Abstract:
A slide switch with first and second rows of contacts molded directly into a dielectric housing, with portions of the contacts protruding externally of the housing for forming electrical leads for pluggable connection of the housing to a printed circuit board. Internally of the housing the contacts are initially in spaced relationship with a plurality of slide elements mounted slidably on the housing and enclosing the contacts internally of the housing. Each slide element has a protruding cam surface for deflecting one of the contacts of one row into electrical engagement with one of the contacts of the second row to form an electrical conducting path therebetween. Each slide element is resiliently latched to the housing utilizing a sliding keyway arrangement.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a double-throw double-pole switch the design of which requires but a minimum number of parts and a minimum requirement for fasteners, adhesives and the like thereby facilitating ease in manufacture. The switch is additionally well adapted for miniaturization in the form of a microelectronic component known as dual-in-line package (DIP). The poles of the switch are in the form of electrical contacts aligned to provide the well-known opposed pairs of electrical leads for the DIP. A lever or cam for actuating the switch is assembled without the need for conventional fasteners, such as screws or adhesives and the like, thereby permitting rapid manufacture of the switch without the time consumption and skill otherwise required for assembly using such conventional fasteners.
Abstract:
A manually shiftable lever pivots a rack into engagement with a pinion and simultaneously releases a plurality of individual number wheels from their associated spring biased thumb wheels within an array of modular thumb wheel switch assemblies and permits by depression of the lever, pinion rotation of all of the number wheels to reset position, with minimum resistance.
Abstract:
A multiple position slide switch is disclosed which is particularly suitable for use with miniature calculators and similar types of compact electronic equipment. The slide switch includes a housing which protects its contact structure from large dirt particles, small metal articles and other spurious items which might normally fall into the contact structure of a slide switch. The switch provides a unique contact arrangement including a plurality of normally open contacts which are selectively closed by the appropriate positioning of a manually slidable connector element. An additional pair of contacts are also provided which are normally closed by a resilient connector element. However, the slide switch is constructed so that all contacts may be opened by appropriate positioning of the manually slidable connector element. A precise detent assembly is provided to maintain the manually slidable connector element in selected positions.
Abstract:
A thumb selector switch structure is disclosed which is particularly suitable for use in corrosive or dusty environments. The selector switch includes a printed circuit panel having an angularly encoded conductive pattern printed thereon. A rotatable contact carrying indicia wheel is rotatably mounted to the printed circuit panel so that the contacts carried by the indicia wheel selectively engage various portions of the angularly encoded printed circuit pattern, thereby producing digital output signals in response to the rotation of the contact carrying wheel. The contact carrying wheel is permanently hermetically sealed to the printed circuit board by means of a clear plastic casing. An actuator wheel is provided for rotating the indicia and contact carrying wheel. A suitable housing having a detent spring mounted therein is provided to enclose the above described structure.
Abstract:
In a reader for serially reading an array of embossments of an embossed card, a single fixed read head is utilized. Driving wheels engage the embossed card and transport the embossments thereof serially past the read head. The read head includes a plurality of optical transmission lines which are purposely selectively shuttered by the raised embossments. Thus a light signal transmitted through the optical transmission lines is selectively shuttered to provide an intermittent optical code identifying each individual raised embossment of the serially arranged array. The read head is carried by a movable arm in the reader, the arm being automatically movable to initially align the reader with respect to the serial array of embossments, thereby providing an aligning feature which allows the read head to be automatically adjustable for alignment with variations in embossment array locations on different embossed cards. In addition, the read head is movably mounted with respect to the arm allowing automatic adjustment of the read head for alignment with an individual embossment which may be misaligned in the serial array. The read head is provided with structure which positively biases the read head into positive engagement on the inclined surfaces of each individual embossment, but which is yieldable to allow movement of the read head to engage and to conform with the irregularities in height and in inclination of each individual embossment.