Abstract:
An automated device ( 10 ) has a curved outer cover ( 12 ) through which a switch arm ( 48 ) extends. The switch arm is pivotally supported inside the cover and is connected therein by means of a lost motion mechanism ( 51 ) to a switch actuator ( 46 ) of a switch ( 44 ) to control operation of the switch.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to the control of electrically powered devices such as piezoelectrically driven atomizer devices; and more particularly it concerns novel switch actuator mechanisms for controlling the operation of said devices. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Many electrically controlled devices have been developed for producing desired mechanical effects and whose operation is controlled by operation of a button or actuator which is mounted on an outer cover of the device. By way of example, battery driven atomizers and aroma distributors are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,616, No. 5,115,975, No. 4,804,821 and No. 3,661,323. These devices have, in most cases, an outer cover in which the atomizer or aroma distributor mechanism is mounted and whose operation is controlled by an electrical switch having a moveable switch element mounted on the outer cover. 
     The outer cover in many of these devices does not have sufficient strength to hold the moveable switch element securely without extra reinforcement. Further, the outer cover is often curved so that the moveable switch element must follow a curved path. This precludes the use of multiposition switches which have linearly moveable switch elements. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention in one aspect provides a novel switch actuating mechanism which comprises an elongated switch arm which is pivotally mounted near one end thereof on a support, a switch having a switch element which is moveable along a linear path, the switch being mounted in a fixed position relative to the support, and a lost motion interconnection between the switch arm and the switch element. The lost motion interconnection permits relative movement between the switch arm and the switch element in a direction perpendicular to the linear path but prevents relative movement in a direction parallel to that path. As a result, pivotal movement of the switch arm produces linear movement of the switch element. 
     In another aspect, the invention provides a novel electrically controlled device which comprises a mechanism for producing a desired result and an electrical circuit with a multi-position switch for controlling operation of the mechanism. The switch has a switch element that is moveable through a given range along a linear path; and the switch and switch element are mounted on a support structure within a shell-like outer cover that has a curved outer surface. An elongated switch arm is pivotally connected at one end to the support structure inside the outer cover such that said switch arm pivots about an axis that is perpendicular to the linear path of the switch element and such that the switch arm can swing through an arc that includes the given range of movement of the switch element. A lost motion mechanical interconnection is provided between the switch arm and the switch element and is located within the outer cover. The lost motion interconnection permits relative movement between the switch arm and the switch element in a direction perpendicular to the linear path but prevents relative movement in a direction parallel to that path. Thus, while the switch arm is supported solidly within, and not by, the outer cover, its movement follows the curved surface of the cover. At the same time, this curved movement causes the switch element to be moved along its linear path. The switch arm extends beyond the lost motion interconnection and out through a slot in the outer cover where it can be operated. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an atomizer device according to the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a plan section view taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 3 is an elevational section view taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As seen in FIG. 1, an atomizer device  10  according to the invention has a shell-like outer cover  12  which is somewhat egg-shaped, but it is flattened on the bottom and it has a shallow dished upper region  14  formed in the top. An ejection opening  16  is provided in the dished upper region  14 . Atomized liquid droplets produced by the atomizer device  10  are ejected through the opening  16 . A horizontal slot  18  is formed in a curved front surface of the outer cover  12 ; and a switch actuator button  20  moves along the slot  18 . The button  20  can be set to any of several positions, indicated by vertical lines  22  on the cover  12 , to adjust the intensity of atomization produced by the device  10 . 
     As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, a support chassis  24  extends horizontally within the outer cover  12 . The chassis  24  supports on its underside a liquid reservoir or bottle  26  (FIG. 3) which contains a liquid to be atomized. Liquid from the bottle  26  rises up out of the bottle by the capillary action of a wick  28  which extends through an opening  29  in the chassis. An atomization assembly  30  is mounted on the upper side of the chassis above the opening  29  and the reservoir or bottle  26 . The atomization assembly includes a retainer  32  which is supported on the upper side for the chassis over the opening  29 . The retainer  32  contains an orifice plate  34  and a piezoelectric actuator  36  which vibrates the orifice plate. The orifice plate  34  is pushed down against the top of the wick  28  by a spring  38  so that liquid from the bottle  26  will be supplied to the underside of the plate and will pass through its orifices and become ejected in the form of minute liquid droplets as the plate is vibrated by the piezoelectric actuator  36 . 
     As also shown in FIG. 3, the actuator  36  is supplied with alternating voltages from wires  40  which extend from a drive circuit which is mounted on a printed circuit board  42 . The printed circuit board is also supported on the upper side of the chassis  24 . 
     A multi-position switch  44  is mounted to the underside of the printed circuit board  42 . The switch  44  includes a switch clement  46  which is moveable along a horizontal linear path A—A (FIG. 2) to any of several positions. The switch is connected to the circuits on the printed circuit board  42  such that by moving the switch element  46  to a particular position, a corresponding rate of atomization will occur. In a particular design the switch  44  controls a duty cycle wherein atomization occurs for 50 millisecond intervals with the time between successive intervals being adjustable between, for example, 5 and 40 seconds. 
     An elongated switch arm  48  is pivotally mounted at one end by means of a pivot  50  on the chassis  24 . The pivot  50  has a pivot axis  50   a  which is vertical so that the arm  48  also swings along a horizontal curved path B—B (FIG.  2 ). The arm  48  extends from the pivot  50  and out through the horizontal slot  18  in the outer cover  12  where it is connected to the actuator button  20 . Because the arm  48  is mounted on the chassis  24  by means of the pivot  50 , it is not guided by the sides of the slot  18  nor does it ride on or obtain support from the cover  12 . As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the switch arm  48  extends under the switch  46 ; and as seen in FIG. 2, the range of movement of the arm  48  is such that it sweeps over the entire path of linear movement of the switch element  46 . 
     The switch arm  48  is connected to the switch element  46  by a lost motion mechanism  51  which, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, comprises a pair of lug elements  52  which are fixed to the arm  48  and extend upwardly therefrom and along each side, respectively, of the switch element  46 . Movement of the switch arm  48  along the curved path A is communicated by the lug elements  52  to the switch clement  46  to move the switch element along the linear path B. It will be seen that the lost motion mechanism  51  permits relative movement between the switch arm  48  and the switch element  46  in a direction perpendicular to the linear path A of the switch element but it prevents relative movement between the switch arm and the switch element is a direction parallel to the path A. Thus, the switch actuator button  20  can be moved along the curved path B path while the switch arm  48  moves the switch clement  46  along the linear path B to each of its several switch positions. 
     Because the switch actuator button  20  is mounted on the switch arm  48 , it is supported entirely by the switch arm which in turn is supported on the chassis  24  via the pivot  50 . As a result no mechanical interconnection is needed between the outer cover  12  and the switch arm  48  or the switch actuator button  20 . Accordingly the cover  12  does not need to be reinforced to support the button  20  or the switch arm  48  and there is no danger of interference between the cover and the switch arm which might otherwise be caused by bending of the cover as the switch arm is moved. 
     It will be appreciated that other forms of a lost motion mechanism can be used to convert the curvilinear movement of the switch arm  48  to the linear movement of the switch actuator  46 . For example, the lug elements  52  could be fixed to the switch element  46  and extend to the switch arm  48 , or a single lug could be fixed to and extend from one of the switch element  46  and the switch arm  48  and extend therefrom into a slot formed in the other member. In such case the slot would extend in a direction which is generally perpendicular to the path A of movement of the actuator element  46 . 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     This invention permits a switch arm of an adjustable device to be mounted in a manner that does not put a strain on the outer cover of the device and that does not lead to a problem of interference or jamming as the switch arm is moved.