Switch system
US6307304A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 13, 2000 |
| Grant date | Oct 23, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 13, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H2019/006
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A piezoelectric active-mode incrementor switch system (100) includes two ratchet wheels (118, 124) that are rotationally mounted on a drive shaft (112) having a knob (102). The ratchet wheels (118, 128) form a slipping clutch with their respective drive wheels (116, 128) which are rigidly mounted to the drive shaft and mechanically loaded with spring (120). The ratchet wheels (118, 124) are mounted inversely to each other on the drive shaft (112) and make contact with their respective cantilever beams (114, 136) which each have a piezoelectric film. In operation, the switch (100) functions by mechanically stimulating the piezoelectric beams. When the knob (102) is rotated in one direction, only one of the beams (114, 136) is displaced causing a generation of an electrical charge that acts as a signal. The other beam (114 or 136) is prevented from moving and therefore its beam does not produce a signal. When the knob (102) is rotated in the opposite direction, the other beam that was previously prevented from moving is displaced causing an electrical signal to be generated by the switch.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.