US3731032A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electrical switch with contact wiping

Assignee: Ark Les Custom Products Corp

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Filing: 1971-10-28

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Granted: 1973-05-01

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Expires: 1991-10-28

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Abstract

Abstract An electrical switch having two fixed electrical contacts which are mounted within a housing in spaced-apart, face-to-face relationship. Two movable electrical contacts are mounted in back-to-back relationship on the end of a resilient arm between the two fixed contacts. The resilient arm is engaged in its central portion by an actuating plunger which is spring-loaded to hold one pair of contacts in a normally closed position and the other pair of contacts in a normally open position. Manual movement of the plunger closes the normally open contacts and opens the normally closed contacts. Release of the plunger reverses the action. The resilient arm is bowed in its central portion where it engages the actuating plunger to produce a transverse contact wiping movement of the movable contacts whenever the contacts are opened or closed to automatically clean the contacts every time the switch is used. The fixed contacts are canted to increase contact pressure and to lengthen the contact wiping movement. The housing contains a projecting socket to provide a guide of increased bearing length for the plunger and its spring.

Inventors

👤 S Schantz

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —

Jurisdiction US

Data Source google_patents

Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 09:56

CPC Classifications

H; H01; H01H; H01H13/00; H01H13/02; H01H13/12; H01H1/00; H01H1/12; H01H1/14; H01H1/24; H01H1/26; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S200/00; Y10S200/42

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7

Claim 1

Independent Claim 245 words

An electrical switch comprising a support; a first fixed electrical conTact mounted on said support; a resilient arm mounted on said support with one end of said arm being movable and positioned opposite said first electrical contact; an inner electrical contact attached to the movable end of said resilient arm on the side facing said first fixed electrical contact; an outer electrical contact on the other side of said arm; a mounting element projecting from said support and having a second fixed electrical contact positioned to be normally engaged by said outer contact of the arm, said resilient arm having a central portion bowed outwardly; an actuating plunger engaging the bowed portion of the resilient arm and mounted for movement transverse to the direction of extent of said resilient arm toward the support for moving said outer electrical contact of the arm away from said normally engaged second fixed electrical contact into engagement with the first fixed electrical contact while flattening out the bowed portion of the resilient arm and while causing a transverse wiping movement of said first electrical contact; spring means normally urging said actuating plunger and said resilient arm to move in a return direction back into engagement with said second fixed electrical contact, said spring means being positioned to act on the bowed portion of the resilient arm during such return movement to permit a shortening of the resilient arm and a wiping of said second fixed contact during such shortening.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 245 words

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 96 words

An electrical switch as claimed in claim 1 in which the actuating plunger has an actuatable portion outwardly of the resilient arm and has a slot through which the bowed portion of the resilient arm slideably extends, and has an inner plunger portion inwardly of the resilient arm, the support having a socket with a portion shaped to receive and guide said inner plunger portion, and in which said spring means is a coil spring surrounding said inner plunger portion, said socket having an enlarged portion forming a pocket for one end of said coil spring.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 57 words

An electrical switch as claimed in claim 2 in which the support is in the form of a cup-shaped casing, and in which the socket is formed in and projects outwardly from the bottom of the cup and has a first enlarged portion forming the spring pocket and a reduced diameter portion guiding said inner plunger portion.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 37 words

An electrical switch as claimed in claim 2 in which the inner plunger portion which is within the spring pocket is surrounded by the coil spring and of downwardly-tapered form to minimize frictional contact with said spring.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 33 words

An electrical switch as claimed in claim 4 in which the spring pocket portion of the socket has sides tapered in a direction to minimize rubbing contact during flexing of the coil spring.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 28 words

An electrical switch as claimed in claim 3 in which there are electrical terminals projecting from the bottom of the cup, one on each side of said socket.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2507381A Cited

US2524410A Cited

US2671840A Cited

US2951916A Cited

US3114805A Cited

US3243548A Cited

US3175066A Cited

US3261955A Cited

US3250882A Cited

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-04-30	1976-10-30	1977-05-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-04-30	1980-10-30	1981-05-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-04-30	1984-10-30	1985-05-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

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