Electrical switch assembly

Claim 2

An electrical switch assembly, comprising a support body, cam means carried by said support body, said cam means being movable to and from various operating positions, lever means operatively connected to said cam means for selectively pivotally moving said cam means to and from certain of said various operating positions and for translationally moving said cam means to and from other of said various operating positions, a plurality of electrical contacts carried by said support body and leading to associated electrical circuitry, said plurality of electrical contacts being arranged in generally close proximity to said cam means as to be generally in the path of movement of said cam means when said cam means is moved to and from said various operating positions to thereby be selectively acted upon for opening and closing movement thereof by said cam means, said plurality of electrical contacts being adapted for electrical connection to related electrical circuitry, resilient means effective for resiliently resisting pivotal movement of said cam means by said lever means towards said certain of said operating positions the same said resilient resistance means also being effective for resiliently resisting translational movement of said cam means by said lever means toward said other of said operating positions, said resilient resistance means being effective to progressively increase the magnitude of resilient resistance as said cam means is moved toward any and all of said operating positions, and additional means effective for resiliently latching said cam means in any of said operating positions when said cam means has been moved to said any of said operating positions.

Claim 3

An electrical switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein said support body comprises a switch housing, wherein said lever means and said cam means comprise actuating means, and wherein said plurality of electrical contacts comprise a plurality of first contacts situated on one side of said cam means, a plurality of second contacts situated on another side of said cam means generally opposite to said one side, and a plurality of third contacts situated generally medially of said plurality of first and second contacts, wherein said plurality of first and second contacts are acted upon by said cam means upon pivotal rotation of said cam means by said lever means, and wherein said plurality of third electrical contacts are acted upon by said cam means upon translational movement of said cam means by said lever means.

Claim 4

An electrical switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein said support body comprises a switch housing, wherein said lever means and said cam means comprise actuating means including an actuating body portion, wherein said resilient resistance means comprises detent means carried by said actuating means, and further comprising pivot means for operatively connecting said cam means and actuating body portion to said switch housing thereby enabling said cam means to at times undergo pivotal rotation with respect thereto, detent-engaging surface means carried by said switch housing, said detent-engaging surface means being adapted for engagement by sAid detent means as said cam means is rotated about said pivot means to said certain of said operating positions as well as when said cam means is translationally moved by said lever means to said other of said operating positions.

Claim 5

An electrical switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein said support body comprises a switch housing, wherein said lever means and said cam means comprise actuating means including an actuating body portion, wherein said resilient resistance means comprises detent means carried by said actuating means, and further comprising pivot means for operatively connecting said cam means and actuating body portion to said switch housing thereby enabling said cam means to at times undergo pivotal rotation with respect thereto, said pivot means and a part of said actuating body portion cooperating to define lost motion connecting means operatively connecting said cam means to said switch housing for at times enabling pivotal rotation of said cam means about the axis of said pivot means and at other times enabling translational movemnt of said cam means with respect to said axis.

Claim 6

An electrical switch assembly according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of electrical contacts comprises a plurality of first electrical contacts situated on one side of said cam means, a plurality of second electrical contacts situated on another side of said cam means generally opposite to said one side, and a plurality of third electrical contacts, and wherein said linear translational movement is generally medially of said plurality of first electrical contacts and said plurality of second electrical contacts, said plurality of third electrical contacts being so situated as to be generally in the path of movement of said cam means when said cam means is undergoing said translational movement thereby enabling said cam means to act upon said third electrical contacts.

Claim 7

An electrical switch assembly according to claim 3, wherein said detent-engaging surface means comprises first surface means formed on one side of said switch housing and second surface means formed on another side of said switch housing generally opposite to said one side, and wherein said additional means comprises first and second spaced latching surfaces carried on said one side of said switch housing, and third and forth spaced latching surfaces carried on said other side of said switch housing, said first and fourth spaced latching surfaces being effective to simultaneously engage said detent means upon pivotal rotation of said actuating body portion and said cam means in a first angular direction about said pivot means to thereby maintain said cam means in one of said certain of said operating positions, said second and third spaced latching surfaces being effective to simultaneously engage said detent means upon pivotal rotation of said actuating body portion and said cam means in a second angular direction opposite to said first angular direction about said pivot means to thereby maintain said cam means in a second of said certain of said operating positions, and said first and third spaced latching means being effective to simultaneously engage said detent means upon said actuating body portion and said cam means being translationally moved to said other of said operating positions to thereby maintain said cam means in said other of said operating positions.

Claim 8

An electrical switch assembly according to claim 6, wherein said detent means comprises first and second plunger-like detent members carried by said actuating body as to be laterally disposed, wherein said resilient resistance means comprises resilient means carried by said actuating body for resiliently urging said detent members outwardly of said actuating body, wherein said first and second surface means are each formed as to have a generally medially situated portion thereof disposed a greatest distance away from actuating body whereby said detent members are in engagement with said medially situated portions whenEver said cam means is in a neutral non-operating position, wherein said first and second latching surfaces are formed generally in said first surface means in a manner as to be spaced on either side of the medially situated portion of said first surface means, and wherein said third and fourth latching surfaces are formed generally in said second surface means in a manner as to be spaced on either side of the medially situated portion of said second surface means.

Claim 9

An electrical switch assembly according to claim 7, and further comprising means carried by said actuating means adapted for operative engagement by associated steering gear means and in accordance therewith causing said cam means to move from an operating position to a neutral non-operating position, said means carried by said actuating means for operative engagement by associated steering gear means comprising lost motion abutment means for preventing said cam means from moving from an operating position to a neutral non-operating position whenever the said associated steering gear means is operated in a direction indicative of the continuance of said operating position.

Claim 10

An electrical switch assembly, comprising a support body, cam means carried by said support body, lever means operatively connected to said cam means for moving said cam means to and from various operating positions, a plurality of electrical contacts carried by said support body and arranged in generally close proximity to said cam means, said plurality of electrical contacts being adapted for electrical connection to related electrical circuitry, resilient resistance means effective for resiliently resisting movement of said cam means by said lever means towards any of said operating positions, said resilient resistance means being effective to progressively increase the magnitude of resilient resistance as said cam means is moved toward any of said operating positions additional means effective for resiliently latching said cam means in any of said operating positions when said cam means has been moved to said any of said operating positions, said support body comprising a switch housing, said lever means and said cam means comprising actuating means including an actuating body, said plurality of electrical contacts comprising a plurality of first electrical contact means situated on one side of said cam means, a plurality of second electrical contact means situated on another side of said cam means generally opposite to said one side, and a plurality of third electrical contact means situated generally medially of said plurality of first electrical contact means and said plurality of second electrical contact means, said resilient resistance means comprising detent means carried by said actuating body, pivot means for operatively pivotally connecting said cam means and actuating body to said switch housing, detent-engaging surface means carried by said switch housing, said detent-engaging surface means being adapted for engagement by said detent means as said cam means is rotated about said pivot means, said detent-engaging surface means comprising first surface means formed on one side of said switch housing internally thereof and second surface means formed on an other side of said switch housing internally thereof and generally opposite to said first surface means, said first and second surface means each being formed as to have a generally medially situated portion thereof disposed a greatest distance away from said actuating body wherein said detent means are in engagement with said medially situated portions whenever said cam means is in a neutral non-operating position, said detent means comprising first and second plunger-like detent members carried by said actuating body as to be generally laterally disposed with respect thereto, spring means carried by said actuating body for resiliently urging said first and second detent members laterally outwardly of said actuating body and in respective sliding engagement with said first aNd second surface means, said additional means comprising first and second spaced latching surfaces carried on said one side of said switch housing and third and fourth spaced latching surfaces carried on said other side of said switch housing, said first and third latching surfaces being effective to simultaneously engage said first and second detent members in order to thereby maintain said cam means in one of said operating positions, said second and fourth spaced latching surfaces being effective to respectively simultaneously engage said first and second detent members in order to thereby maintain said cam means in an other of said operating positions, said second and third spaced latching surfaces being effective to simultaneously engage said first and second detent members in order to thereby maintain said cam means in a third of said operating positions, said plurality of first contact means comprising at least first, second and third electrical contacts which are acted upon by said cam means when said cam means is in said one of said operating positions in order to open said first and second electrical contacts and close said second and third electrical contacts thereby completing circuitry to first associated sensory means, said plurality of second contact means comprising at least fourth, fifth and sixth electrical contacts which are acted upon by said cam means when said cam means is in said other of said operating positions in order to open said fourth and fifth electrical contacts and close said fifth and sixth electrical contacts thereby completing circuitry to second associated sensory means, slot means formed in said actuator body permitting translational motion of said cam means to said third operating position, and said plurality of third electrical contact means comprising seventh, eighth and ninth electrical contacts which are acted upon by said cam means when said cam means is translationally moved to said third operating position in order to open said seventh and eighth electrical contacts and close said eighth and ninth electrical contacts.

Claim 11

An electrical switch assembly, comprising a support body, cam means carried by said support body, lever means operatively connected to said cam means for moving said cam means to and from various operating positions, a plurality of electrical contacts carried by said support body and arranged in generally close proximity to said cam means, said plurality of electrical contacts being adapted for electrical connection to related electrical circuitry, resilient resistance means effective for resiliently resisting movement of said cam means by said lever means towards any of said operating positions, said resilient resistance means being effective to progressively increase the magnitude of resilient resistance as said cam means is moved toward any of said operating positions additional means effective for resiliently latching said cam means in any of said operating positions when said cam means has been moved to said any of said operating positions, said support body comprising a switch housing, said lever means and said cam means comprising actuating means including an actuating body, said plurality of electrical contacts comprising a plurality of first electrical contact means situated on one side of said cam means, a plurality of second electrical contact means situated on another side of said cam means generally opposite to said one side, and a plurality of third electrical contact means situated generally medially of said plurality of first electrical contact means and said plurality of second electrical contact means, said resilient resistance means comprising detent means carried by said actuating body, pivot means for operatively pivotally connecting said cam means and actuating body to said switch housing, detent-engaging surface means carried by said switch housing, said detent-engaging surface means being adapted for engagement by said detent means as said cam means is rotated about said pivot means, said detent-engaging surface means comprising first surface means formed on one side of said switch housing internally thereof and second surface means formed on an other side of said switch housing internally thereof and generally opposite to said first surface means, said first and second surface means each being formed as to have a generally medially situated portion thereof disposed a greatest distance away from said actuating body wherein said detent means are in engagement with said medially situated portions whenever said cam means is in a neutral non-operating position, said detent means comprising first and second plunger-like detent members carried by said actuating body as to be generally laterally disposed with respect thereto, spring means carried by said actuating body for resiliently urging said first and second detent members laterally outwardly of said actuating body and in respective sliding engagement with said first aNd second surface means, said additional means comprising first and second spaced latching surfaces carried on said one side of said switch housing and third and fourth spaced latching surfaces carried on said other side of said switch housing, said first and third latching surfaces being effective to simultaneously engage said first and second detent members in order to thereby maintain said cam means in one of said operating positions, said second and fourth spaced latching surfaces being effective to respectively simultaneously engage said first and second detent members in order to thereby maintain said cam means in an other of said operating positions, said second and third spaced latching surfaces being effective to simultaneously engage said first and second detent members in order to thereby maintain said cam means in a third of said operating positions, said plurality of first contact means comprising at least first, second and third electrical contacts which are acted upon by said cam means when said cam means is in said one of said operating positions in order to open said first and second electrical contacts and close said second and third electrical contacts thereby completing circuitry to first associated sensory means, said plurality of second contact means comprising at least fourth, fifth and sixth electrical contacts which are acted upon by said cam means when said cam means is in said other of said operating positions in order to open said fourth and fifth electrical contacts and close said fifth and sixth electrical contacts thereby completing circuitry to second associated sensory means, slot means formed in said actuator body permitting translational motion of said cam means to said third operating position, and said plurality of third electrical contact means comprising seventh, eighth and ninth electrical contacts which are acted upon by said cam means when said cam means is translationally moved to said third operating position in order to open said seventh and eighth electrical contacts and close said eighth and ninth electrical contacts.

Claim 12

A turn signal electrical switching assembly in combination with vehicular steering gear means including steering shaft means having means presented to the vehicle operator for steerable positioning by the operator, comprising first housing means for containing at least a portion of said steering gear means, second housing means generally carrying at least a portion of switching means comprising said switching assembly, said switching means having at least one operating position and a non-operating position, said switching means being provided with abuttably actuatable means effective when said switching means is in said at least one operating position to be placed generally in the path of travel of actuating means carried by said steering shaft means, said actuatable means having first and second actuatable portions extending as to be situated generally at opposite sides of said steering shaft means so as to have the axis of said steering shaft means passing between said actuatable portions, said actuatable portions being effective when respectively abuttably engaged and moved by said actuating means to return said switching means from said operating position to said non-operating position, aperture means formed in a wall of said first housing means, said aperture means being of a size and configuration permitting the passage therethrough of at least a portion of said electrical switching assembly, and mounting means carried by said second housing means, said mounting means being effective to be detachably secured to said first housing means thereby enabling the withdrawal of said second housing means and said actuatable portions out of said aperture means while maintaining said steering gear means in assembled condition and while maintaining said means presented to the vehicle operator for steerable positioning in assembled condition to said steering shaft means.

Claim 13

A turn signal electrical switching assembly in combination with vehicular steering gear means including steering shaft means having means presented to the vehicle operator for steerable positioning by the operator, comprising first housing means for containing at least a portion of said steering gear means, second housing means generally carrying at least a portion of switching means comprising said switching assembly, said switching means having at least one operating position and a non-operating position, said switching means being provided with abuttably actuatable means effective when said switching means is in said at least one operating position to be placed generally in the path of travel of actuating means carried by said steering shaft means, said actuatable means having first and second actuatable portions extending as to be situated generally at opposite sides of said steering shaft means so as to have the axis of said steering shaft means passing between said actuatable portions, said actuatable portions being effective when respectively abuttably engaged and moved by said actuating means to return said switching means from said operating position to said non-operating position, aperture means formed in a wall of said first housing means, said aperture means being of a size and configuration permitting the passage therethrough of at least a portion of said electrical switching assembly, and mounting means carried by said second housing means, said mounting means being effective to be detachably secured to said first housing means thereby enabling the withdrawal of said second housing means and said actuatable portions out of said aperture means while maintaining said steering gear means in assembled condition and while maintaining said means presented to the vehicle operator for steerable positioning in assembled condition to said steering shaft means.

Claim 14

In a steering column assembly Having steering shaft means connectable at one end to ground engaging running gear means of an associated vehicle, said steering shaft means also being connectable at one end opposite to said one end to operator positionable steering means whereby said operator is able to selectively angularly rotatably position said steering shaft means and correspondingly position said ground engaging running gear means thereby imparting desired directional travel to said associated vehicle, a generally tubular housing means generally circumscribing at least a portion of said steering shaft means, a turn signal means comprising a portion of said steering column assembly, said turn signal means having a first means operatively connected to said steering shaft means, said first means comprising turning indicia means effective for providing an indicia of the direction in which said steering shaft means is being angularly rotated, said turn signal means also comprising an electrical switching section manually positionable to selected positions by said operator to indicate a forthcoming change in direction of travel of said associated vehicle, said switching section comprising switching portions extending generally along opposite sides of said steering shaft means for operative engagement by said first means, aperture means formed in the side wall of said tubular first housing as to enable the extension therethrough of a portion of said electrical switching section in order to permit operator control thereof, said first means being effective to at times operatively engage said switching portions in order to return said switching section to a neutral position from which said switching section had been actuated by said operator, said first means further being removable from said steering column assembly only by withdrawal of said first means through an end of said tubular housing only after removal of said operator positionable steering means from said steering shaft means, and said switching section being removable from said steering column assembly by withdrawal thereof through said aperture means formed in the side wall of said tubular housing.

Claim 15

In a steering column assembly Having steering shaft means connectable at one end to ground engaging running gear means of an associated vehicle, said steering shaft means also being connectable at one end opposite to said one end to operator positionable steering means whereby said operator is able to selectively angularly rotatably position said steering shaft means and correspondingly position said ground engaging running gear means thereby imparting desired directional travel to said associated vehicle, a generally tubular housing means generally circumscribing at least a portion of said steering shaft means, a turn signal means comprising a portion of said steering column assembly, said turn signal means having a first means operatively connected to said steering shaft means, said first means comprising turning indicia means effective for providing an indicia of the direction in which said steering shaft means is being angularly rotated, said turn signal means also comprising an electrical switching section manually positionable to selected positions by said operator to indicate a forthcoming change in direction of travel of said associated vehicle, said switching section comprising switching portions extending generally along opposite sides of said steering shaft means for operative engagement by said first means, aperture means formed in the side wall of said tubular first housing as to enable the extension therethrough of a portion of said electrical switching section in order to permit operator control thereof, said first means being effective to at times operatively engage said switching portions in order to return said switching section to a neutral position from which said switching section had been actuated by said operator, said first means further being removable from said steering column assembly only by withdrawal of said first means through an end of said tubular housing only after removal of said operator positionable steering means from said steering shaft means, and said switching section being removable from said steering column assembly by withdrawal thereof through said aperture means formed in the side wall of said tubular housing.

Claim 16

An electrical switch assembly, comprising a support body, cam means carried by said support body, lever means operatively connected to said cam means for pivotally and translationally moving said cam means to and from various operating positions, a plurality of electrical contacts carried by said support body and arranged in generally close proximity to said cam means, said plurality of electrical contacts being adapted for electrical connection to related electrical circuitry, resilient resistance means effective for resiliently resisting movement of said cam means by said lever means towards any of said operating positions, said resilient resistance means being effective to progressively increase the magnitude of resilient resistance as said cam means is moved toward any of said operating positions, additional means effective for resiliently latching said cam means in any of said operating positions when said cam means has been moved to said any of said operating positions, said support body comprising a switch housing, said lever means and said cam means comprising actuating means including an actuating body, said plurality of electrical contacts comprising a plurality of first electrical contact means situated on one side of said cam means, a plurality of second electrical contact means situated on an other side of said cam means generally opposite to said one side, and a plurality of third electrical contact means situated generally medially of said plurality of first electrical contact means and said plurality of second electrical contact means, said resilient resistance means comprising detent means carried by said actuating body, pivot means for operatively pivotally connecting said cam means and actuating body to said switch housing, detent-engaging surface means carried by said switch housing, said detent-engaging surface means being adapted fOr engagement by said detent means as said cam means is rotated about said pivot means, said detent-engaging surface means comprising first surface means carried on one side of said switch housing internally thereof and second surface means carried on an other side of said switch housing internally thereof and generally opposite to said first surface means, said first and second surface means each being formed as to have a generally medially situated portion thereof disposed a greatest distance away from said actuating body wherein said detent means are in engagement with said medially situated portions whenever said cam means is in a neutral non-operating position, said detent means comprising first and second plunger-like detent members carried by said actuating body as to be generally laterally disposed with respect thereto, spring means carried by said actuating body for resiliently urging said first and second detent members laterally outwardly of said actuating body and in respective sliding engagement with said first and second surface means, said additional means comprising first and second spaced latching surfaces carried on said one side of said switch housing and third and fourth spaced latching surfaces carried on said other side of said switch housing, said first and third latching surfaces being effective to simultaneously engage said first and second detent members in order to thereby maintain said cam means in one of said operating positions, said second and fourth spaced latching surfaces being effective to respectively simultaneously engage said first and second detent members in order to thereby maintain said cam means in an other of said operating positions, said second and third spaced latching surfaces being effective to simultaneously engage said first and second detent members in order to thereby maintain said cam means in a third of said operating positions, said plurality of first contact means comprising at least first and second electrical contacts which are acted upon by said cam means when said cam means is in said one of said operating positions in order to open said first and second electrical contacts leading to first associated sensory means, said plurality of second contact means comprising at least third and fourth electrical contacts which are acted upon by said cam means when said cam means is in said other of said operating positions in order to open said third and fourth electrical contacts leading to second associated sensory means, a space defined generally between a portion of said pivot means and a portion of said actuator body for permitting translational motion of said actuator body and cam means to said third operating position, and said plurality of third electrical contacts comprising at least fifth and sixth electrical contacts which are acted upon by said cam means when said cam means is translationally moved to said third operating position in order to close said fifth and sixth electrical contacts.

Claim 17

An electrical switch assembly, comprising a support body, cam means carried by said support body, lever means operatively connected to said cam means for pivotally and translationally moving said cam means to and from various operating positions, a plurality of electrical contacts carried by said support body and arranged in generally close proximity to said cam means, said plurality of electrical contacts being adapted for electrical connection to related electrical circuitry, resilient resistance means effective for resiliently resisting movement of said cam means by said lever means towards any of said operating positions, said resilient resistance means being effective to progressively increase the magnitude of resilient resistance as said cam means is moved toward any of said operating positions, additional means effective for resiliently latching said cam means in any of said operating positions when said cam means has been moved to said any of said operating positions, said support body comprising a switch housing, said lever means and said cam means comprising actuating means including an actuating body, said plurality of electrical contacts comprising a plurality of first electrical contact means situated on one side of said cam means, a plurality of second electrical contact means situated on an other side of said cam means generally opposite to said one side, and a plurality of third electrical contact means situated generally medially of said plurality of first electrical contact means and said plurality of second electrical contact means, said resilient resistance means comprising detent means carried by said actuating body, pivot means for operatively pivotally connecting said cam means and actuating body to said switch housing, detent-engaging surface means carried by said switch housing, said detent-engaging surface means being adapted fOr engagement by said detent means as said cam means is rotated about said pivot means, said detent-engaging surface means comprising first surface means carried on one side of said switch housing internally thereof and second surface means carried on an other side of said switch housing internally thereof and generally opposite to said first surface means, said first and second surface means each being formed as to have a generally medially situated portion thereof disposed a greatest distance away from said actuating body wherein said detent means are in engagement with said medially situated portions whenever said cam means is in a neutral non-operating position, said detent means comprising first and second plunger-like detent members carried by said actuating body as to be generally laterally disposed with respect thereto, spring means carried by said actuating body for resiliently urging said first and second detent members laterally outwardly of said actuating body and in respective sliding engagement with said first and second surface means, said additional means comprising first and second spaced latching surfaces carried on said one side of said switch housing and third and fourth spaced latching surfaces carried on said other side of said switch housing, said first and third latching surfaces being effective to simultaneously engage said first and second detent members in order to thereby maintain said cam means in one of said operating positions, said second and fourth spaced latching surfaces being effective to respectively simultaneously engage said first and second detent members in order to thereby maintain said cam means in an other of said operating positions, said second and third spaced latching surfaces being effective to simultaneously engage said first and second detent members in order to thereby maintain said cam means in a third of said operating positions, said plurality of first contact means comprising at least first and second electrical contacts which are acted upon by said cam means when said cam means is in said one of said operating positions in order to open said first and second electrical contacts leading to first associated sensory means, said plurality of second contact means comprising at least third and fourth electrical contacts which are acted upon by said cam means when said cam means is in said other of said operating positions in order to open said third and fourth electrical contacts leading to second associated sensory means, a space defined generally between a portion of said pivot means and a portion of said actuator body for permitting translational motion of said actuator body and cam means to said third operating position, and said plurality of third electrical contacts comprising at least fifth and sixth electrical contacts which are acted upon by said cam means when said cam means is translationally moved to said third operating position in order to close said fifth and sixth electrical contacts.

Claim 18

An electrical switch assembly, comprising a support body, cam means carried by said support body, lever means operatively connected to said cam means for pivotally and translationally moving said cam means to and from various operating positions, a plurality of electrical contacts carried by said support body and arranged in generally close proximity to said cam means, said plurality of electrical contacts being adapted for electrical connection to related electrical circuitry, resilient resistance means effective for resiliently resisting movement of said cam means by said lever means towards any of said operating positions, said resilient resistance means being effective to progressively increase the magnitude of resilient resistance as said cam means is moved toward any of said operating positions, additional means effective for resiliently latching said cam means in any of said operating positions when said cam means has been moved to said any of said operating positions, said support body comprising a switch housing, said lever means and said cam means comprising actuating means including an actuating body, said plurality of electrical contacts comprising a plurality of first electrical contact means situated on one side of said cam means, a plurality of second electrical contact means situated on an other side of said cam means generally opposite to said one side, and a plurality of third electrical contact means situated generally medially of said plurality of first electrical contact means and said plurality of first electrical contact means and said plurality of second electrical contact means, said resilient resistance means comprising detent means carried by said actuating body, pivot means for operatively pivotally connecting said cam means and actuating body to said switch housing, detent-engaging surface means carried by said switch housing, said detent-engaging surface means being adapted for engagement by said detent means as said cam means is rotated about said pivot means, said detent-engaging surface means comprising first surface means carried on one side of said switch housing internally thereof and second surface means carried on an other side of said switch housing internally thereof and generally opposite to said first surface means, said first and second surface means each being formed as to have a generally medially situated portion thereof disposed a greatest distance away from said actuating body wherein said detent means are in engagement with said medially situated portions whenever said cam means is in a neutral non-operating position, said detent means comprising first and second plunger-like detent means carried by said actuating body as to be generally laterally disposed with respect thereto, spring means carried by said actuating body for resiliently urging said first and second detent members laterally outwardly of said actuating body and in respective sliding engagement with said first and second surface means, said additional means comprising first and second spaced latching surfaces carried on said one side of said switch housing and third and fourth spaced latching surfaces carried on said other side of said switch housing, said first and third latching surfaces being effective to simultaneously engage said first and second detent members in order to thereby maintain said cam means in one of said operating positions, said second and fourth spaced latching surfaces being effective to respectively simultaneously engage said first and second detent members in order to thereby maintain said cam means in an other of said operating positions, said second and third spaced latching surfaces being effective to simultaneously engage said first and second detent members in order to thereby maintain said cam means in a third of said operating positions, said plurality of first contact means comprising at least first and second electrical contacts which are acted upon by said cam means when said cam means is in said one of said operating positions in order to close said first and second electrical contacts thereby completing circuitry to first associated sensory means, said plurality of second contact means comprising at least third and fourth electrical contacts which are acted upon by said cam means when said cam means is in said other of said operating positions in order to close said third and fourth electrical contacts thereby completing circuitry to second associated sensory means, a space defined generally between a portion of said pivot means and a portion of said actuator body for permitting translational motion of said actuator body and cam means to said third operating position, and said plurality of third electrical contacts comprising at least fifth and sixth electrical contacts which are acted upon by said cam means when said cam means is translationally moved to said third operating position in order to open said fifth and sixth electrical contacts.

Claim 19

An electrical switch assembly, comprising a support body, cam means carried by said support body, lever means operatively connected to said cam means for pivotally and translationally moving said cam means to and from various operating positions, a plurality of electrical contacts carried by said support body and arranged in generally close proximity to said cam means, said plurality of electrical contacts being adapted for electrical connection to related electrical circuitry, resilient resistance means effective for resiliently resisting movement of said cam means by said lever means towards any of said operating positions, said resilient resistance means being effective to progressively increase the magnitude of resilient resistance as said cam means is moved toward any of said operating positions, additional means effective for resiliently latching said cam means in any of said operating positions when said cam means has been moved to said any of said operating positions, said support body comprising a switch housing, said lever means and said cam means comprising actuating means including an actuating body, said plurality of electrical contacts comprising a plurality of first electrical contact means situated on one side of said cam means, a plurality of second electrical contact means situated on an other side of said cam means generally opposite to said one side, and a plurality of third electrical contact means situated generally medially of said plurality of first electrical contact means and said plurality of first electrical contact means and said plurality of second electrical contact means, said resilient resistance means comprising detent means carried by said actuating body, pivot means for operatively pivotally connecting said cam means and actuating body to said switch housing, detent-engaging surface means carried by said switch housing, said detent-engaging surface means being adapted for engagement by said detent means as said cam means is rotated about said pivot means, said detent-engaging surface means comprising first surface means carried on one side of said switch housing internally thereof and second surface means carried on an other side of said switch housing internally thereof and generally opposite to said first surface means, said first and second surface means each being formed as to have a generally medially situated portion thereof disposed a greatest distance away from said actuating body wherein said detent means are in engagement with said medially situated portions whenever said cam means is in a neutral non-operating position, said detent means comprising first and second plunger-like detent means carried by said actuating body as to be generally laterally disposed with respect thereto, spring means carried by said actuating body for resiliently urging said first and second detent members laterally outwardly of said actuating body and in respective sliding engagement with said first and second surface means, said additional means comprising first and second spaced latching surfaces carried on said one side of said switch housing and third and fourth spaced latching surfaces carried on said other side of said switch housing, said first and third latching surfaces being effective to simultaneously engage said first and second detent members in order to thereby maintain said cam means in one of said operating positions, said second and fourth spaced latching surfaces being effective to respectively simultaneously engage said first and second detent members in order to thereby maintain said cam means in an other of said operating positions, said second and third spaced latching surfaces being effective to simultaneously engage said first and second detent members in order to thereby maintain said cam means in a third of said operating positions, said plurality of first contact means comprising at least first and second electrical contacts which are acted upon by said cam means when said cam means is in said one of said operating positions in order to close said first and second electrical contacts thereby completing circuitry to first associated sensory means, said plurality of second contact means comprising at least third and fourth electrical contacts which are acted upon by said cam means when said cam means is in said other of said operating positions in order to close said third and fourth electrical contacts thereby completing circuitry to second associated sensory means, a space defined generally between a portion of said pivot means and a portion of said actuator body for permitting translational motion of said actuator body and cam means to said third operating position, and said plurality of third electrical contacts comprising at least fifth and sixth electrical contacts which are acted upon by said cam means when said cam means is translationally moved to said third operating position in order to open said fifth and sixth electrical contacts.

Claim 20

A modular turn signal assembly detachably mounted as a unit on a transverse side of a first houSing of a steering column assembly, said modular turn signal assembly comprising a switch assembly comprising a second housing inserted through a like-shaped aperture formed through a sidewall of said first housing, switch means mounted in said second housing, an actuating mechanism comprising a cam pivotally mounted in said second housing adjacent to said switch means, a handle secured to said cam and projecting radially outwardly from said second housing to rotate said cam to selectively actuate said switch means, detent means operatively associated between said switch assembly and said actuating mechanism for releasably holding said handle in a left-turn a right-turn or an intermediate neutral condition of turn signal operation, and turn cancelling means operatively associated between said steering column assembly and said actuating mechanism for automatically releasing said detent means and for returning said handle from its left-hand or right-hand to its neutral condition of operation upon selective turning of a steering wheel of said steering column assembly, said turn cancelling means comprising a generally U-shaped member having its base secured on an end of said handle and a pair of legs projecting into said first housing, said turn cancelling means further comprising abutment means slidably mounted on each of said legs and positioned thereon to engage a drive means of said steering column assembly upon rotation of said steering wheel in a first direction to return said handle to its neutral condition of operation and to disengage said drive means by moving generally tangentially relative to the rotational path of said drive means upon rotation of said steering wheel in an opposite second direction to permit said handle to remain in its left-hand or right-hand condition of operation.

Claim 21

A modular turn signal assembly detachably mounted as a unit on a transverse side of a first houSing of a steering column assembly, said modular turn signal assembly comprising a switch assembly comprising a second housing inserted through a like-shaped aperture formed through a sidewall of said first housing, switch means mounted in said second housing, an actuating mechanism comprising a cam pivotally mounted in said second housing adjacent to said switch means, a handle secured to said cam and projecting radially outwardly from said second housing to rotate said cam to selectively actuate said switch means, detent means operatively associated between said switch assembly and said actuating mechanism for releasably holding said handle in a left-turn a right-turn or an intermediate neutral condition of turn signal operation, and turn cancelling means operatively associated between said steering column assembly and said actuating mechanism for automatically releasing said detent means and for returning said handle from its left-hand or right-hand to its neutral condition of operation upon selective turning of a steering wheel of said steering column assembly, said turn cancelling means comprising a generally U-shaped member having its base secured on an end of said handle and a pair of legs projecting into said first housing, said turn cancelling means further comprising abutment means slidably mounted on each of said legs and positioned thereon to engage a drive means of said steering column assembly upon rotation of said steering wheel in a first direction to return said handle to its neutral condition of operation and to disengage said drive means by moving generally tangentially relative to the rotational path of said drive means upon rotation of said steering wheel in an opposite second direction to permit said handle to remain in its left-hand or right-hand condition of operation.

Claim 22

A modular turn signal assembly detachably mounted as a unit on a transverse side of a first housing of a steering column assembly, said modular turn signal assembly comprising a switch assembly comprising a second housing inserted through a like-shaped aperture formed through a sidewall of said first housing, switch means mounted in said second housing, an actuating mechanism comprising a cam pivotally mounted in said second housing adjacent to said switch means, a handle secured to said cam and projecting radially outwardly from said second housing to rotate said cam to selectively actuate said switch means, said switch means comprising first and second sets of electrical contacts mounted in said second housing on opposite sides of said cam and a third set of electrical contacts mounted in said second housing adjacent to an end of said cam, and further comprising lost-motion means pivotally mounting said cam in said second housing for permitting said handle to be reciprocated longitudinally to selectively actuate said third set of electrical contacts.

Claim 23

A modular turn signal assembly detachably mounted as a unit on a transverse side of a first housing of a steering column assembly, said modular turn signal assembly comprising a switch assembly comprising a second housing inserted through a like-shaped aperture formed through a sidewall of said first housing, switch means mounted in said second housing, an actuating mechanism comprising a cam pivotally mounted in said second housing adjacent to said switch means, a handle secured to said cam and projecting radially outwardly from said second housing to rotate said cam to selectively actuate said switch means, said switch means comprising first and second sets of electrical contacts mounted in said second housing on opposite sides of said cam and a third set of electrical contacts mounted in said second housing adjacent to an end of said cam, and further comprising lost-motion means pivotally mounting said cam in said second housing for permitting said handle to be reciprocated longitudinally to selectively actuate said third set of electrical contacts.

Claim 24

A modular turn signal assembly according to claim 15 and further comprising detent means operatively associated between said second housing and said handle for releasably holding said handle in a left-turn a right-turn or an intermediate neutral condition of turn signal operation, and turn cancelling means operatively connected to said handle and adapted to be between a steering column assembly and said handle for automatically releasing said detent means and for returning said handle from its left-hand or right-hand to its neutral condition of operation, said turn cancelling means comprising a pair of laterally spaced legs secured to an end of said handle to project outwardly therefrom, and abutment means slidably mounted on each of said legs for limited outward movement in a direction away from said handle.

Claim 25

The turn signal assembly according to claim 16 and further comprising retraction spring means connected between each of said abutment means and a respective one of said legs to normally bias and retract such abutment means towards said handle.

Claim 26

The turn signal assembly according to claim 17 and further coMprising stop means formed on each of said legs to limit travel of a respective one of said abutment means towards said handle.

Claim 27

The turn signal assembly according to claim 16 wherein said legs diverge away from each other as said legs extend from said handle.

Claim 28

The turn signal assembly according to claim 17 and further comprising an elongated slot formed in each of said legs for accommodating outward expansion of a respective one of said spring means.

Claim 29

The turn signal assembly according to claim 16 and further comprising a plurality of electrical terminals electrically connected to said switch means and exposed exteriorly on one side of said housing, said plurality of electrical terminals being adapted to have an electrical connector detachably connected thereto.

Claim 30

The turn signal assembly according to claim 21 wherein said electrical terminals are electrically connected to said switch means by a flat printed circuit board disposed in said housing.

Claim 31

In a turn signal switch assembly having a plurality of first electrical contacts adapted to be acted upon by contact-actuating-means selectively angularly positionable by associated manually positionable handle means operatively connected to said contact-actuating-means and detent means effective for maintaining said contact-actuating-means in selected angular positions, the improvement of providing guide means for enabling said handle means and said contact-actuating-means to undergo translational movement, second electrical contact means positioned so as to be acted upon by said contact-actuating-means when said handle means and said contact-actuating-means are translationally moved a first predetermined distance in a first translational direction to a first translational position, said detent means comprising first and second spaced latching surfaces respectively positioned on opposite sides of said contact-actuating-means and said guide means, said detent means also comprising resiliently deflectable detent members operatively connected to said handle means and said contact-actuating-means as to be both angularly and translationally movable therewith, and ramp-like surfaces respectively positioned on opposite sides of said contact-actuating-means and said guide means and respectively leading to said first and second latching surfaces, said ramp-like surfaces being adapted to be respectively engaged by said deflectable detent members and effective to through said detent members normally urge said handle means and said contact-actuating-means to a second translational position whereat said handle means and said contact-actuating-means are neither angularly rotated to a selected angular position nor acting upon said second electrical contact means, said ramp-like surfaces and said detent members cooperating to produce a progressively increasing resilient resistance force to the manual translational movement of said handle means and said contact-actuating-means from said second translational position toward said first translational position, said first latching surface being effective to receive one of said detent members when said handle means and said contact-actuating-means are rotated to a first angular position, said second latching surface being effective to receive another of said detent members when said handle means and said contact-actuating-means are rotated to a second angular position, and said first and second latching surfaces being effective to simultaneously respectively receive said one and said other of said detent members when said handle means and said contact-actuating-means have been translationally moved to said first translational position.

Claim 32

In a turn signal switch assembly having a plurality of first electrical contacts adapted to be acted upon by contact-actuating-means selectively angularly positionable by associated manually positionable handle means operatively connected to said contact-actuating-means and detent means effective for maintaining said contact-actuating-means in selected angular positions, the improvement of providing guide means for enabling said handle means and said contact-actuating-means to undergo translational movement, second electrical contact means positioned so as to be acted upon by said contact-actuating-means when said handle means and said contact-actuating-means are translationally moved a first predetermined distance in a first translational direction to a first translational position, said detent means comprising first and second spaced latching surfaces respectively positioned on opposite sides of said contact-actuating-means and said guide means, said detent means also comprising resiliently deflectable detent members operatively connected to said handle means and said contact-actuating-means as to be both angularly and translationally movable therewith, and ramp-like surfaces respectively positioned on opposite sides of said contact-actuating-means and said guide means and respectively leading to said first and second latching surfaces, said ramp-like surfaces being adapted to be respectively engaged by said deflectable detent members and effective to through said detent members normally urge said handle means and said contact-actuating-means to a second translational position whereat said handle means and said contact-actuating-means are neither angularly rotated to a selected angular position nor acting upon said second electrical contact means, said ramp-like surfaces and said detent members cooperating to produce a progressively increasing resilient resistance force to the manual translational movement of said handle means and said contact-actuating-means from said second translational position toward said first translational position, said first latching surface being effective to receive one of said detent members when said handle means and said contact-actuating-means are rotated to a first angular position, said second latching surface being effective to receive another of said detent members when said handle means and said contact-actuating-means are rotated to a second angular position, and said first and second latching surfaces being effective to simultaneously respectively receive said one and said other of said detent members when said handle means and said contact-actuating-means have been translationally moved to said first translational position.

Claim 33

A turn signal switch assembly according to claim 23 wherein said plurality of first electrical contacts are also acted upon by said contact-actuating-means when said handle means and said contact-actuating-means are translationally moved to said first translational position.

Claim 34

A turn signal switch assembly according to clAim 23 wherein said guide means comprises a pivot member and a cooperating slot relatively movable with respect to each other, and wherein said pivot member is held against one functional end of said slot when said handle means and said contact-actuating-means are in said second translational position thereby permitting angular rotation of said handle means and said contact-actuating-means about said pivot member.

Claim 35

A turn signal switch assembly according to claim 23 and further comprising additional means operatively connected to said contact-actuating-means effective for automatically returning said contact-actuating-means and said handle means to said second translational position from any said selected angular position originally maintained by said detent means, said additional means being adapted to at times be situated generally in the path of travel of driving means operatively connected to and controlled by associated vehicular steering gear means, said driving means being effective to undergo angular rotation in the same angular direction as the steering shaft which comprises a portion of said steering gear means, said additional means being effective to be abutingly engaged by driving means and return said handle means and said contact-actuating-means to said second translational position from a selected angular position indicating a vehicular turning operation in a first direction when said steering shaft is being rotated in a direction causing a vehicular turning operation in a second direction opposite to said first direction, said additional means having an opening formed therein for permitting the lateral passage therethrough of said steering shaft and thereby enabling the removal of said additional means from said steering shaft by movement of said additional means transverse to said steering shaft.

Claim 36

A turn signal switch assembly according to claim 26 wherein said additional means is at least partly resilient thereby enabling said handle means and said contact-actuating-means to, by application of a manual restraining force to said handle means, remain in said angular position indicating a vehicular turning operation in said first direction even though said steering shaft is being rotated in said second direction and said driving means is engaging said additional means to tend to return said handle means and said contact-actuating-means to said second translational position.

Claim 37

A turn signal switch assembly according to claim 27 wherein said additional means comprises abutment means resiliently movable in one direction to act as an escapement when engaged by said driving means rotating in a direction the same as the direction of vehicular turning indicated by said handle means and said contact-actuating-means.

Claim 38

A turn signal switch assembly according to claim 27 wherein said additional means comprises first and second resilient arms adapted to be respectively disposed on opposite diametrical sides of said associated steering shaft, first and second abutment members respectively slideably carried by said first and second resilient arms, first and second spring means respectively connecting said first and second abutment members to said first and second resilient arms, said first and second spring means each being effective to respectively urge said first and second abutment members to respective first positions with respect to said first and second resilient arms, and said first and second spring means also being effective to at times permit said first and second abutment members to move with respect to said arms when such abutment members are engaged by said driving means.