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US4250367A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Snap action switch blades

Assignee: Ranco Inc of Delaware
•
Filing: 1978-07-14
•
Granted: 1981-02-10
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Expires: 1998-07-14
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Abstract

Abstract A snap action switch blade has two resilient legs which project from an integral base portion beyond and on each side of a tongue to which an operating force is applied. The legs are joined together by a contact element which is welded to two inwardly projecting arms at the free ends of the legs, drawing the latter together to prestress the blade with a dish deformation. The two arms may be narrower than the legs, their common centerline being spaced from the contact zone of the contact, so that a twisting action is imparted to arms prior to separation of the contact from a fixed contact, assisting in breaking contact welds.

Inventors

  • 👤 Guglielmo Rossi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 03:24
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H5/00; H01H5/04; H01H5/18; H01H5/22; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49105; Y10T29/49826; Y10T29/49863; Y10T29/4987

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 117 words
A snap action switch blade of resilient sheet metal comprising a base portion, an inwardly projecting tongue, an outwardly projecting tongue, two resilient legs projecting from opposite sides of the base portion, said legs terminating beyond the inwardly projecting tongue and merging in respective resiliently deflectable arms which project laterally inwardly towards each other, and a contact element affixed to and interconnecting laterally inwardly projecting end portions of the arms, said contact element drawing said arms toward each other to produce a dish deformation of said base portion predisposing the blade for snap movement of the contact when an operating force is applied to one of the tongues while the end of the other tongue is anchored.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 117 words
A snap action switch blade of resilient sheet metal comprising a base portion, an inwardly projecting tongue, an outwardly projecting tongue, two resilient legs projecting from opposite sides of the base portion, said legs terminating beyond the inwardly projecting tongue and merging in respective resiliently deflectable arms which project laterally inwardly towards each other, and a contact element affixed to and interconnecting laterally inwardly projecting end portions of the arms, said contact element drawing said arms toward each other to produce a dish deformation of said base portion predisposing the blade for snap movement of the contact when an operating force is applied to one of the tongues while the end of the other tongue is anchored.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 50 words
A switch blade as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outwardly projecting tongue is substantially aligned with said inwardly projecting tongue and terminates in a flat portion adapted to be anchored to a fixed support, the flat portion having a greater width than the remainder of the outwardly projecting tongue.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 68 words
A switch blade as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two laterally inwardly projecting arms have a commmon longitudinal centerline and said portions are of enlarged width relative to the width of said arms, said contact element having a central contact area which is spaced from said longitudinal centerline of the two arms, whereby contact pressure exerted on said contact area causes torsional stress in the two arms.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 32 words
A switch blade as claimed in claim 3, wherein the two laterally inwardly projecting arms are narrower in width than the two legs of the switch blade which carry the said arms.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 40 words
A switch blade as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact element has a base which is affixed to the two laterally inwardly projecting arms and an electrically conductive contact layer which is deposited on or bonded to the base.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 28 words
A switch blade as claimed in claim 1 or claim 3 wherein said end portions extend from said arms in a direction away from said inwardly projecting tongue.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2805297A Cited
FR1142435A Cited
US3196233A Cited
DE2002659A1 Cited
CH496311A Cited
FR2291598A1 Cited
US4118609A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1984-02-10 1984-08-11 1985-02-10 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1988-02-10 1988-08-11 1989-02-10 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1992-02-10 1992-08-11 1993-02-10 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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