Laminated Locking Slider Multiple Circuit Pushbutton Switch Assembly With Improved Connectors For Plug-in Wires

Abstract

A pushbutton actuated multiple slide switch adapted for use with push-in wire connectors, having a housing providing two series of discrete openings and containing a plurality of fixed and cooperating movable integral terminal elements adjacent the openings, each element comprising a retaining portion providing a resilient locking tongue and a cooperating contact portion opposed to the tongue for retaining a conductor wire inserted through the opening.

Description

This invention relates to electrical switches of the pushbutton actuated multiple slide type and more particularly to the terminal and connective elements thereof.

Pushbutton actuated multiple slide switches, generally of the type shown in Andrews U.S. Pat. No. 2,431,904, have long been known and used. Their use has been somewhat limited, however, by reason of the exposed terminals of such switches in that they could not economically be used in certain types of appliances, especially small appliances for household kitchen use, such as food mixers, in spite of their known advantages of pushbutton control for providing a large number of operating speeds as is needed in such appliances.

Accordingly, it is a major object of the present invention to provide a novel pushbutton actuated multiple slide switch especially adapted for the above mentioned uses.

This is accomplished, according to the present invention by providing a hollow insulating housing with wall means having two series of discrete openings spaced from one another, a multiplicity of slides mounted within the housing, a plurality of pushbutton elements for operating the slides, and a plurality of integral terminal elements mounted within the housing adjacent said openings. The terminal elements include fixed contact terminal elements and cooperating movable contact terminal elements actuated by the slides. Each terminal element comprises a resilient locking tongue with its free end overlapping an opening for engaging and retaining a conductor wire inserted through the opening, and a contact portion extending inwardly away from said wall means. With this arrangement, using an insulated conductor having a bared end, all of the exposed terminal and connecting portions are uniquely concealed and protected within the insulating switch housing.

For the purpose of more fully explaining further objects and features of the invention, reference is now made to the following detailed description thereof, together with the following drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of the multiple pushbutton slide switch of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the operative elements of the switch;

FIG. 3 is a section along line 3--3 of FIG. 1, showing one contact of the switch in open condition;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3, showing one contact of the switch in the closed condition; and

FIG. 5 is a detailed plan view taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, the multiple pushbutton slide switch of the invention includes a hollow insulating housing 10, divided generally into a narrow upper portion 12 and a wider lower portion 14. Upper portion 12 provides a top 16 having a series of discrete top openings 18, each adapted to accommodate a pushbutton plunger 20, carrying a slide actuator 44.

Slide wall 22 of lower portion 14 provides a series of side openings 24, and side wall 26 provides a similar series of side openings 28 located opposite openings 24, both series of openings being adapted to accommodate push-in wire connectors. Referring now particularly to FIG. 5, interior abutments 100 and 102 within housing 10 cooperate with side wall 26 to define a pair of opposing slots 104 and 106 extending parallel to side wall 26 on either side of each opening 28. Similar pairs of opposing slots 107 and 109 are provided adjacent openings 24. An insulating floor 30 is removably secured to housing 10 by clips 32.

The interior of housing 10 further provides upper interior wall means 110 (FIG. 3) cooperating with side wall 22 to form an upper horizontal slot 112 above each opening 24; upper interior wall means 14 similarly cooperates with side wall 26 to form an upper horizontal slot 116 above each opening 28. Housing 10 additionally provides contact stop surfaces 150.

Within housing 10, referring now to FIG. 2, are a multiplicity of parallel vertically oriented slides 34, each slide 34 having a plurality of top cam surfaces 35 and 36 and bottom cam surfaces 37 and 38. Bottom bearing surfaces 40 rest on bearing strip 42, carried on floor 30.

Within lower portion 14 of housing 10 are a plurality of sheet metal integral terminal elements, disposed in pairs, one member of each pair being a fixed contact terminal element 50 and the other member being a cooperating movable contact terminal element 52, each terminal element being a single piece bent of sheet metal to provide both a wire retaining portion and a contact portion. More specifically, each movable terminal element 52 provides a generally upright wire-retaining portion 64, generally parallel to wall 26; a U-shaped cutout in portion 64 creates a resilient locking tongue 66 whose free end 68 overlies an opening 28. The side edges 65 of retaining portion 64 are deformed to provide an interference fit with opposing slots 104 and 106 of housing 10. The upper end of retaining portion 64 is bent back on itself to form a ridge 67 for engaging upper horizontal slot 116 of housing 10, and carries an upwardly biassed resilient contact-carrying portion 70 extending inwardly away from side wall 26 and beneath the multiplicity of slides 34, carrying on its free end 71 a contact 72. The lower portion 90 of terminal element 52 extends perpendicularly to side wall 26, providing a wire contacting surface 92 opposed to free end 68 of locking tongue 56, and cooperating with end 68 to clamp conductor 39 therebetween. Portion 90 terminates in a vertical stop surface 94, spaced from side wall 26, and providing a wire stop for wire 39.

Cooperating fixed terminal element 50 is of similar construction, having a generally upright wire retaining portion 54, with a resilient locking tongue 56 whose free end 58 overlies an opening 24. Side edges 55 of retaining portion 54 are deformed to provide an interference fit in the pair of opposing slots adjacent opening 24, and the upper end of portion 54 is bent to form a positioning ridge 57 for engaging upper horizontal slot 112, and carries a contact-carrying portion 60 extending inwardly away from side wall 22, carrying on its free end 61 a contact 62. A lower portion 80 of terminal element 50 extends perpendicularly to side wall 22, providing wire contacting surface 82 opposed to free end 58 of locking tongue 56, and cooperating with end 58 to clamp conductor 29 therebetween. Portion 80 terminates in a vertical stop surface 84, spaced from side wall 22, and providing a wire stop for wire 29. The novel provisions of the one piece, integral sheet metal terminal elements of the invention uniquely provides both inexpensive switch operating elements and simple assembly into insulating housing 10.

For such assembly, slides 34 are first placed within housing 10. Fixed terminal elements 50 are inserted with the positioning ridge 57 of each engaging an upper horizontal slot 112, and sides 55 are then fitted into the opposing slots adjacent opening 24. Movable terminal elements 52 are next inserted with the positioning ridge 67 of each engaging an upper horizontal slot 116, and sides 65 are then fitted into opposing slots 104 and 106. Floor 30, with bearing strip 42, is then secured to housing 10 by clips.32.

The assembled switch of the invention, free of external exposed electrical elements, is used with a plurality of connecting insulated wires having exposed bared ends 29 with insulation 31 therebeyond by inserting them into each side opening 24 until the end reaches stop surface 84 of fixed terminal 50; wire 29 is then clamped between locking tongue 56 and contact surface 82. A similar wire connector 39 is inserted into each oppositely located side opening 28, until it reaches stop surface 94 of movable terminal 52; wire 29 is then clamped between locking tongue 66 and contact surface 92. With this arrangement, the bared wire ends are concealed within the insulating housing, with only their insulated portions 31 extending therebeyond.

For switch operation, referring to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the contact between the particular fixed terminal 50 and movable terminal 52 here shown as an example is normally open; while pushbutton plunger 20 is not depressed relative to housing 10, lower cam surface 38 of slide 34 engages portion 70 of movable terminal 52, thereby maintaining contact 72 in a position spaced from contact 62 of fixed terminal 50. When pushbutton plunger 20 is depressed, slide actuator 44 follows upper cam surface 35 to engage upper cam surface 36. This motion of plunger 20 and actuator 44 causes slide 34 to move in the direction indicated by arrow 200, which permits portion 70 to move upwardly, carrying contact 72 upwardly to engage contact 62. Free end 61 of fixed terminal 50 rests against contact stop surface 150 of housing 10, thereby insuring a firm contact between portions 72 and 62.

When pushbutton plunger 20 is released, actuator 44 is carried upward and engages upper cam surface 35, allowing slide 34 to return to its original position, and thereby forcing portion 70 of movable terminal 52 to move downwardly, breaking the contact with terminal 50.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. In a multiple pushbutton slide switch comprising

a hollow insulating housing with wall means having two series of discrete openings spaced from one another

a multiplicity of slides mounted within said housing

a plurality of pushbutton elements for operating said slides

a plurality of integral terminal elements mounted within said housing adjacent said openings including fixed contact terminal elements and cooperating movable contact terminal elements actuated by said slides

the improvement of the said contact terminal elements comprising

a retaining portion, said retaining portion being cut along a generally U-shaped path, said path defining an integral resilient locking tongue having its free end overlying a said opening for engaging and retaining a conductor wire inserted through said opening and

a contact portion extending inwardly away from said wall means.

2. A multiple pushbutton slide switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein

said retaining portion includes a plate parallel to said wall means and retained in said housing.

3. A multiple pushbutton slide switch comprising

a hollow insulating housing with top and side walls each having a series of discrete openings spaced from one another with interior abutment means defining opposing slots at the sides of said side wall openings and parallel to said side walls

a multiplicity of slides mounted within said housing and having a plurality of top and bottom cam surfaces

a plurality of pushbutton elements extending through said openings in said top wall for operating said slides by engagement with said top cam surfaces of said slides

a plurality of integral sheet metal terminal elements mounted within said housing adjacent said side wall openings including fixed contact terminal elements and cooperating movable contact terminal elements actuated by said slides

said terminal elements comprising

a retaining portion including a plate parallel to said side walls with its opposed side edges retained in said opposing slots and having a "U" shaped cutout providing a resilient locking tongue with its free end overlying said opening for engaging and retaining a conductor wire inserted through said opening and

a contact portion extending inwardly away from said side wall.

4. A multiple pushbutton slide switch as claimed in claim 3 wherein

the lower end of said retaining portion adjacent the bottom of said side wall slot extends perpendicularly to said side wall providing a wire contacting surface opposed to the free end of said tongue cooperating therewith to clamp a conductor wire therebetween.

5. A multiple pushbutton slide switch as claimed in claim 4 wherein

said lower end of said retaining portion has its end spaced from said side wall providing a conductor wire stop spaced from said opening.

6. A multiple pushbutton slide switch as claimed in claim 3 wherein

said upper end of said retaining portion is bent back upon itself and

said opposing slots are of a width at least as great as said bent back end,

the sides of said plate being deformed to a thickness providing an interference fit in said opposing slots.

7. A multiple pushbutton slide switch comprising

a hollow insulating housing with top and side walls each having a series of discrete openings spaced from one another with interior abutment means defining opposing slots at the sides of said side wall openings and parallel to said side walls,

a multiplicity of slides mounted within said housing and having a plurality of top and bottom cam surfaces,

a plurality of pushbutton elements extending through said openings in said top wall for operating said slides by engagement with said top cam surfaces of said slides,

a plurality of integral sheet metal terminal elements mounted within said housing adjacent said side wall openings including fixed contact terminal elements and cooperating movable contact terminal elements actuated by said slides, said terminal elements comprising

a contact portion extending inwardly away from said side wall, and

a retaining portion including a plate parallel to said side walls with its opposed side edges retained in said opposing slots,

said opposing slots being of a width at least as great as said bent back end,

the sides of said plate being deformed to a thickness providing an interference fit in said opposing slots,

said parallel plate having a "U" shaped cutout providing a resilient locking tongue with its free end overlying said opening for engaging and retaining a conductor wire inserted through said opening, and

the lower end of said retaining portion adjacent the bottom of said side wall slot extending perpendicularly to said side wall providing a wire contacting surface opposed to the free end of said tongue cooperating therewith to clamp a conductor wire therebetween.