US4069403A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Switching apparatus for electrically contacting conductive terminals on a circuit-carrying board
Assignee: Raytheon Co
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Filing: 1976-09-13
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Granted: 1978-01-17
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Expires: 1996-09-13
Abstract
Abstract A vertical array of closely spaced hairpin type contactors are mounted in horizontal channels in a vertical array to contact the closely spaced edge terminals of a vertically mounted circuit board. The hairpin contactors are moved within the channel toward and away from the circuit board by a pivoting toggle which is manually operated by moving a toggle lever back and forth horizontally. Camming surfaces along the hairpin contactors cooperate with camming surfaces along the channel walls (or camming surfaces on the circuit board) to spread and close the hairpin contactor, causing the hairpin contactor to break and make contact with the edge terminals. These camming surfaces plus detents on the toggle mechanism retain the hairpin contactor in defined ON or OFF positions relative to the circuit board.
Inventors
- 👤 Real J. Beaudette
- 👤 Harold Patrick Krieg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 14:07
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H23/00; H01H23/006; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/82; H01R12/85; H01R12/88; H01R13/00; H01R13/66; H01R13/70; H01R13/71
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
280 words
An electrical switch for contacting edge contact strips on a conductor-carrying medium comprising: a support member with a channel means therethrough having a floor which defines a plane of motion and two spaced walls; a resilient, forked, conductive member movably retained within the channel and having at least two prong portions connected by a yoke portion, the prong portions supported by the floor and generally movable along the plane of motion while guided by the spaced walls, and adapted to receive and engage opposed surfaces of the conductor-carrying medium, at least one of the two prong portions adapted to contact a conducting terminal on the conductor-carrying medium proximate the edge thereof; a toggle member mounted on the support member and pivotal about an axis of pivot; engaging means carried on the toggle member at a position offset from the axis of pivot for rotatably engaging the forked conductive member; a lever portion extending from the toggle member and adapted to be externally moved to pivot the toggle member causing the engaging means to move the forked conductive member along a travel path within the channel along the plane of motion in an outward direction away from the conductor-carrying medium or in an inward direction toward the conductor-carrying medium; camming means on at least one of the prong portions; and displacing means formed within the channel means by the contour of at least one of the spaced walls for engaging the camming means on the prong portions causing the prong portions of the forked member to move relative to one another to engage and disengage the opposed surfaces of conductor-carrying medium as the forked conductive member moves along the travel path.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
280 words
An electrical switch for contacting edge contact strips on a conductor-carrying medium comprising: a support member with a channel means therethrough having a floor which defines a plane of motion and two spaced walls; a resilient, forked, conductive member movably retained within the channel and having at least two prong portions connected by a yoke portion, the prong portions supported by the floor and generally movable along the plane of motion while guided by the spaced walls, and adapted to receive and engage opposed surfaces of the conductor-carrying medium, at least one of the two prong portions adapted to contact a conducting terminal on the conductor-carrying medium proximate the edge thereof; a toggle member mounted on the support member and pivotal about an axis of pivot; engaging means carried on the toggle member at a position offset from the axis of pivot for rotatably engaging the forked conductive member; a lever portion extending from the toggle member and adapted to be externally moved to pivot the toggle member causing the engaging means to move the forked conductive member along a travel path within the channel along the plane of motion in an outward direction away from the conductor-carrying medium or in an inward direction toward the conductor-carrying medium; camming means on at least one of the prong portions; and displacing means formed within the channel means by the contour of at least one of the spaced walls for engaging the camming means on the prong portions causing the prong portions of the forked member to move relative to one another to engage and disengage the opposed surfaces of conductor-carrying medium as the forked conductive member moves along the travel path.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The electrical switch of claim 1, wherein the channel means has an island portion therein forming a subchannel for each prong.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
The electrical switch of claim 2, wherein the displacing means is formed on at least one wall of the island portion of the channel means for engaging the inside surface of the forked conductive member for causing the prongs thereof to spread and disengage from the surface of the conductor-carrying medium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
88 words
The electrical switch of claim 1, wherein the engaging means is an open-ended cavity for receiving the yoke portion of the forked conductive member formed by: a forward-facing surface which engages the yoke of the forked conductive member and causing the forked conductive member to slide in a forward direction away from the conductor-carrying medium; and a rearward facing surface which engages the yoke of the forked conductive member causing the forked conductive member to slide within the channel means in a rearward direction toward the conductor-carrying medium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The electrical switch of claim 4, wherein each leg of the forked conductive member has a camming means thereon for temporarily engaging the displacing means as the forked conductive member slides within the channel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The electrical switch of claim 5, wherein the camming means on the first prong portion are symmetrically positioned with respect to the corresponding camming means on the second prong portion along a plane of symmetry which extends between the prong portions and through the plane of motion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The electrical switch of claim 6, wherein the plane of symmetry is perpendicular to the plane of motion and bisects the channel means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The electrical switch of claim 5, wherein the forked conductive member has a generally U-shaped configuration formed by a strand of conductive metal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The electrical switch of claim 8, wherein the camming means of each leg of the forked conductive member is formed by bends in the strand of conductive material.
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) | 1981-01-16 | 1981-07-18 | 1982-01-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-01-16 | 1985-07-18 | 1986-01-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-01-16 | 1989-07-18 | 1990-01-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |