Miniaturized differential pressure switch with integral contact and spring mounted on diaphragm

Claim 2

In a differential pressure switch of the type including a housing having a diaphragm therein defining with said housing fluid pRessure chambers on either side of said diaphragm of restricted depth, with said housing defining bores in communication to separate sources of fluid pressure, and an electrically conductive diaphragm plate received in one of said chambers and seated on one side thereof against said diaphragm, with the housing portion that defines said one chamber being equipped with a pair of spaced apart electrical contacts mounted to project into said one chamber for engagement by said plate to close said contacts, the improvement wherein: said diaphragm plate comprises a disc element defining a resiliently flexible tongue projecting laterally thereof and away from the diaphragm, and defining a projecting end portion, and means cooperating between said tongue end portion and said housing to cause said tongue to act as a range spring while resiliently spacing said disc element from said contacts whereby said disc element closes said contacts under predetermined pressure differentials in said chambers.

Claim 3

The improvement set forth in claim 1 wherein said means cooperating between said tongue end portion and said housing comprises: an adjustment screw threadedly mounted in said housing and being in operative engagement with said tongue end portion.

Claim 4

A differential pressure switch, said switch comprising: a pair of matched housing sections secured together in face to face relation to form a housing, a diaphragm interposed and clamped between said sections, said sections each being recessed on either side of said diaphragm to define fluid pressure chambers on either side of said diaphragm of restricted depth, said sections each defining a bore in communication with said chambers thereof that is adapted for communication to a source of fluid pressure, a diaphragm plate received in one of said chambers and seated on one side thereof against said diaphragm, said diaphragm plate comprising a disc element of electrically conductive material defining a tongue projecting laterally thereof and defining a projecting end portion, with the housing section that defines said one chamber being equipped with a pair of spaced apart electrical contacts projecting into said one chamber for engagement by said disc element to close said contacts, said contact equipped housing section having a range spring adjustment screw threadedly mounted in same that extends crosswise of said diaphragm plate and is journalled at one end of same in said tongue projecting end portion, whereby said adjustment screw may adjust said tongue to act as a range spring for said diaphragm plate to set said plate against said diaphragm whereby said disc element closes said contacts under predetermined pressure differentials in said chambers.

Claim 5

A differential pressure switch, said switch comprising: a pair of matched housing sections secured together in face to face relation to form a housing, a diaphragm interposed and clamped between said sections, said sections each being recessed on either side of said diaphragm to define fluid pressure chambers on either side of said diaphragm of restricted depth, said sections each defining a bore in communication with said chambers thereof that is adapted for communication to a source of fluid pressure, a diaphragm plate received in one of said chambers and seated on one side thereof against said diaphragm, said diaphragm plate comprising a disc element of electrically conductive material defining a tongue projecting laterally thereof and defining a projecting end portion, with the housing section that defines said one chamber being equipped with a pair of spaced apart electrical contacts projecting into said one chamber for engagement by said disc element to close said contacts, said contact equipped housing section having a range spring adjustment screw threadedly mounted in same that extends crosswise of said diaphragm plate and is journalled at one end of same in said tongue projecting end portion, whereby said adjustment screw may adjust said tongue to act as a range spring for said diaphragm plate to set said plate against said diaphragm whereby said disc element closes said contacts under predetermined pressure differentials in said chambers.

Claim 6

The pressure switch set forth in claim 3 wherein: said chambers are round in outline in the plane of said diaphragm, said disc element being round in circumferential configuration, said tongue includng a tab off set from the axial center of said disc and in keying relation to said housing.

Claim 7

The pressure switch set forth in claim 4 wherein: said tongue tab is received in an indentation formed in said contact equipped section.

Claim 8

The pressure switch set forth in claim 3 wherein: said contact equipped housing section chamber is the low pressure chamber of said switch and the chamber of the other housing section is the high pressure chamber of the switch, said recess of said other housing section defining a generally planar end wall surface of said high pressure chamber that is spaced laterally of said diaphragm to make said high pressure chamber of shallow proportions transversely of said diaphragm, said other housing section including spaced bosses on said recess wall thereof of restricted dimension laterally of said diaphragm to maintain said diaphragm spaced from said recess wall for application pressures in said high pressure chamber to the full area of said diaphragm that is exposed to said Pressure chamber.

Claim 9

The pressure switch set forth in claim 3 wherein: said housing is quadrilateral in configuration in the plane of said sections, said sections each defining matching openings at the corners thereof, with at least some of said openings of the respective housing sections including interengaging means, and means for riveting said housing sections together thorugh said openings.

Claim 10

The pressure switch set forth in claim 3 wherein: the other end of said screw is exposed exteriorly of said housing, said screw other end being recessed within said housing and hex socketed for application thereto of a turning means.

Claim 11

The pressure switch set forth in claim 3 including: a pair of electrical connectors applied to said contact equipped housing section and each including a planar end seated against said contact equipped housing section, said contacts each comprising rivet means anchoring the respective connectors to said housing in electrical conducting relation thereto, and means for keying said connectors relative to said housing against rotational movement with respect thereto.

Claim 12

A differential pressure switch of miniaturized proportions, said switch comprising: a pair of matched housing sections of relatively small proportions secured together in face to face relation to form a housing, a diaphragm interposed and clamped between said sections and substantially coextensive therewith, said sections each being recessed on either side of said diaphragm to define fluid pressure chambers of circular shape and of restricted depth on either side of said diaphragm, said sections each defining a bore in communication with said chambers thereof that is adapted for communication to a source of fluid pressure, a round diaphragm plate received in one of said chambers and seated on one side thereof against said diaphragm, said diaphragm plate comprising a disc element of electrically conductive material defining a tongue projecting laterally thereof and defining a projecting end portion, with the housing section that defines said one chamber being equipped with a pair of spaced apart electrical contacts projecting into said one chamber for engagement by said disc element to close said contacts, said contact equipped housing section having a range spring adjustment screw threadedly mounted in same that extends crosswise of said diaphragm plate and is journalled at one end of same in said tongue projecting end portion, said tongue including a tab offset from the axial center of said disc and connected in keying relation to said housing, said housing sections and said diaphragm defining matching openings about the margin of said housing, with at least some of said openings of the respective housing sections including interengaging means including means for locating said diaphragm relative to said sections on assembly thereof, whereby said adjustment screw may adjust said tongue to act as a range spring for said diaphragm plate to set said plate against said diaphragm whereby said disc element closes said contacts under predetermined pressure differentials in said chambers.

Claim 13

A differential pressure switch of miniaturized proportions, said switch comprising: a pair of matched housing sections of relatively small proportions secured together in face to face relation to form a housing, a diaphragm interposed and clamped between said sections and substantially coextensive therewith, said sections each being recessed on either side of said diaphragm to define fluid pressure chambers of circular shape and of restricted depth on either side of said diaphragm, said sections each defining a bore in communication with said chambers thereof that is adapted for communication to a source of fluid pressure, a round diaphragm plate received in one of said chambers and seated on one side thereof against said diaphragm, said diaphragm plate comprising a disc element of electrically conductive material defining a tongue projecting laterally thereof and defining a projecting end portion, with the housing section that defines said one chamber being equipped with a pair of spaced apart electrical contacts projecting into said one chamber for engagement by said disc element to close said contacts, said contact equipped housing section having a range spring adjustment screw threadedly mounted in same that extends crosswise of said diaphragm plate and is journalled at one end of same in said tongue projecting end portion, said tongue including a tab offset from the axial center of said disc and connected in keying relation to said housing, said housing sections and said diaphragm defining matching openings about the margin of said housing, with at least some of said openings of the respective housing sections including interengaging means including means for locating said diaphragm relative to said sections on assembly thereof, whereby said adjustment screw may adjust said tongue to act as a range spring for said diaphragm plate to set said plate against said diaphragm whereby said disc element closes said contacts under predetermined pressure differentials in said chambers.