Dual stroke mechanically latched mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9601292-B2
Application number	US-201615018385-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 8, 2016
Priority date	Aug 17, 2011
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

Abstract

A switch for an electrical circuit includes a base, a rotatable cam having a first profile and a second profile, a solenoid, a link, and a member comprising a cam follower configured to follow the second profile. A first cycle of the solenoid includes a first energized state and a first de-energized state and the second cycle of the solenoid includes a second energized state and a second de-energized state. A first portion of the link couples to the solenoid, and a second portion of the link movably couples to the first profile of the cam. When the solenoid is in a first cycle, the member moves from a retracted position to an extended position, and when the solenoid is in a second cycle, the member moves from the extended position to the retracted position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A switch for an electrical circuit, comprising:
a base;
a cam pivotally coupled to the base and having a first cam profile and a second cam profile;
a solenoid operating in alternating first and second cycles, the first cycle including a first energized state and a first de-energized state and the second cycle including a second energized state and a second de-energized state;
a link having a first portion coupled to the solenoid, and a second portion having a cam follower to follow the first cam profile; and
a member configured to move with respect to the base between a first position and a second position, said member having a cam follower configured to follow the second cam profile by movement of said cam;
when the solenoid operates in the first cycle, the cam follower of the link rotates the cam from a first position to a second position and the cam moves the cam follower of the member and moves the member from the second position to the first position, and when the solenoid operates in the second cycle, the cam follower of the member moves the member from the second position to the first position.

2. The switch of claim 1 , wherein when the solenoid is in the first energized state, the cam follower of the link moves from a first cam segment to a second cam segment and the member moves from the first position to the second position;
when the solenoid is in the first de-energized state, the cam follower of the link moves from the second cam segment to a third cam segment and the member remains in the second position;
when the solenoid is in the second energized state, the cam follower of the link moves from the third cam segment to a fourth cam segment and the member moves from the second position to the first position; and
when the solenoid is in the second de-energized state, the cam follower of the link moves from the fourth cam segment to the first cam segment and the member remains in the first position.

3. The switch of claim 1 , wherein the member has a first end and a second end, the first end proximate the cam follower and the second end configured to selectively couple at least two electrical contacts in response to movement between the retracted position and the extended position.

4. The switch of claim 1 , wherein the second cam profile is configured to retain the member in the second position when the solenoid is in the first de-energized state, and wherein the second profile is configured retain the member in the first position when the solenoid is in the second de-energized state.

5. The switch of claim 4 , wherein the second cam profile comprises a first portion for retaining said member in the first position and a second portion for retaining said member in the second position.

6. The switch of claim 1 wherein said first cam profile has a first segment, a second segment, a third segment and a fourth segment.

7. The switch of claim 6 , wherein said cam follower of said link contacts said first segment when said cam is in said first position and said cam follower contacts said fourth segment when said cam is in said second position.

8. The switch of claim 5 , wherein said cam has a flange oriented to contact said base to limit pivoting movement of said cam with respect to said base.

9. The switch of claim 1 , wherein said cam pivots relative to said base about an axis oriented between said first cam profile and said second cam profile.

10. A switch for an electrical circuit, comprising:
a solenoid comprising alternating energized and de-energized states;
a cam having a first cam profile and a second cam profile;
a link having a first portion coupled to the solenoid, and a second portion with a cam follower operatively connected to the cam to follow the first cam profile and to move said cam between a first position and a second position; and
a member configured to move between an extended position and a retracted position and having a cam follower configured to follow the second profile;
wherein the cam is configured such that alternating energized states of the solenoid cause opposite motion of the member.

11. The switch of claim 10 , wherein the cam is pivotally mounted on a base to move from a first orientation to a second orientation to move the member from the retracted position to the extended position, and where the cam moves from the second orientation to the first orientation to move the member from the extended position to the retracted position.

12. The switch of claim 11 , wherein the solenoid comprises a plunger movable along a longitudinal axis; and the first cam profile has an outer contour having an inwardly concave first corner configured to receive the second portion of the link when the solenoid is in a de-energized state and the cam is in the first orientation; and an inner contour having an outwardly convex first corner, the first corner of the inner contour being closer to the longitudinal axis of the solenoid than the first corner of the outer contour.

13. The switch of claim 12 , wherein an outer contour of the first cam profile comprises a second inwardly concave corner configured to receive the second portion of the link when the solenoid is in a de-energized state and the cam is in a second orientation; and
wherein the inner contour of the first profile comprises a second outwardly convex corner, the second corner of the inner contour being closer to the longitudinal axis of the solenoid than the second corner of the outer contour.

14. The switch of claim 11 , wherein the first cam profile has a first end and a second end; and
when the solenoid is in a first energized state and said cam follower of said link is at said second end, said cam is in said second orientation, and when the solenoid is in a second energized state and said cam follower is at said second end, said cam is in said first orientation.

15. The switch of claim 11 , said first profile has a first segment, a second segment, a third segment and a fourth segment, and where said cam follower of said link contacts said first segment when said cam is in said first position and said cam follower contacts said fourth segment when said cam is in said second position.

16. A switch, comprising:
a solenoid having a plunger for moving between a first position and a second position, and configured for operating in a first energized state, a first de-energized state, a second energized state and a second de-energized state;
a cam movable between a first position and a second position, said cam having a first cam profile and a second cam profile;
a link having a first portion coupled to said plunger and a second portion with a cam follower coupled to said first cam profile of said cam to pivot said cam between said first position and second position;
a movable member having a cam follower operatively connected to said second cam profile to move said member between a first retracted position and a second extended position by movement of said cam member;
where the solenoid operates in a first cycle to move said plunger from said first position to said second position, and from said second position to said first position, and where said first cycle moves said cam from said first position to said second position and moves said member from said first position to said second position.

17. The switch of claim 15 , wherein the first energized state and the second energized state alternate in time and where said solenoid operates in a second cycle to move said cam from said second position to said first position and moves said member from said second

Assignees

• Gerovac Joseph P
• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• Gerovac Joseph P

Classifications

• H01H3/56

  using electromagnetic clutch · CPC title

• H01H50/44

  Magnetic coils or windings · CPC title

• H01H3/42 Primary

  using cam or eccentric · CPC title

• H01F7/124

  by mechanical latch, e.g. detent · CPC title

• H01H50/644 Primary

  having more than one rotating or pivoting part · CPC title