U.S. patent number 3,604,866 [Application Number 04/859,144] was granted by the patent office on 1971-09-14 for four-way toggle switch with improved joystick control mechanism.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Oak Electro/Netics Corporation. Invention is credited to John Darvasi.
United States Patent |
3,604,866 |
Darvasi |
September 14, 1971 |
FOUR-WAY TOGGLE SWITCH WITH IMPROVED JOYSTICK CONTROL MECHANISM
Abstract
A rotor-actuating means for use in a rotary switch which
includes at least one generally planar switch section disposed
along a drive shaft with the rotor of the switch section being
driven by the drive shaft. A toggle lever is pivotally mounted on a
frame generally concentric with the axis of the drive shaft for
generally linear reciprocating movement in at least one plane
generally perpendicular to the plane of the switch section. A drive
yoke member is pivotally mounted on the frame at a point spaced
from the drive shaft adjacent one end of the shaft with an elongate
radial slot intersecting the axis of the shaft and receiving the
toggle lever, and with an axially extending arm diametrically
disposed on the side of the drive shaft opposite the pivot point
for the drive yoke member. A driven yoke member is fixed on the
shaft and has a radially extending slot for receiving the arm of
the drive yoke whereby linear movement of the toggle lever is
translated through the drive yoke and driven yoke members to an
increment of rotational movement of the shaft and rotor.
Inventors: |
Darvasi; John (Des Plaines,
IL) |
Assignee: |
Oak Electro/Netics Corporation
(N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
25330157 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/859,144 |
Filed: |
September 18, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
200/6A; 200/14;
338/200 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G05G
9/04785 (20130101); G05G 2009/04744 (20130101); G05G
2009/04707 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G05G
9/00 (20060101); G05G 9/047 (20060101); H01h
019/00 (); H01h 021/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;200/6A,14,17,168S,153.19,153.7 ;338/200 ;74/471 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Scott; J. R.
Claims
What I claim is:
1. In a rotary switch which includes at least one generally planar
switch section, a toggle rotor actuating means, comprising: a drive
shaft means mounted on a frame for rotation relative to the frame,
said switch section being disposed along said drive shaft means
with the rotor of said switch section being driven by said drive
shaft means, a toggle lever pivotally mounted on the frame for
generally linear reciprocating movement, said pivotal mounting
being concentric with said drive shaft means, and connecting means
between said toggle lever and said drive shaft means for
translating linear movement from said toggle lever to rotational
movement, through a segment of an arc, of said drive shaft means
and, in turn, to said rotor.
2. The rotary switch of claim 1 including yoke means having a
driven yoke member fixed to said drive shaft means and extending
outwardly therefrom for rotation therewith, and connecting means
between said toggle lever and said yoke means for translating
linear movement from said toggle lever to rotational movement of
said driven yoke member.
3. The rotary switch of claim 2 wherein said yoke means includes
means defining generally radially disposed surface means engageable
by said toggle lever to translate linear movement from the toggle
lever to rotational movement of said yoke means.
4. The rotary switch of claim 3 wherein said surface means is
defined by a generally radially disposed slot receiving said toggle
lever at a point spaced from its pivotal mounting on said frame,
said slot providing for motion of the lever radially in the slot,
and with the sides of the slot engaging the lever to translate
linear movement from the toggle lever to rotational movement of
said yoke means, shaft means and rotor.
5. The rotary switch of claim 1, including a yoke means comprising
a driven yoke member and a drive yoke member, the driven yoke
member being fixed to said shaft and extending outwardly therefrom
for rotation therewith, the drive yoke member being pivotally
mounted on said frame at a point spaced from said shaft for
rotational movement in a plane transverse to the axis of the shaft,
connecting means between said driven and drive yoke members spaced
from said shaft and the pivot point of said drive yoke member
providing for simultaneous rotation of the yoke members, and
connecting means between said toggle lever and said drive yoke
member for translating linear movement from said toggle lever to
rotational movement of the drive yoke member, driven yoke member,
drive shaft means and rotor.
6. The rotary switch of claim 5 wherein said driven yoke member
includes means defining generally radially disposed surface means,
and said drive yoke member has an arm portion extending generally
parallel to said drive shaft means and into engagement with said
surface means to translate simultaneous rotational movement from
said drive yoke member to the driven yoke member.
7. The rotary switch of claim 6 wherein said surface means is
defined by a radially disposed slot in said driven yoke member
receiving said arm portion of the drive yoke member, said slot and
said arm portion being spaced from and disposed on the side of said
shaft generally diametrically opposite the pivot for said drive
yoke member.
8. The rotary switch of claim 7 wherein said connecting means
between said toggle lever and said drive yoke member comprises
means defining radially disposed surface means intersecting the
axis of rotation of said shaft means and engageable by said
lever.
9. The rotary switch of claim 8 wherein said surface means is
defined by a generally radially disposed slot receiving said lever
at a point spaced from its pivotal mounting on said frame, said
slot providing for motion of the lever radially in the slot, and
with the sides of the slot engaging the lever to translate linear
movement from the lever to rotational movement of the drive yoke
member, driven yoke member, drive shaft means and rotor.
10. In a rotary switch which includes at least a pair of generally
planar switch sections, a common toggle rotor actuating means for
said switch sections, comprising: drive shaft means including at
least a pair of concentric relatively rotatable shaft members, said
switch sections being disposed along said drive shaft means with
the rotor of each of said switch sections being driven by one of
said shaft members, a toggle lever journaled on the frame for
generally universal pivoting movement about a pivot point generally
on the axis of said shaft means, at least a pair of driven yoke
members one fixed to each of said shaft members and extending
outwardly therefrom at varying angles for rotation therewith, at
least a pair of drive yoke members one associated with each of said
driven yoke members and pivotally mounted on said frame at points
angularly about said shaft and spaced from said shaft means for
rotational movement in planes transverse to the axis of the shaft
means, connecting means between each of the associated driven and
drive yoke members spaced from said shaft and the pivot points of
the drive yoke members providing for simultaneous rotation of the
associated driven and drive yoke members, and connecting means
between the toggle lever and said drive yoke members for
translating linear movement from the toggle lever to rotational
movement of one of the driven yoke members when the lever is
pivoted in a predetermined linear direction and to rotational
movement of the other drive yoke member when the lever is pivoted
in a different predetermined linear direction.
11. The rotary switch of claim 10 including guide means restricting
the universal movement of said toggle lever to only said
predetermined directions.
12. The rotary switch of claim 10 wherein the connecting means
between said toggle lever and said drive yoke members comprises
means defining a radial slot in each of the drive yoke members
intersecting on the axis of rotation of said shaft means and
receiving said toggle lever at points spaced from its universal
mounting on said frame, said slots permitting motion of the toggle
lever radially in the slots, and with the sides of the slots
engaging the toggle lever to translate linear movement from the
toggle lever to rotational movement of the drive yoke members.
Description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The principal object of this invention is to provide a toggle
operating type rotor actuating means for use in a rotary
switch.
Heretofore, manually operated rotary switches universally include
some type of knob or handle which is mounted on the frame of the
switch for rotation in a plane generally parallel to the plane of
the switch sections so as to rotate the drive shaft and thus the
rotor of one or more switch sections which is driven by the drive
shaft. In some situations, it would be desirable to permit
actuation of the rotary switch by using a more positive linearly
movable toggle operating type member. Conversely, most conventional
toggle switches utilize leaf or similar type of contact members
which are closed or opened in response to the linear, pivotal
movement of the toggle lever. In some situations, a rotary switch
has greater operative advantages than leaf-type contact switches
which are operated by toggle levers. This invention is directed to
solving these problems by providing a toggle operating type rotor
actuating means for rotary switches, including novel connecting or
link means which translates linear, pivotal movement from the
toggle lever to rotary movement of the switch rotor for one or more
switch sections operated by a single toggle-mounted lever.
Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary switch which
includes at least one generally planar switch section disposed
along a drive shaft with the rotor of the switch section being
driven by the drive shaft, and including a toggle operating type
rotor actuating means for rotating the drive shaft. A toggle lever
is pivotally mounted on a frame for the switch for generally linear
reciprocating movement. A yoke is fixed to the drive shaft and
extends outwardly therefrom for rotation therewith. A connecting
means is provided between the toggle lever and the yoke for
translating linear movement from the lever to rotational movement
of the yoke, shaft and rotor through a segment of an arc.
A further object of the invention is to provide a rotary switch as
set forth in the preceding paragraph wherein the pivot mounting for
the toggle lever is disposed concentric with and at one end of the
drive shaft. The aforementioned yoke comprises a driven yoke
member, and including a drive yoke member pivotally mounted on the
switch frame at a point spaced from the drive shaft for rotational
movement in a plane transverse to the axis of the shaft. Connecting
means are provided between the driven and drive yoke members spaced
from the drive shaft and the pivot point of the drive yoke member
to provide for simultaneous rotation of the yoke members.
Connecting means is provided between the toggle lever and the drive
yoke member for translating linear movement from the toggle lever
to rotational movement of the drive yoke member, driven yoke
member, shaft and rotor.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a rotary switch
as set forth in the preceding paragraph wherein the connecting
means between the driven and drive yoke members includes an arm
extending away from one of the members axially of the drive shaft
and received in a radial slot in the other of the yoke members. The
connecting means between the toggle member and the drive yoke
member comprises a radially disposed slot in the drive yoke member
intersecting the axis of the drive shaft and receiving the toggle
lever at a point spaced from its pivot mounting on the switch
frame.
With the structure as set forth in the preceding paragraphs, the
rotors of a plurality of switch sections axially disposed along the
drive shaft may be actuated independently by a toggle-mounted lever
member. The drive shaft may include a plurality of concentric
relatively rotatable shaft members for independently rotating the
rotors of the various switch sections. A plurality of angularly
spaced drive yoke members and driven yoke members are provided, one
driven yoke member secured to each of the concentric shaft members
as described above. The radially disposed slots in the drive yoke
members are oriented so that all intersect the axis of the drive
shaft and all receive the one end of the toggle lever. The drive
yoke members are disposed at various angular orientations with
respect to the axis of the drive shaft. The toggle lever is
journaled on the switch frame at a point concentric with the axis
of the drive shaft for universal movement to provide linear
movement in a number of planes all parallel to and intersecting the
axis of rotation of the concentric drive shaft members. By properly
angularly orienting the drive yoke members, linear movement of the
universally journaled toggle lever in a given one of said planes
will cause movement of only one of said drive yoke members through
a segment of an arc and thereby actuate only one rotor of one of
the plurality of switch sections.
Further objects, advantages and features of the invention will
become apparent from the following detailed description taken in
connection with the accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal central section taken through the
toggle-operated rotary switch of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a section taken generally along the line 2--2 of FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is a section similar to that of FIG. 2 illustrating the
limit positions of one of the driven yoke members;
FIG. 4 is a section similar to that of FIG. 2 illustrating the
limit positions of the other of the driven yoke members;
FIG. 5 is a section taken generally along the line 5--5 of FIG.
1;
FIG. 6 is an end elevational view of the rotary switch taken
generally in the direction of line 6--6 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is a section taken generally along the line 7--7 of FIG. 1;
and
FIG. 8 is a front elevational view, on a reduced scale, of the
rotary switch of this invention taken generally in the direction of
line 8--8 in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The toggle operating type rotor actuating means of this invention
is shown embodied in a rotary switch, generally designated 10 in
FIG. 1. The rotor actuating means is shown as providing switching
functions of a plurality of generally planar switch sections. Two
switch sections, generally designated 12a and 12b, are illustrated
in the drawings and are shown best in FIGS. 6 and 7. The switch
sections 12a, 12b each comprise a stator portion 14a, 14b,
respectively, and a rotor portion 16a, 16b, respectively. In
conventional manner, the rotors of each switch section carry a
plurality of flat segmental contacts 17 on opposite sides thereof
and about the outer periphery thereof for selectively making
contact with a plurality of conventional double-wipe contacts 18
mounted on the stators of the switch sections. Referring to FIGS. 6
and 7, contact extensions 20 are disposed at the outer edge of each
segmental contact 17 and are adapted to engage the jaws of the
double-wipe contacts 18. Of course, the number of contacts 18 and
contact extensions 20, as well as their angular disposition about
the stator and rotor, are a matter of choice depending upon the use
of the switch and the switching functions desired.
The switch sections 12a, 12b are disposed along a drive shaft
means, generally designated 22, with the rotors of the switch
sections being rotated back and forth in the direction of arrows A
(FIGS 6 and 7) by the drive shaft means, as described in greater
detail hereinafter. The switch sections are held in place along the
drive shaft means 22 by a pair of boltlike strut members 24 which
are mounted on a rear frame portion which includes front and rear
frame plates 26 and 28, respectively. Spacer sleeves 30 maintain
the positioning of the switch sections 12a, 12b on the strut
members 24 to maintain their axial disposition along the shaft
means 22.
At this time it should be pointed out that the shaft means 22
includes a pair of concentric relatively rotatable shaft members
32a and 32b. The outer shaft member 32a comprises a sleeve for the
inner shaft member 32b and has a "double-D" exterior, as best seen
in FIG. 7, which mates with a similarly shaped aperture in the
rotor 16a. The inner shaft member 32b extends beyond the rear end
(the left end in FIG. 1) of the outer sleeve shaft member 32a and
has flat surfaces 34 for engaging similar abutment surfaces on the
rotor 16b to translate rotational movement thereto.
The switch has a front frame portion which includes four post
members 36 which are secured to the frame plate 26 and which mount
a front guide plate 38 (FIG. 1), a toggle-mounting plate 40 behind
the front guide plate 38, and an intermediate mounting plate 42
which mounts the drive yoke members, to be described in greater
detail hereinafter.
The toggle operating type actuating means of this invention
includes a toggle lever 44 which is journaled by a toggle ball 46
in a concave socket portion 48 of the toggle-mounting plate 40, for
universal movement of the toggle lever 44 about the toggle ball 46.
The ball 46 and socket 48 are disposed concentric with the axis of
the shaft means 22 whereby the toggle lever 44 is disposed coaxial
with the axis of the drive shaft means 22 at the front end of the
shaft means when the toggle lever is in its center or "home"
position shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 8, the front guide plate 38 has a pair of
guiding slots 48a and 48b disposed at 90.degree. to each other and
intersecting at and extending about the toggle lever 44 which
extends forwardly through the front guide plate 38. These guide
slots 48a, 48b restrict the universal movement of the toggle lever
44 to two linear directions, one for each of the switch sections
12a, 12b, respectively, to rotate the rotors of the respective
switch sections independently of each other in response to linear
movement of the toggle lever pivotally about toggle ball 46 in one
or the other directions defined by the guide slots 48a, 48b, as set
forth below.
The connecting means between the toggle lever 44 and the shaft
members 32a, 32b (along with their respective rotors 16a, 16b,
respectively) will now be described. It first should be pointed out
that the suffix letters a and b, as used above, are used for those
members which cooperate to actuate the respective rotors 16a, 16b
of the switch sections 12a, 12b, respectively. Referring to FIGS. 1
and 5, a pair of drive yoke members 50a, 50b are mounted by riveted
shaft members 52a, 52b, respectively, to the mounting plate 42 at
points spaced from the axis of the drive shaft means 22. The short
rivet shaft members 52a, 52b are angularly disposed about the axis
of the drive shaft means 22, 90.degree. from each other, with the
drive yoke members 50a, 50b extending radially therefrom to
opposite sides of the shaft means and intersecting on the axis of
the shaft means, as best seen in FIG. 5. Each of the drive yoke
members 50a, 50b has a radial slot 54a, 54b, respectively, which
receives or through which extends the inner end of the toggle lever
44 at points spaced to the rear of the pivoted toggle ball 46. The
slots 54a, 54b provide for motion of the lever radially in the
slots with the sides of the slots engaging the lever to translate
linear movement from the lever (as defined by the guide slots 48a,
48b in the front guide plate 38) to rotational movement of the
drive yoke members.
Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, a pair of driven yoke members 56a,
56b are fixed to the front ends of the outer and inner shaft
members 32a, 32b, respectively, for rotational movement with the
shaft members in a plane transverse to the axis thereof. Referring
to FIG. 2, each of the driven yoke members 56a, 56b has a radially
disposed slot 58a, 58b, respectively, at the radially outer edges
thereof receiving arm portions 60a, 60b which protrude rearwardly
from the drive yoke members 50a, 50b, respectively. As with the
slots 54a, 54b in the drive yoke members, slots 58a, 58b provide
for motion of the arm portions 60a, 60b radially in the slots, but
with the sides of the slots 58a, 58b being engaged by the arm
portions 60a, 60b to translate simultaneous rotational movement
from the drive yoke members 50a, 50b to the driven yoke members
56a, 56b, and thus, in turn, to the drive shaft members 32a, 32b
and the rotors 16a, 16b of the switch sections 14a, 14b,
respectively.
The full operation of the toggle rotor actuating means of this
invention will now be described. The operation will be described
only in relation to the switch section 12b. Referring to FIG. 1,
linear movement of the outer end of the toggle lever 44 in the
direction of arrow C within the guide slot 48b in the front guide
plate 38 will cause the lever to pivot about toggle ball 46 and
correspondingly move the inner end of the lever in the direction of
arrows E (FIGS. 1 and 5). The inner end of the toggle lever 44 will
engage the sides of the slots 54b in the drive yoke member 50b and
cause the drive yoke member 50b to pivot about the short rivet
shaft 52b (FIG. 5). As the drive yoke member 50b pivots or rotates
about shaft 52b, its arm portion 60b (FIG 2) will move in the
direction of arrow D (FIG. 2) and engage the sides of the slot 58b
in the driven yoke member 56b which is secured to the front end of
the inner shaft member 32b. Rotation of the driven yoke member 56b
in the direction of arrow D (FIG. 2) correspondingly will rotate
the inner shaft member 32b and cause rotation of the rotor 16b of
the switch section 12b to make or break selective contacts 18 and
20.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, it can be seen that movement of the
toggle lever in the direction of arrow C (FIG. 1) downwardly in
guide slot 48b will cause movement of the driven yoke member 56b
upwardly to the position shown in full lines in FIG. 4. Movement of
the toggle lever upwardly in guide slot 48b will cause the driven
yoke member 56b to move to the position shown in phantom in FIG. 4.
Correspondingly, referring to FIG. 3, horizontal movement of the
lever (i.e. movement in guide slot 48a) will cause movement of the
driven yoke member 56a between the full line and phantom positions
shown in FIG. 3.
Specialized switching functions also may be incorporated with the
present invention. For instance, projecting arms 70 may be provided
on the toggle ball 46 and an hourglass spring member 72 may be
positioned between the projecting arms 70 and the inside of the
front guide plate 38 to urge the toggle lever 44 to its center or
home position as shown in FIG. 1. In the embodiment illustrated,
the biasing of the hourglass spring 72 is provided to function with
the switch section 12b. Alternatively, a conventional detent
structure which includes a detent plate 74 (FIG. 1), detent balls
76, ball carrier plate 78, and plate spring 80 may be employed to
hold the toggle lever in one or both of its extreme positions. In
the embodiment illustrated, the detent structure is mounted to the
outer shaft member 32a and thereby controls or holds the switch
positions for the switch section 12a.
It should be pointed out that only two switch sections have been
shown in the drawings and described above for illustration purposes
only. It is contemplated that with the present invention more than
two switch sections, concentric drive shaft members, driven yoke
members, drive yoke members, and guide slots (i.e. 48a, 48b) may be
employed for a wide number of switch sections.
The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of
understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be
understood therefrom as some modifications will be obvious to those
skilled in the art.
* * * * *