US3800107A - Slide selector switch - Google Patents

Abstract

A slidable displaceable switch member that is selectively positioned in a plurality of positions to electrically connect particular groups of conductors in accordance with the position selected, including an adjustable detent for positive positioning of the switch member relative to the group of conductors selected.

Description

[ Mar. 26, 1974 United States Patent 1191 Heide Castle............

r e h c S u a T 0 7 9 2 [5 SLIDE SELECTOR SWITCH 3,493,706 2/1970 Cherry et 3 495 052 [75] Inventor: Stanford M. Heide, Kenosha, Wis. 3'614347 10/1971 [73] Assignee: Chicago Dynamic Industries, Inc.,

Chicago, [11.

Primary Examiner-James R. Scott [22] Filed:Jam 19 1973 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edward C. Threedy i ABSTRACT A slidable displaceable switch member that is selectively positioned in a plurality of Appl. No.: 325,085

ncd a m a cum i s mo Sm nu 0d mm %C f cally connect particular groups 0 cordance with the position selected, includin 1 06 R m6 MN 0 "0 m .c r. a .e l l tm [e UMF H M 555 justable detent for positive positioning of the switch member relative to the group of conductors selected.

S T N m MA in. mm m e .25 e

D E n N U m 5 3,146,320 8/1964 Wang et 200/16D X 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 1 SLIDE SELECTOR SWITCH SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A linear slide selector switch assembly comprising a printed circuit board functioning as a dielectric base support for a slidable switch member including a substantially T-shaped detent rack over which a wiper carriage is selectively moved. A guide rod extends in spaced parallelism to such rack and movably supports an operating lever connected to the wiper carriage.

The detent rack is carried by the base support by mounting between end brackets, there being a loose connection therebetween by which the rack may be adjustably moved through its longitudinal length relative to the base support and the printed circuit conductors carried thereby, permitting the contact brushes of the slidable switch member to be properly aligned in full contact with the conductors when detented in selected position with respect thereto.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred form of embodiment, and in which:

FIG. I is a top plan view of a slide selector switch assembly;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary bottom plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the slide selector switch assembly;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of an adjustable connection for the detent rack employed in the switch assembly;

FIG. 5 is a detailed sectional end view of the switch assembly;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the interior of the switch carriage assembly.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a printedcircuit board 10 which comprises a dielectric base for the switch. The printedcircuit board 10 provides a plurality ofstrip conductors 11, all of which terminate intosuitable island contacts 12 which may be conventionally connected to external electrical connectors.

Adetent rack 13 is positioned so as to extend longitudinally and in spaced relation to thebase 10 over and above thestrip conductors 11. A pair ofend brackets 14 are adapted to support thedetent rack 13 relative to thebase 10. Each of thebrackets 14 provides aflange 15 which is adapted to be connected to thebase 10 by rivets or the like. Thebracket 14 also provides aperpendicular run 16 which terminates into a perpendicularly extendingflange 17 which in turn supports anend wall 18. Theend walls 18 of thebrackets 14 are positioned a greater distance apart than the length of therack 13 for a reason hereinafter made apparent.

As viewed in FIG. 4, thedetent rack 13 provides opposite longitudinallyprotruding ridges 19 which add rigidity thereto throughout the longitudinal length of the rack. Awiper carriage 20 is adapted to be slidably positioned upon thedetent rack 13 and movable thereover across the face of the printedcircuit board base 10 and the strip conductors l1 thereon.

Thewiper carriage 20 is in the form of a hollow rectangular housing having an open end as well as partially slotted side walls. The inner confronting surfaces of the hollow body of thecarriage 20 adjacent to its open end 21, are provided withrecesses 22 of such configuration that they will receive theridges 19 on either side of thedetent rack 13 when the same is caused to pass through the side walls of thewiper carriage 20.

Within the hollow body of thewiper carriage 20 is confined acoil spring 23 which is coiled about a reducedshaft portion 24 of a detent 25. Thedetent 25 provides asemicircular head 26 which, through the expansion of thecoil spring 23, is caused to engage thevalley portions 27 of theteethlike detents 28 formed on oneedge 29 of thedetent rack 13. Thus, theswitch carriage 20 is slidably positioned on thedetent rack 13 and may be moved thereover so as to come to rest upon a selected detent position through the function of the components just described.

To move thewiper carriage 20 over thedetent rack 13, there is provided an actuatinglever 30 which is slidably journalled upon asupport rod 31 which extends between theend brackets 14. The actuatinglever 30 provides a bifurcatedend 32 which receives astud 33 formed on and projecting outwardly from one side wall of thewiper carriage 20, as seen in FIG. 4.

Certain corners 34 of thewiper carriage 20 adjacent its open end are relieved so as to provide shoulders that are adapted to be engaged byflanges 35 provided by thelever 30. Thus, by linear movement of thelever 30 there results a slidable movement of thelever 30 over thesupport rod 31 and resulting detent movement of thecarriage 20 over thedetent rack 13.

Thewiper carriage 20 provides a series ofbrushes 36 which, as thecarriage 20 is moved, will be caused to contact selectedstrip conductors 11 printed on the face of thecircuit board 10.

In construction as well as in use, there may appear a misalignment between thebrushes 36 and thestrip conductors 11, notwithstanding that theswitch carriage 20 is detented upon thedetent rack 13. To provide means of correcting such possible misalignment, thedetent rack 13 may be longitudinally moved between theend walls 18 of thebrackets 14, and this is accomplished in the following manner:

One end 37 of thedetent rack 13 is provided with atongue 38 which has formed therein anelongated opening 39 as well as a pair ofapertures 40. Thistongue 38 is adapted to lie in facial abutment with a connector strip 41 which likewise is provided with anelongated opening 42 and a pair of apertures 43. The connector strip 41 is fixedly attached to thetongue 38 by means of rivets or the like which extend through theapertures 40 and 43 formed respectively in thetongue end 38 and connector strip 41. Theelongated openings 39 and 42, respectively, will be placed in alignment. The connector strip 41 as well as therack 13 is connected to theend bracket 14 by a rivet or the like 44, which freely passes through theelongated openings 39 and 42. The opposite end of therack 13 merely provides anelongated opening 45 which freely receives the attachingrivet 46. Thus, thedetent rack 13 is longitudinally movable between theend brackets 14 an amount which is equal to the length of theelongated slots 39, 42 and 45. The connector strip 41 carries a pair of spaced apartblocks 47, each of which is provided with a centrally alignedopening 48 extending parallel to the longitudinal length of thedetent rack 13. Adapted to be positioned between theblocks 47 is anut 49 which threadably receives abolt 50 which passes through an opening 51 formed in theend wall 18 of thebracket 14. Thus, as thescrew 50 is rotatedit will thread itself into thenut 49 and, as thenut 49 is caused to travel on thebolt 50, it will impart like longitudinal movement (according to whichever direction it is being turned) to therack 13 between thebrackets 14. Thus, thedetent rack 13 and thewiper carriage 20 carried thereby may be positioned relative to the base such that thebrushes 36 of the wiper carriage may be correctly positioned in facial contact with theconductor strips 11 so as to complete a circuit therethrough.

In the event an extremely longdetent rack 13 is employed, it may be provided with acenter support 52 which provides anelongated slot 53, through which a connecting bolt or rivet 54 may pass, so as to adjustably connect thecenter support 52 to the printedcircuit board 10.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A slide selector switch comprising a. a printed circuit board base providing a plurality of strip conductors thereon,

b. a switch carriage support including detent means extending along the longitudinal edge and mounted in spaced relation to said base,

c. means connecting said support in spaced parallel relation to said base,

d. a switch carriage slidably carried by said support and providing electrical contacts for selectively engaging said strip conductors on said base,

e. means within said switch carriage cooperating with said detent means for positioning said electrical contacts in selected positions with said strip conductors of said base, and

f. means for adjusting said support longitudinally across said base to align said detent means on said support and said electrical contacts of said switch carriage upon selected strip conductors.

2. A slide selector switch as defined by claim 1, wherein said switch carriage support comprises a rigid elongated bar and said detent means being teethlike projections formed on one longitudinal edge'of said bar, and with said carriage providing a spring-biased detent pin cooperating with said teethlike projections for selectively positioning said electrical contacts upon said strip conductors of said base.

3. A slide selector switch as defined by claim 1 wherein said means for adjusting said support longitudinally across said base comprises a nut and bolt connection between said support and said means connecting said support longitudinally across said base between said connecting means.

4. A slide selector switch as defined by claim 3, wherein said switch carriage support comprises a rigid elongated bar and said detent means being teethlike projections formed on one longitudinal edge of said bar, and with said carriage providing a spring-biased detent pin cooperating with said teethlike projections for selectively positioning said electrical contacts upon said strip conductors of said base.

Claims (4)

1. A slide selector switch comprising a. a printed circuit board base providing a plurality of strip conductors thereon, b. a switch carriage support including detent means extending along the longitudinal edge and mounted in spaced relation to said base, c. means connecting said support in spaced parallel relation to said base, d. a switch carriage slidably carried by said support and providing electrical contacts for selectively engaging said strip conductors on said base, e. means within said switch carriage cooperating with said detent means for positioning said electrical contacts in selected positions with said strip conductors of said base, and f. means for adjusting said support longitudinally across said base to align said detent means on said support and said electrical contacts of said switch carriage upon selected strip conductors.

2. A slide selector switch as defined by claim 1, wherein said switch carriage support comprises a rigid elongated bar and said detent means being teethlike projections formed on one longitudinal edge of said bar, and with said carriage providing a spring-biased detent pin cooperating with said teethlike projections for selectively positioning said electrical contacts upon said strip conductors of said base.

3. A slide selector switch as defined by claim 1 wherein said means for adjusting said support longitudinally across said base comprises a nut and bolt connection between said support and said means connecting said support longitudinally across said base between said connecting means.

4. A slide selector switch as defined by claim 3, wherein said switch carriage support comprises a rigid elongated bar and said detent means being teethlike projections formed on one longitudinal edge of said bar, and with said carriage providing a spring-biased detent pin cooperating with said teethlike projections for selectively positioning said electrical contacts upon said strip conductors of said base.

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