Reed switch

Claim 2

A reed switch comprising a housing, a plunger slidably carried by said housing and longitudinally movable along a predetermined path, a pair of laterally spaced-apart magnets operatively engaged by said plunger to be movable therewith between first and second limits along paths parallel to said predetermined path, a pair of magnetically-responsive contacts in said housing disposed laterally between said magnet paths and substantially parallel thereto and having open and closed conditions, said contacts being switched to one of the conditions thereof in response to movement of said magnets toward said second limit, said contacts thereafter being switched to the other condition thereof in response to movement of said magnets toward said first limit.

Claim 3

The reed switch set forth in claim 1, wherein said housing is generally rectangular in transverse cross section.

Claim 4

The reed switch set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said magnets is permanently magnetized.

Claim 5

The reed switch set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said magnets is a cylinder having a length on the order of one-fourth inch and a diameter on the order of one-eighth inch.

Claim 6

The reed switch set forth in claim 1, wherein both of said magnets are mounted on and carried by said plunger.

Claim 7

The reed switch set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said magnets is a cylinder having an axis parallel to said predetermined path.

Claim 8

The reed switch set forth in claim 1, wherein said contacts are disposed in a hermetically sealed glass envelope.

Claim 9

The reed switch set forth in claim 1, wherein said contacts are midway between said magnet paths.

Claim 10

The reed switch set forth in claim 1, wherein the distance between said first and second limits is on the order of 0.187 inches.

Claim 11

A reed switch comprising a housing, a plunger slidably carried by said housing and longitudinally movable along a predetermined path, a pair of laterally spaced-apart magnets mounted on said plunger to be movable therewith between first and Second limits along paths parallel to said predetermined path, spring biasing means operatively engaging said plunger and resiliently urging said magnets to said first limit, a pair of magnetically-responsive contacts in said housing disposed laterally between said magnet paths and substantially parallel thereto and having open and closed conditions, said contacts being switched to one of the conditions thereof in response to movement of said magnets against said spring biasing means toward said second limit, said contacts thereafter being switched to the other condition thereof in response to release of said plunger to cause said magnets to return toward said first limit.

Claim 12

A reed switch comprising a housing, a plunger slidably carried by said housing and longitudinally movable along a predetermined path, a pair of laterally spaced-apart magnets mounted on said plunger to be movable therewith between first and Second limits along paths parallel to said predetermined path, spring biasing means operatively engaging said plunger and resiliently urging said magnets to said first limit, a pair of magnetically-responsive contacts in said housing disposed laterally between said magnet paths and substantially parallel thereto and having open and closed conditions, said contacts being switched to one of the conditions thereof in response to movement of said magnets against said spring biasing means toward said second limit, said contacts thereafter being switched to the other condition thereof in response to release of said plunger to cause said magnets to return toward said first limit.

Claim 13

A reed switch comprising a housing, a plunger slidably carried by said housing and longitudinally movable along a predetermined path, said plunger having a pair of laterally spaced apart and longitudinally-extending bores therein and a channel laterally between said bores, a pair of magnets respectively in said bores of said plunger to be movable between first and second limits along paths parallel to said predetermined path, a pair of magnetically-responsive contacts in said housing and aligned with said channel and substantially parallel to said magnet paths and having open and closed conditions, said contacts being switched to one of the conditions thereof in response to movement of said magnets toward said second limit, said contacts thereafter being switched to the other condition thereof in response to movement of said magnets toward said first limit.

Claim 14

A reed switch comprising a housing, a plunger slidably carried by said housing and longitudinally movable along a predetermined path, said plunger having a pair of laterally spaced apart and longitudinally-extending bores therein and a channel laterally between said bores, a pair of magnets respectively in said bores of said plunger to be movable between first and second limits along paths parallel to said predetermined path, a pair of magnetically-responsive contacts in said housing and aligned with said channel and substantially parallel to said magnet paths and having open and closed conditions, said contacts being switched to one of the conditions thereof in response to movement of said magnets toward said second limit, said contacts thereafter being switched to the other condition thereof in response to movement of said magnets toward said first limit.

Claim 15

The reed switch set forth in claim 11, wherein the length of each of said bores is greater than the length of each of said magnets, whereby said magnets may be selectively located in said bores at a desired longitudinal position.

Claim 16

A reed switch comprising a housing, a plunger slidably carried by said housing and longitudinally movable along a predetermined path, a first pair of laterally spaced-apart magnets operatively engaged by said plunger to be movable therewith between first and second limits along paths parallel to said predetermined path, a first pair of magnetically-responsive contacts in said housing disposed laterally between said magnet paths and substantially parallel thereto and having open and closed conditions, said first pair of contacts being switched to one of the conditions thereof in response to movement of said first pair of magnets toward said second limit, said first pair of contacts thereafter being switched to the other condition thereof in response to movement of said first pair of magnets toward said first limit, a second pair of laterally-spaced apart magnets operatively engaged by said plunger to be movable therewith between first and second limits along paths parallel to said predetermined path, a second pair of magnetically-responsive contacts in said housing disposed laterally between said magnet paths and substantially parallel thereto and having open and closed conditions, said second pair of contacts being switched to one of the conditions thereof in response to movement of said second pair of magnets toward said second limit, said second pair of contacts thereafter being switched to the other condition thereof in response to movement of said second pair of magnets toward said first limit.

Claim 17

A reed switch comprising a housing, a plunger slidably carried by said housing and longitudinally movable along a predetermined path, a first pair of laterally spaced-apart magnets operatively engaged by said plunger to be movable therewith between first and second limits along paths parallel to said predetermined path, a first pair of magnetically-responsive contacts in said housing disposed laterally between said magnet paths and substantially parallel thereto and having open and closed conditions, said first pair of contacts being switched to one of the conditions thereof in response to movement of said first pair of magnets toward said second limit, said first pair of contacts thereafter being switched to the other condition thereof in response to movement of said first pair of magnets toward said first limit, a second pair of laterally-spaced apart magnets operatively engaged by said plunger to be movable therewith between first and second limits along paths parallel to said predetermined path, a second pair of magnetically-responsive contacts in said housing disposed laterally between said magnet paths and substantially parallel thereto and having open and closed conditions, said second pair of contacts being switched to one of the conditions thereof in response to movement of said second pair of magnets toward said second limit, said second pair of contacts thereafter being switched to the other condition thereof in response to movement of said second pair of magnets toward said first limit.

Claim 18

The reed switch set forth in claim 13, wherein said first and second pairs of contacts are longitudinally spaced from each other.

Claim 19

The reed switch set forth in claim 13, wherein one of said pairs of contacts is normally open and the other of said pair of contacts is normally closed.

Claim 20

The reed switch set forth in claim 14, wherein said magnets are in the same longitudinal position relative to one another.

Claim 21

The reed switch set forth in claim 13, wherein each of said magnets is mounted on and carried by said plunger.

Claim 22

The reed switch set forth in claim 13, wherein said magnets are cylinders having longitudinal axes parallel to one another and said predetermined path.

Claim 23

A reEd switch comprising a housing, a plunger slidably carried by said housing and longitudinally movable along a predetermined path, said plunger having a pair of laterally-spaced-apart and longitudinally-extending bores therein and a channel laterally between said bores, a pair of magnets respectively in said bores to be movable with said plunger between first and second limits along paths parallel to said predetermined path, a pair of magnetically-responsive contacts in said housing and aligned with said channel and substantially parallel thereto and having open and closed conditions, said contacts being switched to one of the conditions thereof in response to movement of said magnets toward said second limit, said contacts thereafter being switched to the other condition thereof in response to movement of said magnets toward said first limit.

Claim 24

A reEd switch comprising a housing, a plunger slidably carried by said housing and longitudinally movable along a predetermined path, said plunger having a pair of laterally-spaced-apart and longitudinally-extending bores therein and a channel laterally between said bores, a pair of magnets respectively in said bores to be movable with said plunger between first and second limits along paths parallel to said predetermined path, a pair of magnetically-responsive contacts in said housing and aligned with said channel and substantially parallel thereto and having open and closed conditions, said contacts being switched to one of the conditions thereof in response to movement of said magnets toward said second limit, said contacts thereafter being switched to the other condition thereof in response to movement of said magnets toward said first limit.

Claim 25

A reed switch comprising a housing, a plunger slidably carried by said housing and longitudinally movable along a predetermined path, said plunger having first and second pairs of laterally-spaced-apart and longitudinally-extending magnet-receiving bores, said plunger having a longitudinally-extending first channel disposed laterally between said first pair of magnet-receiving bores and a longitudinally-extending second channel laterally between said second pair of magnet-receiving bores, a first pair of magnets respectively in said first pair of magnet-receiving bores to be movable with said plunger between first and second limits along paths parallel to said predetermined path, a first pair of magnetically-responsive contacts in said housing and aligned with said first channel and substantially parallel to the paths of said first pair of magnets and having open and closed conditions, said first pair of contacts being switched to one of the conditions thereof in response to movement of said first pair of magnets toward said second limit, said first pair of contacts thereafter being switched to the other condition thereof in response to movement of said first pair of magnets toward said first limit, a second pair of magnets respectively in said second pair of magnet-receiving bores to be movable with said plunger between said first and second limits along paths parallel to said predetermined path, a second pair of magnetically-responsive contacts in said housing and substantially parallel to the paths of said second pair of magnets and aligned with said second channel and having open and closed conditions, said second pair of contacts being switched to one of the conditions thereof in response to movement of said second pair of magnets toward said second limit, said second pair of contacts thereafter being switched to the other condition thereof in response to movement of said second pair of magnets toward said first limit.

Claim 26

A reed switch comprising a housing, a plunger slidably carried by said housing and longitudinally movable along a predetermined path, said plunger having first and second pairs of laterally-spaced-apart and longitudinally-extending magnet-receiving bores, said plunger having a longitudinally-extending first channel disposed laterally between said first pair of magnet-receiving bores and a longitudinally-extending second channel laterally between said second pair of magnet-receiving bores, a first pair of magnets respectively in said first pair of magnet-receiving bores to be movable with said plunger between first and second limits along paths parallel to said predetermined path, a first pair of magnetically-responsive contacts in said housing and aligned with said first channel and substantially parallel to the paths of said first pair of magnets and having open and closed conditions, said first pair of contacts being switched to one of the conditions thereof in response to movement of said first pair of magnets toward said second limit, said first pair of contacts thereafter being switched to the other condition thereof in response to movement of said first pair of magnets toward said first limit, a second pair of magnets respectively in said second pair of magnet-receiving bores to be movable with said plunger between said first and second limits along paths parallel to said predetermined path, a second pair of magnetically-responsive contacts in said housing and substantially parallel to the paths of said second pair of magnets and aligned with said second channel and having open and closed conditions, said second pair of contacts being switched to one of the conditions thereof in response to movement of said second pair of magnets toward said second limit, said second pair of contacts thereafter being switched to the other condition thereof in response to movement of said second pair of magnets toward said first limit.

Claim 27

A reed switch comprising a housing, a plunger slidably carried by said housing and longitudinally movable along a predetermined path, said plunger having a longitudinally extending central bore and first and second pairs of laterally-spaced-apart and longitudinally-extending magnet-receiving bores, said plunger having a longitudinally-extending first channel disposed laterally between said first pair of magnet-receiving bores and a longitudinally-extending second channel laterally between said second pair of magnet-receiving bores, a first pair of magnets respectively in said first pair of magnet-receiving bores to be movable with said plunger between first and second limits along paths parallel to said predetermined path, a first pair of magnetically-responsive contacts in said housing and aligned with said first channel and substantially parallel to the paths of said first pair of magnets and having open and closed conditions, said first pair of contacts being switched to one of the conditions thereof in response to movement of said first pair of magnets toward said second limit, said first pair of contacts thereafter being switched to the other condition thereof in response to movement of said first pair of magnets toward said first limit, a second pair of magnets respectively in said second pair of magnet-receiving bores to be movable with said plunger between said first and second limits along paths parallel to said predetermined path, a second pair of magnetically-responsive contacts in said housing and aligned with said second channel and substantially parallel to the paths of said second pair of magnets and having open and closed conditions, said second pair of contacts being switched to one of the conditions thereof in response to movement of said second pair of magnets toward said second limit, said second pair of contacts thereafter being switched to the other condition thereof in response to movement of said second pair of magnets toward said first limit, and a socket in said housing for a lamp and aligned with said central bore.

Claim 28

A reed switch comprising a housing, a plunger slidably carried by said housing and longitudinally movable along a predetermined path, said plunger having a longitudinally extending central bore and first and second pairs of laterally-spaced-apart and longitudinally-extending magnet-receiving bores, said plunger having a longitudinally-extending first channel disposed laterally between said first pair of magnet-receiving bores and a longitudinally-extending second channel laterally between said second pair of magnet-receiving bores, a first pair of magnets respectively in said first pair of magnet-receiving bores to be movable with said plunger between first and second limits along paths parallel to said predetermined path, a first pair of magnetically-responsive contacts in said housing and aligned with said first channel and substantially parallel to the paths of said first pair of magnets and having open and closed conditions, said first pair of contacts being switched to one of the conditions thereof in response to movement of said first pair of magnets toward said second limit, said first pair of contacts thereafter being switched to the other condition thereof in response to movement of said first pair of magnets toward said first limit, a second pair of magnets respectively in said second pair of magnet-receiving bores to be movable with said plunger between said first and second limits along paths parallel to said predetermined path, a second pair of magnetically-responsive contacts in said housing and aligned with said second channel and substantially parallel to the paths of said second pair of magnets and having open and closed conditions, said second pair of contacts being switched to one of the conditions thereof in response to movement of said second pair of magnets toward said second limit, said second pair of contacts thereafter being switched to the other condition thereof in response to movement of said second pair of magnets toward said first limit, and a socket in said housing for a lamp and aligned with said central bore.