← Back to Patent Explorer
US4057773A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Magnetic switch

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-02-09
•
Granted: 1977-11-08
•
Expires: 1996-02-09
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A switch which can be activated by a magnetic force and which includes a housing having at least two spaced apart electrical terminals thereon. Internal of the housing is contained a coil spring supported at one end thereof, and axially holding an elongated, magnetically responsive, conductive member in cantilevered fashion within the housing. The elongated member and spring can move from an aligned position to a deflected position responsive to the magnetic force. A first contact interconnects one of the electrical terminals with the supported end of the elongated member, by means of the coil spring. A second contact is interconnected to the other of the electrical terminals and contacts the cantilevered end of the elongated member in one of its two positions.

Inventors

  • 👤 Morton Cohen

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 12:23
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H35/00; H01H35/14; H01H35/144; H01H36/00

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 114 words
A switch activated by a magnetic force comprising: a housing; at least two spaced apart electrical terminals; on said housing; an electrically conductive coil spring supported at one end thereof within said housing; an elongated, magnetically responsive, conductive member axially supported by said spring in a cantilevered fashion within said housing, said elongated member and said spring being adapted to move from aligned to deflected positions responsive to a magnetic force; first contact means interconnecting the supported end of said spring with one of said terminals, and second contact means interconnected to the other of said terminals encircling said conductive member and contacting said conductive member in one of said aligned and deflected positions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 114 words
A switch activated by a magnetic force comprising: a housing; at least two spaced apart electrical terminals; on said housing; an electrically conductive coil spring supported at one end thereof within said housing; an elongated, magnetically responsive, conductive member axially supported by said spring in a cantilevered fashion within said housing, said elongated member and said spring being adapted to move from aligned to deflected positions responsive to a magnetic force; first contact means interconnecting the supported end of said spring with one of said terminals, and second contact means interconnected to the other of said terminals encircling said conductive member and contacting said conductive member in one of said aligned and deflected positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 144 words
A switch activated by a magnetic force, comprising: a housing; at least two spaced apart electrical terminals on said housing; an electrically conductive coil spring supported at one end thereof within said housing; an elongated, magnetically responsive, conductive member axially supported by said spring in a cantilevered fashion within said housing, said elongated member and said spring being adapted to move from aligned to deflected positions responsive to a magnetic force; first contact means interconnecting the supported end of said spring with one of said terminals, and second contact means interconnected to the other of said terminals encircling said conductive member and contacting said conductive member in one of said positions, and wherein said first contact means comprises a U-shaped member, one leg of which is connected to said one terminal and the base of which contacts and supports one end of said spring.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 144 words
A switch activated by a magnetic force, comprising: a housing; at least two spaced apart electrical terminals on said housing; an electrically conductive coil spring supported at one end thereof within said housing; an elongated, magnetically responsive, conductive member axially supported by said spring in a cantilevered fashion within said housing, said elongated member and said spring being adapted to move from aligned to deflected positions responsive to a magnetic force; first contact means interconnecting the supported end of said spring with one of said terminals, and second contact means interconnected to the other of said terminals encircling said conductive member and contacting said conductive member in one of said positions, and wherein said first contact means comprises a U-shaped member, one leg of which is connected to said one terminal and the base of which contacts and supports one end of said spring.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 59 words
A switch as in claim 2 and wherein said electrical terminals include conductive screws extending through a wall of said housing, and wherein said one leg includes a screw hole receiving the screw of said one terminal, said screw hole being transversely offset from the plane of movement of said coil spring to thereby prevent interference with such movement.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 27 words
A switch as in claim 2 and further comprising fastening means in the base of said U-shaped member for securely retaining said one end of said spring.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 30 words
A switch as in claim 4 and wherein said fastening means comprises a rivet stud, and wherein said one end of said spring is force fit onto said rivet stud.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 84 words
A switch as in claim 2 and wherein said other leg of said U-shaped member includes a screw hole adapted to adjustably receive a biasing screw extending inwardly from a facing wall of said housing, said screw hole lying in the plane of movement of said spring, whereby vibration of said contact switch causes the portion of said coil spring supporting said conductive member to vibrate with respect to said biasing screw, the bias applied by the biasing screw to the spring being adjustable.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 47 words
A switch as in claim 6 and wherein said facing wall of said housing includes an access hole aligned with the screw hole in said other leg of said U-shaped member, and further comprising a knock-out piece, which plugs up the access hole in said facing wall.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 36 words
A switch as in claim 1 and wherein said second contact means includes an L-shaped member, one leg of which is connected to said other terminal, and the other leg of which contacts said elongated member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 61 words
A switch as in claim 8 and wherein said electrical terminals include conductive screws extending through a wall of said housing, and wherein said one leg includes a screw hole adapted to receive a screw of said other terminal, said screw hole being transversely offset from the plane of movement of said elongated member to thereby prevent interference with said movement.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 53 words
A switch as in claim 8 and wherein said other leg includes an aperture for receiving the cantilevered end of said elongated member, said elongated member positioned to be spaced from the walls of said aperture when in an aligned position and contacting the walls of said aperture when in a deflected position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 36 words
A switch as in claim 10 and wherein said elongated member includes a rod portion and a stem portion, said stem portion being securely positioned within said spring and said rod portion extending into said aperture.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 26 words
A switch as in claim 11 and wherein said rod portion has a substantially square cross-sectional area, and wherein said aperture is a substantially square hole.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 26 words
A switch as in claim 11 and wherein said rod portion has a substantially round cross-sectional area, and wherein said aperture is a substantially round hole.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 104 words
A switch as in claim 10 and further comprising a third electrical terminal on said housing, and a third contact means, said third contact means comprising an L-shaped member having one leg thereof positioned in the cut out portion of said second contact means to prevent contact therewith, said last mentioned one leg being interconnected to said third electrical terminal and the other leg of said third contact means projecting into said housing to reach said elongated member in its aligned position, whereby said first terminal is interconnected to said third terminal in one position and to said second terminal in the other position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 56 words
A switch as in claim 8 and wherein said other leg is of a triangular shape, said elongated member resting on the diagonal of said triangular shape when in an aligned position and being free to move in at least two mutually perpendicular transverse planes away from said diagonal when being deflected by a magnetic force.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 138 words
A burglar alarm, comprising: a source of energy; an alarm means; and a magnetic switch interconnecting said source and said alarm means, wherein said magnetic switch further comprises; a housing; at least two spaced apart electrical terminals on said housing; a coil spring supported at one end thereof within said housing; an elongated, magnetically responsive, conductive member axially supported by said spring in a cantilevered fashion within said housing, said elongated member and coil spring being adapted to move from an aligned position to a deflected position responsive to a magnetic force; a first contact means interconnectig the supported end of said elongated member with one of said terminals, and second contact means interconnected to the other of said terminals encircling said conductive member and contacting the cantilevered end of said elongated member in one of said positions.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 138 words
A burglar alarm, comprising: a source of energy; an alarm means; and a magnetic switch interconnecting said source and said alarm means, wherein said magnetic switch further comprises; a housing; at least two spaced apart electrical terminals on said housing; a coil spring supported at one end thereof within said housing; an elongated, magnetically responsive, conductive member axially supported by said spring in a cantilevered fashion within said housing, said elongated member and coil spring being adapted to move from an aligned position to a deflected position responsive to a magnetic force; a first contact means interconnectig the supported end of said elongated member with one of said terminals, and second contact means interconnected to the other of said terminals encircling said conductive member and contacting the cantilevered end of said elongated member in one of said positions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 26 words
A burglar alarm as in claim 16 and further comprising magnetic means capable of being positioned adjacent to said magnetic switch and providing said magnetic force.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

FR909571A Cited
US3281735A Cited
US3539741A Cited
US3806852A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1980-11-07 1981-05-09 1981-11-08 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1984-11-07 1985-05-09 1985-11-08 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1988-11-07 1989-05-09 1989-11-08 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag