A light switch assemblY for controlling the operation of a vehicle headlamp system having a low beam mode, a high beam mode, and an intermediate beam mode, comprising: a housing means defining an inner chamber with a triangularly shaped guide slot in its back wall; a stationary ground terminal carried by the back wall of the housing means and including a pin-like projection extending from said back wall and into said inner chamber at approximately the center of said triangularly shaped guide slot; first and second and third stationary terminals carried by the back wall of said housing means and positioned in a spaced relationship about said guide slot and said ground terminal; said ground terminal and stationary terminals being adapted to be connected to the vehicle headlamp circuit means; a bridging contact member generally triangular in shape and having a pair of spaced contacts adjacent two corners of the member, said bridging contact member having an elongated slot adjacent the third corner of said bridging contact member and having received therein said pin-like projection whereby said bridging contact member is pivotally supported for movement around said ground terminal between a first position in which it bridges said first stationary terminal and said ground terminal to effect said low beam mode, a second position in which it bridges said first and second and ground terminals to effect said intermediate beam mode, and a third position in which it bridges said second and third and ground terminals to effect said high beam mode, said bridging contact member having a hole therethrough at approximately its center and having a rounded dome portion; a manually manipulatable actuator for moving said bridging contact member between its different positions, said actuator comprising an upper member swivelly supported by said housing means opposite said back wall and a spring biased lower plunger member which is slidably supported with respect to said upper member, said plunger member having one end extending through said hole of said bridging contact member and received within said guide slot whereby said actuator is movable in a triangular pattern between a low beam position and an intermediate beam position and a high beam position, said plunger member having a shoulder portion in engagement with said dome portion of said bridging contact member, said shoulder portion rolling in engagement with said dome portion when said actuator is moved between its different positions to maintain a substantially equal distribution of pressure upon said spaced contacts and third corner of said bridging contact member which maintains said spaced contacts in engagement with different ones of said stationary terminals when the bridging contact member is pivoted between its different positions.

Claim 8

A light switch assemblY for controlling the operation of a vehicle headlamp system having a low beam mode, a high beam mode, and an intermediate beam mode, comprising: a housing means defining an inner chamber with a triangularly shaped guide slot in its back wall; a stationary ground terminal carried by the back wall of the housing means and including a pin-like projection extending from said back wall and into said inner chamber at approximately the center of said triangularly shaped guide slot; first and second and third stationary terminals carried by the back wall of said housing means and positioned in a spaced relationship about said guide slot and said ground terminal; said ground terminal and stationary terminals being adapted to be connected to the vehicle headlamp circuit means; a bridging contact member generally triangular in shape and having a pair of spaced contacts adjacent two corners of the member, said bridging contact member having an elongated slot adjacent the third corner of said bridging contact member and having received therein said pin-like projection whereby said bridging contact member is pivotally supported for movement around said ground terminal between a first position in which it bridges said first stationary terminal and said ground terminal to effect said low beam mode, a second position in which it bridges said first and second and ground terminals to effect said intermediate beam mode, and a third position in which it bridges said second and third and ground terminals to effect said high beam mode, said bridging contact member having a hole therethrough at approximately its center and having a rounded dome portion; a manually manipulatable actuator for moving said bridging contact member between its different positions, said actuator comprising an upper member swivelly supported by said housing means opposite said back wall and a spring biased lower plunger member which is slidably supported with respect to said upper member, said plunger member having one end extending through said hole of said bridging contact member and received within said guide slot whereby said actuator is movable in a triangular pattern between a low beam position and an intermediate beam position and a high beam position, said plunger member having a shoulder portion in engagement with said dome portion of said bridging contact member, said shoulder portion rolling in engagement with said dome portion when said actuator is moved between its different positions to maintain a substantially equal distribution of pressure upon said spaced contacts and third corner of said bridging contact member which maintains said spaced contacts in engagement with different ones of said stationary terminals when the bridging contact member is pivoted between its different positions.

Claim 9

A light switch assembly for controlling the operation of a vehicle headlamp system having a low beam mode, and intermediate beam mode, and a high beam mode, comprising; a housing means defining an inner chamber with a triangularly shaped guide slot in its back wall; a stationary ground terminal carried by the back wall of said housing means and including a pin-like projection extending from said back wall at approximately the center of said triangularly shaped guide slot and projecting into said inner chamber; first and second and third stationary terminals carried by said back wall and positioned in a spaced relationship around said guide slot and said ground terminal; said ground terminal and said stationary terminals being adapted to be connected to the vehicle headlamp circuit means; a bridging contact member generally triangular in shape and having a pair of contacts located adjacent two corners of the bridging contact member and having an elongated slot adjacent the third corner of the bridging contact member and having received therein said pin-like projection of said ground terminal whereby said bridging contact member is pivotally supported for movement around said ground terminal between a first position in which iT bridges the first stationary terminal and said ground terminal to effect said low beam mode, a second position in which it bridges said first and second and ground terminals to effect said intermediate beam mode, and a third position in which it bridges said second and third and ground terminals to effect said high beam mode, said bridging contact member having a hole therethrough at approximately its center and having a rounded dome portion; a manually manipulatable actuator for moving said bridging contact member between its different positions, said actuator comprising an upper member having a ball portion with a hole therein, said actuator also comprising a lower plunger member which has its upper end received within said hole in said upper member for sliding movement with respect thereto, said upper and plunger members being spring biased apart by compression spring means such that the ball portion of the upper member is maintained within a socket opening of said housing means and a shoulder portion on said plunger member is maintained in engagement with said dome portion of said bridging contact member, said plunger member having its lower end extending through said hole of said bridging contact member and received within said guide slot whereby said actuator is movable in a triangular pattern between a low beam position and an intermediate beam position and a high beam position, said shoulder portion rolling in engagement with said dome portion when said actuator is moved between its different positions to maintain a substantially equal distribution of pressure upon said spaced contacts and said third corner of said bridging contact member to maintain said spaced contacts in engagement with different ones of said stationary terminals when said bridging contact member is pivoted between its different positions, an annular insulating ring between said plunger member and said compression spring means, said plunger member being engageable with an annular contact member electrically connected with said third stationary terminal and carried by said upper member upon manual depression of said upper member against the bias of said compression spring means to effect said high beam mode when said actuator is in its low beam or intermediate beam positions.

Claim 10

A light switch assembly for controlling the operation of a vehicle headlamp system having a low beam mode, and intermediate beam mode, and a high beam mode, comprising; a housing means defining an inner chamber with a triangularly shaped guide slot in its back wall; a stationary ground terminal carried by the back wall of said housing means and including a pin-like projection extending from said back wall at approximately the center of said triangularly shaped guide slot and projecting into said inner chamber; first and second and third stationary terminals carried by said back wall and positioned in a spaced relationship around said guide slot and said ground terminal; said ground terminal and said stationary terminals being adapted to be connected to the vehicle headlamp circuit means; a bridging contact member generally triangular in shape and having a pair of contacts located adjacent two corners of the bridging contact member and having an elongated slot adjacent the third corner of the bridging contact member and having received therein said pin-like projection of said ground terminal whereby said bridging contact member is pivotally supported for movement around said ground terminal between a first position in which iT bridges the first stationary terminal and said ground terminal to effect said low beam mode, a second position in which it bridges said first and second and ground terminals to effect said intermediate beam mode, and a third position in which it bridges said second and third and ground terminals to effect said high beam mode, said bridging contact member having a hole therethrough at approximately its center and having a rounded dome portion; a manually manipulatable actuator for moving said bridging contact member between its different positions, said actuator comprising an upper member having a ball portion with a hole therein, said actuator also comprising a lower plunger member which has its upper end received within said hole in said upper member for sliding movement with respect thereto, said upper and plunger members being spring biased apart by compression spring means such that the ball portion of the upper member is maintained within a socket opening of said housing means and a shoulder portion on said plunger member is maintained in engagement with said dome portion of said bridging contact member, said plunger member having its lower end extending through said hole of said bridging contact member and received within said guide slot whereby said actuator is movable in a triangular pattern between a low beam position and an intermediate beam position and a high beam position, said shoulder portion rolling in engagement with said dome portion when said actuator is moved between its different positions to maintain a substantially equal distribution of pressure upon said spaced contacts and said third corner of said bridging contact member to maintain said spaced contacts in engagement with different ones of said stationary terminals when said bridging contact member is pivoted between its different positions, an annular insulating ring between said plunger member and said compression spring means, said plunger member being engageable with an annular contact member electrically connected with said third stationary terminal and carried by said upper member upon manual depression of said upper member against the bias of said compression spring means to effect said high beam mode when said actuator is in its low beam or intermediate beam positions.

Claim 11

A light switch assembly for controlling the operation of a vehicle headlight system having a plurality of lighting modes, comprising; a housing means; stationary ground terminal means carried by said housing means; a plurality of stationary terminals carried by said housing means and positioned in a spaced relationship about said ground terminal means; said ground terminal means and said stationary terminals being adapted to be connected to the vehicle headlight circuit means; a bridging contact member pivotally supported upon said ground terminal means for pivoting movement around said ground terminal means through different positions to selectively bridge different ones of said stationary terminals and said ground terminal means to effect different lighting modes, said bridging contact member having a rounded dome portion; a manually manipulatable actuator means swivelly supported by said housing means and operatively connected with said bridging contact member for pivoting the latter to different positions; said actuator means having a plunger member spring biased into engagement with said dome portion of said bridging contact member, said plunger member rolling in engagement with said dome portion when said actuator means is manipulated to maintain a substantially equal distribution of pressure upon said bridging contact member which maintains said bridging contact member in engagement with different ones of said stationary terminals when it is moved between its different positions, contact means electrically connected with one of said stationary terminals and carried by said actuator means, insulating means between said plunger member and said contact means, said contact means being engageable with said plunger meMber upon manual depression of said actuator means to momentarily effect one of said different lighting modes when said actuator means is in another mode position.

Claim 12

A light switch assembly for controlling the operation of a vehicle headlight system having a plurality of lighting modes, comprising; a housing means; stationary ground terminal means carried by said housing means; a plurality of stationary terminals carried by said housing means and positioned in a spaced relationship about said ground terminal means; said ground terminal means and said stationary terminals being adapted to be connected to the vehicle headlight circuit means; a bridging contact member pivotally supported upon said ground terminal means for pivoting movement around said ground terminal means through different positions to selectively bridge different ones of said stationary terminals and said ground terminal means to effect different lighting modes, said bridging contact member having a rounded dome portion; a manually manipulatable actuator means swivelly supported by said housing means and operatively connected with said bridging contact member for pivoting the latter to different positions; said actuator means having a plunger member spring biased into engagement with said dome portion of said bridging contact member, said plunger member rolling in engagement with said dome portion when said actuator means is manipulated to maintain a substantially equal distribution of pressure upon said bridging contact member which maintains said bridging contact member in engagement with different ones of said stationary terminals when it is moved between its different positions, contact means electrically connected with one of said stationary terminals and carried by said actuator means, insulating means between said plunger member and said contact means, said contact means being engageable with said plunger meMber upon manual depression of said actuator means to momentarily effect one of said different lighting modes when said actuator means is in another mode position.