US3883710A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Headlight dimmer switch
Assignee: Eaton Corp
•
Filing: 1973-11-14
•
Granted: 1975-05-13
•
Expires: 1993-11-14
Abstract
Abstract When the plunger is depressed, the actuating blade acts on the cam to rotate the cam detent and wiper assembly 60*. The rotating detent cooperates with the fixed detent to give the ''''feel'''' and indexing action. The fixed contacts are arranged so one of the three wipers will always contact a ''''hot'''' contact while one of the wipers will contact either the low beam or high beam contacts in the static (detented) position. During the switching action, which occurs after the detent action starts and, therefore, at high speed, there is always an interval when both the high and low beam contacts are engaged by the wipers to make the new circuit before breaking the old circuit. The ''''hot'''' circuit is never broken and arcing is minimized. The use of three blades instead of two increases switch life. And safety is improved since there is no time during which no headlamp circuit is made.
Inventors
- 👤 Tore B Hanssen
- 👤 Albert F Ditzig
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 10:52
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H19/00; H01H19/02; H01H19/10; H01H19/12; H01H13/00; H01H13/50; H01H13/56; H01H13/58
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
184 words
A switch including a housing, a plunger mounted in the housing for reciprocal motion and biased outwardly, an electrically conductive wiper mounted in the housing for rotation in discreet steps and having three equally spaced resilient wiper arms, three contacts fixed in the housing about the axis of rotation of the wiper for engagement by the wiper arms, the first and third of said contacts being diametrically opposed with each being in the general shape of a segment of an annulus, the second of said contacts including two connected diametrically opposed contact portions each having the gEneral shape of a segment of an annulus, the contact portions of said second contact lying between the first and third contacts and having greater angular embrace than the first and third contacts so the second contact is always engaged by a wiper arm and the next to be engaged contact of the first and third contacts will be engaged before engagement with the other of the first and third contacts is broken, two of the three wiper arms always contacting the second contact in any at-rest position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
184 words
A switch including a housing, a plunger mounted in the housing for reciprocal motion and biased outwardly, an electrically conductive wiper mounted in the housing for rotation in discreet steps and having three equally spaced resilient wiper arms, three contacts fixed in the housing about the axis of rotation of the wiper for engagement by the wiper arms, the first and third of said contacts being diametrically opposed with each being in the general shape of a segment of an annulus, the second of said contacts including two connected diametrically opposed contact portions each having the gEneral shape of a segment of an annulus, the contact portions of said second contact lying between the first and third contacts and having greater angular embrace than the first and third contacts so the second contact is always engaged by a wiper arm and the next to be engaged contact of the first and third contacts will be engaged before engagement with the other of the first and third contacts is broken, two of the three wiper arms always contacting the second contact in any at-rest position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
A switch according to claim 1 including a detent mechanism operative in response to depression of said plunger to positively drive the wiper to its next step position at a rotational position prior to switching so the speed of switching is determined by the detent mechanism.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
105 words
A switch according to claim 2 in which the detent mechanism includes a detent fixed in the housing and having alternate hills and valleys disposed about the axis of rotation of the wiper, a detent rotatable with the wiper and having alternate hills and valleys engageable with the housing detent, a cam fixed relative to the rotatable detent and engaged by the plunger when the plunger is depressed, spring means urging the detents into engagement and yieldable during initial depression of the plunger until the rotatable hills pass over the fixed hills and operative to thereafter drive the rotatable detent to completion of the step.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-12 | 1978-11-11 | 1979-05-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-12 | 1982-11-11 | 1983-05-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-12 | 1986-11-11 | 1987-05-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |