US3843852A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multiple position slide switch assembly with auxiliary switch deactivated by controller in extreme position
Assignee: TE Connectivity Corp
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Filing: 1973-05-07
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Granted: 1974-10-22
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Expires: 1993-05-07
Abstract
Abstract A multiple position slide switch is disclosed which is particularly suitable for use with miniature calculators and similar types of compact electronic equipment. The slide switch includes a housing which protects its contact structure from large dirt particles, small metal articles and other spurious items which might normally fall into the contact structure of a slide switch. The switch provides a unique contact arrangement including a plurality of normally open contacts which are selectively closed by the appropriate positioning of a manually slidable connector element. An additional pair of contacts are also provided which are normally closed by a resilient connector element. However, the slide switch is constructed so that all contacts may be opened by appropriate positioning of the manually slidable connector element. A precise detent assembly is provided to maintain the manually slidable connector element in selected positions.
Inventors
- 👤 J Lockard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 05:37
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H9/00; H01H9/0066; H01H15/00; H01H15/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
253 words
A multiple position slide switch, comprising: a housing, a plurality of opposed pairs of electrical contacts mounted in spaced relationship in said housing and defining a space extending between each of the opposed pairs of said contacts, a first electrically conducting connector element mounted on said housing and normally engaging at least two of said contacts to define a normally completed first circuit path therebetween, the remaining contacts being maintained in spaced relationship to define a plurality of normally interrupted circuit paths, a cover covering said housing and enclosing upper portions of said contacts within said housing, lower portions of said contacts protruding externally of said housing for electrical connection externally of said housing, a carriage in said housing displaceable along said space extending between the opposed pairs of said contacts, a second electrically conducting connector element mounted on said carriage for displacement therewith, said carriage in a first position engaging said first connector element and thereby disengaging said first connector element from at least one of said two contacts to interrupt said first circuit path, said carriage being displaceable along said defined space and thereby being disengageable from said first connector element to allow said first connector element to engage said two contacts and complete said first circuit path, said carriage being displaceable for registration in turn in a plurality of positions along said defined space to engage said second connector element In turn with selected pairs of said remaining contacts to complete in turn said plurality of normally interrupted circuit paths.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
253 words
A multiple position slide switch, comprising: a housing, a plurality of opposed pairs of electrical contacts mounted in spaced relationship in said housing and defining a space extending between each of the opposed pairs of said contacts, a first electrically conducting connector element mounted on said housing and normally engaging at least two of said contacts to define a normally completed first circuit path therebetween, the remaining contacts being maintained in spaced relationship to define a plurality of normally interrupted circuit paths, a cover covering said housing and enclosing upper portions of said contacts within said housing, lower portions of said contacts protruding externally of said housing for electrical connection externally of said housing, a carriage in said housing displaceable along said space extending between the opposed pairs of said contacts, a second electrically conducting connector element mounted on said carriage for displacement therewith, said carriage in a first position engaging said first connector element and thereby disengaging said first connector element from at least one of said two contacts to interrupt said first circuit path, said carriage being displaceable along said defined space and thereby being disengageable from said first connector element to allow said first connector element to engage said two contacts and complete said first circuit path, said carriage being displaceable for registration in turn in a plurality of positions along said defined space to engage said second connector element In turn with selected pairs of said remaining contacts to complete in turn said plurality of normally interrupted circuit paths.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
The structure as recited in claim 1, and further including a base provided with a series of detents disposed along said defined space, and said carriage having a resiliently flexible member provided with a projecting portion for registration in turn within the series of detents as said carriage is displaced in turn to said plurality of positions along said defined space.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
The structure as recited in claim 1, and further including: a manually graspable button element mounted on a base member which is slidable over the cover member and which extends outwardly of the cover member for connection to said carriage, said carriage having a portion thereof extending from said housing and outwardly of the cover member for connection to said button element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
206 words
A slide switch, comprising: a housing provided with a plurality of electrical contacts arranged in spaced pairs, said housing enclosing a base portion of said switch with the contacts protruding externally of said base portion for making electrical connections externally of said base portion, an electrically conducting first connector element mounted in said housing and normally engaging a first spaced pair of said contacts to complete a first electrical circuit path therebetween, a carriage mounted in said housing, said carriage in a first position engaging said first connector element to disengage said first connector element from at least one of said contacts of said first pair of contacts to interrupt the first electrical circuit path, said carriage having an electrically conducting second connector element thereon, said carriage being displaceable in said housing from said first position to allow engagement of said first connector element with said first pair of contacts to complete said first circuit path, and said carriage being further displaceable to a selected second position in said housing to engage said second connector element with an additional pair of said contacts to complete an additional circuit path between said additional pairs of said contacts, while said first connector element completes said first circuit path.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
206 words
A slide switch, comprising: a housing provided with a plurality of electrical contacts arranged in spaced pairs, said housing enclosing a base portion of said switch with the contacts protruding externally of said base portion for making electrical connections externally of said base portion, an electrically conducting first connector element mounted in said housing and normally engaging a first spaced pair of said contacts to complete a first electrical circuit path therebetween, a carriage mounted in said housing, said carriage in a first position engaging said first connector element to disengage said first connector element from at least one of said contacts of said first pair of contacts to interrupt the first electrical circuit path, said carriage having an electrically conducting second connector element thereon, said carriage being displaceable in said housing from said first position to allow engagement of said first connector element with said first pair of contacts to complete said first circuit path, and said carriage being further displaceable to a selected second position in said housing to engage said second connector element with an additional pair of said contacts to complete an additional circuit path between said additional pairs of said contacts, while said first connector element completes said first circuit path.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
152 words
A slide switch, comprising: a housing containing a plurality of normally interrupted circuit paths defined by pairs of spaced electrical contacts, an additional pair of spaced contacts in said housing, an electrically conducting first connector element normally engaging said additional pair of contacts to define a normally completed additional electrical circuit path therebetween, a carriage mounted for displacement in said housing and in a first stationary position engaging said first connector element and disengaging the same from said additional pairs of contacts to interrupt said additional circuit path, said carriage being displaceable in said housing from said first position to allow said first connector element to engage said additional pair of contacts and complete said additional circuit path, said carriage having an electrically conducting second connector element engageable with said pairs of spaced contacts to complete corresponding electrical circuits therebetween as said carriage is displaced to selected additional positions within said housing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
152 words
A slide switch, comprising: a housing containing a plurality of normally interrupted circuit paths defined by pairs of spaced electrical contacts, an additional pair of spaced contacts in said housing, an electrically conducting first connector element normally engaging said additional pair of contacts to define a normally completed additional electrical circuit path therebetween, a carriage mounted for displacement in said housing and in a first stationary position engaging said first connector element and disengaging the same from said additional pairs of contacts to interrupt said additional circuit path, said carriage being displaceable in said housing from said first position to allow said first connector element to engage said additional pair of contacts and complete said additional circuit path, said carriage having an electrically conducting second connector element engageable with said pairs of spaced contacts to complete corresponding electrical circuits therebetween as said carriage is displaced to selected additional positions within said housing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
173 words
A slide switch, comprising: a housing, a plurality of circuit paths through said housing, each circuit path being interrupted by a discontinuous portion, a carriage mounted for selective location in said housing and selectively locatable in a first position in a discontinuous portion of one of said circuit paths, an electrically conducting first connector element mounted on said carriage and bridging across said discontinuous portion of said one of said circuit paths with said carriage in said first position to complete said one of said circuit paths, an electrically Conducting second connector element independent of said carriage and mounted to said housing, said second connector element engaging said another of said circuit paths and bridging across the discontinuous portion of another of said circuit paths for normally completing said another of said circuit paths in said housing, said carriage when selectively located in a second position engaging said second connector element and retaining said second connector element disengaged from said another of said circuit paths to interrupt said another of said circuit paths.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
173 words
A slide switch, comprising: a housing, a plurality of circuit paths through said housing, each circuit path being interrupted by a discontinuous portion, a carriage mounted for selective location in said housing and selectively locatable in a first position in a discontinuous portion of one of said circuit paths, an electrically conducting first connector element mounted on said carriage and bridging across said discontinuous portion of said one of said circuit paths with said carriage in said first position to complete said one of said circuit paths, an electrically Conducting second connector element independent of said carriage and mounted to said housing, said second connector element engaging said another of said circuit paths and bridging across the discontinuous portion of another of said circuit paths for normally completing said another of said circuit paths in said housing, said carriage when selectively located in a second position engaging said second connector element and retaining said second connector element disengaged from said another of said circuit paths to interrupt said another of said circuit paths.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The structure as recited in claim 6, wherein: said first connector element is disengaged from said plurality of circuit paths when said carriage is located in said second position thereby interrupting all of said circuit paths in said housing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
164 words
In a slide switch having a base portion upon which is mounted at least one normally interrupted circuit path having a discontinuous portion, and a carriage having an electrically conducting first connector element mounted on said base portion for engagement with said normally interrupted circuit path and for bridging across the discontinuous portion thereof to complete said circuit path through said slide switch, the improvement comprising: at least one additional circuit path mounted on said base portion and having an interrupted portion, an electrically conducting second connector element independent of said carriage and mounted on said base portion, said second electrical connector element normally bridging across said interrupted portion of said additional circuit path to complete said additional circuit path through said switch, said carriage being displaceable on said base into engagement on said second electrical contact and forcibly removing said second electrical contact from bridging across said interrupted portion of said additional circuit path, thereby interrupting said additional circuit path through said switch.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
164 words
In a slide switch having a base portion upon which is mounted at least one normally interrupted circuit path having a discontinuous portion, and a carriage having an electrically conducting first connector element mounted on said base portion for engagement with said normally interrupted circuit path and for bridging across the discontinuous portion thereof to complete said circuit path through said slide switch, the improvement comprising: at least one additional circuit path mounted on said base portion and having an interrupted portion, an electrically conducting second connector element independent of said carriage and mounted on said base portion, said second electrical connector element normally bridging across said interrupted portion of said additional circuit path to complete said additional circuit path through said switch, said carriage being displaceable on said base into engagement on said second electrical contact and forcibly removing said second electrical contact from bridging across said interrupted portion of said additional circuit path, thereby interrupting said additional circuit path through said switch.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
169 words
A slide switch, comprising: a housing, a plurality of first contacts mounted in said housing, an electrically conducting first connector element mounted in said housing and normally engaging said first contacts to complete a first electrical circuit through said housing, said first connector element being movable into a position disengaged from at least one of said first contacts to interrupt the first electrical circuit, a plurality of second electrical contacts mounted in said housing, a carriage mounted for displacement in said housing, an electrically conducting second connector element mounted on said carriage, said carriage being displaceable in said housing to at least one selected position to engage said second connector element with a selected plurality of said second electrical contacts to establish at least one additional circuit path through said housing, said carriage being further displaceable in said housing to at least another selected position to forcibly move and thereby disengage said first connector element from at least one of said first contacts to interrupt said first circuit path.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
169 words
A slide switch, comprising: a housing, a plurality of first contacts mounted in said housing, an electrically conducting first connector element mounted in said housing and normally engaging said first contacts to complete a first electrical circuit through said housing, said first connector element being movable into a position disengaged from at least one of said first contacts to interrupt the first electrical circuit, a plurality of second electrical contacts mounted in said housing, a carriage mounted for displacement in said housing, an electrically conducting second connector element mounted on said carriage, said carriage being displaceable in said housing to at least one selected position to engage said second connector element with a selected plurality of said second electrical contacts to establish at least one additional circuit path through said housing, said carriage being further displaceable in said housing to at least another selected position to forcibly move and thereby disengage said first connector element from at least one of said first contacts to interrupt said first circuit path.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
The structure as recited in claim 9, wherein, said carriage in said another selected position having the second connector element disengaged from said plurality of second contacts whereby the additional circuit path is interrupted.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
131 words
The structure as recited in claim 9, wherein, said first contacts comprise a first pair of contacts, said second contacts comprise a plurality Of additional pairs of contacts, said carriage in said another selected position being between said first pair of contacts and forcibly disengaging said first connector element from at least one of said first contacts to interrupt said first circuit path, said carriage being displaceable from said first position permitting said first connector element to engage said first contacts and complete said first circuit path, said carriage being displaceable in turn between eaCh pair of said additional contacts to establish a corresponding circuit path in turn between each pair of said additional contacts by connection of said second connector element in turn between each pair of said additional contacts.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
106 words
The structure as recited in claim 11, and further including: a cover portion of said switch enclosing all of said contacts within said housing, said carriage having at least an extended portion thereof protruding outwardly from said housing and outwardly adjacent the cover portion, a manually graspable button element displaceable over the surface of said cover portion externally of said housing, said button element having a base portion extending outwardly of said cover portion for connection to said extended portion of said carriage, whereby displacement of said button element over the surface of said cover portion causes a corresponding displacement of said carriage in said housing.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
101 words
The structure as recited in claim 9, and further including: a cover portion of said switch enclosing all of said contacts within said housing, said carriage having at least an extended portion thereof protruding outwardly from said housing and outwardly adjacent the cover portion, a manually graspable button element displaceable over the surface of said cover, said button element having a base portion extending outwardly of said cover portion for connection to said extended portion of said carriage, whereby displacement of said button element over the surface of said cover portion causes a corresponding displacement of said carriage in said housing.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
65 words
The structure as recited in claim 11, and further including: a base portion enclosed by said housing and provided with a series of detents, said carriage having a resilient member thereon, a protruding portion on said resilient member engageable in turn with each of said series of detents as said switch is displaced in turn in between each pair of said additional pairs of contacts.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
82 words
The structure as recited in claim 9, and further including: a base portion enclosed by said housing, said first and second contacts protruding from said base portion to provide electrical terminals for electrical connection externally of said base portion, said base portion being provided with a plurality of detents, said carriage having a resilient member thereon, and a protruding portion on said resilient member engageable in turn within each of the plurality of detents as said carriage is displaced to selected positions.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
54 words
The structure as recited in claim 9, wherein, said first connector element includes a metal resilient spring normally engaging said first contacts, said spring being resiliently deflected upon engagement thereof by said carriage to disengage said first connector element from at least one of said first contacts and thereby interrupt said first circuit path.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
51 words
The structure as recited in claim 11, wherein, said first connector element includes a metal resilient spring normally engaging said first contact, said spring being resiliently deflected by said carriage to disengage said first connector element from at least one of said first contacts and thereby interrupt said first circuit path.
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) | 1977-10-21 | 1978-04-22 | 1978-10-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-21 | 1982-04-22 | 1982-10-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-21 | 1986-04-22 | 1986-10-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |