US4626637A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Contact assembly
Assignee: TE Connectivity Corp
•
Filing: 1985-06-13
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Granted: 1986-12-02
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Expires: 2005-06-13
Abstract
Abstract A contact assembly for a rotary switching unit incorporated in a vehicle suspension unit in which a pair of stamped and formed metal terminals are moulded in a plastics stator block of a stator with contact portions precisely flush with a contact face of the block and wire-connecting portions with wire-receiving slots protruding radially from the side of the block in alignment with wire-confining grooves formed in the block periphery. A rotor comprises a plastics disc heat staked to a support plate and carrying a brush arranged to wipe around the contact face of the block and make electrical contact with the flush contact portions.
Inventors
- 👤 Billy E. Olsson
- 👤 David W. Rupnik
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 15:08
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H19/00; H01H19/02; H01H19/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
420 words
A contact assembly for a rotary switching unit capable of being incorporated in a vehicle suspension unit, comprising a stator and a rotor securable in a datum position within a cylinder of said vehicle suspension unit, wherein: said stator is in the form of a cylinder stator block moulded in one piece from insulating plastics material having a front contact face, a peripheral side and a rear face, a pair of stamped and formed metal terminals having contact portions and wire-connecting portions, the terminals having been moulded in the block with the contact portions located in circumferentially spaced relation flush with the surface of the contact face forming a planar contact surface and the wire-connecting portions protruding radially from the peripheral side of the block in side-by-side relation intermediate the front and rear faces, each wire-connecting portion being provided with a wire-connecting slot having a wire-receiving mouth extending away from the block; said stator block is formed with a pair of protective ribs extending radially on respective opposite sides of and beyond the wire-connecting portions, and with axially extending tool-receiving recesses communicating with the front face to which recesses the contact portions radially extend, a rear section of the stator block being formed with adjacent wire-confining grooves aligned with the wire-connecting portions; said stator block has mounting means for being coaxially mounted onto cooperating mounting means of said cylinder extending diametrically inwardly therefrom, said stator block having a substantial axial dimension such that said mounting means is securable to said cooperating mounting means at at least two axially spaced locations for stabilized mounting of said stator block within said cylinder, and said stator block has a bore extending axially therethrough to receive an operating shaft means of said switching unit freely rotatable therewithin; and said rotor comprises an insulating plastics disc carrying secured on a front face thereof a circumferentially extending brush conductor having resilient contact arms extending forwardly from said front rotor face toward said planar contact surface of said stator block, said contact arms having on free ends thereof brush contact portions arranged to wipe around said planar contact surface into and out from registration with the contact portions of the terminals with minimal contact wear, the rotor being integrally formed with circumferentially extending mounting lands fixed in apertures provided in a support disc fixed to said operating shaft means of the switching unit to secure the rotor on said shaft means, the support disc having an axially extending flange which engages the periphery of the rotor disc.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
420 words
A contact assembly for a rotary switching unit capable of being incorporated in a vehicle suspension unit, comprising a stator and a rotor securable in a datum position within a cylinder of said vehicle suspension unit, wherein: said stator is in the form of a cylinder stator block moulded in one piece from insulating plastics material having a front contact face, a peripheral side and a rear face, a pair of stamped and formed metal terminals having contact portions and wire-connecting portions, the terminals having been moulded in the block with the contact portions located in circumferentially spaced relation flush with the surface of the contact face forming a planar contact surface and the wire-connecting portions protruding radially from the peripheral side of the block in side-by-side relation intermediate the front and rear faces, each wire-connecting portion being provided with a wire-connecting slot having a wire-receiving mouth extending away from the block; said stator block is formed with a pair of protective ribs extending radially on respective opposite sides of and beyond the wire-connecting portions, and with axially extending tool-receiving recesses communicating with the front face to which recesses the contact portions radially extend, a rear section of the stator block being formed with adjacent wire-confining grooves aligned with the wire-connecting portions; said stator block has mounting means for being coaxially mounted onto cooperating mounting means of said cylinder extending diametrically inwardly therefrom, said stator block having a substantial axial dimension such that said mounting means is securable to said cooperating mounting means at at least two axially spaced locations for stabilized mounting of said stator block within said cylinder, and said stator block has a bore extending axially therethrough to receive an operating shaft means of said switching unit freely rotatable therewithin; and said rotor comprises an insulating plastics disc carrying secured on a front face thereof a circumferentially extending brush conductor having resilient contact arms extending forwardly from said front rotor face toward said planar contact surface of said stator block, said contact arms having on free ends thereof brush contact portions arranged to wipe around said planar contact surface into and out from registration with the contact portions of the terminals with minimal contact wear, the rotor being integrally formed with circumferentially extending mounting lands fixed in apertures provided in a support disc fixed to said operating shaft means of the switching unit to secure the rotor on said shaft means, the support disc having an axially extending flange which engages the periphery of the rotor disc.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
342 words
A contact assembly for a rotary switching unit capable of being incorporated into a vehicle suspension unit and of the type comprising a stator and a rotor securable in a datum position within a cylinder of said vehicle suspension unit, wherein: said stator comprises a cylindrical stator block having a front contact face, a peripheral side and a rear face and being moulded in one piece from insulating plastics material and having secured therein a plurality of metal terminals each having a contact portion, a wire-connecting portion and a body portion therebetween; said terminals have been moulded in the stator block with said contact portions located in circumferentially spaced relation flush with the surface of said front contact face forming a planar contact surface, and said wire-connecting portions protrude from said peripheral side of the stator block at a location spaced axially rearwardly of said planar contact surface to receive a wire for electrical connection thereto; said stator block has mounting means for being coaxially mounted onto cooperating mounting means of said cylinder extending diametrically inwardly therefrom, said stator block having a substantial axial dimension such that said mounting means is securable to said cooperating mounting means at at least two axially spaced locations for stabilized mounting of said stator block within said cylinder, and said stator block has a bore extending axially therethrough to receive an operating shaft means of said switching unit freely rotatable therewithin; said rotor comprises an insulating plastics disc having a front face spaced from said planar contact surface of said stator and carrying secured on said front face a circumferentially extending brush conductor having resilient contact arms extending forwardly from said front rotor face toward said planar contact surface, and contact arms having on free ends thereof brush contact portions arranged to wipe around said planar contact surface into and out from registration with the contact portions of the terminals with minimal contact wear; and said rotor has mounting means for being mounted securely onto said operating shaft means of said switching unit extending axially therethrough.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
342 words
A contact assembly for a rotary switching unit capable of being incorporated into a vehicle suspension unit and of the type comprising a stator and a rotor securable in a datum position within a cylinder of said vehicle suspension unit, wherein: said stator comprises a cylindrical stator block having a front contact face, a peripheral side and a rear face and being moulded in one piece from insulating plastics material and having secured therein a plurality of metal terminals each having a contact portion, a wire-connecting portion and a body portion therebetween; said terminals have been moulded in the stator block with said contact portions located in circumferentially spaced relation flush with the surface of said front contact face forming a planar contact surface, and said wire-connecting portions protrude from said peripheral side of the stator block at a location spaced axially rearwardly of said planar contact surface to receive a wire for electrical connection thereto; said stator block has mounting means for being coaxially mounted onto cooperating mounting means of said cylinder extending diametrically inwardly therefrom, said stator block having a substantial axial dimension such that said mounting means is securable to said cooperating mounting means at at least two axially spaced locations for stabilized mounting of said stator block within said cylinder, and said stator block has a bore extending axially therethrough to receive an operating shaft means of said switching unit freely rotatable therewithin; said rotor comprises an insulating plastics disc having a front face spaced from said planar contact surface of said stator and carrying secured on said front face a circumferentially extending brush conductor having resilient contact arms extending forwardly from said front rotor face toward said planar contact surface, and contact arms having on free ends thereof brush contact portions arranged to wipe around said planar contact surface into and out from registration with the contact portions of the terminals with minimal contact wear; and said rotor has mounting means for being mounted securely onto said operating shaft means of said switching unit extending axially therethrough.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
A contact assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein a rear section of said stator block is provided with a land formed with adjacent wire-confining grooves aligned with respective said wire-connecting portions of the terminals.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A contact assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said stator block is formed with a pair of protective ribs extending radially on respective opposite sides of and beyond said wire-connecting portions of the terminals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A contact assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said terminals are moulded in said stator block.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
70 words
A contact assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said terminals each have a locating arm extending from a free end of said contact portion, and said peripheral side of said stator block is formed with axially extending tool-receiving recesses communicating with said front contact face to which recesses said contact portions extend, to assist in severing said locating arms from said terminals prior to mounting in said cylinder.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
A contact assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said rotor mounting means comprise integrally formed circumferentially extending mounting lands fixed in apertures provided in a support disc fixed to said operating shaft means of the switching unit to secure the rotor on said shaft means, said support disc having an axially extending flange which engages the periphery of the rotor disc.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
A contact assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said stator mounting means comprise axial legs extending rearwardly from said rear face of said stator block in circumferentially spaced relation to receive respective ones of said rib means of said cylinder between respective leg pairs and be fixed thereto.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
A contact assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said mounting means of said stator block includes axial slot means in communication with said rear face to receive said cooperating mounting means of said cylinder therealong by relative axial movement of said stator block during mounting thereof into said cylinder.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
287 words
A stator for a rotary switching unit capable of being incorporated into a vehicle suspension unit and comprising an insulating means having secured therein a plurality of metal terminals each having a contact portion, a wire-connecting portion and a body portion therebetween, said contact portions arranged along a contact face of said insulating means and said wire-connecting portions spaced rearwardly from said contact face, said contact face to be engaged by brush contact portions of a brush conductor on a forward surface of a rotor of said rotary switching unit fixed to an operating shaft means thereof, characterized in that: said insulating means comprises one piece of insulating plastic which is moulded into a cylindrical block; said contact portions of said terminals are flush with said contact face of said block forming a planar contact surface such that said brush contact portions of said rotor brush conductor are capable of wiping around said planar contact surface into and out from registration with said contact portions of said terminals with minimum contact wear; said wire-connecting portions of said terminals extend from a peripheral side of said block spaced axially rearwardly from said planar contact surface to receive respective wires for electrical connection thereto; and said block has mounting means for being coaxially mounted onto cooperating mounting means of a cylinder of said vehicle suspension unit extending diametrically inwardly from said cylinder, said block having a substantial axial dimension such that said mounting means is securable to said cooperating mounting means at at least two axially spaced locations for stabilized mounting of said block within said cylinder, and said block has a bore extending axially therethrough to receive said operating shaft means of said switching unit freely rotatable therewithin.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
287 words
A stator for a rotary switching unit capable of being incorporated into a vehicle suspension unit and comprising an insulating means having secured therein a plurality of metal terminals each having a contact portion, a wire-connecting portion and a body portion therebetween, said contact portions arranged along a contact face of said insulating means and said wire-connecting portions spaced rearwardly from said contact face, said contact face to be engaged by brush contact portions of a brush conductor on a forward surface of a rotor of said rotary switching unit fixed to an operating shaft means thereof, characterized in that: said insulating means comprises one piece of insulating plastic which is moulded into a cylindrical block; said contact portions of said terminals are flush with said contact face of said block forming a planar contact surface such that said brush contact portions of said rotor brush conductor are capable of wiping around said planar contact surface into and out from registration with said contact portions of said terminals with minimum contact wear; said wire-connecting portions of said terminals extend from a peripheral side of said block spaced axially rearwardly from said planar contact surface to receive respective wires for electrical connection thereto; and said block has mounting means for being coaxially mounted onto cooperating mounting means of a cylinder of said vehicle suspension unit extending diametrically inwardly from said cylinder, said block having a substantial axial dimension such that said mounting means is securable to said cooperating mounting means at at least two axially spaced locations for stabilized mounting of said block within said cylinder, and said block has a bore extending axially therethrough to receive said operating shaft means of said switching unit freely rotatable therewithin.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
A stator as set forth in claim 10 further characterized in that a rear section of said stator block is provided with a land formed with adjacent wire-confining grooves aligned with respective said wire-connecting portions of the terminals.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
A stator as set forth in claim 10 further characterized in that said stator block is formed with a pair of protective ribs extending radially on respective opposite sides of and beyond said wire-connecting portions of the terminals.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A stator as set forth in claim 10 wherein said insulating means is moulded around said body portions of said terminals accurately located in a mould.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
71 words
A stator as set forth in claim 13 further characterized in that said terminals each have a locating arm extending from a free end of said contact portion, and said peripheral side of said stator block is formed with axially extending tool-receiving recesses communicating with said contact face to which recesses said contact portions extend, to assist in severing said locating arms from said terminals prior to mounting in said cylinder.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
52 words
A stator as set forth in claim 10 further characterized in that said stator mounting means comprises axial legs extending rearwardly from a rear face of said stator block in circumferentially spaced relation to receive respective ones of said rib means of said cylinder between respective leg pairs and be fixed thereto.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
A stator as set forth in claim 2 wherein said mounting means includes axial slot means in communication with said rear face to receive said cooperating mounting means of said cylinder therealong by relative axial movement of said block during mounting thereof into said cylinder.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
129 words
A rotor for a rotary switching unit capable of being incorporated into a vehicle suspension unit and comprising an insulating means having secured thereto a brush conductor having contact portions to wipe around a planar contact surface of a stator into and out from registration with contact portions of the stator terminals disposed on said planar contact surface, characterized in that: said insulating means comprises an insulating plastics disc having a front face and mounting means for being mounted securely onto an operating shaft means of said switching unit extending axially therethrough; and said brush conductor is secured onto said front face and has resilient contact arms extending forwardly from said front face toward said planar contact surface, on free ends of which are said brush conductor contact portions.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
129 words
A rotor for a rotary switching unit capable of being incorporated into a vehicle suspension unit and comprising an insulating means having secured thereto a brush conductor having contact portions to wipe around a planar contact surface of a stator into and out from registration with contact portions of the stator terminals disposed on said planar contact surface, characterized in that: said insulating means comprises an insulating plastics disc having a front face and mounting means for being mounted securely onto an operating shaft means of said switching unit extending axially therethrough; and said brush conductor is secured onto said front face and has resilient contact arms extending forwardly from said front face toward said planar contact surface, on free ends of which are said brush conductor contact portions.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
65 words
A rotor as set forth in claim 17 further characterized in that said rotor mounting means comprise integrally formed circumferentially extending mounting lands fixed in apertures provided in a support disc fixed to said operating shaft means of the switching unit to secure the rotor on said shaft means, said support disc having an axially extending flange which engages the periphery of the rotor disc.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-12-01 | 1990-06-02 | 1990-12-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-12-01 | 1994-06-02 | 1994-12-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-12-01 | 1998-06-02 | 1998-12-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |