Electrical switch and mounting assembly therefor`

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016190025-A1
Application number	US-201414585398-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 30, 2014
Priority date	Dec 30, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A mounting assembly is for an electrical switch, such as for example, a dimmer switch, which includes a heat sink. The mounting assembly includes a switching member, an insulator disposed between the switching member and the heat sink, and a separate cover member overlaying the switching member. The separate cover member is structured to secure the switching member and the insulator to the heat sink. The switching member includes a switch body and a conductive tab. The separate cover member secures the switching member to the heat sink, without requiring a separate fastener to be inserted through a hole in the conductive tab. The insulator electrically isolates the conductive tab from the heat sink.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A mounting assembly for an electrical switch, said electrical switch including a heat sink, said mounting assembly comprising:
a switching member; an insulator structured to be disposed between said switching member and said heat sink; and a separate cover member overlaying said switching member and being structured to secure said switching member and said insulator to said heat sink.

2 . The mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein said switching member comprises a switch body, a conductive tab, a first side, and a second side disposed opposite the first side; wherein said conductive tab extends laterally outwardly from said switch body; wherein said insulator is structured to be disposed between the first side and said heat sink; and wherein said separate cover member cooperates with the second side.

3 . The mounting assembly of claim 2 wherein said conductive tab includes a thru hole; and wherein said separate cover member is structured to secure said switching member to said heat sink, without requiring a separate fastener to be inserted through said thru hole.

4 . The mounting assembly of claim 2 wherein said insulator is a planar member devoid of any holes or apertures, thereby electrically isolating said conductive tab from said heat sink.

5 . The mounting assembly of claim 2 wherein said separate cover member is a molded member comprising a number of protrusions and a number of projections; wherein said number of protrusions are structured to removably couple said separate cover member to said heat sink; and wherein said number of projections are structured to bias said switching member against said insulator and said heat sink.

6 . The mounting assembly of claim 5 wherein said heat sink includes a first aperture and a second aperture; wherein said number of protrusions is a first resilient prong and a second resilient prong; wherein said first resilient prong is structured to removably engage said heat sink at or about said first aperture; and wherein said second resilient prong is structured to removably engage said heat sink at or about said second aperture.

7 . The mounting assembly of claim 4 wherein said number of projections is a first resilient projection and a second resilient projection disposed opposite and spaced from said first resilient projection.

8 . The mounting assembly of claim 7 wherein said molded member further comprises a first contact portion and a second contact portion; wherein each of said first resilient projection and said second resilient projection includes a contact surface; wherein said contact surface of said first resilient projection and said contact surface of said second resilient projection together form said first contact portion; wherein said first contact portion engages the second side of said switch body; and wherein said second contact portion engages said conductive tab.

9 . The mounting assembly of claim 4 wherein said molded member further comprises an opening and a fastener; and wherein said fastener is structured to extend through said opening and engage said heat sink to fasten said mounting assembly to said heat sink.

10 . The mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein said separate cover member is a single piece molded member; and wherein said single piece molded member is made from a liquid crystalline polymer.

11 . An electrical switch comprising:
a heat sink; and a mounting assembly comprising:
a switching member,
an insulator disposed between said switching member and said heat sink, and
a separate cover member overlaying said switching member and securing said switching member and said insulator to said heat sink.

12 . The electrical switch of claim 11 wherein said switching member comprises a switch body, a conductive tab, a first side, and a second side disposed opposite the first side; wherein said conductive tab extends laterally outwardly from said switch body; wherein said insulator is disposed between the first side and said heat sink; and wherein said separate cover member cooperates with the second side.

13 . The electrical switch of claim 12 wherein said conductive tab includes a thru hole; wherein said separate cover member secures said switching member to said heat sink, without requiring a separate fastener to be inserted through said thru hole; and wherein said insulator is a planar member devoid of any holes or apertures, thereby electrically isolating said conductive tab from said heat sink.

14 . The electrical switch of claim 12 wherein said separate cover member is a molded member comprising a number of protrusions and a number of projections; wherein said number of protrusions removably couple said separate cover member to said heat sink; and wherein said number of projections bias said switching member against said insulator and said heat sink.

15 . The electrical switch of claim 14 wherein said heat sink includes a first aperture and a second aperture; wherein said number of protrusions is a first resilient prong and a second resilient prong; wherein said first resilient prong removably engages said heat sink at or about said first aperture; and wherein said second resilient prong removably engages said heat sink at or about said second aperture.

16 . The electrical switch of claim 14 wherein said number of projections is a first resilient projection and a second resilient projection disposed opposite and spaced from said first resilient projection.

17 . The electrical switch of claim 16 wherein said molded member further comprises a first contact portion and a second contact portion; wherein each of said first resilient projection and said second resilient projection includes a contact surface; wherein said contact surface of said first resilient projection and said contact surface of said second resilient projection together form said first contact portion; wherein said first contact portion engages the second side of said switch body; and wherein said second contact portion engages said conductive tab.

18 . The electrical switch of claim 14 wherein said molded member further comprises an opening and a fastener; and wherein said fastener extends through said opening and engage said heat sink to fasten said mounting assembly to said heat sink.

19 . The electrical switch of claim 11 wherein said separate cover member is a single piece molded member; and wherein said single piece molded member is made from a liquid crystalline polymer.

20 . The electrical switch of claim 11 wherein said electrical switch is a dimmer switch; and wherein said switching member is a FET.

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Dhote Navneet Ramkrushnaji
• Rawal Nitin
• Neundorfer Oscar L
• Kumar Pramod
• Kulkarni Pravin Pralhad

Classifications

• H10W78/00

  Detachable holders for supporting packaged chips in operation · CPC title

• H10W40/641

  Snap-on arrangements, e.g. clips · CPC title

• H10W40/611 Primary

  Bolts or screws · CPC title

• H01L23/32

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L29/772

  Electricity · mapped topic