The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 30, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 17, 1997
Stanley G Homol, Taunton, MA (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
A normally closed, fluid pressure responsive electric switch (10) has an electrically conductive body (12) formed with an orifice (12a) leading to a pressure chamber (12c) which is separated from a switch chamber by a flexible member (14). An annular support plate (18) and disc seat (20) are sandwiched in the body by crimping distal free end (12g) of body (12) over the flange (26b) of a connector body (26). A pressure/force converter (22) has a plurality of outwardly extending fingers which are interdigitated with a corresponding number of fingers extending inwardly from an aperture in the disc seat. The converter has one end (18b) engaging the membrane and an opposite end having a circular force applying surface (22g) adapted to engage a snap acting disc (24) disposed on the disc seat within a recess formed in the connector body. The disc is centered by a centering lip (22e) formed on the converter fingers. A terminal (28) extends through the connector base (26) and has a terminal rib (28e) which engages the opposite side of the disc forming an electric path from the terminal through the terminal rib to the disc and from the disc to the disc seat in one of two opposite configurations of the disc and from the disc seat to body (12) through deformed portions (12h) of the body wall (12f). In an alternate embodiment a two terminal switch (10') is provided by placing a second terminal (34) in electrical engagement with disc seat (20') and electrically isolating the disc seat from the body (12).