Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present disclosure relates to jigs for assembling switches, and in particular relates to leaf-type contact switch assembly.
BACKGROUND
Leaf-type contact based switch are known to be used wherever a single-switch housing needs to accommodate a plurality of contacts for actuating multiple controls. An exemplary application includes a round switch for tilting a side-view mirror at a given range of solid angle. While assembling such switches, one of the step is a height-checking process. The process essentially is used for checking a lower value/limit of the height of the leaf-type contact.

Such height-checking process ensures that the leaf-type contact comes in contact with the switch-housing, or an insulator contact-area, which provides the necessary actuation for an actual function of the switch. The height-checking process is accomplished through a jig comprising a contact-pin & a reference pin, which contacts the leaf-type contact held as a work-piece and measures a gap between the insulator and the leaf-type contact as a part of height-determination process.

Despite height-verification having taken place, further assembling steps for the switch may disturb the height of the contacts. For example, during the assembly of retractor-holder with a spring-assembly as manually-done via a hand, there lies a high-probability of damage to contacts, owing to the contacts undergoing bending or deformation during such assembly. Similar is the probability of contact-damage and unwanted bending during a manual-assembly process of the contact-holder with the insulator.

In both of the scenarios, the damage to the contacts or bending/deformation of the contacts gets detected only at a final-inspection machine/End of Line Testing Machine. In other words, the completely assembled leaf-type contact switch is found faulty owing to incorrect contact-height at the last stage only, thereby rendering assembly as a blindly done assembly or a blind-assembly.

Accordingly, there lies a need of a mechanism to prevent a leaf-type contact-switch from getting blindly assembled at least due to insufficient/faulty height of the leaf-contact.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified format that are further described in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the invention, nor is it intended for determining the scope of the invention.

The present subject matter describes an apparatus for assisting an assembly of a leaf-type contact-switch comprising a contact holder including at least one leaf-type contact and a housing accommodating the contact holder, said apparatus comprising:
a first horizontal platform adapted to hold said contact holder, the first platform comprising an elevated block member extending from a top surface thereof with a top portion of said elevated block being shaped to match at least in part with a profile of the contact holder; and
a second horizontal platform locatable above the first horizontal platform at a height at least equivalent to that of the elevated block member, the second horizontal platform comprising a through aperture encompassing the elevated block, said through aperture being shaped to match at least in part with a profile of the housing, the second horizontal platform being adapted to receive and locate the housing in a predetermined orientation relative to the contact holder.

By virtue of aforesaid apparatus, the present subject matter renders a ‘height-checking jig’ to facilitate a height-verification of the leaf-type contacts. The height-checking process is used for checking the lower-value/limit of a contact-height to ensure that the leaf-type contact comes in contact with an insulator-contact area, which is responsible for the actual working of the switch. Thereafter, the contact-holder kept at the bottom and comprising the ‘tested/verified leaf-type’ contacts is held as a work-piece and receives an insulator from the top. The receipt of insulator from the top at-least renders the probability of damage to the leaf-type contact/spring negligible and leads to a significantly defect-proof assembly.

To further clarify advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which is illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 depicts an isometric-view of a jig in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 depicts an isometric-view of the jig seen from the opposite side with respect to Fig. 1;
Figure 3 depicts a work-piece assembly in the jig of Fig. 1, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter;
Figure 4 depicts a horizontal-platform forming a part of the assembly as depicted in Fig. 3, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter;
Figure 5 depicts the work-piece assembly of Fig. 3 without the platform and indicates a switch-housing or insulator with respect to the work-piece;
Figure 6 depicts a bottom-view of the insulator as depicted in Fig. 5;
Figure 7 depicts an exploded-view of the work-piece assembly of Fig. 5 without the insulator Fig. 6;
Figure 8 depicts a contact-holder forming a part of the work-piece assembly of Fig. 3;
Figure 9 depicts an exploded view of the work-piece arrangement of Fig. 7 without the contact-holder; and
Figure 10 depicts exemplary scenarios pertaining to height-verification through the jig in an embodiment of the present subject-matter; and

Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and may not have been necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the flow charts illustrate the method in terms of the most prominent steps involved to help to improve understanding of aspects of the present invention. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the drawings by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having benefit of the description herein.

DETAILED DESCRITION OF FIGURES

For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory of the invention and are not intended to be restrictive thereof.

Reference throughout this specification to “an aspect”, “another aspect” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrase “in an embodiment”, “in another embodiment” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.

The terms "comprises", "comprising", or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process or method that comprises a list of steps does not include only those steps but may include other steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process or method. Similarly, one or more devices or sub-systems or elements or structures or components proceeded by "comprises... a" does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other devices or other sub-systems or other elements or other structures or other components or additional devices or additional sub-systems or additional elements or additional structures or additional components.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The system, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Now referring to Figure 1, it can be seen that the present invention, in accordance with an embodiment illustrates an apparatus 102 for assisting an assembly of a leaf-type contact-switch, wherein such leaf-type contact switch comprises a contact holder including at least one leaf-type contact, and a housing 104 accommodating the contact-holder. Such apparatus 102 forms a part of an a jig 100 that is used to assemble a leaf-type contact-switch from its constituent-components such as a contact-holder, leaf type metallic-components, an insulator or a housing for the contact-holder, etc. As may be understood, the jig 100 as represented by the apparatus 102 holds the constituent-components as a work-piece and requires a user operation (which may range from a user driving the movable control of jig to as little as a push-button operation) over the jig 100 as a part of the user-control.

The jig 100 further comprises a set of height-checking pin(s) 106 to access the leaf-type contacts incorporated within the contact-holder held as a work-piece. The at-least one contact-pin 106 is suspended from the top and adapted to reach the top portion 706 of the elevated block member 704. The lifting and lowering of pins 106 may be electrically or hydraulically controlled through any known means known to be present in the jig or any other analogous mechanism. The one or more probes 106 contact the held work-piece to determine height of leaf- type contacts incorporated therein

The apparatus 102 comprises a first horizontal platform 108 adapted to hold the contact holder, and comprises an elevated block member (shown later in figures) extending from a top-surface of the horizontal-platform 108. A top-portion (shown later in figures) of said elevated block-member is shaped to match at-least in part with a profile of the contact holder. More specifically, the top portion is configured to accommodate or receive the contact-holder, while rendering the accommodated contact-holder exposed from the top.

The apparatus further comprises a second-horizontal platform 110 locatable above the first horizontal-platform 108 at a height at least equivalent to that of the elevated block member. The first horizontal platform (108) and the second horizontal platform (110) are co-axial. In an example, the second horizontal platform 110 may be either co-planar with the top portion of the elevated-member or located upwards. Further, the second horizontal platform 110 comprises a through-aperture encompassing the elevated block, such that the second horizontal platform 110 renders a window to provide access to the top-portion of the elevated block member from upwards. To facilitate access of the top-portion by the housing 104, the through-aperture is shaped to match at-least in part with a profile of the housing 104.

The second horizontal platform 110 is adapted to receive and locate the housing 104 in a predetermined-orientation relative to the contact holder. As the housing 104 is received by the second platform 110 via the through-aperture, it is mounted above the top-portion of the elevated block member after having been guided by the second-horizontal platform 110.

In an example, the second horizontal-platform 110 upon having received the housing 104 acts as a rigid-support/holder for the received housing 104. As the housing 104 is depressed downwards against the elevated block member to achieve a snug-fit connection between the contact-holder and the housing 104, the rigid support lent by the second horizontal-platform 110 to the housing 104 enables an intact-position of the housing 104 to achieve a desired snug-fit connection between the housing 104 and the contact-holder.

Figure 2 depicts another view of the jig 100 depicted in Fig. 1 as seen from an opposite side. The additional components as clearly-visible from the figure include a first linear actuator 202 configured to exhibit an extended position and structurally obstruct the housing 104 from getting mounted over the contact-holder. Such extended position comes into existence in case the contacts in the contact holder have not yet undergone the step of height-verification or the height (as already ascertained) is found to be below-threshold. However, the linear actuator 202 retracts as and when the height of the leaf-type contacts is found by the jig to be optimum. Further, the jig 100 as shown in Fig. 2 depicts another linear-actuator 204, which is able to move the apparatus 102 back and forth linearly as a single-unit.

A processing-device is electronically connected to the linear-actuator 202 and adapted to trigger said extended-position in case said at least one leaf-type contact 202 exhibits a height below a pre-determined threshold. apparatus (102) as claimed in claim 7, wherein said processing-device is adapted to trigger the linear actuator (202) to retract from the extended position in case said at-least one leaf-type contact exhibits a height at-least equal to a pre-determined threshold. A metallic-block 206 is suspended above the second-horizontal platform 110 and adapted to push downwardly the housing 104 oriented relative to the contact-holder, as a part of assembling the switch.

Figure 3 depicts an isometric view of the apparatus 102 as implemented within the jig 100. As illustrated in the present figure, the second horizontal platform 110 is vertically- movable with respect to the first horizontal-platform 108 through a resilient-means 302-1 till 4. In an example, the resilient-means may be a quadruplet of compressible-spring based pillars 302-1 till 4. Accordingly, during the depression of the second platform 110 against the first horizontal platform 108, the resilient means 302-1 till 4 not only allow such relative-motion between the second horizontal platform 110 and the first horizontal-platform 112, but also keep the second horizontal platform 110 intact, localized and parallel with respect to the first horizontal platform 108.

Figure 4 depicts a plan-view of the second-horizontal platform 110, thereby depicting the through-aperture 402 as carved within the second-horizontal platform in accordance with the profile of the housing or insulator. The aperture 402 of the second horizontal platform 110 is surrounded by one or more serrations protruding from the second horizontal platform 110 to facilitate the receipt of the housing (104).

Figure 5a and Fig. 5b depicts the apparatus as depicted in Fig. 3, without the second horizontal platform 110 of Fig. 4, thereby clearly depicting the housing 104 as mounted over the contact-holder. More specifically, Fig. 5b depicts an enlarged view of the housing 104 exhibiting a position as normally exhibited while being mounted over the contact-holder in accordance with the present subject matter.

Figure 6 illustrates a bottom view of the insulator/housing 104 as depicted in Fig. 5 as depicted in Fig. 5b. As it is evident, the insulator/housing 104 may be a monolithic-structure capable of entirely accommodating the contact-holder. A portion of the insulator 104 (as indicated by dashed lines) is earmarked within the housing 104 entirely in line with the profile of the contact-holder and comprises metallic contacts to mate with the lead-type contacts within the contact holder. More specifically, the metallic contacts of the housing 104 mate with the leaf-type contacts to make or break an electrical circuit as and when a particular control (e.g. push-button control) over the insulator 104 is actuated, i.e. a push button formed over the insulator getting actuated.

Figure 7 illustrates an exploded view of the apparatus depicted in Fig. 5, thereby depicting the housing 104, the contact-holder 702 and the first horizontal platform 102 in an exploded form. As it is evident from the figure, the elevated portion 704 emanating from the first horizontal platform 102 has the top-portion 706 carved out or recessed in accordance with profile of the contact-holder 702, thereby rendering the accommodation for the contact-holder 702. Further, the residence of the contact-holder 702 within the top portion 706 acting as the fixture allows the insulator 104 to be mounted atop the contact-holder 702.

Figure 8 (a to c) illustrates different view of the contact-holder 702 as depicted in Fig. 7. While Fig. 8a and Fig. 8b indicate a front and plan view of the contact-holder 702, Fig. 8c indicates an isometric-view of the contact-holder 702. As depicted in Fig. 8c, the leaf-type contacts stand incorporated within the contact-holder 702. Further, the contact-holder 702 is provided with a spring 802 as a tail-member that upon compression enables a snug-fit yet detachable connection of the contact-holder 702 within the insulator/housing 104.

Figure 9 (a and b) depicts an exemplary scenarios pertaining to height-verification through the jig 100 in an embodiment of the present subject-matter. More specifically, Fig. 9a depicts a condition wherein the height of the leaf-type contacts implemented within the contact-holder 702 is optimum enough to touch a corresponding metallic-contact within the insulator/housing 104 to complete an electrical-circuit. However, Fig. 9b depicts a scenario wherein the height of the leaf-type contacts is not found optimum to reach the insulator 104 and thereby complete an electrical circuit.

As may be understood from Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the determination of the height of the leaf-type-contact is performed by the contact-pins 106 of the jig 100, by placing the contact-holder 702 (loaded with the leaf-type contacts) within the top portion of the elevated member 704 and then triggering contact of the leaf-type contacts by downwardly pushing the contact-pins 106 of the jig 100. A visual- indicator for height sufficiency or insufficiency with respect to the leaf-type contacts may be rendered.

In case the height is found sufficient, then the insulator 104 may be mounted atop the contact-holder 702 by a user’s manual action. However, in case of non-sufficiency of height, the contact-holder 702 may be extracted out of the top portion 706 for discarding or sending for rectification. Moreover, as has been illustrated before, the linear actuator 202 (as has been depicted in Fig. 2) exibhits an extended position and acts as a physical obstruction for the mounting of the insulator/housing 104 over the contact-holder 702. Further, the linear-actuator 202 retracts only when the jig 100 has certified a particular contact-holder 702 as having the leaf-type contacts of sufficient height.

Figure 10 illustrates another isometric-view of the apparatus 102 comprising only the first horizontal platform 102 and the elevated member 704 extending therefrom. The present figure depicts a structural-assembly among the first horizontal platform 102, resilient-member (i.e. spring) based pillars, and the elevated member.

The top-portion (706) of the elevated-block (704) comprises at least one horizontally displaceable wall through a lever. The lever (1002) may be manually operated to horizontally displace one of the side-walls of the top-portion 706 of the elevated-member 704. Such an operation leads to an extended-position from an otherwise compressed portion of the tail-like spring 802. As and when the insulator/housing 104 has been mounted by pressing against the contact-holder 702 accommodated within the elevated portion 704, the lever 1002 may be actuated to expand the tail- like spring 802. Upon such expansion, the spring 802 as held from the contact-holder 702 gets accommodated within the housing/insulator 104. Accordingly, the spring 802 expands therein and aligns itself against a wall within the housing 104. Such an extension of the spring 802 leads to a rigid yet detachable of the contact-holder 702 within the insulator/housing.

The present subject matter at least substantially facilitates prevention of a blind-assembly of the leaf-type contact switches by enabling an initial-testing the height of the contacts and thereafter enabling an assembly of the switch through the jig, through an overhead mounting of the insulator over the contact holder. Such overhead-mounting of the insulator/housing leaves the ‘verified’ leaf-type contacts unaffected in terms of their height, thereby ensuring that the resultant switches as assembled only includes contacts having ‘verified’ height.

This enables detection of the contact-height based error at the stage of contact-holder assembling itself and restricts the products as discarded to be the order of leaf-type contacts or the contact-holder. Overall, the finally obtained assembly of the contact-holder with insulator is least prone to having faulty contacts, unlike conventionally assembled leaf-type contact switch assembly.

While specific language has been used to describe the disclosure, any limitations arising on account of the same are not intended. As would be apparent to a person in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein.

The drawings and the forgoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment.

The scope of embodiments is by no means limited by these specific examples. Numerous variations, whether explicitly given in the specification or not, such as differences in structure, dimension, and use of material, are possible.

Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any component(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or component.

Claims:We claim:
1. An apparatus (102) for assisting an assembly of a leaf-type contact switch comprising a contact holder (702) including at least one leaf-type contact and a housing (104) accommodating the contact holder (702), said apparatus (102) comprising:
a first horizontal platform (108) adapted to hold said contact holder (702), the first platform (108) comprising an elevated block member (704) extending from a top surface thereof with a top portion (706) of said elevated block member (704) being shaped to match at least in part with a profile of the contact holder (702); and
a second horizontal platform (110) locatable above the first horizontal platform (108) at a height at least equivalent to that of the elevated block member (704), the second horizontal platform (110) comprising a through aperture (402) encompassing the elevated block (704), said through aperture (402) being shaped to match at least in part with a profile of the housing (104), the second horizontal platform (110) being adapted to receive and locate the housing (104) in a predetermined orientation relative to the contact holder (702).

2. The apparatus (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said top-portion (706) of the elevated-block (704) comprises at least one horizontally displaceable wall through a lever-mechanism (1002).
3. The apparatus (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second horizontal platform (110) is vertically-movable during receiving and locating the housing.
4. The apparatus (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first (108) and second horizontal platform (110) are co-axial.
5. The apparatus (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said aperture (402) of the second horizontal platform (110) is surrounded by one or more serrations to facilitate the receipt of the housing (104).
6. The apparatus (102) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
a linear-actuator (202) adapted to exhibit a horizontally extended position to at-least partly close the through-aperture (402) within the second-platform (110) to obstruct the receipt of housing (104).
7. The apparatus (102) as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:
a processing-device electronically connected to the linear-actuator (202) and adapted to trigger said extended-position in case said at least one leaf-type contact (202) exhibits a height below a pre-determined threshold.
8. The apparatus (102) as claimed in claim 7, wherein said processing-device is adapted to trigger the linear actuator (202) to retract from the extended position in case said at-least one leaf-type contact exhibits a height at-least equal to a pre-determined threshold.
9. The apparatus (102) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
at-least one contact-pin (106) suspended from the top and adapted to reach the top portion (706) of the elevated block member (704).
10. The apparatus (102) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
a metallic-block (206) suspended above the second-horizontal platform (110) and adapted to push downwardly said housing (104) oriented relative to the contact-holder (702).