Sliding Type Patents (Class 200/252)
  • Patent number: 7288731
    Abstract: A switching device (2) for a multi-step vehicle transmission (4) having one main transmission part (6) and an auxiliary-section transmission part (10) comprising the switching mechanisms (12, 14, 18, 38) for actuating switching elements (44, 50, 52, 54) in the main transmission part (6) and switching mechanisms (12, 14, 18, 38) for actuating switching elements (42, 46) in the auxiliary-section transmission part (10). The switching mechanisms (12, 14, 18, 38) for actuating the switching elements (44, 50, 52, 54) in the main transmission part (6) also actuate the switching elements (42, 46) in the auxiliary-section transmission part (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Josef Bader
  • Patent number: 7268697
    Abstract: A data transmission apparatus having first and second electrical conductors is disclosed. The first and second electrical conductors are disposed within recesses of a first and second complementary surfaces that are magnetically conducting and electrically insulating. The first and second surfaces are in close proximity to each other. The first surface is translatable along the length of the second surface. The first and second electrical conductors are in electromagnetic communication and provide for the transmission of data or power from the first electrical conductor to the second electrical conductor as the first surface overlaps the second surface. The data transmission apparatus may be located in one or more downhole tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: IntelliServ, Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Hall, H. Tracy Hall, Jr., Tyson J. Wilde, Paul M. Schramm
  • Patent number: 7238902
    Abstract: The present invention provides a slider which is less likely to cause a drastic change in a contact state such as instantaneous disconnection. The slider according to the present invention has teeth 13 of a comb shaped like a narrow sheet being rectangular in cross section and making a contact at a tip of the teeth with a surface to be slid on. The slider has a slider body extending to a proximal end side of the teeth 13 of a comb, and the teeth 13 of a comb has at the tip thereof a projection 13a, which is narrower than the width dimension of a proximal end portion of the teeth of a comb. A slider having such teeth 13 of a comb will prevent a drastic change in a contact state such as instantaneous disconnection between the tip of the teeth 13 of a comb of the slider and a surface to be slid on from occurring, so that generation of noise in signals (or electric current) flowing through the slider and deterioration in resistance properties of the slider are prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Sayama, Hirohito Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7220929
    Abstract: A vehicle interior illumination lamp for mounting at an opening portion formed in a roof panel (interior member) of a vehicle includes a function part including a bulb (light source), and a switch unit for supplying and interrupting electric power relative to the bulb, and a design part including a housing for mounting at the opening portion in the roof panel, a retaining mechanism securely engaging the function part with the housing, and a switch knob engaged with the switch unit. The retaining mechanism includes a retaining member which cooperates with the switch knob to hold the switch unite therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Kentaro Nagai
  • Patent number: 7161102
    Abstract: A switch device including a first fixed contact, a second fixed contact, a lead-out pattern extending from the second fixed contact to the outside of the first fixed contact, and a movable contact disposed on the first fixed contact and formed of a reversing leaf spring is provided. The first fixed contact includes a pair of cutout ends opposing each other across an exposed insulating portion of an insulating substrate. A pair of first overlay films having a predetermined thickness are respectively provided on the cutout ends. A second overlay film is provided on the first overlay films and on the insulating portion disposed on the lead-out pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toru Yamagami
  • Patent number: 7078638
    Abstract: An inhibitor switch is joined to a manual shaft inside a mission case which can be readily positioned. The inhibitor switch in which a movable base is interlocked and linked to a manual shaft of an automatic transmission inside a mission case of the automatic transmission detects the rotation position of the manual shaft by the rotational movement of movable contacts with respect to fixed contacts. A pole base side is positioned by mating with the mission case in the rotational direction of the manual shaft. An insertion portion having a spacing in the axial direction of the manual shaft is provided in the pole base side, and one end of a positioning bracket is secured to the mission case side and the other end thereof is provided with an insert portion for insertion into insertion portion. The pole base side is positioned in the axial direction of the manual shaft by inserting the insert portion into insertion portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Niles Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Nakazawa, Takeshi Okuhara
  • Patent number: 7045728
    Abstract: The fourth movable contact of a slide switch includes a first and a second U-shaped contact parts arranged so that opposite ends thereof are coupled to a movable contact main body to form an almost U shape and small contact points are surrounded by larger contact points. The first and the second U-shaped contact parts are slidingly moved in a direction crossing the arraying direction of the projections at the tips of the U-shaped contact parts in order to connect/disconnect the projections of the U-shaped contact points to/from a fixed contact thus tuning on/off the switch. The first and the second U-shaped contact parts have opposite ends coupled to the movable contact main body and strong in the movement in the arrow directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Yuji Mitsui
  • Patent number: 7043034
    Abstract: A dual purpose loudspeaker incorporating at least two audio signal inputs and at least one switch is adapted to receive and reproduce either a single audio signal input or two audio signal inputs according to the position of the switch. A switch slide mechanically linked to the switch is provided which blocks one of the audio signal inputs when the switch is in the single-channel position, thereby preventing erroneous connection to the blocked audio signal input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Britannia Investment Corporation
    Inventors: John B. Poling, Bradley M. Starobin, Allen S. Baran, Danny A. Wakefield
  • Patent number: 7028784
    Abstract: A motor-driven hand-held tool includes a housing (4) having a switching recess (6) formed therein, an actuation member (8) displaceably arranged in the switching recess for shifting a functional unit between different functional steps, and and a functional step display arrangement having a read-out device (16) mechanically connected with the actuation member (8) and a display element (14) provided in the housing (4) for displaying an actual functional step and spaced from the switching recess (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Armin Breitenmoser
  • Patent number: 7022931
    Abstract: A slide switch assembly comprises a housing and a slider having traveling contacts which define exposed contact faces. An accommodation section is formed in the housing to receive the slider and allow the slider to be moved slideably therein. A printed circuit board having fixed contact plates is attached to the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board is assembled with the housing such that the fixed contact plates are in opposition to the traveling contacts and adapted to make electrical contact with the traveling contacts in response to sliding movement of the slider. Preferably, the printed circuit board includes a printed conduction pattern, and the fixed contact plates include fixation bases adapted to be soldered to the conduction pattern and a bent contact portion extending therefrom. The accommodation section is most preferably defined by a partition wall having openings such that the contact portions of the fixed contact plates are positioned to be exposed through the openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha T an T
    Inventors: Yuji Shimoda, Hiroshi Ochiai
  • Patent number: 7019226
    Abstract: To enable reduction of the number of components and weight, improvement of workability, and reduction of the costs, a switch contact structure is disclosed, which comprises a substrate 65, a movable block 73 disposed so as to be movable along the substrate 65, a fixed contact 67 mounted on the substrate 65, and a movable contact mounted on the movable block 73, wherein the movable contact is brought into and out of contact with the fixed contact 67 by the movement of the movable block 73 along the substrate 65, characterized in that the fixed contact 67 is formed of conductive wire material, and in that both ends 99a, 99b of the fixed contact 67 are fixed on the substrate 65.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Niles Parts Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiya Otani, Hideaki Akimoto
  • Patent number: 7012205
    Abstract: A bezel assembly includes a bezel (10), a button (20) slidably attached to the bezel from outside, a relaying member (30) resiliently accordingly attached to the bezel from inner side. The bezel is attached on a front plate (80) of an electronic device. A switch (90) is held in a bracket (70) and the bracket is secured in the front plate. The button includes a mating shaft (26). The relaying member includes a pair of vertical boards (32). A mating slot (341) is defined in one of the vertical plates, for engagingly receiving the mating shaft. When the button is pushed inwardly, the mating shaft engages with mating slot of the relaying member. Accordingly, the vertical board moves inwardly to actuate the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: HON HAI Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shao-Bo Han
  • Patent number: 7002085
    Abstract: A slide switch, in particular for an electric small appliance, with a switch slide slidably mounted in a housing and a locking switch that is arranged in the switch slide and is adapted to be locked with the housing or with a member connected with the housing in at least one switching position of the switch slide. The locking switch is comprised of at least one resiliently biased pushbutton pivotal about a pivot axle, the pivot axle being arranged in a fixed relationship to the switch slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Braun GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Ullmann, Thorsten Pohl
  • Patent number: 6930264
    Abstract: A switch structure of a lamp unit mounted at an interior wall member, includes a switch member and a switch knob. The switch member includes a switch lever which slides in a first direction for turning on or off the lamp unit. The switch knob includes an engagement portion for engaging with the switch lever of the switch member, and the switch knob being slidably retained on a design member. The switch lever is inserted in the engagement portion of the switch knob in the first direction and in a second direction in which the design member is mounted to the interior wall member while the engagement portion is elastically deformed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Kentaro Nagai, Mitsuyoshi Ohno
  • Patent number: 6930268
    Abstract: A non-fused electrical slide switch. A handle assembly is operatively connected to a base, between on and off positions, and movable relative to a cover. The base has two pair of raised landings rising above four contact strips. Each pair of raised landings are disposed between one load and one line contact strip of the four contact strips and between the one load contact strip and partitions of the base, respectively. A shoe assembly includes a pair of contact shoes and at least one pair of springs biasing the pair of contact shoes. Depending portions of each contact shoe are in direct contact with associated load and line contact strips allowing electrical communication therebetween. The two pair of raised landings prevent arcing as the handle assembly traverses the on/off positions by raising the depending portions of each contact shoe immediately after they leave contact with the associated load and line contact strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Inventors: Robert M. Tuniewicz, Gilbert D. Talamo
  • Patent number: 6872897
    Abstract: To enable reduction of the number of components and weight, improvement of workability, and reduction of the costs, a switch contact structure is disclosed, which comprises a substrate 65, a movable block 73 disposed so as to be movable along the substrate 65, a fixed contact 67 mounted on the substrate 65, and a movable contact mounted on the movable block 73, wherein the movable contact is brought into and out of contact with the fixed contact 67 by the movement of the movable block 73 along the substrate 65, characterized in that the fixed contact 67 is formed of conductive wire material, and in that both ends 99a, 99b of the fixed contact 67 are fixed on the substrate 65.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Niles Parts Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiya Otani, Hideaki Akimoto
  • Patent number: 6841744
    Abstract: A slide switch is fabricated by having a coiled spring, which has coil-end seating portions at both ends totaling ¾ to 1 turn, contained in a case or an operating member such that the operating member is biased by the spring. By virtue of such a configuration, the spring is prevented from bulging out at its center portion or coming off the containing portion. Thus, a slide switch which can be fabricated easily while also saving manpower can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Kodo, Yoshiharu Abe
  • Patent number: 6838632
    Abstract: A high voltage switch contact structure capable of interrupting high voltage, high current AC and DC circuits. The contact structure confines the arc created when contacts open to the thin area between two insulating surfaces in intimate contact. This forces the arc into the shape of a thin sheet which loses heat energy far more rapidly than an arc column having a circular cross-section. These high heat losses require a dramatic increase in the voltage required to maintain the arc, thus extinguishing it when the required voltage exceeds the available voltage. The arc extinguishing process with this invention is not dependent on the occurrence of a current zero crossing and, consequently, is capable of rapidly interrupting both AC and DC circuits. The contact structure achieves its high performance without the use of sulfur hexafluoride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Utron Inc.
    Inventors: Lester C. Via, F. Douglas Witherspoon, John M. Ryan
  • Patent number: 6831239
    Abstract: Switch with a fixed set of contacts and a movable set of contacts. The fixed set of contacts comprises at least one pair of fixed contacts arranged a distance apart and each having an auxiliary contact part and a main contact part. The movable set of contacts comprises at least one auxiliary contact element and a main contact element, which, when the switch is closed, are in contact, under mechanical pre-stress, with the surface of the auxiliary contact part and of the main contact part of the pair of fixed contacts and bridge the distance between the free end edges thereof facing one another, the various features being such that when the switch is closed the auxiliary contact element and the main contact element make contact more or less simultaneously with the auxiliary and with the main contact parts of the pair of fixed contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Holec Holland N.V.
    Inventors: Wouter Franciscus Van Den Akker, Hilbert Gezienus Knol
  • Publication number: 20040188233
    Abstract: A motor-driven hand-held tool includes a housing (4) having a switching recess (6) formed therein, an actuation member (8) displaceably arranged in the switching recess for shifting a functional unit between different functional steps, and and a functional step display arrangement having a read-out device (16) mechanically connected with the actuation member (8) and a display element (14) provided in the housing (4) for displaying an actual functional step and spaced from the switching recess (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventor: Armin Breitenmoser
  • Publication number: 20040074749
    Abstract: To enable to facilitate integration and part control by reducing a number of parts and a number of integrating steps and restrain electric contact performance from being deteriorated by preventing play, in a slide switch including a pole board 3 having a fixed contact and a movable board 11 made of a resin fixedly supporting a base portion 21 of a movable contact 19 and capable of sliding contact portions 25a, 25b, 25c, 25d, 25e at a front end of the movable contact 19 relative to the fixed contact by moving along the pole board 3, the base portion 21 of the movable contact 19 is formed in a shape of a flat plate, the base portion 21 of the movable contact 19 is fixed to the movable board 11 by insert-molding of the resin and the movable contact 19 is inclinedly supported by the movable board 11.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Takashi Nakazawa, Yukihiro Kakegawa
  • Publication number: 20040074750
    Abstract: To enable to restrain a portion only of a resin at a pole board made of the resin to restrain warp or a sink mark, in a slide switch including a pole board 3 made of a resin insert-molded with fixed contacts 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17 and a movable board supporting a movable contact and capable of sliding the movable contact relative to the fixed contacts 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17 by predetermined contact pressure by moving along the pole board 3, a metal plate 21 is insert-molded to a portion of the pole board 1 at which the fixed contacts 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17 are not present.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Takashi Nakazawa, Tsutomu Watada
  • Patent number: 6700084
    Abstract: A switch device is provided, which has a function of preventing reverse flow of current and reducing the number of switch terminals or harnesses. The switch device has a plurality of fixed contacts and a plurality of movable contacts to contact the fixed contacts. The movable contacts have an electronic element provided between contact members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Niles Parts Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Shibata, Hideaki Akimoto
  • Patent number: 6630636
    Abstract: To enable to provide an inhibitor switch capable of maintaining an accurate ON/OFF state for a long period of time regardless of wear of a moving contact and having high durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Niles Parts Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinya Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6495778
    Abstract: Breakable electric contact device of the type comprising two conducting strips (3, 4) between which an electric contact can be made using a conducting piece (5) in the form of a moving blade, at least one of the faces of which is intended to come into contact with the conducting strips. Furthermore the device comprises two cleaning strips (7, 8) which, located in front of the conducting strips (3, 4) in the direction of travel of the moving blade (5) toward the contact-closed position, are intended to scrape at least the region of each face of the moving blade (5) that is intended to press against a conducting strip (3, 4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Entrelec S.A.
    Inventors: Sylvain Barrat, Arsene Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20020175061
    Abstract: A switch box for a vehicle door lock device comprises a slide pin which has one end abutting against a side surface of a latch that engages with and is fixed to the striker and slides in response to a pivot motion of the latch, a slider which is connected and fixed to the other end of the slide pin and on which an elastic slide contact is disposed, a pair of terminals which are short-circuited to be connected to each other by the slide contact depending on a slide position of the slider, and a switch box cover substantially covering them in the lock body case, and the switch box cover has a through hole for ventilation at that position thereof which corresponds to a lower side of one side surface thereof when the switch box cover is attached to the vehicle door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2002
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Inventor: Masaki Shinkawa
  • Patent number: 6476399
    Abstract: A system for inhibiting the transport of contaminant particles with an ion beam includes a particle charging system for charging particles within a region through which the ion beam travels. An electric field is generated downstream relative to the charged region so as to urge charged particles away from a direction of travel for the ion beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric R. Harrington, Victor M. Benveniste, Michael A. Graf, Robert D. Rathmell
  • Patent number: 6444102
    Abstract: A nonmetallic electrical contact or wiper composed of material such as carbon fiber, in which an electrical signal is transmitted along a length of the carbon fibers. The carbon fibers can be fused or conductively bonded together. The carbon fibers can be affixed to a carrier using various bonding and fastening techniques. The carrier can be electrically conductive or not depending on the application and can be affixed to the carbon fibers by bonding, fusing, or mechanical fastening. Alternatively, the electrical contact can be formed entirely from the carbon fiber material, with any carrier being also formed of carbon fiber material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Micro Contacts Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Tucci, Philip Uruburu, Stephen Veselaski
  • Patent number: 6431894
    Abstract: A connector (1) provided with at least one power contact (10) for powering at least one contact to be powered (11), situated in the proximity of the power contact, through a socket (18) sliding along the contact to be powered to establish or not a conductive connection with a conductive surface (17) of the power contact. such a connector typically comprises several contacts to be powered and several power contacts. Hence, an equilateral and equidistant arrangement of contacts to be powered around power contacts is preferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Framatome Connectors International
    Inventors: Gerard Boiret, Christophe Provost
  • Publication number: 20010000368
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly provides for connection between a mating connector and a printed circuit board. The assembly includes an elongate insulative housing having a connection face and an opposed mounting face. A plurality of elongate electrical contacts are supported within the housing. The contacts include connection ends adjacent the connection face and contact tails extending from the mounting face for insertion into through-holes of the printed circuit board. The contacts further define a securement member between the connection end and the opposed tail. The housing includes contact support members adjacent the mounting face. At least one of the contact support members is positioned at a location closer to the connection face than the other contact support members so as to position the connection end of at least one contact at a different longitudinal position than the other contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2000
    Publication date: April 26, 2001
    Inventors: Terrence S. Ward, Bernard H. Hammond, John T. Doyle
  • Patent number: 6060670
    Abstract: On a terminal base 3, a terminal groove is provided to extend to a sliding direction of a movable contact 10, after a terminal 30 is inserted into the terminal groove 17, fixed on a rear side by caulking. Terminal base 3 has a coupler potion 20 on a rear side thereof and a coupler terminal 34 formed on an end of a terminal 30 projects into the coupler portion 20 through a through hole. On a surface side of the terminal base 3 on an opposite side of the coupler portion 20, a spacer 8 possessing a smooth sliding face is mounted substantially flush with the contact portion 31 so that lifting of the terminal 30 is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Toyodenso Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Oikawa
  • Patent number: 6046413
    Abstract: The invention describes a switch, preferably a steering column switch, provided with an actuating member moved across the contact sections rigidly connected to the housing in a substantially pushing way. It is the object of the invention to provide a steering column switch which, being of a small-sized design, permanently provides for good contact making between the contacts to be interconnected. This problem, in the practice of the invention, is solved by ramps raising the contact bridge in the transitory area. Advantageous embodiments refer to the design of the ramp of the conductor bank and of the contact bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Karl Simonis, Walter Hecht, Rudolf Klein
  • Patent number: 5898142
    Abstract: In order to prevent resin around fixed contacts from being carbonized by an arc produced when a movable contact plate is brought into contact with the fixed contacts and separated therefrom, a sliding switch comprises a terminal plate provided with two fixed contact plates and a movable plate provided with a movable contact plate, which is brought into contact with the fixed contact plates. Each of the fixed contact plates has a fixed contact protruding from the terminal plate. The movable contact plate includes at least a pair of protrusions on both sides thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Niles Parts Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazue Ohtaki, Mineo Hirano
  • Patent number: 5875884
    Abstract: A slide switch apparatus having a movable contact and a movable board arranged to prevent chattering between the movable contact and the movable board, even when the slide switch apparatus is immersed in a high temperature oil. The movable contact can be assembled onto the movable board in a one-touch manner. The movable board (3) has a gap (37), a step portion (32, 33), and an engaging portion (34, 35). The gap extends in a direction perpendicular to a direction of sliding of the movable board (3) so that the movable contact (2) can be inserted thereinto in that perpendicular direction. The step portion (34, 35) has a valley shape in sectional view. The movable contact (2) has a leadframe (26) inserted in the gap (37) of the movable board (3), and a chatter preventive piece (22, 23, 24, 25) engaged with the step portion (32, 33) and the engaging portion (34, 35).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Niles Parts Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuya Tomotoshi
  • Patent number: 5864186
    Abstract: A volume control for in-wall building stereo systems. Specifically, there is a sliding switch coupled between a mounting bracket and a printed circuit board that has components mounted thereon including two multi-tap inductors or transformers. The in-wall mounted speaker volume control slide selector switch assembly. Specifically, the assembly has a sliding selector switch, for housing electrical components, having a shaft extending from the sliding selector switch, for sliding in a linear direction to control volume of the in-wall mounted speaker. Additionally, there is a transformer, for supplying power to the in-wall mounted speaker, having a plurality of transformer taps. Further, there is a printed circuit board, for electrically connecting and physically mounting the transformers and the sliding selector switch thereto. Also, there is a mounting bracket, for supporting the printed circuit board and the transformer and sliding selector switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: CTS Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin D. Kurtz, Richard L. Black, John Zdanys, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5708241
    Abstract: A sliding type switch includes a non-conductive housing enclosing chamber. A non-conductive board is securely mounted in an upper portion of the chamber and includes at least three pairs of slots defined therein. At least three pairs of conductive prongs respectively extend through the slots in the board, each conductive prong having a conductive shoe formed at a bottom thereof. A non-conductive slide member is slidably mounted in a lower portion of the chamber. The slide member defines two elongated troughs in which an inner bottom wall defining each elongated trough has a stub formed thereon. An elastic element is mounted in each trough and includes a mediate portion with a hole defined therein through which the associated stub extends for positioning the elastic element, and a first limb and a second limb which extend upwardly from the mediate portion and away from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Inventor: Chao-Chin Lin
  • Patent number: 5672854
    Abstract: A slide switch opening and closing a circuit for supplies electricity to a load by making and breaking contact between a movable contact and a stationary contact. The stationary contact is integrally formed with an arc generating portion for generating an arc when the circuit is opened or closed. The arc generating portion protrudes in the direction of movement of the movable contact and has a width which gradually decreases from its base portion towards its tip portion. The slide switch is capable of preventing the arc generating portion and the movable contact from having a groove due to wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1997
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventor: Minoru Nishio
  • Patent number: 5667062
    Abstract: The push switch of the invention includes: a case including a plurality of contact terminals placed on an inner bottom surface thereof and a contact member that includes a plurality of conductive protruding portions which come into contact with the plurality of contact terminals at selected positions while sliding on the inner bottom surface of the case; a fulcrum portion supported in a rotatable state by an axis parallel to the inner bottom surface of the case; and an elastic bent portion for connecting the protruding portions with the fulcrum portion. The push switch further includes a sliding body which is supported so as to move up and down along a direction vertical to the inner bottom surface of the case thereby pressing the contact member and sliding the conductive protruding portions in accordance with the vertical motion in order to switch the contact terminals between an electrical connection state and an electrical disconnection state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Yasufuku, Yasuchika Kudo
  • Patent number: 5587886
    Abstract: A structure for contact points of a shift switch used in a computer. The structure includes an elastic contact plate disposed under the shift switch and having projecting contact points to contact the corresponding conductive contact portions of the circuit board. A sloped slot is formed between adjacent contact portions to separate the contact portions from each other and to avoid detachment and scattering of the conductive material of the contact portions. The contact points are designed with an elongated shape so as to provide a smooth sliding motion of the contact points through the sloped slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Assignee: Kinpo Electronics
    Inventor: Si-Chi Lan
  • Patent number: 5544274
    Abstract: A power tool such as a hand held vacuum cleaner, has a housing and nozzle. The housing mounts a motor and switch carrier. A battery pack powers the motor. The electrical arrangements comprise conductors punched from a single strip and fixed in guides formed on the carrier. Terminals of the motor and battery are pressed through slits in some conductors. The conductors pass into tracks formed on a tray of the switch. A mask is positioned on the tray to expose the conductors in discrete switch positions of slide connectors mounted in a switch slide slidably mounted on the tray. A mask (78) is positioned on the tray to expose the conductors in discrete switch positions (A, B, C) of slide connectors (68) mounted in a switch slide (64) slidably mounted on the tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1996
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Walker, Steven Swaddle
  • Patent number: 5512723
    Abstract: A switch compartment 20R is formed in a switch body 20 of electrically insulating material and opens at the top surface of the body. First and second fixed contact members 23C, 24C are secured to the opposed inner walls of the compartment. The open top of the compartment is closed by a cover having a through-bore 32 facing the compartment. An actuator 10 is accommodated in the compartment and outwardly biased by a coil spring 26. The actuator 10 comprises a stem portion 13 protruding through the through-bore and a contact holder block 12 joined to the lower end of the stem portion. The holder block has a housing slot 11 extending therethrough from its front end face to its rear end face. The undersurface of the holder block is formed with a guide slit 18 extending therethrough from the front end face to the rear end face in communication with the housing slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: Hosiden Corporation
    Inventor: Masaharu Joshi
  • Patent number: 5475191
    Abstract: An electrical switch (10) or fused switch for electrical distribution systems has a housing (12, 14); first and second spaced apart straps (16, 18), coupled to the housing; and a pair of opposed blades (22, 24) pivotally coupled to the first strap and straddling both straps. The blades (22, 24) are capable of relative pivotal movement from an open position spaced from the second strap to a closed position in contact therewith. A blade extension (30) is coupled to the blades between the straps. The switch has first and second biasing elements (26, 28), which may be leaf springs, each coupled to a respective blade, each of which biases the respective blade toward the first and second straps at a first bias force level when the respective blade is in the closed position and at a second, lower bias force level when the respective blade is in the open position. A fastener (32) slidably passes through each of the blades, the blade extension and the biasing elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Electric Limited
    Inventor: Robert Doudon
  • Patent number: 5463198
    Abstract: There is provided a switching device in which the interval between a normal-close contact and a normal-open contact and the positions thereof can be arbitrarily set without any constraint of a common contact, and which can perform circuit switching at a desired timing. In the switching device, mounted on an inner bottom plane of a wafer is a common contact on which a good conductive return spring electrically connected to a movable contact for urging a slider in the direction reverse to the depressing direction is laid. A normal-close contact and a normal-open contact are arranged side by side on an inner wall of the wafer, and a resilient piece of the movable contact is in slidable contact with the inner wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Manabu Shimaoka
  • Patent number: 5412170
    Abstract: In an electric switch a good gliding behavior between a bridging contact and metal conductors punched out from a sheet metal blank is achieved. For this purpose the metal conductors have at least one projection extending at least over the entire range of motion of the bridging contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Hofmann, Hubert Spazierer, Adam Weber
  • Patent number: 5389754
    Abstract: A switch mechanism having a set of movable conductive contacts adapted to selectively conductively engage a set of conductive paths formed on a printed circuit board in order to open and close circuit paths created thereby. A contact carrier retains the movable contacts in a predefined spaced relationship and slidingly engages a guide member adapted to predeterminately guide the movement of the carrier with respect to the circuit board, the guide member being fixedly secured to a surface of the printed circuit board substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: United Technologies Automotive, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Muller, Robert D. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 5388922
    Abstract: A miniature keyboard assembly for generating code signals representative of selected characters and functions. The assembly including at least one but preferably, two glide keys, each coupled to a depressible keybutton for controlling the movement of its respective keybutton. In one embodiment, each keybutton base carries an electrically conductive layer and is slidable on a membrane panel having thereon a plurality of signal code generating switches. The keybutton being movable along orthogonal axes in response to movement of the glide key. Each keybutton extends upwardly through a longitudinal slot opening in a lateral slide support member and then through a fitted opening in an indicator panel. The indicator panel also includes an indicia marker which underlies a transparent keyboard panel and is visible therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Smith Corona Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory W. Smiley
  • Patent number: 5357069
    Abstract: A sliding switch having a tandem-type contact structure in which a first and a second insulation portion are disposed in a first and a second negative fixed contact, respectively, of a first and a second group of fixed contacts. When a first and a second movable contact slide between a neutral position and a first operating position, an arc is produced between the first movable contact and the first negative fixed contact in which the first insulation portion is disposed. When the first and the second movable contact slide between the neutral position and a second operating position, an arc is produced between the second movable contact and the second negative fixed contact in which the second insulation portion is disposed. A decline in the insulation performance between the fixed contacts of different polarities is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Minoru Nishio, Shigeo Hara, Masaru Suzuki, Kazuhisa Kubota
  • Patent number: 5201410
    Abstract: Push-button switches are provided with a housing having opposed pairs of side walls defining an interior space, and an opposed pair of fixed contact members. A push-button assembly is received within the interior space of the housing for reciprocal movements between extended and retracted positions. The push-button assembly including a pair of opposed side windows having lower extents established by a bridge wall. A spring exerts a bias force to move the push-button assembly into its extended position. A generally inverted V-shaped slide contact member is movable with the push-button assembly between its extended and retracted positions, and includes a pair of resilient legs each having an outwardly curved contact region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Daichi Denso Buhin Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsunesuke Takano, Kouichi Sinzawa
  • Patent number: 5111011
    Abstract: The disclosed slide action selector switch, which is adapted to switch the connections of four push button switches between left and right mirror motors, comprises an insulating plate with an elongated guide flange projecting therefrom and having a T-shaped cross section. First and second sets of electrical contacts are mounted along the plate on opposite sides of the flange for sliding engagement by first and second contactors on an insulating carriage having a T-shaped channel slidably receiving and interlocking with the flange. Springs are provided on the carriage for biasing the contactors against the contacts while biasing the carriage away from the plate. A detent ball is disposed in a seat formed in a leaf spring on the carriage and is biased by the leaf spring against the flange for reception in successive detent recesses therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1992
    Assignee: Indak Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventor: Wesley D. Roswold
  • Patent number: 5068639
    Abstract: A wall box dimmer has a face plate having a pair of integral stand-offs extending rearwardly therefrom upon which is mounted a mounting strap. A circuit board is mounted on the rearward ends of the stand-offs. A back box is selectively removably secured to the mounting strap and covers the circuit board and circuit components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1991
    Assignee: Valmont Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Dail L. Swanson, Raymond M. Green, Gregory S. Bennorth