BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention is related to electrical rocker switches. In particular, it is an improved rocker switch that is sealed against contamination by elements in the environment to provide a better and more reliable switch.

A rocker switch is a device having a plurality of terminals and means operated by a rocker for making and breaking electrical connections between pairs of those terminals. A rocker switch typically has two or more stable states, but the term is also applied to switches designed for manual operation by means of a rocker and having at least one stable state, with other states involving momentary operation. The possible operating combinations for a single pole-double throw (SPDT) rocker switch are maintain-maintain, maintain-momentary, momentary- maintain-momentary, maintain-maintain-maintain, and maintain-maintain-momentary. In these combinations the term maintain means a state in which a switch remains where it is placed and the term momentary means a state in which the switch remains only as long as it is held there. It is often desirable in making a switch to be able to achieve any or all of these combinations with minimum changes in manufacture.

A rocker switch includes a button that is mounted to a case to pivot about an axis or the like. A spring is typically placed in contact with the button to exert a biasing force that will maintain the button in one or more of the stable positions, and will also maintain or assist in maintaining a force on electrical contacts that are being switched into contact. When the spring is

actuator, the spring also supplies the force that causes the switch to toggle from one stable position to another, to move from a momentary position when an operator lets go, and to apply force to maintain electrical contact.

The principles of operation of a rocker switch such as the one of the present invention are illustrated in allowed U.S. patent application 07/646,873, entitled "Toggle Switch," which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention and which is incorporated here by reference as if set forth fully. Such a switch, like the one of the present invention, is made with either a single pole or a double pole. Either of these types may be built as a single- or double-throw switch. Whatever the type, single pole-single throw (SPST) , single pole-double throw (SPDT) , double pole-single throw (DPST) , or double pole-double throw (DPDT) , an actuator moves a blade to make and break electrical contacts. The shape of the actuator determines whether the switch maintains a position in which it is placed or whether it changes from that position.

The typical rocker switch is a commodity, made in relatively large numbers for industries such as boats, construction vehicles, and the like. This makes it important in designing a rocker switch to have a minimum number of parts and maximum ease of assembly as well as a permanent seal at the button and behind the panel. Rocker switches are often specified to mount in relatively standard rectangular panel cutouts that range in length from 1.072" to 1.125" and in width from 0.490" to 0.550". To cover all standard cutouts, a rocker switch must fit into the smallest standard panel cutout and cover the largest. There are many available rocker switches that fit this

description, but few or none of them are also sealed against water and dust.

It is often useful to have a light bulb in a rocker switch to indicate that the switch is on or to provide a visual indication of other information. Such a bulb is attached to the housing or other part of the switch and is allowed to shine through a transparent or translucent portion of the button that may be colored. In a two-terminal switch, the bulb must be powered from the switched terminals. In a three-terminal switch, the bulb may be powered from the switched terminals or it may be powered from an independent terminal. With four terminals, an SPDT switch can have independent control of power to the bulb, and with five or six terminals, a DPDT switch can have independent control of power to the bulb. Thus, it may be desirable to have as many as six terminals on a rocker switch. If these are blade terminals, they may be difficult to fit into a normal terminal configuration.

A number of rocker switches that are available are sealed by O-rings and the like at the rocker and are sealed at the area of insertion into the panel. All or almost all of these, however, are not sealed behind the panel. A switch that is sealed completely is protected against dust and water and may even be gualified as an explosion-proof or submersible switch.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a sealed electrical rocker switch.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a reliable miniature or subminiature electrical rocker switch that fits standard panel cutouts.

It is a further object of the present invention

rocker switch that is easier to manufacture than rocker switches that are presently known.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a miniature or subminiature electrical rocker switch that can be manufactured to function in one of a plurality of maintain or momentary combinations by changing a single part during manufacture.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a miniature or subminiature electrical rocker switch in which a toggle lever is caused to pivot in its housing on a spherical portion of the housing.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a miniature or subminiature electrical rocker switch in which forces tending to restore the switch to a maintained position from a momentary position and also to apply contact pressure are obtained from a single coil spring that encloses a toggle lever that is part of the rocker and that engages a plunger tip.

Other objects will become apparent in the course of a detailed description of the invention.

A rocker switch includes a toggle lever connected to a button that snaps into a pivoting engagement with the case of the switch. A spherical portion of the toggle lever is held against a partially spherical surface in the housing, and an 0-ring maintains a seal against dust and moisture. A coil spring coaxial with the toggle lever and enclosing a portion of the lever forces a plunger against an actuator that rocks to place a spring blade in contact with a terminal to operate the switch. The plunger is constrained by the toggle lever and actuator planar motion, which causes the toggle lever to rotate substantially in a plane.

keep them in a desired position, and the terminals are sealed against water and dust outside the switch by application of a potting compound. The actuator may be shaped in one of several ways to provide maintained contact, momentary contact, or a combination of these, and only the actuator need be changed to change the type of contact.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. la is a central sectional side view of a sealed rocker switch for the practice of the present invention.

Fig. lb is a central sectional end view of the sealed rocker switch of Fig. la.

Fig. lc is a bottom view of the sealed rocker switch of Fig. la.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the switch base of Figs, la and lb.

Fig. 3 is a sectional side view of the switch base of Figs, la and lb. Fig. 4 is an end view of the switch base of Figs, la and lb.

Fig. 5 is a top view of the switch case of Figs, la and lb.

Fig. 6 is a side view of the switch case of Figs, la and lb.

Fig. 7 is a bottom end view of the switch case of Figs, la and lb.

Fig. 8 is an end view of the switch case of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a sectional side view of the switch case of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a sectional end view of the switch case of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a sectional end view of the switch case of Fig. 8, taken at the pivot.

Fig. 12 is a top view of the button of Figs, la and lb.

Fig. 13 is a side view of the button of Figs, la and lb. Fig. 14 is an end view of the button of Figs, la and lb.

Fig. 15 is a central sectional side view of the button of Figs, la and lb.

Fig. 16 is a central sectional end view of the button of Figs, la and lb.

Fig. 17 is a side view of one of the blade contacts of Figs, la and lb.

Fig. 18 is an end view of the blade contact of Fig. 17. Fig. 19 is a top view of the blade contact of Fig. 17.

Fig. 20 is a side view of the center blade contact of Figs, la and lb.

Fig. 21 is an end view of the center blade contact of Figs, la and lb.

Fig. 22 is a side view of the center blade contact of Figs, la and lb.

Fig. 23 is a top view of the center blade contact of Figs, la and lb.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Fig. la is a central sectional side view of a sealed rocker switch for the practice of the present invention and Fig. lb is a central sectional end view of the sealed rocker switch. In Figs, la, lb, and lc, a button 30 snaps into a case 32 to rock about a pair of pivots 34 and 36. The button 30 is inserted into the case 32 by pressing the sidewalls of the button -30 together enough to withdraw a pair of projections 38 and 40 to let the button 30 snap into place. The projections 38 and 40 from the

button 30 in place and providing support for the button 30 to rock on the pivots 34 and 36. An escutcheon 42 that is part of the case 32 projects around the case 32 to cover any panel opening into which the switch of the present invention is inserted, and also to serve as a positioning stop for the switch.

A base 46 snaps into the case 32, where it is retained by a pair of projections 48 and 50. The base 46 has a plurality of openings 54, 56, and 58. In the embodiment of the invention that has been built and tested, the openings 54, 56, and 58 were shaped to fit blade contacts 60, 62 and 64 which are secured to the base 46 by means that will be shown later. If it had been desired to configure the switch of Figs, la, lb, and lc as a single pole- single throw switch, one of the openings 54 or 58 would have been omitted. It would also have been possible to add another opening corresponding to the openings 54 or 58 to provide an external source of power for independent control of a light bulb. All of these openings are sealed around the blade contacts 60, 62, and 64 (and others if they are used) by a conventional potting compound that keeps dust and water out of that end of the switch. The case 32 projects beyond the base 46 by an amount that is sufficient to serve as a potting dam.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the switch base of Figs, la, lb, and lc, Fig. 3 is a sectional side view of the switch base of Figs, la and lb, and

Fig. 4 is an end view of the switch base of Figs, la and lb. In Figs. 2 , 3, and 4 the projections 48 and 50 are seen in more detail. The terminal slot 54 and 58 are seen to have a corresponding pair of bending chamfers 116 and 118, relieved to clear a bending radius created in forming the blade

Fig. 2 of the terminal slot 56 shows a shoulder 120 and 122, each of which serves as a stop to limit insertion of the blade contact 62 to a desired depth. Fig. 2 also shows a terminal slot 126 which can be used to insert a contact blade to bring power to a light bulb in the switch of the present invention.

The views of Figs. 2 and 4 show dimensions and terminal layouts that are appropriate for a single- pole switch. It should be evident that if it were desired to convert the base 46 of Figs. 2 and 4 to serve a double-pole switch, it would be necessary to widen the base 46 enough to allow a second terminal slot 56 in line with the first, so that a second blade contact 62 could be inserted. All other details of construction would be the same of substantially the same.

The assembled switch will be held in a slot in a panel by the retention wings 110 and 112. To insert a switch in a panel, the retention wing 110 is pressed toward the retention wing 130 and the retention wing 112 is pressed toward the retention wing 132, each in an amount sufficient to let the switch snap into the hole in the panel so that the escutcheon 42 of Figs, la-lc abuts at the surface of the panel to which the switch is being mounted. The retention wings 110, 112, 130, and 132 then spread along the edge of the panel slot. Each retention wing 138, 140, 142, and 144 respectively then grips the inside edge of panel to support the switch.

Fig. 5 is a top view of the switch case of Figs, la and lb, Fig. 6 is a side view of the switch case of Figs, la and lb, Fig. 7 is a bottom end view of the switch case of Figs, la and lb, Fig. 8 is an end view of the case of Fig. 7, Fig. 9 is a sectional side view of the case of Fig. 8, Fig. 10

Fig. 8, and Fig. 11 is a sectional end view of the case of Fig. 8, taken at the pivot. In Figs. 5-11, the escutcheon 42 of the case 32 includes a flat surface 150 that supports the switch against the edges of a panel cutout. A pair of openings 152 and 154 are provided to lock the base 46 in place by means of the projections 48 and 50. The spherical surface 80 is both part of a seal formed by the O- ring 82 of Figs, la-lc and also permits rotational motion of the button 30 of Figs, la-lc.

Fig. 12 is a top view of the button 30 of Figs, la and lb, Fig. 13 is a side view of the button 30 of Figs, la and lb, Fig. 14 is an end view of the button 30 of Figs, la and lb. Fig..15 is a central sectional side view of the button 30 of Figs, la and lb, and Fig. 16 is a central sectional end view of the button 30 of Figs, la and lb. In Figs. 12-16, the pivots 34 and 36 extend from the button 30 to allow the button 30 to rock and operate the switch.

Fig. 17 is a side view of one of the blade contacts 60 or 62 of Figs, la and lb. Fig. 18 is an end view of the blade contact 60 of Fig. 17, and Fig. 19 is a top view of the blade contact 60 of Fig. 17. In Figs. 17-19, a chamfered tip 160 makes insertion into a socket easier. A stop tab 164 is punched partly out of the blade contact 60 to lock it in place in its terminal slot 54 or 58. A bend 166 provides support for the contact 98. Fig. 20 is a side view of the center blade contact 62 of Figs, la and lb and Fig. 21 is an end view of the center blade contact 62. In Figs. 21 and 21, a chamfered tip 170 eases insertion into a socket when the switch is installed. A staking tip 170 is to be staked or peened to support the blade 94 of Figs, la-lc, insuring both good

electrical contact and firm mechanical support of the blade 94.

Fig. 22 is a side view of the blade 94 of Figs, la and lb and Fig. 23 is a top view of the blade 94 of Fig. 22. In Figs. 22 and 23, a .flat portion 180 is staked to the base 46 through a rectangular hole 182. Double bends 184 and 186 present the contacts 96 and 98 so that they wipe the contacts 100 and 102 of Figs, la-lc on make and break, thus tending to break welds and clean the contacts.

The description of the invention given here and of the apparatus for practicing it is intended to illustrate the best mode known to the inventors and to enable the practice of the invention. It should be taken as illustrative and not as limiting, and the scope of protection for the invention should be limited only by the appended claims and their equivalents.