Turn signal and hazard warning switch

Claim 2

In a turn signal and hazard warning electrical switch device for use in a vehicle having a stationary steering column and a steering wheel rotatably mounted on the steering column, the combination comprising: a switch casing secured to said steering column; means defining a cavity extending through said casing for receiving one end of a switch actuating lever therein; a sWitch actuating lever extending into said cavity means and having an end portion disposed within said casing; means pivotally mounting said actuating lever in said cavity means, said actuating lever being pivotal between first and second positions corresponding to left and right turn signal indicating positions, respectively; spring means interconnecting said actuating lever and said casing for yieldably urging said actuating lever to a neutral position intermediate said first and second positions; elongated cross bar means rigidly connected to said end portion of said actuating lever disposed within said casing, said cross bar means extending parallel to the plane of pivotal movement of said lever; a pair of pawl members, each of said pawl members being pivotally mounted in a respective end of said cross bar means; interengageable means on said casing and said pawl members to selectively hold said actuating lever in either one of said left and right turn signal indicating positions; turn signal cancelling means carried by and movable in unison with the vehicle steering wheel; means on said pawl members engageable by said turn signal cancelling means upon rotation of the vehicle steering wheel and when said actuating lever is in a left or right turn signal indicating position to release the actuating lever from such turn signal position and allow automatic return of the lever to said neutral position by said spring means.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 wherein said pawl members are removably mounted on said cross bar means and are selectively mountable in either of two selected positions whereby when mounted in one position they are engageable by said turn signal cancelling means to release the actuating lever from a turn signal position and when mounted in the other position they are not engageable by said turn signal cancelling means so that only manual cancellation of the turn signal is capable of being effected.

Claim 4

The device of claim 1 further including casing abutment means fixed to said casing and wherein said two pawl members each comprise a T-bar pivotally mounted on the outer ends of said cross bar means, each of said T-bars including a vertical member and a horizontal member; and said interengageable means include means defining notches in said casing abutment means and horizontal members of said T-bar, the ends of said horizontal members being engageable in said notches.

Claim 5

The device of claim 1 including spring biasing means for yieldably urging said interengageable means on each of said pawl members into engagement with said interengageable means on said casing.

Claim 6

The device of claim 4 wherein said spring biasing means comprises a tension spring extending between and having each of its ends connected to a respective one of said pawl members.

Claim 7

The device of claim 1 wherein said actuating lever is further manually movable substantially along a straight line with respect to said switch casing between said neutral position and an extended position corresponding to a hazard warning indicating mode, said spring means being effective to yieldably urge said actuating lever toward said neutral position; and detent means on said actuating lever and said casing, said detent means being effective to yieldably maintain said actuating lever in its extended position against the force of said spring means upon manual movement thereof from its neutral position.

Claim 8

The device of claim 6 including abutment means on said casing projecting into said cavity means; shoulder means on said lever to engage said abutment means when said lever is rotated while in its extended position to thereby effect release of said detent means and allow said spring to move said lever back to said neutral position and cancel said hazard warning indicating mode.

Claim 9

The device of claim 1 including spring biased centering pin means associated with said actuating lever and stop means formed in said cavIty means; said centering pin means engaging said stop means to thereby define a pair of pre-established limits of rotational movement of said lever with respect to said casing within which such pre-established limits of rotation a lane change signal indication is effected, said lever being rotatable beyond each of said pre-established limits of rotation to effect a turn signal indication.

Claim 10

The device of claim 1 wherein said lever is made of electrically non-conductive material and including stationary electrical switch contact means supported by said casing, said stationary electrical switch contact means being electrically connected to an electrical power source; movable electrical switch contact means carried by said lever and movable therewith to a plurality of positions whereby right turn, left turn and hazard warning signals may be selectively activated; said movable electrical contact means comprising a pair of spaced contact plates, said contact plates being electrically insulated from each other and formed with electrical contact buttons, said electrical contact buttons selectively engaging various portions of said stationary contact means as said lever is moved toward its first and second positions and to its extended position.

Claim 11

In a turn signal and hazard warning electrical switch device for use in a vehicle having a steering column the combination comprising: a switch casing secured externally to the steering column, said casing being constructed of electrically non-conductive material; means defining a cavity extending through said casing for receiving one end of a switch actuating lever therein; a switch actuating lever extending into said cavity means and rotatable therein between first and second positions about a pivotal axis adjacent the end thereof disposed within said casing when in a normal position, said lever being constructed of electrically non-conductive material; a plurality of spaced and stationary electrical switch contact means attached to said casing; a plurality of spaced and movable electrical switch contact means carried by said actuating lever for operatively engaging said stationary electrical contact means and electrically completing various electrical signal circuits, said movable electrical contact means being movable in unison with said lever and capable of being moved into a plurality of positions with respect to said stationary electrical contact means by selectively positioning said lever whereby right turn, left turn and hazard warning signal electrical circuits may be selectively activated; said movable electrical contact means comprising first and second movable contact plates, said contact plates being spaced from each other and disposed in a plane perpendicular to said pivotal axis of said lever; said first and second movable contact plates being engageable with said stationary contact means and so arranged with respect thereto that rotation of said lever to its first and second positions will cause only said first movable contact plate to complete right and left turn signal electrical circuits, respectively, and to thereby accomplish lane change or turn signal indications, and said lever being further bodily movable along its longitudinal axis with respect to said casing to an extended position from its normal position, the longitudinal axis of said lever being perpendicular with respect to said pivotal axis thereof, longitudinal displacement of said lever and said first and second movable contact plates from the lever normal position will cause both the first and the second movable contact plates operatively engage certain of said stationary electrical switch contact means to thereby complete a hazard warning signal electrical circuit.

Claim 12

In a turn signal and hazard warning electrical switch device for use in a vehicle having a steering column the combination comprising: a switch casing secured externally to the steering column, said casing being constructed of electrically non-conductive material; means defining a cavity extending through said casing for receiving one end of a switch actuating lever therein; a switch actuating lever extending into said cavity means and rotatable therein between first and second positions about a pivotal axis adjacent the end thereof disposed within said casing when in a normal position, said lever being constructed of electrically non-conductive material; a plurality of spaced and stationary electrical switch contact means attached to said casing; a plurality of spaced and movable electrical switch contact means carried by said actuating lever for operatively engaging said stationary electrical contact means and electrically completing various electrical signal circuits, said movable electrical contact means being movable in unison with said lever and capable of being moved into a plurality of positions with respect to said stationary electrical contact means by selectively positioning said lever whereby right turn, left turn and hazard warning signal electrical circuits may be selectively activated; said movable electrical contact means comprising first and second movable contact plates, said contact plates being spaced from each other and disposed in a plane perpendicular to said pivotal axis of said lever; said first and second movable contact plates being engageable with said stationary contact means and so arranged with respect thereto that rotation of said lever to its first and second positions will cause only said first movable contact plate to complete right and left turn signal electrical circuits, respectively, and to thereby accomplish lane change or turn signal indications, and said lever being further bodily movable along its longitudinal axis with respect to said casing to an extended position from its normal position, the longitudinal axis of said lever being perpendicular with respect to said pivotal axis thereof, longitudinal displacement of said lever and said first and second movable contact plates from the lever normal position will cause both the first and the second movable contact plates operatively engage certain of said stationary electrical switch contact means to thereby complete a hazard warning signal electrical circuit.

Claim 13

The device of claim 10 wherein each of said first and second movable contact plates is operatively positionable with respect to certain of said stationary electrical switch contact means to carry a portion only of the tOtal maximum current load the device is designed to handle when said switch lever is in its extended position.

Claim 14

The device of claim 10 wherein said first movable contact plate comprises a substantially triangular shaped first member and includes three electrical contact buttons disposed substantially at each corner thereof; and said second movable contact plate comprises a triangularly shaped second member which includes three electrical contact buttons disposed so as to define with each other a triangular formation, said first and second members being longitudinally spaced along the longitudinal axis of said switch lever, each of said contact buttons being in abutting engagement with a respective one of said stationary electrical switch contact means when said switch lever is in its extended position, and each pair of contact buttons and switch contact means in abutting engagement being required to carry a portion only of the total maximum current load the device is designed to handle.