Household freezer door alarm switch having an automatic resetting deactivator

Claim 1

In a household freezer having a door and a door-alarm system including a door-alarm switch, said switch having a housing, a plunger movably connected to the housing for movement between switch-open and switch-closed positions, a pair of electrical contacts arranged to open and close in response to inward and outward movement of the plunger resulting from closing and opening of the freezer door, the electrical contacts being connected to actuate the alarm system when the door is open and the plunger is in the switch-closed position and to deactivate the alarm system when the door is closed and the plunger is in the switch-open position, the improvement comprising: a pair of opposed pivot openings on opposed inner walls of the housing; a holding element of generally "U" configuration and having first and second legs pivotally connected within the housing to the housing for movement of the holding element between a free position at which the holding element is substantially within the housing to prevent interference with the door and at which the plunger is free to move between the switch-open and switch-closed positions, and a holding position at which the bight portion of the holding element contacts and releasably maintains the plunger at a deactivated position between the switch-open and switch-closed positions and at which the electrical contacts are open, said holding element extending about the plunger and having an outwardly-extending protrusion on each leg with each protrusion pivotally positioned within a respective housing pivot opening; a groove formed on said plunger for receiving and releasably maintaining the bight portion of the holding element at the holding position, said groove configured to release the holding element when the plunger is further depressed from the deactivated toward the switch-open position; and means within the housing for biasing the holding element from the holding position towards the free position; whereby the holding element moves from the holding position to the free position in response to closing of the freezer door to automatically reset the alarm system.