U.S. Controls Corporation

U.S. Controls Copr.

Spencer C Schantz

Kenyon A Hapke

David M Howie

David G Hackbarth

Timothy Laseke

Richard G Smith

William E Bargholtz, Jr

Ronald J Janz

Steven Sager

Steve Lovas

Dave Falcon

Mike Lehn

Steve L Sagar

Gary Christiansen

William Roos

A combination lid switch and out-of-balance switch for a residential washing machine or the like employs a pendulum actuated lever to open contacts under a predetermined acceleration after those contacts have been closed by a switch operator communicating with the lid.

Lid-switch with out-of-balance detection

A solid state alarm for a clothes dryer receives a line voltage signal prior to termination of the tumbling cycle to provide a series of pulses with decaying amplitudes driving a piezoelectric-type transducer. A timer terminating the series of pulses communicates with a pulse generating oscillator so as to eliminate partial pulsing at the conclusion of the alarm signal.

Clothes dryer with chiming alarm

A electromechanical buzzer provides a rotational volume control having a flange extending over the armature of the buzzer with a downwardly extending wedge surface reducing the vibrational range of the armature. The wedge surface is oversized so that when the armature is compressed against its associated electromagnet coil, the armature may move upward against a spring to complete its rotational travel without binding. Detent and stops on the rotational operator shaft are constructed to permit assembly of the operator shaft to the cover without interference between the parts of the detent and stop divided between the cover and the rotational operator shaft and then to permit a rotation of the operator shaft to engage the stops and detent components in a second angular range and constrain rotation to that second angular range thereafter. Assembly of the detent components reduces play in the detent such as might permit movement of the rotational operator shaft under the vibration caused by the buzzer.

Buzzer with rotary volume adjustment

A rotary switch adapted to be integrated into a push-to-start electrical control for a clothes dryer or the like employs a rotatable and axially translatable operator having an outwardly extending arm supporting a downward finger which travels across a pivotally mounted and downwardly arcuate lever to open and close contacts mounted on one end of the lever with rotation of the operator. Stops on rotation ensure that the finger is positioned on the lever so as to provide positive biasing of the operator to its end positions. The armature of a relay is actuated by a second arm from the operator contacting the armature within a triangle formed by the electromagnet coil and pivot supports preventing de-stabilization of the armature by the operator. Assembly of the relay to a base of the switch is provided by integrally molded hooks receiving tabs which cover holes necessary for the hook's manufacture. The operator is supported in a socket having a thin bottom wall that breaks free upon axial impact against the operator such as otherwise would be expected to damage the integrity of the switch housing.

Rotary switch with low play

A lid lock for a washing machine or the like employs a rapid bistable electromagnetic actuator that can be released immediately upon detecting a ceasing of rotation of the spin basket. The actuator is bistable to operate despite possible power failure during which the spin basket may still be coasting, and is driven by circuitry that stores reserved power to unlock the lid in a power failure situation. These same components can provide protection against entrapment in which the lid closure activates the spin cycle and lock because of a previous initiation of the spin cycle signal. Here, for the spin cycle to be initiated, the spin cycle signal must occur after lid closure.

Rapid release washing machine lid lock

A lid switch for disabling a top loading washing machine when the lid is raised is provided in which an arcuate arm passing downward from the lid near the hinge of the lid curves around the hinge axis into a space behind the lid under the top surface of the washing machine. A switch positioned above this top surface and having a downwardly extending operator may be actuated by this arm, the arm which serves to trap water from the washing machine tub area and by passing through a rim extending downward into the tub resists tampering with the switch. In one embodiment, the arcuate arm strikes a rocker arm permitting further displacement of the switch away from the tub. The rocker arm may be in two halves which pivot with respect to each other held in angular relationship by a detent. The switch assembly may be made self-adjusting by bending this adjustable rocker arm to small angle allowing the detent to release under the force of the arcuate arm after the switch has reached its stop position adjusting the rocker arm to the correct angular configuration.

Washing machine lid switch assembly

A self-adjusting lid switch for a type washing machine connects the switch to the lid by means of a slip joint composed of intermeshing toothed plates spring biased together. The first time the washing lid is closed the plates slip with respect to each other so that the switch is just actuated when the lid is closed. In this way a limited and predictable lifting of the lid de-actuates the switch so as to stop the washing machine before access to the washing machine tub is obtained.

Self adjusting lid switch

An acceleration sensitive switch for use in detecting an out-of-balance condition on a residential washing machine, or the like, uses a pendulum activated switch wherein the pendulum is biased against an energy absorbing stop by a predetermined threshold force corresponding to the desired switching acceleration. The geometry of the spring and pendulum are such that the restoring force decreases as the pendulum moves to activate the switch providing positive switching action and permitting simple calibration of the unit.

Out-of-balance control for washing machine

A switch for a washing machine lid or the like detects welded load contact through an auxiliary set of contacts which shunt the load when the first set of contacts should be open and thus provide a high-current path when those contacts are welded. A series fusible link mechanically activates a set of disconnect contacts which disconnects the washing machine motor. The resulting switch has a single operator that may be collapsible to be self-adjusting permitting the switch to snap in place without the need for a separate adjustment step in the manufacturing process.

Lid switch with contact failure detection

In a rotary switch, a manually rotatable shaft turns a disk which has a plurality of riser cam segments on one of its faces. Stepwise rotation of the disk causes the cam segments to press down on flat spring contacts arranged in the switch to put the tip of one of the contacts at a time into contact with a stationary electrical contact bar that is coated with a noble metal. The spring contacts are configured such that when pressed by a cam the tips are caused to make contact with the stationary contact bar and then slide longitudinally so as the tip will pick up some of the noble metal coating from the contact bar. The tips are shaped with a traverse curve intersecting a longitudinal groove to thereby produce two points that make high unit stress contact with the stationary contact bar.

Rotary switch with cam operated sliding contact engaging noble metal

In a rotary switch, a manually rotatable shaft turns a disk which has a plurality of riser cam segments on one of its face. Stepwise rotation of the disk causes the cam segments to press down on flat spring contacts arranged in the switch to put the tip of one of the contacts at a time into electric contact with a stationary electrical contact that is connected to a source of electric potential or, in the alternative, to relieve one of the contacts from being pressed onto the stationary contact. An index wheel mounts to the shaft and has equiangularly spaced grooves. A plastic spring having parallel legs is mounted on the base of the switch. The legs have convex detents which register in successive grooves as the rotor is indexed rotationally in a stepwise fashion. The radius of the detents is greater than the radius of the grooves between the teeth of the index wheel. The legs of the spring are prohibited from moving longitudinally and tension is maintained in the spring legs at all times.

Rotary switch with spring stabilized contact control rotor

A casing (11, 12) holds an actuator (18) having a stem (21) that is moves a plunger with substantial force in response to the actuator (18) being heated. The movement of the plunger (22) loads a compression spring (23) that is located between a base end of the plunger (22) and an opposing end wall of the casing. Two longitudinal casing sections (11, 12) form arcuate projections (43, 44) on the opposing end wall (49) which are inserted within at least one coil of the spring with an interference fit to hold the casing half sections together. Beams (64, 65, 74, 75) adjacent the base end wall (17) add support against the thrust reaction movement of the actuator housing (18) in response to movement of the plunger (22) against the compression spring (23).

Actuator assembly for use in appliances

In a door latching and switch contact controlling device, an actuator having first and second radially extending angularly spaced apart members is mounted on a common shaft in a housing with a latching member for the member and actuator to rotate together. A striker fastened to a door strikes the first radially extending member when the door closes to turn the actuator so the second member rotates into an opening in the striker to thereby conceal the first member. An electroresponsive device positions a latching element into the path of a stop on the latching member when the device is energized, thereby preventing the actuator from turning reversely if an attempt is made to open the door. The device locks the door if it is closed, if the actuator is rotated by the striker and the electroresponsive device is energized, whereupon a pair of contacts are compelled to make contact to complete a circuit for signalling a controller that it can initiate existence of a hazardous condition that is prevented from being accessed by the locked door.

Tamper-proof door switch and latch device

A switch operated to an open circuit condition by a closed lid of an automatic clothes washing machine. The switch housing is comprised of two parts which mate with each other and with the specially configured switch operating shaft for inhibiting entry of liquids into the switch contact chamber of the housing by splashing or by capillarity. A vent tube leads from the housing and, in effect, accepts air resulting from the air in the housing expanding when the switch is warm and which allows back flow of that air into the housing when the air in the housing cools. The tube prohibits pressure developing in the housing which is negative with respect to ambient atmospheric pressure.

Growing community of inventors

Dousman, WI, United States of America

Spencer C Schantz