Microswitch for position determination, and use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9941060-B2
Application number	US-201415021049-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2014
Priority date	Sep 12, 2013
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

Disclosed is a microswitch that allows the setting of the microswitch to be detected. The microswitch includes a conducting element movable along a surface that includes at least one conducting track that is contacted by the movable conducting element. Actuating the microswitch moves the movable conducting element along the surface resulting in electrically connecting or disconnecting two electrical tracks and causing electrical switching. In addition, the contact surfaces electrically connected by the conducting element may have different electrically conductive regions such that moving the connected surfaces changes the electrical resistances. Different switch positions can be determined by measuring resistance.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Microswitch with at least one strip conductor which is integrated into a first surface whereby the microswitch encompasses an arch-shaped conductor element which is elastically deformable and shiftable along a second surface which can be shifted by activation of the microswitch, wherein the conductor element comprises two end areas and the conductor element is deformable in such a way that the two end areas of the conductor element are shifted relative to the second surface, whereby the shifting can induce electrical switching, whereby a contact surface which as a result of the shifting enables electrical switching by means of production of an electrical contact, demonstrates sections with different electrical conductivities.

2. Microswitch in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the second surface which contacts the first surface by shifting of the conductor element encompasses different metals and/or different metal alloys.

3. Microswitch in accordance with claim 2 , characterized in that the deformable conductor element demonstrates sections with different electrical conductivities.

4. Microswitch in accordance with claim 3 , characterized in that the sections different conductivities are arranged in a strip shape vertically to the shifting direction of the shiftable conductor element.

5. Microswitch in accordance with claim 4 , characterized in that the deformable conductor element contacts two internal strip conductors in the non-activated state of the microswitch which are arranged between two further strip conductors.

6. Microswitch in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the areas of one or several strip conductors which can be contacted by means of the deformable conductor element end flush with an adjacent surface.

7. Microswitch in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the microswitch encompasses conductors and/or positioners in order to conduct and/or position the deformable conductor element.

8. Microswitch in accordance with claim 5 , characterized in that there is a pin protruding from an internal surface of the microswitch which reaches through a hole in the deformable conductor element.

9. Microswitch in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that two ends of the conductor element are conducted through adjacent bridges.

10. Electronic component carrier with a basic section made of electrically insulating material and electrical strip conductors for connection of electrical components, whereby strip conductors are surrounded by the material of the basic section at least in places and at least one, preferably at least two of the electrical strip conductors of the electronic component carrier are a direct component of an electrical microswitch which encompasses the characteristics in accordance with claim 1 .

11. Use of a microswitch or electronic component carrier in accordance with claim 1 for the position determination of a component of a motor vehicle.

12. Microswitch in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the microswitch encompasses positioners in order to position the deformable conductor element.

13. Microswitch in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the deformable conductor element demonstrates sections with different electrical conductivities.

14. Microswitch in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the sections of different conductivities are arranged in a strip shape vertically to the shifting direction of the shiftable conductor element.

15. Microswitch in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the deformable conductor element contacts two internal strip conductors in the non-activated state of the microswitch which are arranged between two further strip conductors.

16. Microswitch in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that there is a pin protruding from an internal surface of the microswitch which reaches through a hole in the deformable conductor element.

17. Microswitch in accordance with claim 1 , wherein, when shifting the conductor element along the second surface, the two end areas of the conductor element move in opposite directions.

18. Microswitch in accordance with claim 1 , wherein shifting the conductor element along the second surface moves a first end area of the conductor element from a first position of the second surface to a second position of the second surface and moves a second end area of the conductor element from a third position of the second surface to a fourth position of the second surface.

Assignees

• Kiekert Ag
• Kiekert Ag

Inventors

• Bendel Thorsten

Classifications

• H01H13/063

  Casings hermetically closed by a diaphragm through which passes an actuating member (vacuum switches H01H33/66) · CPC title

• H01H1/04 Primary

  Co-operating contacts of different material · CPC title

• H01H3/02

  Operating parts, i.e. for operating driving mechanism by a mechanical force external to the switch · CPC title

• H01H1/40 Primary

  Contact mounted so that its contact-making surface is flush with adjoining insulation · CPC title

• H01H13/36

  using flexing of blade springs · CPC title