Switch for an electric device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9183997-B2
Application number	US-201313873032-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2013
Priority date	Apr 28, 2012
Publication date	Nov 10, 2015
Grant date	Nov 10, 2015

Abstract

A switch has a housing and an actuating element retained on a travel path in the housing. A restoring member ( 4 ) provides a restoring force urging the actuator to an off position at one end of the travel path. A resistance generator provides a resistance force which opposes the restoring force when the actuator is in a fully actuated position to reduce the holding force require to keep the actuating element in the fully actuated position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A switch for an electrical device, comprising:
a switch housing accommodating at least one actuating element retained on a travel path in the switch housing, and movable between an off position at a first end and a second end of the travel path;
at least one restoring member providing a restoring force urging the actuating element to the off position, and
a resistance generator attached to the actuating element and retained between at least one resistance bearing formed on the travel path of the switch housing and at least one floating bearing formed on the actuating element, the resistance generator providing a resistive force,
wherein the sum of the forces in the direction of the travel path resulting from the restoring force of the restoring member and the resistive force of the resistance generator urging the actuating element to the off position is less when the actuating element is at a selected operational position than when the actuating element is at the off position.

2. The switch of claim 1 , wherein the resistance bearing of the resistance generator is formed on at least one of the travel path ends.

3. The switch of claim 1 , wherein the resistance bearing of the resistance generator is formed in the middle of the travel section of the travel path.

4. The switch of claim 1 , wherein the resistance generator has counter bearings located at several selected points along the travel path.

5. The switch of claim 1 , wherein the resistance generator is furnished with ferromagnetic bodies, at least one being arranged on the counter bearing and at least one on the floating bearing, wherein at least one of the ferromagnetic bodies is a magnet.

6. The switch of claim 1 , wherein the resistance generator is furnished with ferromagnetic bodies, at least one being arranged on the resistance bearing and at least one on the floating bearing, wherein each of the ferromagnetic bodies is a magnet.

7. The switch of claim 6 , wherein the magnets are arranged with their opposite poles facing towards each other.

8. The switch of claim 6 , wherein the magnets are arranged with their like poles facing towards each other.

9. The switch of claim 1 , wherein the resistance generator has at least one detent structure formed on the resistance bearing and at least one detent structure formed on the floating bearing, wherein at least one of the detent structures comprises a resilient mounting.

10. The switch of claim 1 , wherein a first stop structure is formed within the switch housing and is lying against a second stop structure formed on the actuating element.

11. The switch of claim 1 , wherein the restoring member is directly arranged between an inner sidewall of the switch housing and an end of the actuating element, the inner sidewall of the switch housing is aligned with the end of the actuating element.

12. The switch of claim 1 , wherein the restoring member is in the form of a helical compression spring.

13. The switch of claim 1 , wherein the restoring member is arranged inside switch housing.

14. The switch of claim 1 , wherein during a process of moving the actuating element from the off position to the selected operational position, the actuating element is pulled by an external force to compress the at least one restoring member until the at least one floating bearing contacts with the at least one resistance bearing.

15. A switch for an electrical device, comprising:
a switch housing;
an actuating element retained on a travel path within the switch housing and movable between an off position and a fully actuated position;
a restoring member providing a restoring force that resiliently urges the actuating element to the off position, and
a resistance generator comprising a first magnet fixed with respect to the switch housing and a second magnet fixed with respect to the actuating element,
wherein the first magnet and the second magnet are spaced in a direction perpendicular to the travel path with like poles facing towards each other and arranged such that movement of the actuating element from the off position to the fully actuated position causes the second magnet to move past passed the first magnet in the direction of the travel path; and
wherein the first magnet and the second magnet are nonoverlapped along the travel path.

16. The switch of claim 15 , wherein the first and second magnets generate a repulsive force and a component of the repulsive force in the direction of the travel path reinforces the restoring force when the actuating member is in the off position and opposes the restoring force when the actuating member is in the fully actuated position.

17. The switch of claim 15 , comprising at least one third magnet, the third magnet being arranged to provide a preferred position having reduced holding force requirement between the off position and the fully actuated position.

18. The switch of claim 17 , wherein the third magnet is fixed with respect to the switch housing and is arranged with like poles facing the second magnet.

19. The switch of claim 15 , wherein the restoring member is directly arranged between an inner sidewall of the switch housing and an end of the actuating element, the inner sidewall of the switch housing is aligned with the end of the actuating element.

Assignees

• Johnson Electric Sa

Inventors

• Fangmann Gerhard
• Koepsell Martin

Classifications

• H01H13/52

  the contact returning to its original state immediately upon removal of operating force, e.g. bell-push switch · CPC title

• H01H5/02 Primary

  Energy stored by the attraction or repulsion of magnetic parts · CPC title

• H01H2003/506

  making use of permanent magnets · CPC title

• G05G5/05 Primary

  Means for returning or tending to return controlling members to an inoperative or neutral position, e.g. by providing return springs or resilient end-stops (G05G5/28 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01H2300/026

  Application dead man switch: power must be interrupted on release of operating member · CPC title