US3859488A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Point contact roller band switch
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-07-13
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Granted: 1975-01-07
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Expires: 1993-07-13
Abstract
Abstract A roller band electrical switching mechanism wherein one or both of the rollers serves as a movable contact, the roller or rollers functioning as a contact being supported and guided directly by the case. The roller support and guide surfaces, or races, of the case are concavely curved and incorporate fixed contacts which have exposed surfaces which lie flush with the roller guide surface of the case. The roller, with its ends in substantial rolling point engagement with the races, closes or opens electric circuits as it rolls along the guide surfaces. The roller band in most cases does not touch the case. By thus suspending the roller so that it can serve as a movable contact, exerting great localized pressure on embedded contacts flush with the roller support surface while producing minimal switching friction, a substantial increase of switching quality and utility is achieved.
Inventors
- 👤 W Dale Jones
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 17:40
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01P; G01P15/00; G01P15/02; G01P15/08; G01P15/135; H; H01; H01H; H01H1/00; H01H1/12; H01H1/14; H01H1/16; H01H35/00; H01H35/14; H01H35/148
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
In a roller band mechanism having a case, a pair of cylindrical rollers mounted within said case for guided movement along a passage in said case, and a tensioned flexible band anchored at it opposite ends to opposite ends of said passage and trained partially about the circumferences of said rollers in a generally S-shaped configuration to maintain said rollers in a roller cluster; the improvement wherein at least one of said rollers contacts a race surface in said passage only along the periphery of the ends of said one roller so as to establish substantially a point contact at opposite axial ends of said one roller with the race surface during movement of said roller cluster along said passage, said points of contacts 55 along the race surface of said passage occuring only along two separated predetermined line paths, and a plurality of electrical contacts embedded in the race surface of said case having inner ends flush with the surface of said passage at selected locations along said line paths, said one of said rollers being of electrically conductive material and said contacts being electrically insulated from one another.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
190 words
In a roller band mechanism having a case, a pair of cylindrical rollers mounted within said case for guided movement along a passage in said case, and a tensioned flexible band anchored at it opposite ends to opposite ends of said passage and trained partially about the circumferences of said rollers in a generally S-shaped configuration to maintain said rollers in a roller cluster; the improvement wherein at least one of said rollers contacts a race surface in said passage only along the periphery of the ends of said one roller so as to establish substantially a point contact at opposite axial ends of said one roller with the race surface during movement of said roller cluster along said passage, said points of contacts 55 along the race surface of said passage occuring only along two separated predetermined line paths, and a plurality of electrical contacts embedded in the race surface of said case having inner ends flush with the surface of said passage at selected locations along said line paths, said one of said rollers being of electrically conductive material and said contacts being electrically insulated from one another.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the race surfaces of said passage contacted by said one of said rollers are concavely curved and have tangents oppositely inclined at an angle of 45* to the axis of said one of said rollers at the points of contact between the race surfaces and said one of said rollers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said passage is of circular transverse cross-sectional configuration.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The invention defined in claim 1 wherein one wall of said passage is flat, the portiOn of said band between the other of said rollers and one end of the band lying in face to face engagement with said one wall of said passage.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
70 words
The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said one roller has a reduced diameter central section and radially projecting annular flanges at opposite axial ends thereof, said flanges being axially spaced from each other by a distance slightly exceeding the width of said band and the axial length of said other of said rollers whereby said flanges restrain axial displacement of said band and said rollers relative to each other.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3643048A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-01-06 | 1978-07-08 | 1979-01-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-01-06 | 1982-07-08 | 1983-01-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-01-06 | 1986-07-08 | 1987-01-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |