Electrical switch assembly

Claim 2

An electrical switch assembly comprising a non-conductive switch body; first, second, and third spaced conductor strips mounted in said body; a contact member rockably mounted in said body adjacent said conductor strips for movement between first and second positions therein; said contact member being of a generally open U-shape with the apex thereof forming a support portion upon which said member rocks and having two spring arms extending up from either side of said apex with each arm forming the respective first and second contact elements; said first and second conductor strips being disposed in said body to be engaged with said first contact element in the first position of said contact member and disengaged in the second position and said first and third conductor strips being disposed in said body to be engaged with said second contact element in the second position of said contact member and disengaged in the first position; means for containing said contact member in its operative positions; and means for rocking said contact member between said first and second positions; said rocking means comprising a generally flat non-conductive plate positioned between the arms of said U-shaped contact member and having first and second opposed side edges each of which is located adjacent a respective one of said contact elements, said plate being slidably mounted in said body for sliding movement between first and second positions corresponding to the first and second positions of said contact member whereby in the first position of said plate, said first side edge engages its associated arm to rock said U-shaped contact member about its apex thereby moving said second contact element away from said first and third strips and moving said first contact element into engagement with said first and second strips, and in the second position of said plate said second side edge engaging its associated arm to rock said Ushaped contact member in an opposite direction thereby moving said first contact member away from said first and second strips and moving said second contact element into engagement with said first and third strips; spring means biasing said flat plate into one of its first and second positions; said arms of said U-shaped conductor member being slightly concave and said edges of said plate being shaped to be generally complementary thereto, and the contact elements being slightly convex.

Claim 3

The electrical switch assembly as defined in claim 1 including means providing lateral support for said support portion to prevent sliding movement thereof on said base.

Claim 4

The electrical switch assembly as defined in claim 9 including a plurality of spacer members in said body for maintaining said conductor strips substantially in a given plane and in predetermined spaced locations.

Claim 5

The electrical switch assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for selectively rocking said contact member includes a an externally engagable stem secured to said plate extending beyond said body.

Claim 6

An electrical switch assembly comprising a non-conductive switch body; first, second, and third spaced conductor strips mounTed in said body; a contact member rockably mounted in said body adjacent said conductor strip for movement between first and second positions therein; said contact member being of a generally open U-shape with the apex thereof forming a support portion upon which said member rocks and having two spring arms extending up from either side of said apex with each arm forming the respective first and second contact elements; said first and second conductor strips being disposed in said body to be engaged with said first contact element in the first position of said contact member and disengaged in the second position and said first and third conductor strips being disposed in said body to be engaged with said second contact element in the second position of said contact member and disengaged in the first position; means for containing said contact member in its operative positions; and means for rocking said contact member between said first and second positions; said rocking means comprising a generally flat non-conductive plate positioned between the arms of said U-shaped contact member and having first and second opposed side edges each of which is located adjacent a respective one of said contact elements, said plate being slidably mounted in said body for sliding movement between first and second positions corresponding to the first and second positions of said contact member whereby in the first position of said plate, said first side edge engages its associated arm to rock said U-shaped contact member about its apex thereby moving said second contact element away from said first and third strips and moving said first contact element into engagement with said first and second strips, and in the second positions of said plate said second side edge engaging its associated arm to rock said U-shaped contact member in an opposite direction thereby moving said first contact member away from said first and second strips and moving said second contact element into engagement with said first and third strips; and said contact member being made of resilient conductor material and dimensioned such that said contact elements engage their associated conductor strips when said plate is at a position between its first and second positions whereby each of said contact elements engages its associated conductor strips before the other of the elements is moved away from its associated strips by the rocking of said contact member by said plate.

Claim 7

An electrical switch assembly comprising a non-conductive switch body; first, second, and third spaced conductor strips mounTed in said body; a contact member rockably mounted in said body adjacent said conductor strip for movement between first and second positions therein; said contact member being of a generally open U-shape with the apex thereof forming a support portion upon which said member rocks and having two spring arms extending up from either side of said apex with each arm forming the respective first and second contact elements; said first and second conductor strips being disposed in said body to be engaged with said first contact element in the first position of said contact member and disengaged in the second position and said first and third conductor strips being disposed in said body to be engaged with said second contact element in the second position of said contact member and disengaged in the first position; means for containing said contact member in its operative positions; and means for rocking said contact member between said first and second positions; said rocking means comprising a generally flat non-conductive plate positioned between the arms of said U-shaped contact member and having first and second opposed side edges each of which is located adjacent a respective one of said contact elements, said plate being slidably mounted in said body for sliding movement between first and second positions corresponding to the first and second positions of said contact member whereby in the first position of said plate, said first side edge engages its associated arm to rock said U-shaped contact member about its apex thereby moving said second contact element away from said first and third strips and moving said first contact element into engagement with said first and second strips, and in the second positions of said plate said second side edge engaging its associated arm to rock said U-shaped contact member in an opposite direction thereby moving said first contact member away from said first and second strips and moving said second contact element into engagement with said first and third strips; and said contact member being made of resilient conductor material and dimensioned such that said contact elements engage their associated conductor strips when said plate is at a position between its first and second positions whereby each of said contact elements engages its associated conductor strips before the other of the elements is moved away from its associated strips by the rocking of said contact member by said plate.

Claim 8

An electrical switch assembly comprising a non-conductive switch body; a plurality of spaced conductors mounted in said body defining two groups of at least two dielectrically spaced contact zones; a contact member mounted in said body adjacent said conductors for movement between first and second positions therein, said contact member being of a generally open U-shape with the apex thereof forming a support portion upon which said member rocks and having two spring arms extending up from either side of said apex with each arm forming the respective first and second contact elements; said first group of spaced contact zones being positioned for engagement only by said first contact element in the first position of said contact member and said second group of spaced contact zones being positioned for engagement only by said second contact element in the second position of said contact member; said contact elements being dimensioned to bridge the spaces between the contact zones of a given group; means for containing said contact member in its operative positions; and means for rocking said contact member between said first and second positions; said contact elements of said contact member being each respectively formed at the free end of each spring arm; said contact member being formed from a thin sheet of conductive spring metal; said rocking means comprising a non-conductive spacer positioned between the arms of said contact member and slidably mounted in said body for movement between first and second positions corresponding to the first anD second positions of said contact member to engage the arms of said contact member adjacent their free ends, thereby rocking said contact member between its first and second positions; said containing means comprising a portion of said body engaging the support portion of said contact member so as to permit rocking of said support portion on said body while preventing displacement there-along; said rocking means further comprising a carrier slidably mounted beside said contact member, said spacer being a flat plate mounted on the side of said carrier, a biasing means for positioning said plate between its two operative positions, and an externally actuator shaft; said spacer contacting only said arms; and said carrier sliding on thin runners; and said conductors being stamped from flat conductive metal positioned within said body substantially in a single plane above said contact member and its rocking means.

Claim 9

An electrical switch assembly comprising a non-conductive switch body; a plurality of spaced conductors mounted in said body defining two groups of at least two dielectrically spaced contact zones; a contact member mounted in said body adjacent said conductors for movement between first and second positions therein, said contact member being of a generally open U-shape with the apex thereof forming a support portion upon which said member rocks and having two spring arms extending up from either side of said apex with each arm forming the respective first and second contact elements; said first group of spaced contact zones being positioned for engagement only by said first contact element in the first position of said contact member and said second group of spaced contact zones being positioned for engagement only by said second contact element in the second position of said contact member; said contact elements being dimensioned to bridge the spaces between the contact zones of a given group; means for containing said contact member in its operative positions; and means for rocking said contact member between said first and second positions; said contact elements of said contact member being each respectively formed at the free end of each spring arm; said contact member being formed from a thin sheet of conductive spring metal; said rocking means comprising a non-conductive spacer positioned between the arms of said contact member and slidably mounted in said body for movement between first and second positions corresponding to the first anD second positions of said contact member to engage the arms of said contact member adjacent their free ends, thereby rocking said contact member between its first and second positions; said containing means comprising a portion of said body engaging the support portion of said contact member so as to permit rocking of said support portion on said body while preventing displacement there-along; said rocking means further comprising a carrier slidably mounted beside said contact member, said spacer being a flat plate mounted on the side of said carrier, a biasing means for positioning said plate between its two operative positions, and an externally actuator shaft; said spacer contacting only said arms; and said carrier sliding on thin runners; and said conductors being stamped from flat conductive metal positioned within said body substantially in a single plane above said contact member and its rocking means.

Claim 10

The electrical switch assembly as defined in claim 18 wherein said conductors comprise spaced strips of metallic material having precious metal inlays defining said contact zones.