Water-resistant switch construction

Claim 1

In a switch construction of a type comprising a housing including first and second molded, plastic housing sections, said first housing section having an aperture therethrough, fixed and movable contacts in said housing, first and second electrical terminals on the exterior of said housing electrically connected to said fixed and movable contacts, respectively, and an actuator pivotably mounted in said housing, said actuator including an actuator arm which passes through said aperture in said first housing section, said actuator arm being manipulatable from the exterior of said housing for pivoting said actuator to move said movable contact between a first position wherein it is in engagement with said fixed contact and a second position wherein it is in spaced disengagement therefrom, the improvement comprising an O-ring mounted in the interior of said first housing section and extending around said aperture, said actuator further comprising an elongated body portion, a pair of aligned pivot pins, one of said pivot pins extending outwardly from each end of said body portion, said pivot pins being rotatably received in said first housing section for pivotably mounting said actuator therein, a substantially hemispherical portion on said actuator body portion, said O-ring engaging said substantially hemispherical portion to effect a seal between said actuator and said first housing section around said aperture and passing in sealed relation over the surface of said substantially hemispherical portion as said actuator is pivoted in said housing, said actuator arm extending outwardly from said substantially hemispherical portion and through said aperture.