Patent · US Expired

Snap locking mechanism for rotary electrical switches

US5055644A · kind A · utility

2Cited by
6References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 3, 1990
Grant dateOct 8, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 3, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T74/1555
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a snap locking mechanism for rotary switches an operating shaft (4) operable by a switch handle can be rotated against the force of an energy-storage mechanism and each lock-in position is occupied with at least partial release of the energy-storage mechanism. The energy-storage mechanism is formed by axially acting compression springs (8) and acts on a driver ring (6) exhibiting slopes in the peripheral direction which interacts with another driver ring (13), couplable with the operating shaft, exhibiting a corresponding counterprofile with slopes. A coupling for dragged slaving (28, 29) is provided between the two driver rings (6, 13). Handle-side driver ring (6) carries stops (11) on its front facing away from these slopes, which interact with counterstops (12), integral with the housing, when they reach the snap position of the locking mechanism. Two annular links (14, 15) placed concentrically to the slopes of driver rings (6,13), each of which is operative for one direction of rotation each and which exhibit on their front sawteeth inclined in the opposite direction to one another running in the peripheral direction and which interact respectively with a corresponding coun…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.