General Automotive Specialty Co., Inc.

Echlin, Inc.

Data Instruments, Inc.

General Automotive Speciality Co., Inc.

Mark Levine

William T Holmes

Herman W Erichsen

Louis J Panagotopulos

Joel Rudder

Robert H Hanes

Douglas A Murphy

David Ditlya

George Bellwoar

Edward W Baumgartner

A submersible rotary switch protects against moisture contamination and includes a housing containing an actuating mechanism and an oppositely disposed contact device confined in a contact compartment statically sealed by a flexible boot. A driver disposed between the compartments connects the actuating mechanism to the contact device to effect rotational translation therebetween.

Submersible switch with static seal

A rotary switch having a terminal base molded on a lead frame which includes internal contacts and external terminals, along with the connecting straps between them, all formed of a single metal part. Portions of the metal of the lead frame are selectively removed in order to create a variety of switch configurations. Different switch actuating rotors are provided which further allow creation of different switch modes (single throw, double throw, etc.). The rotor is also provided with detents in order to allow for retention and indexing of the switch positions. A ramp may be selectively installed into the rotor to eliminate unwanted detent positions without requiring a different rotor. One or more 'floating' movable contact elements complete the circuits when the rotor allows a respective spring to force a floating movable element into contact with both of a corresponding pair of stationary contacts of the terminal base. A separately usable illuminated indicator module is mounted on a bushing surrounding the switch rotor and the knob of the switch transmits light passing from the indicator module to the front of the knob where it can be viewed. The module includes a light distributor which directs the light from a single lamp to several positions corresponding to the switch positions.

Rotary switch

Rotary switch indicator including horseshoe light guide

Latch and knob combination

Key handle

A beam-type strain gage pressure transducer is disclosed having strips of piezo-resistive material supported on a sensing beam, one being subject to compression and another to tension in response to applied pressure. The beam structure may be made by screw machine techniques to form a beam integral with a circular base structure. A highly flexible diaphragm permits force generated by application of pressure to be transmitted entirely to the beam. Components and construction are suited to high production and automated assembly techniques.

Pressure transducer

The invention improves upon the diaphragm/beam-type transducers and method of manufacturing same described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,575. The new transducers and method of manufacture utilize strips or slivers of silicon or germanium which are larger than the individual strips used in the apparatus and method described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,575 by an amount sufficient to permit (a) the formation of two gages on each strip and (b) the forming of bonding pads on each gage. The bonding pads are formed on the gage strip before the strip is bonded to the beam, so that formation of the bonding pads and bonding of the strip to the beam can be handled automatically. The strips are mounted to one side of the midpoint of the beams, so that when a diaphragm/beam is deflected by application of a fluid pressure, one of the two gages will undergo a tension strain while the other gage will undergo a compression strain. Because both gages form part of the same silicon or germanium strip, they tend to be virtually identical in physical and electrical properties, thereby simplifying calibration of the resulting transducers.

Pressure transducers

Method of manufacturing pressure transducers

A key cover comprises a hinged frame and two removably insertable insignia plates for bearing an identifying mark or logo. The frame has a recess for accommodating the head of the key and a locking means which retains the cover on the key head when the frame is folded over onto itself. The insignia plates include bosses which extend through the key ring hole of the key, for preventing the key from pivoting within the cover. The plates are inserted into openings in the frame, the key blade is inserted between the hinges and the frame is folded over onto itself. Pressure on the frame engages the locking means, which retains the cover on the key head.

Snap-on key cover

A fuse holder has a base, an electrically conductive element and a cover which secures the element to the base. The base has opposite sides formed with projections and recesses which are releasably engageable with complementary recesses and projections of another base. The conductive element is arranged to contact a conductive element on the other base when the releasable locking position is reached. The conductive element has arms from which project contacts that are electrically isolated from other cooperating contacts. By inserting fuse terminals through slots in a cover that are directly over the contacts and cooperating contacts, electrical connection is made between the contacts and the cooperating contacts. Preferably, four, six or fourteen fuses may be held at the same time by any one fuse holder.

Fuse holder

A collision avoidance light for mounting at the rear window of an automobile includes a housing, a socket assembly, a lens and an anti-glare shield. The housing defines an open face. The socket assembly includes a socket for mounting a light bulb. The socket assembly is mounted on the housing. The lens is detachably mounted to the housing in juxtaposition with the open face. The anti-glare shield is mounted on the housing and at least partially surrounds the lens. The shield is readily adaptible to conform to the slope of the rear window.

Collision avoidance light

A pressure responsive sender whose electrical resistance varies in response to variations in sensed pressure, adapted to be inserted in series with a voltage source and a pressure indicating gauge, such as an oil pressure indicating gauge. The sender includes a pressure sensing diaphragm coupled to a contact assembly which electrically engages a variable resistor assembly to an extent which is a function of the sensed pressure so that a predetermined electrical resistance for a particular sensed pressure is obtained. A dual stage spring system is associated with the pressure sensing assembly providing increased sensitivity in a low pressure range, a well-defined cut-off pressure and accurate calibration of the sender. The resistor and contact assemblies are pivotally mounted in a manner such that hysteresis problems, i.e., obtaining slightly different resistance values for identical pressures after cycling, are eliminated. The pivotal mounting of the elements also assures substantially identical sensitivity for devices produced in quantity.

Growing community of inventors

Plainview, NY, United States of America

Mark Levine