Sealed magnetically controlled electric switch assembly

A sealed magnetically controlled electric switch assembly comprising an electric switch having an on/off operating means, an active magnet means, a follower magnet means, and a sealable insulating housing. The electric switch and the follower magnet means both are sealed in the housing in such a way that the on/off operating means of the switch is coupled with the follower magnet means for motion therewith. The active magnet means is disposed outside the housing in such a way that a resulting magnetic force is formed between the active magnet means and the follower magnet means to switch the on/off operating means of said switch back and forth between the on and off positions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to electric switches and more particularly to a sealed magnetically controlled electric switch assembly.

2. Description of the Related Art

Sealed switches are useful and often necessary for various applications where the switch needs to be sealed so that corrosives, dust, and other impurities in the atmosphere will not impair operation of the switch or shorten its useful life. Thus, there have been many approaches toward accomplishing the purposes mentioned above, such as, for example, the switches disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,008,458, 4,025,885, and 4,015,226. But all of the prior arts share the common disadvantage of having structures that are too complicated to be operated easily or produced cheaply.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a sealed magnetically controlled electric switch assembly that works in conjunction with conventional electric switches to not only simplify the mechanism but also reduce the production costs.

It is another object of this invention to provide a sealed magnetically controlled electric switch assembly having a hermetically sealed mechanism so that its operation is not impaired nor its useful life shortened due to corrosives, dust, humidity, and other impurities in the atmosphere.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a sealed magnetically controlled electric switch assembly having a miniature scale for use in household electrical appliances.

These and other objects are further accomplished by a sealed magnetically controlled electric switch assembly comprising an electric switch having an on/off operating means, an active magnet means, a follower magnet means, and a sealable insulating housing. The electric switch and the follower magnet means both are sealed in the housing in such a way that the on/off operating means of the switch is coupled with the follower magnet means for motion therewith. The active magnet means is disposed outside the housing in such a way that a resulting magnetic force is formed between the active magnet means and the follower magnet means to switch the on/off operating means of said switch back and forth between the on and off positions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring firstly toFIGS. 1,2and3, a sealed magnetically controlled electric switch assembly10according to the present invention includes a sealable insulating housing12, an electric switch14, a follower magnet means16, an active magnet means18and an insulating cover20. Housing12, electric switch14, magnet means16and18, and cover20are disposed about a central axis21.

Housing12has a first cylindrical wall122with a first chamber124, a second cylindrical wall123with a second chamber125, an upper wall126and a bottom wall127. The diameter of first cylindrical wall122is larger than that of second cylindrical wall123so that a shoulder portion128is defined therebetween.

Electric switch14is a conventional pushbutton switch for use in household electrical appliances. In this embodiment, electric switch14has a cylindrical body141and a post-like pushbutton142with a diameter being smaller than that of cylindrical body141and projecting from upper surface143of body141. Pushbutton142is, controlled by an on/off operating means disposed in body141(not shown in the drawings) linearly operable along central axis21between an extended position and a depressed position.

Electric switch14is disposed in housing12in such a way that body141is received in first chamber124, pushbutton142is received in second chamber125, the upper surface143of body141is leaned against shoulder portion126.

Follower magnet means16, in this embodiment, has an inner permanent magnet162disposed sandwichedly between upper wall126of housing12and upper surface144of pushbutton142of electric switch14so that upper surface164of magnet162with a first magnetic polarity faces upper wall126of housing12.

Insulating cover20has a cylindrical wall202, an upper wall203with an upper bore206, a receiving room204, and an underside opening208. Housing12is partly inserted into receiving room204from underside opening208in such a way that a space210with a predetermined height is formed between upper wall203of cover20and upper wall126of housing12.

Active magnet means18, in this embodiment, includes an actuator22and an outer permanent magnet23. Actuator22has a disc-shaped body222and a post-shaped pusher224projecting from the upper end of body222. Outer permanent magnet23is fixed on the bottom side of body222.

Active magnet means18is configured to be received in space210in such a way that pusher224of actuator22projects through bore206to outside, under surface232with a second magnetic polarity of outer permanent magnet23faces to upper wall126of housing12, actuator22and outer permanent magnet23are synchronously linearly operable along central axis21of housing12by an external force, and outer permanent magnet23and inner permanent magnet16are spaced apart in a predetermined distance “d”.

In this embodiment, the first magnetic polarity of upper surface164of inner permanent162is identical to the second magnetic polarity of under surface232of outer inner permanent23so that when pusher224is undepressed by an external force, the repulsive magnetic forces resulting therebetween is not enough to overcome the bias force of switch14keeping pushbutton142in the extended position (as shown inFIG. 2), when pusher224is depressed by an external force, the distance between outer permanent magnet23and inner permanent magnet162is reduced so that the resulting repulsive magnetic forces therebetween is enough to cause inner permanent magnet162and pushbutton142moving downwardly synchronously from the extended position to the depressed position to take electric switch14from the off position to the on position (as shown inFIG. 3). and when the external depression force is released, on/off operating means of switch14will force pushbutton142and follower magnet means16synchronously back to the extended position, and at the same time, the resulting repulsive magnetic force will cause active magnet means18back to the undepressed state.

Referring toFIG. 4, the sealed magnetically controlled electric switch assembly10shown in this drawing is much the same as that shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, except that it further includes a first reinforced positioner26and a second reinforced positioner28. First reinforced positioner26is made of paramagnetic materials and disposed on the inner surface of wall202of cover20near outer permanent magnet23of active magnet means18to ensure that active magnet means18can be kept in the undepressed state by the resulting magnetic force thereof. Second reinforced positioner28is also made of paramagnetic materials and disposed on the inner surface of wall202of cover20but near inner permanent magnet162of follower magnet means16to ensure that follower magnet means16can be kept in the extended position by the resulting magnetic force thereof.

In a third embodiment of the present invention, as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, a sealed magnetically controlled electric switch assembly30includes a sealable insulating housing32, an electric switch34, a follower magnet means36, an active magnet means38, and an insulating cover40.

Electric switch34in this embodiment is also a conventional pushbutton switch for use in household electrical appliances. It is received in cylindrical portion322of housing32and has an on/off operating means (not shown in the drawings) with a pushbutton342being linearly operable to open and close switch contacts.

Follower magnet means36includes a frame362and an inner permanent magnet364. Frame362has a cylindrical body366and an under brim368. Electric switch34is received in cylindrical body366in such a way that pushbutton342of switch34leans against upper wall367of body366so that follower magnet means36and pushbutton342of switch34can move downward synchronously.

Inner permanent magnet364is ring-shaped and is attached to the upper surface of brim368of frame362. As shown in the drawings, brim368and inner permanent magnet364both are received inside disc portion324of housing32.

Insulating cover40is attached to insulating housing32. In this embodiment, it is cylindrically shaped to provide a receiving room42to receive insulating housing32, electric switch34, follower magnet means36, and active magnet means38.

Active magnet means38has a frame44and an outer permanent magnet46. Frame44has an upper push portion442, a cylindrical portion444, and an under brim446. Outer permanent magnet46is attached to the undersurface of brim446.

In combination, active magnet means38is positioned between the outside surface of cylindrical portion322of housing32and the inside surface of cover40in such a way that push portion442projects from an upper bore402of cover40. Undersurface462of outer permanent magnet46faces upper surface366of inner permanent magnet364so that when push portion442of frame44is not in its depressed position, as shown inFIG. 5, the resulting magnetic force will cause active magnet means38and follower magnet means36to stay in a first position wherein electric switch34is in the off or open position.

When push portion442of frame44is depressed and thereby moved to a second position, as shown inFIG. 6, active magnet means38is simultaneously moved to lean against the upper surface of disc portion324of housing32so that the resulting magnetic force will cause follower magnet means36and pushbutton342of switch34to move downward synchronously, taking electric switch34from the off or open position to the on or closed position.

When the depression force on push portion442of frame44is released, on/off operating means of switch34will force pushbutton342thereof back to the off or open position; at the same time, follower magnet means36is moved synchronously with pushbutton342of switch34, and the resulting magnetic force will cause active magnet means38back to the first position.

A fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown in toFIGS. 7 and 8. The structure shown therein is a sealed magnetically controlled electric switch assembly60that includes a sealable insulating housing62, an electric switch64, a follower magnet means66, an active magnet means68and an insulating cover70.

Insulating housing62has a cylindrical body622and a center shaft624projecting from the upper wall of body622. Electric switch64is a rotary switch with an on/off operating means. The on/off operating means has a knob642that is switchable between the off or open position and the on or closed position by rotation about a rotary axis65.

Follower magnet means66includes an inner frame662and one or more inner permanent magnets664. Inner frame662has a cylindrical body666, a first protrusion668extending from the upper wall of body666, and a first couple portion669extending downward from the upper wall of body666. Inner permanent magnet664is mounted on the outer surface of body666of inner frame662. In this embodiment, the outer side of inner permanent magnet664has a particular magnetic polarity. First protrusion668of inner frame662is rotatably received in shaft624of housing62, and first couple portion669couples with knob642of switch64so that knob642of switch64can rotate concurrently with follower magnet means66.

Active magnet means68includes an outer frame682and one or more outer permanent magnets684. Outer frame682has a cylindrical body686disposed around the outside of housing62and a center axle688rotatably coupled with center shaft624of housing62so that outer frame682can rotate about rotary axis65.

Outer permanent magnet684, in this embodiment has an outer side having a magnetic polarity that is opposite to the polarity of the outer side of inner permanent magnet664. Outer permanent magnet684is mounted on the inner surface of body686of outer frame682in such a way that the outer side thereof faces the outer side of inner permanent magnet664so that the attractive magnetic forces will cause active magnet means68and follower magnet means66to stay in a first position.

Insulating cover70is cylindrically shaped and fixed on housing62in such a way that a space702is defined between the outer surface of housing62and the inner surface of cover70to receive active magnet means68therein. In this embodiment, sealed magnetically controlled electric switch assembly60further includes a handle72mounted on center axle688of outer frame682of active magnet means68by a pin74so that electric switch assembly60can be operated by handle72.

In operation, when handle72is turned by users, active magnet means68is moved in the same direction as handle72's turn. For example, when handle72is rotated a predetermined angle in the clockwise direction, active magnet means68is also moved clockwise. The attractive magnetic forces will cause follower magnet means66and on/off operating means of switch64to rotate synchronously with active magnet means68by the same number of degrees. As a result, switch64is switched from the off or open position to the on or closed position. When handle72is rotated counterclockwise, switch64will be switched back to the off or open position in the same manner.