Air pressure responsive switch for vehicle tire and the like with hinged contact and diaphragm

Claim 2

An air pressure responsive switch having a switch body with an axial opening in one end thereof and a transverse wall at the inner end of said opening, a transverse resilient diaphragm mounted in said opening adjacent said transverse wall, said transverse wall being formed with axial aperture means therethrough, a first electrical contact member mounted in said opening coaxially thereof and spaced from said diaphragm in opposed relation to said transverse wall, and a second electrical contact member mounted in said opening intermediate said diaphragm and said first contact member and having at least a portion thereof being engaged and movable with said diaphragm into and out of engagement with said first contact member in response to the air pressure on the side of said diaphragm facing said transverse wall, the improvement wherein said second contact member is a transversely disposed disc comprising an annular ring portion and a central circular contact portion interconnected by an integral narrow radial hinge portion.

Claim 3

The improvement of claim 1 wherein an annular spacer is disposed intermediate of said ring portion of said second contact member and said diaphragm, and said central portion of said second contact member is prestressed out of the plane of said ring portion and biased against said diaphragm.

Claim 4

The improvement of claim 2 wherein a transverse annular retainer is disposed adjacent said second contact member in opposed relation to said diaphragm and is engageable by said central contact portion of said second contact member when the latter is moved against said first contact member by said diaphragm whereby to limit flexure of said central contact portion and said diaphragm and thereby protect the same against overload air pressure.

Claim 5

An air pressure responsive switch comprising: a switch body having a first axial bore, a second axial bore adjacent said first axial bore and being of lesser diameter than the latter whereby an annular seat is defined therebetween, and a transverse wall at the inner end of said second axial bore and being formed with axial aperture means therethrough; a transverse resilient diaphragm mounted in said first bore and seated against said annular seat whereby said second bore serves as a chamber; a first stationary electrical contact member adjacent said first bore coaxially thereof; a second electrical contact member mounted in said first bore intermediate said diaphragm and said first contact member; said second contact member being a transversely disposed disc comprising an annular ring portion and a central circular contact portion interconnected by an integral narrow radial hinge portion; said central contact portion of said second contact member being movable by said diaphragm; said central contact portion of said second contact member being engaged with said first contact member when said diaphragm is flexed in the direction of the latter in response to air pressure in said chamber at or above a predetermined value, and said central contact portion of said second contact member being disengaged from said first contact member when the air pressure in said chamber drops below said predetermined value and said diaphragm returns towards its normal rest position.

Claim 6

An air pressure responsive switch comprising: a switch body having a first axial bore, a second axial bore adjacent said first axial bore and being of lesser diameter than the latter whereby an annular seat is defined therebetween, and a transverse wall at the inner end of said second axial bore and being formed with axial aperture means therethrough; a transverse resilient diaphragm mounted in said first bore and seated against said annular seat whereby said second bore serves as a chamber; a first stationary electrical contact member adjacent said first bore coaxially thereof; a second electrical contact member mounted in said first bore intermediate said diaphragm and said first contact member; said second contact member being a transversely disposed disc comprising an annular ring portion and a central circular contact portion interconnected by an integral narrow radial hinge portion; said central contact portion of said second contact member being movable by said diaphragm; said central contact portion of said second contact member being engaged with said first contact member when said diaphragm is flexed in the direction of the latter in response to air pressure in said chamber at or above a predetermined value, and said central contact portion of said second contact member being disengaged from said first contact member when the air pressure in said chamber drops below said predetermined value and said diaphragm returns towards its normal rest position.

Claim 7

The air pressure responsive switch of claim 4 wherein an annular spacer is disposed intermediate of said ring portion of said second contact member and said diaphragm, and said central contact portion of said second contact member is prestressed out of the plane of said ring portion and biased against said diaphragm.

Claim 8

The air pressure responsive switch of claim 5 wherein a transverse annular retainer is disposed adjacent said second contact member in opposed relation to said diaphragm and is engageable bY said central contact portion of said second contact member when the latter is moved against said first contact member by said diaphragm whereby to limit flexure of said central contact portion and said diaphragm and thereby protect the same against overload air pressure.

Claim 9

The air pressure responsive switch of claim 6 wherein said switch body has a third axial bore adjacent said first axial bore and of greater diameter than the latter whereby an annular shoulder is defined therebetween, and said annular shoulder is ring staked radially inwardly to retain said diaphragm and said second contact member and said annular spacer and said annular retainer within said first bore.

Claim 10

In combination with the air pressure responsive switch of claim 4, a casing of yieldable material having a forward end with an axial opening therein and said switch being mounted in said opening with said transverse wall facing said forward end of said casing.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 8 wherein said casing has a radially inwardly directed flange portion at said forward end, said flange portion is yieldable to accommodate insertion of said switch into said casing, and said switch is retained in said casing by said flange portion.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 8 wherein said casing has an exterior annular recess coaxial of said axial opening, and said casing is yieldable to accommodate insertion of said forward end of said casing through the aperture of a tire wheel rim with said recess being engaged about the edge of the aperture.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 10 wherein said annular recess is located intermediate of the length of said axial opening, and said transverse wall is disposed rearwardly of said recess.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 10 wherein said annular recess is located rearwardly of said axial opening, and said transverse wall is disposed at said forward end of said casing.

Claim 15

The air pressure responsive switch of claim 4 wherein at least a portion of said switch body is electrically conductive, said first contact member is insulated from said electrically conductive portion of said switch body, and said second contact member is engaged with said electrically conductive portion of said switch body.

Claim 16

In combination, an air pressure responsive switch and a casing assembly--said switch comprising: a switch body having a first axial bore, a second axial bore adjacent said first axial bore and being of lesser diameter than the latter whereby an annular seat is defined therebetween, and a transverse wall at the inner end of said second axial bore and being formed with axial aperture means therethrouogh; at least a portion of said switch body being electrically conductive; a transverse resilient diaphragm mounted in said first bore and seated against said annular seat whereby said second bore serves as a chamber; a first stationary electrical contact member adjacent said first bore coaxially thereof; said first contact member being insulated from said electrically conductive portion of said switch body; a second electrical contact member mounted in said first bore intermediate said diaphragm and said first contact member and having at least a portion thereof being movable by said diaphragm; said second contact member being engaged with said electrically conductive portion of said switch body; said second contact member being engaged with said first contact member when said diaphragm is flexed in the direction of the latter in response to air pressure in said chamber at or above a predetermined value, and said second contact member being disengaged from said first contact member when the air pressure in said chamber drops below said predetermined value and said diaphragm returns toward its normal rest position-and said casing assembly comprising: a hollow casing of yieldable material having a closed end and an open end with a radially inwardly directed flange portion, a spring biased center axial contact pin mounted inside said casing adjacent the cloSed end thereof, a spring biased coaxial contact ring mounted inside said casing adjacent the closed end thereof, said flange portion being yieldable to accommodate movement of said switch into and out of said casing, and said switch body being normally retained in said casing between said flange portion and said contact ring with said electrically conductive portion engaging the latter and with said first contact member engaging said contact pin.

Claim 17

In combination, an air pressure responsive switch and a casing assembly--said switch comprising: a switch body having a first axial bore, a second axial bore adjacent said first axial bore and being of lesser diameter than the latter whereby an annular seat is defined therebetween, and a transverse wall at the inner end of said second axial bore and being formed with axial aperture means therethrouogh; at least a portion of said switch body being electrically conductive; a transverse resilient diaphragm mounted in said first bore and seated against said annular seat whereby said second bore serves as a chamber; a first stationary electrical contact member adjacent said first bore coaxially thereof; said first contact member being insulated from said electrically conductive portion of said switch body; a second electrical contact member mounted in said first bore intermediate said diaphragm and said first contact member and having at least a portion thereof being movable by said diaphragm; said second contact member being engaged with said electrically conductive portion of said switch body; said second contact member being engaged with said first contact member when said diaphragm is flexed in the direction of the latter in response to air pressure in said chamber at or above a predetermined value, and said second contact member being disengaged from said first contact member when the air pressure in said chamber drops below said predetermined value and said diaphragm returns toward its normal rest position-and said casing assembly comprising: a hollow casing of yieldable material having a closed end and an open end with a radially inwardly directed flange portion, a spring biased center axial contact pin mounted inside said casing adjacent the cloSed end thereof, a spring biased coaxial contact ring mounted inside said casing adjacent the closed end thereof, said flange portion being yieldable to accommodate movement of said switch into and out of said casing, and said switch body being normally retained in said casing between said flange portion and said contact ring with said electrically conductive portion engaging the latter and with said first contact member engaging said contact pin.

Claim 18

For use with an air pressure responsive switch having a switch body with at least a portion thereof being electrically conductive and an axial opening in one end thereof and a transverse wall at the inner end of said opening, a transverse resilient diaphragm mounted in said opening adjacent said transverse wall, said transverse wall being formed with axial aperture means therethrough, a first electrical contact member mounted in said opening coaxially thereof and spaced from said diaphragm in opposed relation to said transverse wall, and a second electrical contact member engaged with said electrically conductive portion of said switch body and mounted in said opening intermediate said diaphragm and said first contact member and having at least a portion thereof being movable by said diaphragm into and out of engagement with said first contact member in response to the air pressure on the side of said diaphragm facing said transverse wall, the combination of a hollow casing of yieldable material having a closed end and an open end with a radially inwardly directed flange portion, a spring biased center axial contact pin mounted inside said casing adjacent the closed end thereof, a spring biased coaxial contact ring mounted inside said casing adjacent the closed end thereof, said flange portion being yieldable to accommodate movement of said switch into and out of said casing, and said switch body being normally retained in said casing between said flange portion and said contact ring with said electrically conductive portion engaging the latter and with said first contact member engaging said contact pin.

Claim 19

For use with an air pressure responsive switch having a switch body with at least a portion thereof being electrically conductive and an axial opening in one end thereof and a transverse wall at the inner end of said opening, a transverse resilient diaphragm mounted in said opening adjacent said transverse wall, said transverse wall being formed with axial aperture means therethrough, a first electrical contact member mounted in said opening coaxially thereof and spaced from said diaphragm in opposed relation to said transverse wall, and a second electrical contact member engaged with said electrically conductive portion of said switch body and mounted in said opening intermediate said diaphragm and said first contact member and having at least a portion thereof being movable by said diaphragm into and out of engagement with said first contact member in response to the air pressure on the side of said diaphragm facing said transverse wall, the combination of a hollow casing of yieldable material having a closed end and an open end with a radially inwardly directed flange portion, a spring biased center axial contact pin mounted inside said casing adjacent the closed end thereof, a spring biased coaxial contact ring mounted inside said casing adjacent the closed end thereof, said flange portion being yieldable to accommodate movement of said switch into and out of said casing, and said switch body being normally retained in said casing between said flange portion and said contact ring with said electrically conductive portion engaging the latter and with said first contact member engaging said contact pin.