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:
May. 02, 2006
Filed:
Apr. 30, 2004
Torsten Ahlert, Fuerstenwalde, DE;
Joerg-uwe Dahl, Werder, DE;
Marc Liebetruth, Glienicke, DE;
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Munich, DE;
Abstract
A latching mechanism is for locking an actuating shaft of an electrical switch, which can be transferred from an OFF position into an ON position by a drive train counter to the force of at least one first spring, in its ON position. The latching mechanism includes a first lever, which is pivotably coupled to the drive train of the actuating shaft and is supported against a stop held in a locking position. For accelerated release of the actuating shaft, also provided is a second lever, which has a working surface assigned to the stop. In this case, the second lever is held in a first stop position against the first lever by way of a second spring. When the second lever pivots under the action of an initiating force, which opposes the force of the second spring, the working surface acts in such a way on the stop that the stop is transferred into a release position. In order to release the actuating shaft more quickly, the forces of the two springs act independently of one another on the first lever, so that a mechanism which provides the initiating force can be formed independently of the drive train.