Rotary switch with cam operated sliding contact engaging noble metal stationary contact bar surface
US5594220A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 22, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jan 14, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 22, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H19/11
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In a rotary switch, a manually rotatable shaft turns a disk which has a plurality of riser cam segments on one of its faces. Stepwise rotation of the disk causes the cam segments to press down on flat spring contacts arranged in the switch to put the tip of one of the contacts at a time into contact with a stationary electrical contact bar that is coated with a noble metal. The spring contacts are configured such that when pressed by a cam the tips are caused to make contact with the stationary contact bar and then slide longitudinally so as the tip will pick up some of the noble metal coating from the contact bar. The tips are shaped with a traverse curve intersecting a longitudinal groove to thereby produce two points that make high unit stress contact with the stationary contact bar.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.