Pushbutton switch
US6191376A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 1, 2000 |
| Grant date | Feb 20, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 1, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H13/52
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A pushbutton, momentary ON switch has a body including a barrel with longitudinally extending internal splines and ways between the splines. A plunger has radially extending lugs in the ways and is longitudinally movable in the barrel. A plurality of longitudinally extending camming teeth on the plunger engage a plurality of longitudinally extending camming teeth on a rotatable ratchet coaxial with the plunger. The ratchet is spring loaded against the plunger. The ratchet has radially extending dogs which fit into the ways when the plunger is retracted and come out of the ends of the ways when the plunger is advanced. A rotatable electrical contact cup connected to the ratchet and electrically connected to an external lead makes or breaks contact with a fixed electrical terminal in the body. The plunger teeth include a leading ramp face and a trailing ramp face wherein the leading ramp face extends a greater distance in the circumferential direction than the trailing ramp face. The asymmetrical teeth permit symmetrical rotation of the ratchet and electrical contacts. In this case, the contacts rotate approximately 221/2.degree. in each half of the stroke of the plunger, making cont…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.