Patent · US Expired

Tilt-actuated switch

US5153394A · kind A · utility

12Cited by

3References

9Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Robert Bosch GmbH · DE

Inventors

Manfred Abendroth · Marbach am Neckar, DE
Joachim Gillert · Berlin, DE
Herbert Keller · Pulheim, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Jul 1, 1991
Grant date	Oct 6, 1992
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jul 1, 2011

Classification

Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
CPC primaryH01H35/02
WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A tilt-actuated switch features a housing 11 and a contact element 14 movable within the housing between a stable first position and a second position in which the contact element electrically connects two fixed contact elements secured to the housing. The movable contact element responds to tilting of said housing beyond a predetermined critical angle, with respect to the vertical, by flipping from the stable first position through an unstable position (FIG. 2) into a second position (FIG. 3) which is stable. Unlike prior art tilt-actuated switches, this improved switch applies sufficient force against the fixed contacts, even when the tilting is gradual, to assure reliable electrical contact, necessary for applications such as a "dead-man-switch" in a portable radio transceiver.

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