|
(11) | EP 2 811 499 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| (54) | A switch, in particular a battery cutout switch for vehicles and the like |
| (57) A switch, in particular a battery cutout switch for vehicles and the like, comprising: - a housing (12) carrying at least one pair of fixed electrical contacts (22) and having a tubular neck (42) extending along a longitudinal direction (A), - a contact-holder body (28) carrying at least one movable electrical contact (32) and movable between an open contacts position and a closed contacts position, and - a handle (44) rotatable with respect to the housing (12) about said longitudinal axis (A), between an open position and a closed position, wherein: - said handgrip (48) of the handle (44) has two transverse through-holes (100) opposite to each other; - the tubular neck (42) has an edge (106, 108) facing said handgrip (48) having a first and a second locking seat (110, 112), angularly offset from each other and arranged so that in the open position of the handle (44), one of said through-holes (100) is aligned with the first locking seat (110) and in the closed position of the handle (44) said hole (100) is aligned with the second locking seat (112); and - a separate locking element (114), insertable through one of said through-holes (100) and through the locking seat (110, 112) facing thereto, to lock the handle (44) in the closed position or in the open position. |
Field of the invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a switch, in particular of the type intended for use as a battery cutout switch in electrical systems on board vehicles, boats, etc.
Description of the prior art
[0002] Battery cutout switches are usually used for selectively connecting a load, or rather the electrical system on board a vehicle, to a power source, or rather the vehicle battery. Switches of this type generally have a housing carrying two or more fixed electrical contacts and a contact-holder body carrying at least one movable electrical contact cooperating with the fixed contacts and movable between an open contacts position and a closed contacts position.
[0003] Battery cutout switches are usually equipped with a handle rotatable between an open position and a closed position, which cooperates with the contact-holder body to move it from the open contacts position to the closed contacts position. In certain cases, the handle can be removed to ensure that the switch remains in the open position, for example during maintenance operations. In other cases, the handle is non-removable, and other systems are provided for locking the handle in the open position.
Object and summary of the invention
[0004] The present invention aims to provide a solution that allows locking of the handle both in a closed position and in an open position, and that is applicable indifferently to switches with removable or non-removable handles.
[0005] According to the present invention, this object is achieved by a switch having the characteristics forming the subject of Claim 1.
Brief description of the drawings
[0007] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings, given purely by way of non-limiting example, wherein:
- Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a battery cutout switch according to the present invention,
- Figure 2 is a partially sectioned perspective view of the part indicated by the arrow II in Figure 1,
- Figure 3 is a perspective view of the part indicated by the arrow III in Figure 2,
- Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views illustrating the handle in the open position with a locking element in the locked position and in the park position, respectively, and
- Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views, illustrating the handle in the closed position with a locking element in the locked position and in the park position, respectively.
Detailed description of the invention
[0008] With reference to Figure 1, numeral 10 indicates a switch according to the present invention, intended to be used, in particular, as a battery cutout switch for vehicles, boats, etc.
[0009] The switch 10 comprises a housing of plastic material 12 including a base 14 and a cover 16. The cover 16 is attached to the base 14, for example by means of screws 18. Between the cover 16 and the base 14, a gasket 20 may be placed.
[0010] Within the housing 12, at least one pair of fixed electrical contacts is housed. In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the switch 10 comprises two pairs of fixed electrical contacts 22. Each fixed contact 22 has the shape of a pin with an enlarged head and a threaded shank. The shanks of the fixed contacts 22 extend through respective holes in the base 14, and are attached to the base 14 by means of respective nuts 24. On the shanks of the fixed contacts 22, respective O-rings 26 can be arranged.
[0011] A contact-holder body 28 is mounted within the housing 12. The contact-holder body 28 is movable relative to the housing 12 along a longitudinal axis A. Between the housing 12 and the contact-holder body 28, a rectilinear guide is provided, for guiding the contact-holder body 28 along the rectilinear direction A. The guide can be formed by ribs projecting from the inner walls of the base 14 and between which the side edges of the contact-holder body 28 are engaged, in a drawer-like manner.
[0012] The contact-holder body 28 carries at least one movable electrical contact. In the illustrated example, the contact-holder body 28 has two through-openings 30 in which two movable electrical contacts 32 are housed, each of which cooperates with a pair of fixed contacts 22. Each movable electrical contact 32 has the shape of an elongated metal plate, with a central portion and two side portions that protrude from opposite sides of the contact-holder body 28. The movable contacts 32 are retained by the contact-holder body 28 by means of respective springs 34, 36. The springs 34 are arranged coaxially within the springs 36 to increase the stiffness of the elastic connection between the movable contacts 32 and the contact-holder body 28. The springs 34, 36 act between the central portion of the respective movable contact 32 and an upper wall of the opening 30, and elastically press the movable electrical contacts 32 against the lower wall of the respective opening 30. The side portions of the movable electrical contacts 32 that protrude from opposite sides of the contact-holder body 28 are facing the heads of a respective pair of fixed contacts 22.
[0013] The contact-holder body 28 is movable along the longitudinal direction A, between a closed contacts position in which the two movable electrical contacts 32 are pressed against the heads of the fixed electrical contacts 22, and an open contacts position in which the movable electrical contacts 32 are detached from the fixed electrical contacts 22. Elastic means are provided to push the contact-holder body 28 towards the open contacts position. In the illustrated example, these elastic means are formed by a pair of compression coil springs 38 acting between the bottom wall of the base 14 and a pair of side protrusions 40 of the contact-holder body 28.
[0014] With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the cover 16 of the housing 12 has an integral tubular neck 42, coaxial to the longitudinal axis A. A control handle 44 is mounted on the tubular neck 42 in a rotatable manner about the longitudinal axis A. The handle 44 has a shaft 46 inserted within the tubular neck 42 and a handgrip 48 projecting from the upper edge of the tubular neck 42. The handle 44 has a collar 50 provided on the shaft 46 at the base of the handgrip 48. On the collar 50, a pair of O-rings 52 is arranged, which form a seal on the inner surface of the tubular neck 42.
[0015] The shaft 46 of the handle 44 has at least one first control member 54 and at least one second control member 56. The control members 54, 56 are formed by pin-shaped elements projecting in a radial direction from the side wall of the shaft 46. In the illustrated example, two first control members 54 and two second control members 56 are provided. Each control member 54, 56 is offset by 180° with respect to the counterpart control member. The second control members 56 are spaced apart in the direction of the longitudinal axis A with respect to the first control members 54.
[0016] With reference to Figure 2, the tubular neck 42 of the cover 16 has a shoulder 58 projecting radially inward from the side wall of the neck 42. The collar 50 of the handle 44 rests on the upper surface of the shoulder 58. The shoulder 58 has a hole 60 through which the shaft 46 extends with clearance. The hole 60 has two openings 62 through which the engagement members 54, 56 can pass, during the insertion/extraction of the handle 44 in the direction of the longitudinal axis A. The insertion/ extraction of the handle 44 is only possible when the command members 54, 56 are aligned with the openings 62 of the shoulder 58.
[0017] When the handle 44 is inserted into the neck 42, the first control members 54 are located below the shoulder 58. When the first control members 54 are angularly offset with respect to the openings 62 of the shoulder 58, the extraction of the handle 44 is not possible because the first control members 54 interfere with the lower wall of the shoulder 58.
[0018] The handle 44 is rotatable about the axis A relative to the housing 12 between an open position and a closed position. The insertion/extraction position of the handle 44, in which the stop members 54, 56 are aligned with the openings 62 of the shoulder 58, is angularly offset relative to the work angle of the handle 44 between the open position and the closed position.
[0019] Considering the open position as a reference position of the handle 44, and considering the angles of rotation in the clockwise direction as positive, and the angles of rotation of the handle in a counterclockwise direction as negative, the insertion/extraction position of the handle 44 is rotated by -40° with respect to the open position. The closed position is rotated by +90° with respect to the open position.
[0020] Therefore, when the handle 44 rotates between the open position and the closed position, and vice versa, the first engagement members 54 are angularly offset with respect to the openings 62 of the shoulder 58, and prevent the extraction of the handle 44. In normal operation, the handle 44 is therefore free to rotate about the longitudinal axis A relative to the housing 12 between the open position and the closed position, but is constrained at the housing 12 in the direction of the longitudinal axis A.
[0021] With reference to Figure 2, the switch 10 comprises a cam 64 fixed with respect to the contact-holder body 28. The cam 64 can be a separate component fixed to the contact-holder body 28 or can be integrally formed within the contact-holder body 28. The cam 64 comprises an outer tubular wall 66 within which the shaft portion 46 of the handle 44 carrying the control members 54, 56 extends. The cam 64 has at least one inclined ramp 68 projecting radially inward from the side wall 66. Preferably, the cam 64 has two inclined ramps 68 cooperating with respective control members 54, 56. The first and second control members 54, 56 are arranged, respectively, above and below the respective inclined ramp 68. The rotation of the handle 44 between the open position and the closed position controls the movement of the contact-holder body 28, from the open contacts position to the closed contacts position, by means of the control members 54 and the inclined ramps 68 of the cam 64. When the handle 44 rotates from the closed position to the open position, the springs 38 push the contact-holder body 28 towards the open contacts position. The second control members 56 act by dragging the contact-holder body 28 into the open contacts position in the case wherein the movable electrical contacts 32 remain stuck to the fixed electrical contacts due to incrustations, microwelding or the like. The handle 44 is stably held in the open position, and the closed position, thanks to the engagement of the first control members 54 in respective notches formed in the lower ends and upper ends of the respective inclined ramps 68.
[0022] With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the switch 10 comprises a stop member 70, which has the purpose of limiting the angular stroke of the handle 44 about the axis A. The stop member 70 can be attached to the handle 44 in a first position (removable handle position) or in a second position (non-removable handle position). When the stop member 70 is attached to the handle 44 in the removable handle position, the handle 44 is free to rotate about the axis A by an angle between -40° and +90° with respect to the reference position (open position). When the stop member 70 is attached to the handle 44 in the non-removable handle position, the handle 44 can rotate about the axis A by an angle between 0 and 90° with respect to the reference position.
[0023] The stop member 70 is inserted into a seat 72 formed on the upper part of the handle 44. The stop member 70 is attached to the handle 44 by means of a screw 74 which extends through a hole 76 of the stop member 70, and is screwed into a hole 78 formed in the shaft 46 of the handle 44. The two positions of the stop member 70, relative to the handle 44, are rotated by 180°, relative to one another, about the axis A.
[0024] The stop member 70 has a first abutment element 80 and a second abutment element 82 (Figure 1). The abutment elements 80, 82 are asymmetric to each other
[0025] With reference to Figure 2, the neck 42 of the cover 16 has a fixed abutment element 84, which cooperates with the abutment elements 80, 82 of the stop member 70. The fixed abutment element 84 is formed by an integral projection of the upper edge of the neck 42. The fixed abutment element 84 has a first and a second abutment surface 86, 88, which cooperate with the abutment elements 80, 82 of the stop member 70 to define two stroke-end positions. In the removable handle position of the stop member 70, the two stroke-end positions are angularly spaced from each other by 130°. In the non-removable handle position of the stop member 70, the stroke-end positions are angularly spaced from each other by 90°.
[0026] When the stop member 70 is attached to the handle 44 in the movable handle position, the handle 44 can rotate relative to the housing between an insertion/extraction position, an open position and a closed position. When the stop member 70 is attached to the handle 44 in the non-removable handle position, the handle 44 can only rotate relative to the housing between the open position and the closed position.
[0027] With reference to Figures 2 and 3, the handle 44 has two through-holes 100 transverse with respect to the axis A. The two holes 100 are aligned with each other, and are located on the side wall of the handgrip 48, on opposite sides of the seat 72. The stop member 70 has a through-opening 102 aligned with the transverse through-holes 100 of the handle 44. The stop member 70 also has an upper opening 104 that communicates with the transverse through-opening 102
[0028] Again, with reference to Figures 2 and 3, the upper edge of the neck 42 has a first edge portion 106 and a second edge portion 108. The edge portions 106 and 108 are located at two different heights. The second edge portion 108 is lowered relative to the first edge portion 106. The fixed abutment element 84 projects upward beyond the first edge portion 106.
[0029] On the first edge portion 106, a first locking seat 110 and a second locking seat 112 are formed, angularly offset from each other. In the illustrated example, the locking seats 110, 112 have the shape of semi-circular notches. The locking seats 110, 112 could have a different shape and could, for example, be formed by through-holes extending through the side wall of the tubular neck 42.
[0030] The second edge portion 108 is tangent to the lower ends of the locking seats 110, 112 or may be lower than the locking seats 110, 112. More precisely, a plane orthogonal to the axis A, and tangent to the second edge portion 108 is tangent to the lower ends of the locking seats 110, 112 or lower than the lower ends of the locking seats 110, 112.
[0031] Figures 4 and 5 show the handle 44 in the open position. When the handle 44 is in the open position, a hole 100 of the handle 44 is aligned with the first locking seat 110 and the hole 100 of the handle 44 opposite to the one aligned with the first locking seat 110 is located alongside the second edge portion 108.
[0032] Figures 6 and 7 show the handle in the closed position. When the handle 44 is in the closed position, a hole 100 of the handle 44 is aligned with the second locking seat 110 and the hole 100 of the handle 44 opposite to the one aligned with the second locking seat 110 is located alongside the second edge portion 108 .
[0033] The second edge portion 108 has an angular extension equal to or greater than the angular stroke of the handle from the open position to the closed position. Therefore, in any position of the handle 44 between the open position and the closed position, one of the holes 100 of the handle 44 is always located at the second edge portion 108.
[0034] The switch 10 is equipped with a separate locking element 114, which can be used to lock the handle 44 in the open position or in the closed position. In the example shown in the figures, the locking element 114 is formed by the ring of a padlock 116. Alternatively, the locking element 114 could be formed from any element configured to be inserted through one of the holes 100 of the handle 44 and through the associated locking seat 110, 112. For example, the locking element could be formed by a pin, a U-shaped flange, an open ring, etc.
[0035] With reference to Figure 4, to lock the handle in the open position, the locking element 114 is inserted through the first locking seat 110 and through the corresponding hole 100 aligned with it.
[0036] Similarly, as is illustrated in Figure 6, to lock the handle in the closed position, the locking element 114 is inserted through the second locking seat 112 and through the corresponding hole 100 aligned with it.
[0037] When not being used to lock the handle in the open position or in the closed position, the locking element 114 may be arranged in a park position. In the park position, the locking element is inserted through the hole 100 of the handle 44 located at the second edge portion 108. Figures 5 and 7 illustrate the handle 44 in the open position (Figure 5) and in closed position (Figure 7) with the locking element 114 in the park position. In the park position, the locking element does not hinder the rotation of the handle 44 between the open and closed positions. Since the locking element 114 is separable from the switch 10, the park position is to prevent the locking element from being mislaid when it is not used for locking the handle.
[0038] Both in the locked position, and in the park position, the locking element also extends halfway through a transverse through-opening 102 and through the upper opening 104 of the stop member 70.
[0039] With reference to Figure 5, the locking element in the park position prevents the handle from rotating from the open position toward the insertion/extraction position, because the locking element 114 interferes with a wall 118 of the fixed abutment element 84.
[0040] Therefore, in the park position, the locking element 114 renders the handle 44 non-removable, independently of the position of the stop member 70.
[0041] The handle 44 may be devoid of the stop member 70. In the absence of the stop member 70, the selection between the removable condition of the handle and the non-removable condition of the handle is made by removing the locking element 114 (removable condition of handle) or by placing the locking element 114 in the park position (non-removable condition of the handle).
[0042] If the locking element 114 is removed and if the stop member 70 is absent, or is in the removable handle position, the handle 44 can be removed.
[0043] The safety function that prevents closing of the switch 10 can be obtained either by locking the handle 44 in the open position by means of the locking element 114, or by removing the handle 44.
[0044] With reference to Figure 1, the switch 10 can be fitted with a cap 90, which can be applied to the upper end of the neck 42 after the extraction of the handle, to prevent the entrance of dust, water, dirt, or the like to the inside of the housing 12. The cap 90 can be connected to a flexible strip 92 provided at the opposite end with a ring 94 fitted on the neck 42. The flexible strip 92 can be equipped with a circular projection on which the cap 90 engages in the position in which it is not used, so as to avoid contaminants collecting inside the cap 90.
1. A switch, in particular a battery cutout switch for vehicles and the like, comprising:
- a housing (12) carrying at least one pair of fixed electrical contacts (22) and having a tubular neck (42) extending along a longitudinal direction (A),
- a contact-holder body (28) carrying at least one movable electrical contact (32) and movable between an open contacts position and a closed contacts position, and
- a handle (44) having a shaft (46) extending inside said tubular neck (42) and a
handgrip (48) projecting outwards from said tubular neck (42), the handle (44) being
rotatable with respect to the housing (12), about said longitudinal axis (A) between
an open position corresponding to the open contacts position of the contact-holder
body (28), and a closed position corresponding to the closed contacts position of
the contact-holder body (28), in which the handle (44) is constrained axially with
respect to the housing (12) in any position different from the insertion/extraction
position,
characterized in that
- said handgrip (48) has two transverse through holes (100) opposite to each other;
- said tubular neck (42) has an edge (106, 108) facing said handgrip (48) having a first and a second locking seat (110, 112), angularly offset from each other and arranged so that in the open position of the handle (44) one of said through holes (100) is aligned with the first locking seat (110), and in the closed position of the handle (44) said hole (100) is aligned with the second locking seat (112); and
- a separate locking element (114), insertable through one of said through-holes (100) and through the locking seat (110, 112) facing thereto to lock the handle (44) in the closed position or in the open position.
2. A switch according to Claim 1, characterized in that said edge of the tubular neck (42) has a first edge portion (106) at which said locking
seats (110, 112) are formed, and a second edge portion (108) lowered relative to the
first edge portion (106), wherein the hole (100) opposite to the hole (100) facing
said locking seats (110, 112) is alongside said second edge portion (108) at any position
of the handle (44) between the open position and the closed position, so that said
locking element (114) can be placed in a park position in which it engages the hole
(100) disposed at said second edge portion (108).
3. A switch according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a stop member (70) attachable to the handle (44) in a removable handle
position or in a non-removable handle position, the stop member (70) having a first
and a second abutment element (80, 82), which cooperate with abutment surfaces (86,
88) of a fixed abutment element (84) to form the stroke-end of the angular movement
of the handle (44), wherein when the stop member (70) is attached to the handle (44)
in the removable handle position, the handle (44) is rotatable relative to the housing
(12) between an insertion/extraction position, the open position and the closed position,
and when the stop member (70) is attached to the handle (44) in the non-removable
handle position, the handle (44) limits the angular movement of the handle (44) between
the open position and the closed position.
4. A switch according to Claim 3, characterized in that said stop member (70) is inserted into a seat (72) formed on an upper part of the
handle (44).
5. A switch according to Claim 3, characterized in that said fixed abutment element (84) is formed by a protrusion that extends from said
edge (106, 108) of said tubular neck (42).
6. A switch according to Claim 3, characterized in that said tubular neck (42) has an internal shoulder (58) equipped with openings (62),
which allow the passage of protruding control members (54, 56) of said handle (44)
into said insertion/extraction position.