Emerson Electric Company

Nidec Motor Corporation

Emhart Industries, Inc.

James Patrick Meagher

Vaughn Clark Arens

Jeffrey Scott Sherman

James L Skinner

Raymond D Heilman

John G Schrader

Thomas A Neese

Charles V Edwards

Benjamin F Chestnut

Zhen Li

John W Smith

Stephen M Jones

Donald L Ray

Robert D O'Neil

Matthew R Baum

Mitchell C Owen, Jr

Steven L Buhrmester

Dennis Sobieck

Rotary switches and associated methods. A rotary switch can include one or more arcuate passages which are prone to ingress of particulate or liquid contaminants. A gasket, a rib, and/or a lubricant reservoir can be provided in the arcuate passages for blocking ingress of contaminants to an interior of the switch.

Rotary switch

A pump motor assembly operable to provide driving power to a fluid pump includes a rotor, a stator, a case housing the rotor and the stator, and a control assembly mounted to the case and operable to control motor operation. The control assembly includes an information display and a cover overlying the display, with a window section in general alignment with the display. The control assembly also includes a filler plate underlying the window section to prevent any air gap along an underside thereof, allowing the display to be visible while reducing the risk of condensation buildup. The control assembly further includes a low voltage housing with the display disposed in a first compartment defined thereby, and a high voltage housing with a high voltage component disposed in a second compartment defined thereby. The low voltage housing includes a thermal and fluid barrier that substantially fluidly separates the first and second compartments to reduce the risk of liquid electrical conduction therebetween and to reduce heat transfer into the low voltage housing.

Pump motor control assembly

A manually operated switch assembly is disclosed. The switch assembly includes a housing, a switch mechanism, and an actuator assembly. The switch mechanism is housed within the housing and is configured to open or close a circuit upon actuation. The actuator assembly is shiftably supported by the housing and generally includes a depressible actuator and a stability element. The actuator presents an actuator length and serves to actuate the switch mechanism when depressed. The stability element is configured to ensure that the actuator moves substantially uniformly along the actuator length when the actuator is depressed such that actuation of the switch mechanism is facilitated regardless of where the actuator is depressed along the actuator length. The switch assembly may be waterproofed, and be formed, at least in part, by a curable liquid sealant supplied to the switch assembly from a single fluid source.

Waterproof switch having uniform tactile feel

A switch assembly for triggering the release of a door latch that provides improved tactile feedback to a user when actuated is disclosed. The switch assembly provides a tactile response to the user that indicates proper actuation by the force feedback that is provided to the user as the button is displaced during actuation. The switch assembly includes an elastomeric button and a base supporting the button. An electrically conductive static contact is supported by the base. An electrically conductive moveable contact, also supported by the base, is operatively disposed between the button and the static contact. A film is disposed over the moveable contact and fixed to the edge of the base, sealing both contacts from the atmosphere. The film thereby effectively divides the interior of the switch assembly into an open first chamber located between the film and the button, and a closed second chamber located between the film and the base.

Low profile automotive latch release switch assembly

A pedal actuated switch assembly The switch assembly comprises a housing, a linear actuator resiliently supported in the housing and coupled with the a pedal for linear movement relative to the housing, a rotational actuator rotatably supported in the housing and coupled with the linear actuator such that the linear movement of the linear actuator produces a rotational movement of the rotational actuator, and an electrical switch supported in the housing and controllable by the rotational movement of the rotational actuator for selectively opening and closing the electrical switch.

Pedal actuated switch assembly

A multi-position switch assembly mounted in a housing. The switch assembly includes a rotatable member, a set of first electrical conductors disposed along a first circumference and a set of second electrical conductors disposed on a printed circuit along at a second circumference. The switch assembly also includes an actuating mechanism that selectively provides electrical contact between at least one of the first conductors with one of the second conductors to close a circuit when the member is rotated. The first conductors may be either stationary or rotatable with the member. The actuating mechanism for the stationary conductors includes a cam, a bearing retainer and a pad with resilient buttons. The rotatable conductors are spring-biased and guided in a slot on the printed circuit board.

Rotary switch assembly

A switching apparatus and electro-mechanical latching system includes an elastomeric button with independently movable electrically conducting spring plates mounted to the button. The button includes a plurality of elastomeric posts extending from an inboard surface thereof for retaining the spring plate to the button. A leadframe is disposed in the base and includes electrical tracks for communicating with a vehicle computer. Each spring plate includes a plurality of cantilever springs. When the button is depressed, the cantilever springs of the spring plates come in contact with electrical tracks to complete a circuit. The completion of the circuit causes a signal to be sent to a vehicle computer, which signals a motor to release the automotive vehicle door latch.

Electro-mechanical door latch switch assembly and method for making same

A switching apparatus and electromechanical latching system includes an elastomeric button with independently movable electrically conducting spring plates mounted to the button. The button includes a button cap including a relatively high durometer material and button walls including a relatively low durometer button material, such that the button walls collapse and the button cap generally maintains its shape when pressure is applied to the button cap. Each spring plate includes a plurality of cantilever springs. When the button is depressed, the cantilever springs of the spring plates come in contact with electrical tracks to complete a circuit. The completion of the circuit causes a signal to be sent to a vehicle computer, which signals a motor to release the automotive vehicle door latch.

Door unlatch switch assembly

A brake master cylinder assembly includes a brake master cylinder housing having a rear end surface separated from a front end surface by a side surface, and defines an inner cavity that opens through the front end surface. At least one plunger is positioned in the inner cavity and is moveable between a retracted position and an advanced position. A shaft with one end extending into the inner cavity is in contact with the at least one plunger and has an other end extending out of the inner cavity away from the front end surface. A collapsible cover surrounds a portion of the shaft and has a forward end attached to the shaft and a base end attached to the brake master cylinder housing. An electrical brakelamp switch is attached to the brake master cylinder housing adjacent one of either the front end surface or the rear end surface. The electrical brakelamp switch has a stationary portion with a first electrical contact and a moveable portion with a second electrical contact positioned across from the first electrical contact. Finally, the switch portion of the assembly is sized and arranged in order to prevent damage to the electrical brakelamp switch in the event of hydraulic fluid loss within the brake master cylinder housing and advancement of the shaft to its advanced position.

Brake master cylinder and brakelamp switch assembly

A switch assembly has dual spring biased plungers which operate several switches within a single housing. The dual plungers act independently of one another to provide switch redundancy if required. The plungers have rectangular surfaces with cams, and the switches have cam followers which operate the switches. In an alternative application, some of the switches may be replaced with a printed circuit board and a plunger with multi-finger wiping contacts. The printed circuit board and plunger with multi-finger wiping contacts arrangement allows the switch to produce a signal that is related to the distance of pedal movement. Additionally, a capacitor is provided on the housing for the purposes of filtering any electrical signal produced by electrical contact arching in a switch used in a high voltage circuit. The capacitor is held in the switch assembly by a box and a holding clip. The capacitor's placement in the switching circuit is such that it is in parallel with the switch.

Multiple plunger pedal switch assembly

A pedal operated switch assembly has a plunger that operates blade switches and is mounted on a brake pedal in a manner providing self-adjustment. The pedal operated switch assembly has a pivoting lever with a portion that contacts the brake pedal and a portion that contacts a plunger creating a mechanical advantage for actuating the plunger. The mechanical advantage of the pivoting lever reduces the amount of brake pedal travel necessary operate the pedal operated switch assembly.

Lever actuated pedal operated switch assembly

A self-adjusting multicircuit brake switch is accomplished by employing a switch housing with an integral mounting means that is carried on a brake pedal actuation pin. The brake master cylinder push rod is also carried on the brake pedal actuation pin and directly actuates a plunger on the brake switch eliminating the need for adjustment. Multicircuit capability is provided by a plurality of blade switches that are actuated by the plunger with integral activation arms. The plunger's integral activation arms can be configured to: make or break electrical contacts when the plunger is depressed, mechanically break electrical contacts, sequence blade switch operation, and be micro-adjusted during production to compensate for component tolerance variations. Additionally, blade switches can be configured to provide contact wiping action.

Self-adjusting multicircuit brake switch

A housing includes a switch chamber and a plunger chamber communicating with the switch chamber. A plunger is slidable within the plunger chamber. Cam surfaces on the plunger operate electrical switches in the switch chamber. There is an axial channel in the plunger, and a slot through the plunger wall communicates with the channel. A vacuum passageway passes from one side of the housing, into the channel, and a solid extension of the passageway passes through the slot, and into a hole in the opposite wall of the housing. As the plunger moves in and out, the slot slides on the extension to guide to stabilize the plunger. A vent hole in the vacuum passageway opens into the channel. A sealing member slides in the channel along the axis of the plunger, alternately sealing and unsealing the vent hole as the plunger moves. A spring seated between the plunger and the sealing member permits the plunger to continue moving when the sealing member is seated in the passageway vent hole. A maze causes air passing through the switch chamber to the vent hole to turn and slow, thereby causing dust particles to settle out of it.

Growing community of inventors

Indianapolis, IN, United States of America

James Patrick Meagher