Waterproof door-operated switch assembly

Claim 2

A waterproof, door-operated switch assembly comprising: a housing having juxtaposed sections respectively defining a switch compartment and an actuator member-receiving space separated by wall means forming a barrier against the entry of water splashing thereagainst, electrical switch means in said switch compartment including terminals exposed to the outside of the housing and a portion movable between switch opening and closing positions, said actuator member-receiving space opening onto the exterior of the housing through a first aperture facing in a direction generally parallel to said wall means, an actuator member in said actuator member-receiving space which actuator member has a pivot shaft extending in water-sealing relation through an aperture in said wall means into said switch compartment, said actuator member being resiliently urged to a position where it projects from said first aperture and presents a door contacting surface facing in a direction or directions making a substantial angle to lines passing through the axis of said pivot shaft, said actuator member being retractable into said actuator member-receiving space against the resilient force applied thereto by the pressure of a door closing thereagainst, and switch operating meanS operated by the movement of said pivot shaft as the actuator member is retracted into said actuator member-receiving space for effecting operation of said switch means from one of said positions to the other of same.

Claim 3

The door-operated switch assembly of claim 1 wherein said door contacting surface of said actuator member is a flat surface making a substantial angle to the direction in which said first aperture opens onto the exterior of the housing.

Claim 4

The door-operated switch assembly of claim 1 wherein said housing section containing said switch means is positioned above said other housing section containing said actuator member, said pivot shaft of said actuator member extending vertically upwardly through said wall means separating said housing sections, and said actuator member-receiving space in the other housing section opening onto the outside of the housing in a horizontal direction and at a point below said wall means so water splashing into said actuator member-receiving space through said opening cannot accumulate in said actuator member-receiving space and reach said aperture in said wall means.

Claim 5

The door-operated switch assembly of claim 1 wherein the defining walls of said aperture in said wall means and the portion of said pivot shaft passing into the same having interleaving portions forming an irregular path to the passage of water between said actuator member-receiving space and switch compartment.

Claim 6

The door-operated switch assembly of claim 1 wherein said water sealing relation between said pivot shaft of said actuator member and the defining walls of said aperture in said wall means is formed at least in part by a snug sliding fit therebetween and by a lubricant at the interface therebetween which also permits the pivot shaft readily to rotate within said aperture.

Claim 7

A waterproof, door-operated switch assembly comprising: a housing having juxtaposed sections respectively defining a switch compartment and an actuator member-receiving space separated by water barrier-forming wall means, the housing section defining said actuator member-receiving space having apertures opening onto the outside of the housing in at least two different orthogonal directions parallel to said water barrier-forming wall means, electrical switch means in said switch compartment including terminals exposed to the outside of the housing and a portion movable between switch opening and closing positions, an actuator member in said actuator member-receiving space which actuator member has a pivot shaft extending in water-sealing relation through an aperture in said water barrier-forming wall means into said switch compartment, the point at which said pivot shaft passes through said aperture in said water barrier-forming wall means being such that water will drain through one or the other of said apertures in said housing section defining said actuator member-receiving space in all possible orientations of the housing before backing up to said point, said actuator member being resiliently urged to a position where it projects from one of said apertures in said housing section defining said actuator member-receiving space and being retractable into said actuator member-receiving space against the resilient force applied thereto by the pressure of a door closing thereagainst, and means moved by the rotation of said pivot shaft as the actuator member is retracted into said actuator member-receiving space for affecting operation of said switch means for one of said positions to the other of same.

Claim 8

A waterproof, door-operated switch assembly comprising: a housing having juxtaposed sections respectively defining a switch compartment and an actuator member-receiving space separated by water barrier-forming wall means, the housing section defining said actuator member-receiving space having apertures opening onto the outside of the housing in at least two different orthogonal directions parallel to said water barrier-forming wall means, electrical switch means in said switch compartment including terminals exposed to the outside of the housing and a portion movable between switch opening and closing positions, an actuator member in said actuator member-receiving space which actuator member has a pivot shaft extending in water-sealing relation through an aperture in said water barrier-forming wall means into said switch compartment, the point at which said pivot shaft passes through said aperture in said water barrier-forming wall means being such that water will drain through one or the other of said apertures in said housing section defining said actuator member-receiving space in all possible orientations of the housing before backing up to said point, said actuator member being resiliently urged to a position where it projects from one of said apertures in said housing section defining said actuator member-receiving space and being retractable into said actuator member-receiving space against the resilient force applied thereto by the pressure of a door closing thereagainst, and means moved by the rotation of said pivot shaft as the actuator member is retracted into said actuator member-receiving space for affecting operation of said switch means for one of said positions to the other of same.

Claim 9

A waterproof, door-operated switch assembly comprising: a housing comprising a front wall, three spaced parallel walls extending transversely of said front wall behind the same, a rear wall extending between said parallel walls and end walls extending between said front and rear walls to complete a housing defining a juxtaposed switch compartment and an actuator member-receiving space separated by the intermediate one of said three parallel walls, an aperture in said front wall communicating with said actuator member-receiving space, an actuator member in said actuator member-receiving space which actuator member has a pivot shaft extending transversely in water-sealing relation through an aperture in said intermediate wall into said switch compartment, said actuator member being resiliently urged to a position where it projects from said aperture in said front wall and being retractable into said actuator member-receiving space against the resilient force applied thereto by the pressure of a door closing thereagainst, said pivot shaft being journalled in openings in the outermost of said parallel walls and said aperture in said intermediate wall, electrical switch means in said switch compartment which switch means have terminals exposed to the outside of the housing and a portion movable between switch opening and switch closing positions, and means operated by said pivot shaft as the actuator member is retracted into said actuator member-receiving space for affecting the operation of said switch means from one of said positions to the other of same.

Claim 10

A waterproof, door-operated switch assembly comprising: a housing comprising a front wall, three spaced parallel walls extending transversely of said front wall behind the same, a rear wall extending between said parallel walls and end walls extending between said front and rear walls to complete a housing defining a juxtaposed switch compartment and an actuator member-receiving space separated by the intermediate one of said three parallel walls, an aperture in said front wall communicating with said actuator member-receiving space, an actuator member in said actuator member-receiving space which actuator member has a pivot shaft extending transversely in water-sealing relation through an aperture in said intermediate wall into said switch compartment, said actuator member being resiliently urged to a position where it projects from said aperture in said front wall and being retractable into said actuator member-receiving space against the resilient force applied thereto by the pressure of a door closing thereagainst, said pivot shaft being journalled in openings in the outermost of said parallel walls and said aperture in said intermediate wall, electrical switch means in said switch compartment which switch means have terminals exposed to the outside of the housing and a portion movable between switch opening and switch closing positions, and means operated by said pivot shaft as the actuator member is retracted into said actuator member-receiving space for affecting the operation of said switch means from one of said positions to the other of same.

Claim 11

The door-operated switch assembly of claim 7 wherein one of said end walls of said housing opposite said actuator member-receiving space has an aperture communicating with said actuator member-receiving space in a direction parallel to said intermediate wall.

Claim 12

The door-operated switch assembly of claim 7 wherein the side of said intermediate wall facing said actuator member-receiving space is inclined toward the switch compartment in a direction away from the point at which the pivot shaft passes through said intermediate wall, and said actuator member-receiving space communicates with a water draining aperture communicating with the outside of the housing so water drains from the housing before it reaches the point where said pivot shaft passes through said intermediate wall.

Claim 13

The door-operated switch assembly of claim 7 wherein said intermediate wall has a portion projecting therefrom, in which projecting portion said aperture through which said pivot shaft passes extends, and said actuator member-receiving space has at least one water draining aperture at a level below said projecting portion when the switch assembly is oriented so the surface of said intermediate wall facing said actuator member-receiving space is positioned at the bottom of said actuator member-receiving space.

Claim 14

The door-operated switch assembly of claim 7 wherein the outermost of said parallel walls defining one of the margins of said switch compartment is initially a separate part from the rest of the housing so as to expose the interior of said switch compartment, said switch compartment including a number of bosses defining therebetween narrow mounting slots opening in the direction of the latter wall, and said switch means including metal blades frictionally anchored within the slots between said bosses, which blades respectively operate contacts to be opened and closed.

Claim 15

The door-operated switch assembly of claim 7 wherein one of the outermost of said parallel walls is initially a part separate from the rest of the housing so said switch compartment is initially open in the direction toward the latter wall, said pivot shaft, said switch operating means and the electrical switch means all being parts which are insertable into said switch compartment through said initially open end thereof, and said actuator member having a non-circular opening adapted to receive a correspondingly shaped non-circular portion of said pivot shaft when the actuator member is positioned within said actuator member-receiving space through said aperture in the front wall thereof.

Claim 16

The door-operated switch assembly of claim 7 wherein the outermost of said three parallel walls forming a margin of said switch compartment is a synthetic plastic molded part and the rest of said housing constituting a separate integrally molded synthetic plastic part.

Claim 17

The door-operated switch assembly of claiM 7 wherein said housing section containing said switch means is positioned above said other housing section containing said actuator member, said pivot shaft of said actuator member extending vertically upwardly through said intermediate wall separating said housing sections, and said actuator member-receiving space in the other housing section opening onto the outside of the housing in a horizontal direction and at a point below said intermediate wall so water splashing into said actuator member-receiving space through said opening cannot accumulate in said actuator member-receiving space and reach said aperture in said intermediate wall.