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:
Dec. 27, 2005
Filed:
Mar. 18, 2004
Neil R Aukland, Sterling Heights, MI (US);
Thomas J Schoepf, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
George Albert Drew, Warren, OH (US);
Gerd Rudolph, Aspisheim, DE;
Neil R Aukland, Sterling Heights, MI (US);
Thomas J Schoepf, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
George Albert Drew, Warren, OH (US);
Gerd Rudolph, Aspisheim, DE;
Delphi Technologies, Inc., Troy, MI (US);
Abstract
A contact structure for a sliding switch includes a conductive stationary contact disposed on a base and a conductive movable contact for electrically contacting the stationary contact. The movable contact is movable along a path between a non-contact position and a make-contact position with respect to the stationary contact, and at least one of the contacts has a protruding portion that provides an electrical interface for discharge of arcing as the movable contact breaks from the stationary contact. As a result, the invention prevents or substantially reduces degradation in switch performance which might otherwise be caused by debris accumulation associated with arcing.