Pressure and temperature actuated switches

Claim 2

A switch comprising a first structure, a second structure mounted for movement along an axis relative to said first structure, belleville spring means resisting movement of said second structure axially relative to the first and having a negative spring rate, a pair of first contacts carried by one of said structures at axially spaced locations and facing axially toward one another, a pair of second contacts carried by the other structure and received axially between the contacts of said first pair and engageable therewith respectively upon axial movement of said second structure in opposite directions relative to said first structure, said second contacts being free for limited axial movement relative to one another and relative to said other structure, and spring means axially between said second contacts and yieldingly urging them relatively apart.

Claim 3

A switch as recited in claim 1, in which said spring means comprise second belleville spring means.

Claim 4

A switch comprising a hollow body, a part mounted for movement within said body along a predetermined axis, a belleville spring having a radially inner portion acting against said part and a radially outer portion acting against said hollow body and yieldingly resisting axial movement of said part, said belleville spring having a negative spring rate, two contact rings extending about said part and having radially inner portions received within a peripheral groove in said part and free for limited axial movement therein relative to one another and relative to said part, an additional spring interposed axially between said contact rings and urging them relatively axially apart, and first and second contacts carried by said body at locations radially outwardly of said part and at opposite axial sides of said rings and engageable with said rings respectively upon movement of said part in opposite axial directions.

Claim 5

A switch comprising a hollow body, a part mounted for movement within said body along a predetermined axis, a belleville spring having a radially inner portion acting against said part and a radially outer portion acting against said hollow body and yieldingly resisting axial movement of said part, said belleville spring having a negative spring rate, two contact rings extending about said part and having radially inner portions received within a peripheral groove in said part and free for limited axial movement therein relative to one another and relative to said part, an additional spring interposed axially between said contact rings and urging them relatively axially apart, and first and second contacts carried by said body at locations radially outwardly of said part and at opposite axial sides of said rings and engageable with said rings respectively upon movement of said part in opposite axial directions.

Claim 6

A switch as recited in claim 3, in which there are two of said first contacts simultaneously engageable with a first of said rings to close a circuit therethrough upon movement of said part in one axial direction, there being two of said second contacts engageable with the other ring upon movement of said part in the opposite axial direction.

Claim 7

A switch as recited in claim 3, in which said additional spring and said belleville spring have together a combined spring rate which is negative through at least a portion of the travel of said part at each end of its travel after initial engagement of said rings with said first and second contacts.

Claim 8

A switch comprising: a housing structure; a belleville spring carried by said housing structure centered about a predetermined axis and having a portion movable along said axis relative to the housing structure; a carrier structure movable along said axis with said portion of the belleville spring; two stops limiting said axial movement of the carrier structure at two spaced locations and at opposite ends respectively of a range of movement; said belleville spring having a negative spring rate through the major portion of said range of movement; first contact means including a thin resilient movable contact carried by and movable with said carrier structure and disposed generally transversely of said axis, said movable contact having a radially inner portion connected to said carrier structure and a resiliently distortable radially outer portion with an outer free edge; and second contact means including a plurality of stationary contacts carried by said housing structure and positioned to engage and progressively resiliently distort said outer portion of said thin movable contact at different locations about said axis as said carrier structure moves within a first portion of said range of movement near a first end of said range; said stationary contacts being so positioned that said movable contact is out of engagement therewith through a second portion of said range of movement at the opposite end of said range, and moves into and out of engagement at an intermediate point in said range; said movable contact having a spring rate which is positive at said intermediate point and for a substantial distance therebeyond within said first portion of said range of movement; all spring forces acting on said carrier structure, including those of said belleville spring and said movable contact, having a combined effective spring rate which is negative at said intermediate point and for a substantial distance in both directions from said point.

Claim 9

A switch comprising: a housing structure; a belleville spring carried by said housing structure centered about a predetermined axis and having a portion movable along said axis relative to the housing structure; a carrier structure movable along said axis with said portion of the belleville spring; two stops limiting said axial movement of the carrier structure at two spaced locations and at opposite ends respectively of a range of movement; said belleville spring having a negative spring rate through the major portion of said range of movement; first contact means including a thin resilient movable contact carried by and movable with said carrier structure and disposed generally transversely of said axis, said movable contact having a radially inner portion connected to said carrier structure and a resiliently distortable radially outer portion with an outer free edge; and second contact means including a plurality of stationary contacts carried by said housing structure and positioned to engage and progressively resiliently distort said outer portion of said thin movable contact at different locations about said axis as said carrier structure moves within a first portion of said range of movement near a first end of said range; said stationary contacts being so positioned that said movable contact is out of engagement therewith through a second portion of said range of movement at the opposite end of said range, and moves into and out of engagement at an intermediate point in said range; said movable contact having a spring rate which is positive at said intermediate point and for a substantial distance therebeyond within said first portion of said range of movement; all spring forces acting on said carrier structure, including those of said belleville spring and said movable contact, having a combined effective spring rate which is negative at said intermediate point and for a substantial distance in both directions from said point.

Claim 10

A switch as recited in claim 6, in which said stationary contacts are a plurality of contact pins extending generally axially at different locations spaced apart circularly about said axis and having rounded ends engageable with said thin movable contact.

Claim 11

A switch as recited in claim 6, in which said movable contact is an essentially circular flat disc disposed transversely of said axis.

Claim 12

A switch as recited in claim 6, in which said belleville spring yieldingly urges said movable contact in a direction away from said stationary contacts.

Claim 13

A switch as recited in claim 6, in which said belleville spring yieldingly urges said movable contact in a direction toward said stationary contacts.

Claim 14

A switch as recited in claim 6, including electrical insulator means mounting said movable contact to said carrier structure in electrically insulated relation.

Claim 15

A switch as recited in claim 6, including a locating structure mounted within said housing structure and containing an opening slidably receiving said carrier structure and guiding it for movement along said axis.

Claim 16

A switch as recited in claim 6, including a locating part disposed about said carrier structure and containing an opening closely receiving and guiding said carrier structure for axial movement, one of said stops comprising a shoulder formed on said locating part.

Claim 17

A switch as recited in claim 6, including a locating part containing an opening slidably receiving said carrier structure and guiding it for said axial movement, one of said stops being a shoulder formed at an end of said locating part and engageable with an inner portion of said belleville spring at one side thereof to limit movement thereof, said carrier structure having a shoulder at the oyposite side of said belleville spring exerting force thereagainst in a direction toward said locating part.

Claim 18

A switch as recited in claim 6, including a mounting part having external threads adjustably engaging internal threads within said housing structure and taking force in a first axial direction from a radially outer portion of said belleville spring, and a locating part having external threads adjustably engaging internal threads within said mounting part and containing an opening slidably receiving and locating said carrier structure and guiding it for axial movement, one of said stops being a shoulder formed at an end of said locating part and engageable with an inner portion of said belleville spring at one side thereof, said carrier structure having a shoulder at the opposite side of said belleville spring applying force against the inner portion of the belleville spring in a direction toward said locating part.

Claim 19

A switch as recited in claim 6, including means mounting said movable contact to said carrier structure for relative adjusting movement.

Claim 20

A switch as recited in claim 6, in which said carrier structure includes a first carrier part movable axially with said portion of the belleville spring, and an externally threaded screw projecting axially from said carrier part, there being a contact holding structure carrying said movable contact and threadedly engaging said screw in a relation enabling adjustment of said contact carrying structure and said movable contact axially relative to said carrier part.

Claim 21

A switch as recited in claim 17, including a part mounted to said housing and carrying said stationary contacts and located axially between said carrier part and said movable contact and containing an opening through which said screw extends.

Claim 22

A switch as recited in claim 6, including means mounting one of said first and second contact means to a corresponding one of said structures for relative adjusting movement along said axis to enable adjustment of the amount of distortion of said movable contact at one end of its range of movement.

Claim 23

A switch as recited in claim 6, including a mounting part carrying said stationary contacts and connected to said housing structure for adjusting movement with the stationary contacts along said axis to adjust the amount of distortion of the movable contact at one end of its range of travel.

Claim 24

A switch as recited in claim 20, in which said mounting part has external threads engageable with internal threads in said housing structure to effect said axial adjustment thereof, there being insulators connecting said stationary contacts to said mounting part in electrically insulated relation.

Claim 25

A switch as recited in claim 21, in which said stationary contacts are axially extending pins having rounded ends, said movable contact being a flat circular disc disposed directly transversely of said axis, there being an insulator structure mounting an inner edge of said disc to said carrier structure in electrically insulated relation, a second mounting part having external threads adjustably engaging internal threads within said housing structure and taking forces exerted by a radially outer edge of said belleville spring, a locating part having external threads engaging internal threads within said second mounting part and having an inner axially extending passage slidably receiving and guiding said carrier structure for axial movement, one of said stops being an end shoulder formed on said locating part and engageable with an inner edge portion of said belleville spring to limit its movement in one direction, said carrier structure having a shoulder exerting force toward said locating part and against said inner edge portion of said belleville spring.

Claim 26

A switch as recited in claim 22, including a part projecting from said carrier structure and through an opening in said first mounting part and carrying said movable contact for threaded adjusting movement relative to said carrier structure with said movable contact and carrier structure at opposite axial sides of said first mounting part.