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:
Sep. 12, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 20, 1999
Michael Osvatic, Waukesha, WI (US);
David M Howie, Waukesha, WI (US);
Michael Hintz, Waukesha, WI (US);
U.S. Controls Corporation, New Berlin, WI (US);
Abstract
A self-adjusting lid switch for a laundry apparatus provides a switch assembly attached to the housing of the machine and an actuator arm attached to the lid. The actuator arm includes an actuating surface pressing an operator of the switch assembly when the lid is sufficiently closed to allow operation of the machine. Problems of manufacturing tolerance and wear that might displace the actuator arm and switch assembly are accommodated by providing each of the actuator arm and switch assembly with alignment surfaces that upon closing of the lid, align the respective components prior to actuation of the switch. The alignment surfaces may be pins extending from the actuator arm received by a corresponding funnel-shaped channel between fingers flanking the operator of the switch that receive the pins.