Electric rocker switch

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric rocker switch with an actuating element designed as a rocker. The rocker is thereby moveable back and forth between two positions, namely between an on position and an off position. The rocker is pivotably mounted on the housing for this purpose. The rocker interacts with a leaf spring, the upper end of the leaf spring is firmly clamped at the rocker via a longitudinal area and the lower end of the leaf spring is tiltably arranged on a contact element. The leaf spring has one stable arch shape in the on position and another stable arch shape in the off position with a curve oriented opposite the arch shape. The electric rocker switch according to the invention shows in an advantageous way symmetrical haptics for the on position and also for the off position, wherein the position of the rocker indicates the corresponding position.

Claims

1. An electric rocker switch comprising: a housing (15); an actuating element configured as a rocker (11) comprising a mounting element (12), the rocker (11) mounted on the housing (15) and movable between an on position and an off position; at least two contact elements (30, 40) in the interior of the housing (15) and protruding out of the housing (15) as electric connections (31, 41); a spring element interacted with the rocker (11); wherein the spring element is a pretensioned leaf spring (50); wherein an upper end (52) of the leaf spring (50) is clamped at the rocker (11), and the rocker (11) comprises a longitudinal receptacle (13) in the mounting element (12) for accommodating the upper end (52) of the leaf spring (50); wherein a pivot axis (14) of the rocker (11) is passed through by the upper end (52) of the leaf spring (50); a wedge-shaped accommodation groove (33) is disposed on one contact element (30) and a lower end (51) of the leaf spring (50) is tiltably mounted in the accommodation groove (33).

2. The rocker switch according to claim 1, wherein the leaf spring (50) has a stable arch shape in the off position and another stable arch shape in the on position with a curve oriented opposite the arch shape.

3. The rocker switch according to claim 1, wherein the leaf spring (50) is connected to a contact arm (53) which interacts with another contact element (40) in the on position.

4. The rocker switch according to claim 3, wherein the contact arm (53) is designed as one piece with the leaf spring (50).

5. The rocker switch according to claim 3, wherein the contact arm (53) comprises a contact piece with a contact surface (54) for contacting the contact element (40) on the free end of the contact arm (53).

6. The rocker switch according to claim 5, wherein in the on position, the contact surface (54) of the contact arm (53) and a contact surface (42) of the contact element (40) are oriented at an acute angle () to one another.

7. The rocker switch according to claim 6, wherein in the on position, the angle () between contact surface (54) of the contact arm (53) and the contact surface (42) of the contact element (40) lies in a range between 0 and 20.

8. The rocker switch according to claim 3, wherein the contact arm (53) is designed as more elastic than the leaf spring (50) and made from a less rigid material than the leaf spring (50).

9. The rocker switch according to claim 3, wherein the contact arm (53) is designed as more elastic than the leaf spring (50) and made from a thinner material than the leaf spring (50).

10. The rocker switch according to claim 3, wherein the contact arm (53) comprises at least one transverse slit (55).

11. The rocker switch according to claim 3, wherein, in the off position, the contact arm (53) is arranged at an obtuse angle () to the lower end (51) of the leaf spring (50).

12. The rocker switch according to claim 1, wherein the upper end (52) of the leaf spring (50) is tiltably mounted on a stationary frame (21) and has projections (56) for this purpose, wherein the tilt axis (c) of the leaf spring (50) matches the pivot axis (14).

13. The rocker switch according to claim 12, wherein a printed circuit board (20) is accommodated in the housing (15) and the frame (21) is fixed on the printed circuit board (20), studs (22) is disposed on an outer side of the frame (21) which engage in holes (23) of the printed circuit board (20).

14. The rocker switch according to claim 1, wherein the leaf spring (50) comprises a noise damping coating, which is connected over the leaf spring (50) surface area by a noise-damping film.

15. The rocker switch according to claim 1, wherein the electric rocker switch comprises three contact elements (30, 40), the leaf spring (50) comprise two contact arms (53) mounted on opposite sides of the leaf spring (50), the two contact arms (53) are interacted with another two contact elements (40) in the on position and the off position respectively.

16. The rocker switch according to claim 15, wherein one of the contact arm (53) is arranged at an obtuse angle () to the lower end (51) of the leaf spring (50).

17. The rocker switch according to claim 16, wherein the contact arm (53) comprises a contact surface (54) on the free end of the contact arm (53) for contacting a contact surface (42) of the contact element (40).

18. The rocker switch according to claim 17, wherein the contact surface (54) of the contact arm (53) and the contact surface (42) of the contact element (40) are oriented at an acute angle () to one another, the angle () lies in a range between 0 and 20.

19. An electric rocker switch comprising: an actuating element configured as a rocker (11) comprising a mounting element (12), the rocker (11) mounted on a housing (15) and movable between an on position and an off position; at least two contact elements (30, 40) in the interior of the housing (15) and protruding out of the housing (15) as electric connections (31, 41); a spring element interacted with the rocker (11); wherein the spring element is a leaf spring (50); wherein a wedge-shaped accommodation groove (33) is disposed on one contact element (30) and a lower end (51) of the leaf spring (50) is tiltably mounted in the accommodation groove (33); and wherein the leaf spring (50) has a stable arch shape in the off position and another stable arch shape in the on position with a curve oriented opposite the stable arch shape in the off position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will subsequently be described in greater deal by way of an embodiment.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a cross section through an electric rocker switch according to the invention in the on position.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective representation of the rocker switch from FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective detail from the rocker switch from FIG. 1.

(5) FIG. 4 shows a cross section through the rocker switch from FIG. 1 in the off position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(6) Hereinafter, particular embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail in conjunction with the drawings, so that technical solutions and other beneficial effects of the present disclosure are apparent. It can be understood that the drawings are provided only for reference and explanation, and are not used to limit the present disclosure. Dimensions shown in the drawings are only for ease of clear description, but are not limited to a proportional relationship.

(7) The electric rocker switch 10 according to the invention shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 comprises, in at least one embodiment, a housing 15 with an actuating element designed as a rocker 11. Two contact elements 30, 40 are provided in the interior of housing 15 and are conducted out of housing 15 as electrical connections 31, 41. A leaf spring 50 is provided between contact element 30 and rocker 11. This pretensioned, arch-shaped leaf spring 50 is tiltably mounted with its lower end 51 in a wedge-shaped accommodation groove 33 of contact element 30 and in this way contacts the contact surface 32 of this contact element 30. The other, upper end 52 of leaf spring 50 is accommodated in a longitudinal receptacle 13 of mounting element 12 of rocker 11, namely via a longitudinal area L. Upper end 52 is hereby inserted into longitudinal receptacle 13 until a longitudinal section L1 protrudes past the pivot axis 14 of rocker 11. Another longitudinal section L2 of upper end 52 of leaf spring 50, held in longitudinal receptacle 13 of mounting element 12 of rocker 11, is located beneath pivot axis 14 of rocker 11. Longitudinal section L1 is then designed to be larger when leaf spring 50 is harder, since a high spring force would lead to upper end 52 of leaf spring 50 breaking free if a correspondingly large longitudinal section L1 is not held above pivot bearing 14 in mounting element 12. The length of longitudinal section L2 is influenced by pivot angle . The greater this longitudinal section L2 is, the smaller the pivot angle may be which triggers the jump process.

(8) In FIG. 1, rocker switch 10 is shown in its on position. Leaf spring 50 is curved in its center area in an arch shape in the direction toward contact element 40. Leaf spring 50 is connected to a contact arm 53 for contacting contact element 40. This contact arm 53 has a contact part with a contact surface 54 on its bottom side. In this case, a contact material is welded to the bottom side of contact arm 53 for a sufficiently large melting loss. For example, this may be a silver-nickel alloy. In the on position, this contact arm 53 contacts contact surface 42 of contact element 40 using contact surface 54. In order to be able to ensure a sufficient contact pressure and to compensate for tolerances, in at least one embodiment, contact surfaces 42, 54 contacting in the on position are oriented at an acute angle to one another, wherein this angle is preferably greater than 0 and less than 20.

(9) Pretensioned leaf spring 50 as shown has a sufficient spring force and is produced from a hard spring material, for example, from a bronze material. In this example, contact arm 53 has been connected to leaf spring 50 via a stamping molding process. Contact arm 53 may consequently be made of, in particular, thinner material. This enables leaf spring 50 to be able to accept and compensate for corresponding component tolerances due to elastic contact arm 53. In the case of a contact arm 53, which is designed as one piece engaged with leaf spring 50, elastic properties may also be provided for contact arm 53 through corresponding geometries. For example, contact arm 53, as shown in FIG. 3, may be provided with one or more transverse slits 55.

(10) If rocker switch 10 shown in FIG. 1 is switched into the off position, i.e., rocker 11 is pivoted by the angle then the off position shown in FIG. 4 is reached. Contact arm 53 and its contact surface 54 are moved away from contact surface 42 of contact element 40. A sufficient spacing A, in at least one embodiment is greater than 3 mm, is provided between contact arm 53 and contact element 40. This is ensured in that contact arm 53 is arranged and fixed on leaf spring 50 such that the contact arm 53 protrudes in an angularly rigid manner at an obtuse angle away from leaf spring 50 in the direction of contact element 40 in the off position. Leaf spring 50 is also held in mounting element 12 of rocker 11 in this off position and is tilted mounted with lower end 51 in accommodation groove 33 at contact element 30. The arch-shaped curve shown in this case is to the left, i.e., away from contact element 40. During pivoting of rocker 11 by pivot angle about pivot axis 14, arch-shaped leaf spring 50, whose curve extends from lower end 51 up to mounting element 12 of rocker 11, is initially bent into an S-shape before the pivot movement leads to the curve breaking through into the opposite direction and the switching process is carried out, i.e., contact arm 53 is moved away from contact element 40, or is moved forward onto contact member 40 during pivoting from the off position into the on position.

(11) In an advantageous way, upper end 52 of leaf spring 50 is additionally tiltably mounted in a frame 21. This is more clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. For this purpose, projections 56 are provided on longitudinal area L of leaf spring 50 which is engaged with notches 24 of frame 21 for tiltable mounting. Narrower longitudinal section L1 engages upwardly through frame 21. Frame 21 is positioned stationary in housing 15. In at least example, frame 21 has studs 22 for a plug connection to a printed circuit board 20 arranged in the housing 15. This plug connection is shown in FIG. 2. In addition, frame 21 may also be fixed on housing 11 by corresponding studs 22. In this way, leaf spring 50 is tiltably mounted on its two ends 51, 52, i.e., supported torque free. The tilting axis 57 thereby largely coincides with pivot axis 14 of rocker 11, which is implemented by a corresponding arrangement of frame 21. In addition, upper end 52 of leaf spring 50 is rigidly clamped in mounting element 12 of rocker 11 such that rocker 11 may generate a noticeable switching jump during a pivot movement, namely leaf spring 50 may transfer from a stable state through an S-shaped intermediate state into another stable state. Spacing L2 thereby determines how sensitively the jump of leaf spring 50 follows pivot angle of rocker 11.

(12) In at least one embodiment, the leaf spring 50 has a noise damping coating, is preferably connected over its surface area by a noise-damping film.

(13) In at least one embodiment, rocker switch comprises two contact elements 30, 40, the lower end 51 of the leaf spring 50 is tiltably mounted on the contact element 30, and the leaf spring 50 comprise one contact arm 53 that interacts with another contact element 40 in the on position.

(14) In other embodiments, the electric rocker switch comprises three contact elements 30, 40, and the leaf spring 50 comprise two contact arms 53 mounted on opposite sides of the leaf spring 50, the two contact arms 53 are interacted with another two contact elements 40 in the on position and the off position respectively. The three contact elements 30, 40 are protruded out of the housing 15 as three electric connections 31, 41.

(15) Contact elements 30, 40 are electrically connected in this example to printed circuit board 20 via a solder connection. In general, additional electronic components are located on printed circuit board 20, like resistors, diodes, microprocessors, LEDs, which are not shown in the figures.

(16) The production and assembly is simplified by present electric rocker switch 10. The preassembled unit shown in FIG. 3 may be mounted in a straight-line movement together with printed circuit board 20. Rocker 11 is subsequently mounted via a snap connection, wherein studs on the housing engage in holes 16 at rocker 11 for pivotable mounting. Mechanical adjustment processes during assembly are avoided.

(17) Due to the large contact distance A between contact surface 54 on contact arm 53 and contact surface 42 on contact element 40 in the off position, such a rocker switch may also replace a safety relay.