Abstract:
A detect switch ( 100 ) includes an insulative housing ( 1 ), a first and second fixed terminals ( 51, 52 ) retained in the insulative housing, a moveable contact ( 3 ), an operator assembly ( 2 ) and a cover ( 4 ) mounted on the insulative housing. The operator assembly ( 2 ) comprises a rotator ( 22 ) lying over the moveable contact, and an actuator ( 21 ) cooperating with the rotator ( 22 ) to drive the moveable contact. The moveable contact is formed with a pair of contacting portions ( 311, 321 ), a width of which is smaller than that of the fixed terminals. The contacting portions come to contact with and thereby electrically connect the fixed terminals when the operator assembly is manipulated.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a switch, and particularly to a detect switch used in various electronic applications.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     A conventional detect switch described in U.S. patent application Publication No. 2001/0025780 A1 comprises a case  11 , a stationary contact  13 , a common contact  14 , a movable contact  15  retained in the case  11 , and a lever  12  located above the moveable contact  15 . The contacts  13 ,  14  are embedded in the case  11  by insert molding, with the common contact  14  being disposed in a side surface of the case  11 , and the stationary contact  13  being disposed in a bottom surface of the case  11 . A stationary portion  15 F, a contact portion  15 H, and a curved portion  15 A formed therebetween are provided on the movable contact  15  which is made up of elastic metal material. The stationary portion  15 F and the contact portion  15 H have the same width as the contacts  13 ,  14 . The stationary portion  15 F maintains contacting with the common contact  14  in a normal state. The movable contact  15  is disposed in a state of bending so that the contact portion  15 H may come in contact with or apart from the stationary contact  13 . The lever  12  is formed with an operating portion  12 C rotatablely received in the case  1 , and a driving portion  12 B abutted against by the curved portion  15 A. When the operating portion  12 C is rotated forward and downwardly by an exerted force exerted thereon, the driving portion  12 B pushes the curved portion  15 A downwardly, thus to make the contact portion  15 H slide forward to come in contact with the stationary contact  13 .  
         [0005]     When the switch is manufactured, during the process of making the contacts  13 ,  14  embedded in the case  11  by insert molding, it is easy to produce something hairlike which would prevent the contact portion  15 H coming in contact with the stationary contact  13  smoothly and availably. As a result, it is hard to establish a reliable electrical connection between the contacts  13 ,  14 .  
         [0006]     Hence, an improved switch having an improved moveable contact to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art will be described in detail in the following embodiments.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a detect switch with an improved moveable contact.  
         [0008]     To achieve the aforementioned objects, a detect switch corresponding to the present invention comprises an insulative housing, a first and second fixed terminals retained in the insulative housing, a moveable contact, an operator assembly and a cover mounted on the insulative housing. The insulative housing defines thereon a first, second slot for receiving the fixed terminals. The operator assembly comprises a rotator lying over the moveable contact, and an actuator cooperating with the rotator and urging the rotator to drive the moveable contact. Each terminal has a fixed contact disposed in said insulative housing. The moveable contact is formed with a pair of contacting portions, a width of which is smaller than that of the fixed terminals. The contacting portions come to contact with and thereby electrically connect the fixed terminals when the operator assembly is manipulated.  
         [0009]     It is available to make the fixed terminals embedded in the insulative housing firmly because of an engagement among the first slot, the second slot and the fixed terminals. At the same time, since the fixed terminals are fixed firmly in the insulative housing, it would be harder to produce something hairlike at an outer surface of the fixed terminals during the process of manufacturing the same. The contacting portions are designed with a width smaller than that of the fixed terminals. The contacting area between the contacting portions and the corresponding fixed terminals would be reduced. It would be more durable for the contacting portions to avoid an interference of something hairlike when the contacting portions move away from the fixed terminals. Thus it would be smoothly and available for the contacting portions to return to a normal state.  
         [0010]     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a detect switch according to the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a partially exploded view of the detect switch; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the detect switch with the cover being removed. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , a detect switch  100  according to the present invention comprises an insulative housing  1 , a pair of fixed terminals  5 , a moveable contact  3 , an operator assembly  2  and a cover  4 .  
         [0016]     The insulative housing  1  is formed as a substantially rectangular case, and comprises a base  10 , a bottom wall  16  defining a second slot  161  in an inner surface thereof, a top wall  11  opposed to the bottom wall  16  and a pair of periphery walls  12  extending forward from opposite sides of the base  10 . The base  10  and the walls  16 ,  11 ,  12  cooperate to define a cavity (not labeled) for receiving the moveable contact  3  and the operator assembly  2 . The top wall  11  defines a cutout  11  in a central portion thereof corresponding to the operator assembly  2 . The cavity defines a pair of receiving recesses  13  therein, wherein the pair of receiving recesses  13  are symmetrically arranged adjacent to the periphery walls  12  in a transverse direction. The periphery walls  12  respectively has a projection  15  and a tuber  18  thinner than the periphery wall  12  protruding toward the cavity from a pair of opposite inner surface thereof. The projection  15  defines a first slot  151  at a lower surface thereof. Moreover, a circular mounting hole  14  is defined between the receiving recess  13  and the projection  15 . The insulative housing  1  has a nose portion  17  located at a corner portion thereof adjacent to the projection  15 . A plurality of engaging holes  19  are defined at a rear surface of the base  10 .  
         [0017]     The pair of fixed terminals  5  are embedded in the insulative housing  1  by insert molding and include a first and second fixed terminals  51 ,  52 . The first fixed terminal  51  is partly exposed at the lower surface of the projection  15  and engages with the first slot  151 . The second fixed contact  52  is embedded in the bottom wall  16  and partly exposed at the upper surface thereof. Each fixed terminal  5  has a soldering portions  53  extending throughout the insulative housing  1 .  
         [0018]     The moveable contact  3  made of flexible conductive material is disposed in a state of bending. The moveable contact  3  comprises a U-shaped curved portion  33 , a V-shaped sliding arm  31  extending laterally from one end of the curved portion  33 , and a stationary arm  32  formed at the other end of the curved portion  33 . A sliding contact portion  311 , a stationary contact portion  321  are respectively formed at a free end of the sliding arm  31 , the stationary arm  32 . The contact portions  311 ,  321  are respectively provided with a semi-circular curvature surface for sliding agilely. The sliding contact portion  311  and the stationary contact portion  321  respectively have a width smaller than that of the fixed terminals  51 ,  52  and arms  31 ,  32 .  
         [0019]     The operator assembly  2  comprises an actuator  21  partly received in the insulative housing  1  via the cutout  10 , and a rotator  22  complying with the actuator  21 . The actuator  21  is rotatablely retained in the cavity of the insulative housing  1  and includes a manipulating section  211  with a substantially rectangular shape, a columnar driving portion  212 , and an axle portion  213  mounted throughout the driving portion  212  in a transverse direction with a pair of free ends adapted to be retained in the receiving recesses  13 . The rotator  22  comprises a L-shaped board portion  222 , a protrusion  221 , and a pivot  223  rotatably retained in the mounting hole  14 . The protrusion  221  projects upwardly from a top of the board portion  222  with an upper surface formed as a semi-circular curvature surface engaging with an outer surface of the driving portion  212 . The pivot  223  in a shape of columnar is arranged perpendicular to the driving portion  212 . The board portion  222  is capable of rotating around the pivot  223  or converting to be reversed.  
         [0020]     The detect switch is further provided with a cover  4 . The cover  4  comprises a body portion  41 , a pair of periphery beams  42  extending rearwardly from a pair of parallel edges of the board portion  41 , a pair of top beams  43  and a bottom beam  44  respectively formed at another pair of the parallel edges of the board portion  41 . The periphery beams  42 , top beams  43 , and the bottom beam  44  respectively clasps the periphery walls  12 , top wall  11 , and the bottom wall  16  of the insulative housing  1 . The pair of periphery beams  42  and the rear beam  44  respectively has an engaging potion  421 ,  441  formed thereon with a free end adapted to be inserted into the engaging holes  19 .  
         [0021]     In assembly, the moveable contact  3  is received in the cavity of the insulative housing  1 , with the curved portion  33  standing against the tuber  18 . The sliding contact portion  311  lies over the lower portion of the projection  15  and disengages with the first terminal  51 . At the same time, the stationary contact portion  321  abutting against the nose portion  17  keeps contact with the second terminal  52 . The operator assembly  2  is received in the insulative housing  1 , wherein the rotator  22  is abutted against by the moveable contact  3 , and the actuator  21  is located above the rotator  22 . The rotator  22  lies over the moveable contact  3  with the pivot  223  rotatably retained in the mounting hole  14 . The lower portion of the board portion  222  is located before the tuber  18  and above the curved portion  33 . The actuator  21  is positioned above the rotator  22 , with the axle portion  213  rotatable retained in the receiving recesses  13 , and the manipulating portion  211  extending throughout the cutout  111 . The driving portion  212  is capable of rotating around the axle portion  213  and coupling with the protrusion  221  when an external force is exerted on the manipulating portion  211 . The cover is mounted on the insulative housing  1 , wherein the top beam  42 , bottom beam  44  and periphery beams  43  respectively clasps the corresponding walls  11 ,  16 ,  12 , with the engaging portions  421 ,  441  inserted into the corresponding engaging holes  19 .  
         [0022]     In operation, when the manipulating portion  211  pivots forward and downwardly around the axle portion  213  by an exerted force exerted thereon, the rotator  22  is driven to rotate around the pivot  223  thereby to depress the moveable contact  3  downwardly due to the engagement between the protrusion  221  and the driving portion  212 . The sliding contact portion  311  is driven to slide backwardly to come into contact with the first fixed terminal  51 , thus an electrical connection between the pair of fixed terminals  5  is established. When the exerted force is removed, the moveable contact  3  restores itself to a normal state, with the sliding contact portion  311  moving away from the first fixed terminal  51 , thus the connection between the fixed terminals  5  is broken.  
         [0023]     It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not be limited to the details given herein.