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:
Jul. 18, 2000
Filed:
May. 27, 1999
Daniel Christopher Murphy, Livonia, MI (US);
Scott Jon Pollock, Ypsilanti, MI (US);
TRW Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
An electrical switch (20) comprises a plastic base (40), a plurality of base terminals (102-112) mounted in the base, a manually pivotable actuator (200) supported for pivotal movement relative to the base, and at least one actuator terminal (260) mounted to the actuator. The actuator (200) is pivotable between a neutral position in which the actuator terminal (260) is in contact with one (106) of the base terminals (102-112) and at least one actuated position in which the actuator terminal is in contact with another (110) of the base terminals. The actuator terminal (260), when the actuator (200) is pivoted from the neutral position to the at least one actuated position, slides out of contact with the one (106) of the base terminals (102-116) and slides into contact with the other (110) of the base terminals. The sliding movement of the actuator terminal (260) into and out of contact with the one (106) of the base terminals (102-112) and the other (110) of the base terminals cleans the actuator terminal and the base terminals to help prevent contamination.