One End Of Spring Is Carried By Actuator Patents (Class 200/458)
  • Patent number: 9793066
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a low travel switch mechanism. The low travel switch mechanism may include a substrate, a dome coupled to the substrate, a keycap, and an integrated pivot component disposed between the keycap and the dome. The integrated pivot component may include a hinge assembly coupled to a light guide structure. The hinge assembly may secure to the substrate, via one or more hinge interconnects, joints, or interlock features to form a pivot point. When the keycap receives a keystroke, the integrated pivot component may be operative to pivot about the pivot point and contact the dome to cause a switching event or operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: John M. Brock, Patrick Kessler, Craig C. Leong, Keith J. Hendren, James J. Niu
  • Patent number: 6104306
    Abstract: A closure-sensitive signalling device with a cantilever switch responsive to the opening of a folded article such as a business card holder, greeting card, folder, or other article having panels foldable with respect to each other along a fold line. The cantilever switch has a stationary electrical contact and a conductive cantilever arm engageable therewith, and is mounted along with a battery-powered signal generator IC on a low-profile printed circuit board adapted for mounting on one panel of the folded article with the cantilever switch adjacent to the fold line. The cantilever arm's free end is engageable with another panel of the folded article such that the switch is held open when the article is closed and is closed when the article is open. The signalling device generates an audible or visible signal in response to a signal from the signal generator IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Buztronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Hogue, Edward D. Lewis, Raymond W. Leung
  • Patent number: 5950812
    Abstract: A rocker-type switch having components which can be assembled by automatic assembly machines and do not require the intervention of a human operator. A star shaped spring provides the necessary forces to hold the rocker in a selected position and hold the rocker to a switch spacer and couple the rocker to a movable contact arm. The movable contact arm is inserted in the switch spacer. The star spring is assembled to the rocker and the rocker is assembled to the movable contact arm when the rocker is assembled to the switch spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Mehmet K. Tanacan, Gregory Lawren, Ralph Giannuzzi, Michael D. Williams, Clifford G. Martin
  • Patent number: 5471024
    Abstract: A flexible movable contact having fulcrums for pivoting the contact within notches of a terminal has a tab between the fulcrums offset downwardly and projecting outwardly that extends through an aperture in a flat U-shaped insulating contact carrier to attach one end of the contact to the carrier. A right-angle flat transition surface between the offset tab and primary plane of the contact abuts a convex surface forming an edge of the aperture to permit the contact to pivot relative to the carrier for self-alignment of the fulcrums in the notches. A beam of the contact extends obliquely away from the carrier and has lateral arms terminating in hook portions engaging an opposite side of the carrier. Ears bent over on the free end of the contact beam arrest overtravel movement of the carrier, which movement can be closely controlled by tolerances between the ears and hook portions during manufacture of the movable contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Michael E. Ross, Robert A. Borsos, Lawrence G. Corey
  • Patent number: 5239151
    Abstract: The invention relates to a leaf switch having a scroll spring (6) which can be hooked between a switching are elongate windows which extend in the transverse direction and into which centrally projecting tongues (3a, 2a) of the switching tongue (3) and of the spring lever (2) engage. In order to avoid an unintentional unhooking of the scroll spring (6), there is a deformation projecting beyond the tongue surface at the front section of at least one of the two tongues (3a, 2a). The said deformation can be constructed as an embossed hollow projection or as laterally bent-over tongue legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Assignee: Marquardt GmbH
    Inventors: Albert King, Guenther Marquardt
  • Patent number: 5207317
    Abstract: A switch actuator having a bezel, paddle and spring-biased lever. The bezel has a pivot defining a first pivot axis and an outer surface defining a plane. The paddle has an outer surface and an inner surface facing in a direction opposite the outer surface. The inner surface has structure for actuating a switch in response to actuation of the paddle, which is pivotably supported in the bezel for limited pivoting movement about the first pivot axis between first and second positions. A lever is pivotably mounted on the bezel and disposed at an acute angle to said plane. The lever is pivotable with respect to the bezel and the paddle about a second pivot axis as the paddle is pivoted about the first pivot axis. The second pivot axis is spaced from and substantially parallel to the first pivot axis. A spring is disposed at an acute angle to the plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Gary W. Bryde, James E. Swain, III, John R. Woodman
  • Patent number: 5122626
    Abstract: In a push-button switch in which a switch mechanism switched over on the basis of push-button depression is supported between a pair of split-type switch bases so as to be switchably operated, a falling-off prevention engage portion is formed at an end of a lever pivotal axle of a inclination lever provided for the switch mechanism, so as to be engageable with a pivotal hole formed in an opposing side wall of the switch base for prevention of falling-off of the inclination lever from the switch base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: Omron Tateishi Electronics Co.
    Inventors: Kenji Shinohara, Takashi Niwa, Norio Iwakiri
  • Patent number: 5089678
    Abstract: A switch wherein an elongated at least substantially tubular housing contains a bearing member pivotably mounting a two-armed lever. One arm of the lever is directly coupled to a motion transmitting device which is rigid with a depressible pushbutton and carries a reflector for a light source behind the pushbutton. The other arm of the lever can move the front end of a stressed leaf spring which bears against a pivotable contact to urge the latter against an electric terminal in depressed position of the pushbutton or against an insulating stop in extended position of the pushbutton. A coil spring reacts against the bearing member and biases the lever to an end position in which the contact engages the stop; the lever then maintains the pushbutton in the extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1992
    Assignee: Elektro-Apparatebau Olten AG
    Inventors: Othmar Zemp, Albrecht Meier
  • Patent number: 4853505
    Abstract: A generally cylindrical lamp of diameter D is provided in a miniature double pole switch case of internal height only 2.times.D. The movable contact levers are shorter than the length of the switch case cavity and an internal divider wall cooperates with skirt portions of the rocker to support these levers during pivotal movement on the upper ends of the center fixed contacts. The levers are spaced apart at least approximately by the dimension D.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1989
    Assignee: Carlingswitch, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard W. Sorenson