TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure generally relates to the field of automobiles. Specifically, the
present disclosure provides a low amperage control switch for vehicles. More
specifically, the present disclosure is directed towards the construction of a control
switch having a mechanism of discrete contact making/breaking by means of a
moving contact being configured with an actuation membrane.
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE
The information in this section merely provides background information related to the
present disclosure and may not constitute prior art(s).
Generally, vehicles are provided with control switches for operating the various
functions of the vehicle such as blinkers, cruise control, etc. Conventionally, as shown
in figure 1, such control switches have a plunger (1) to be actuated by an external
actuating force. The plunger (1) is coupled with a moving contact (3) loaded by
means of a spring (5). A plurality of terminals (T1, T2) is disposed in the interior of
the control switch by means of base (6) made from a non-conductive material such
that the base (6) provides insulation between the terminals (T1, T2). When a user
actuates the plunger (1), the moving contact (3) moves towards the terminals (T1, T2)
energizing the spring (5). The moving contact (3) thereby, establishes contact between
the terminals (T1, T2) to complete the electric circuit resulting in an electric signal to
achieve a desired function. When the user releases the actuating force from the
plunger (1), due to resilient action of spring (5), the moving contact (3) moves to the
unactuated position, and the contact between terminals (T1, T2) breaks. The upward
movement of the moving contact (3) is restricted by the body (4). However, the
existing switch has certain demerits such as no auditory feedback to the user. One
further drawback is current leakage due to entry of water between terminals. Water
leakage into the switch further results in corrosion of the terminals and base. This in
turn reduces the lifecycle efficiency of the switch.
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In other words, there was a need to develop a user friendly and technically advance
control switch. More specifically, a control switch capable of providing high auditory
feedback to the user for certain specific applications. Further, a control switch that is
water proof, compact in size whereby the contact making/breaking is discrete and can
be fitted with minimal occupancy of space on the mounting panel of vehicles.
SUMMARY
One or more drawbacks of conventional control switches as described in the prior art
are overcome and additional advantages are provided by the low amperage control
switch for vehicles as claimed in the present disclosure. Additional features and
advantages are realized through the technicalities of the present disclosure. Other
embodiments and aspects of the disclosure are described in detail herein and are
considered to be a part of the claimed disclosure.
In one non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a low
amperage control switch for vehicles. The said control switch comprises a housing
being configured with a cover to define a hollow interior region therebetween. An
actuation membrane comprising a proximal end being disposed in the interior region
of the housing, and a distal end emerging externally from the interior region through
an opening in the cover. The distal end is adapted to be pressed through the opening
in a longitudinal direction to actuate at least one contact switch. A contact switch is
disposed in an encapsulation formed by the proximal end of the actuation membrane
in the hollow interior region.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the contact switch comprises a moving
contact and a PCB.
In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the contact switch is configured with
an electrical circuit of the vehicle.
In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the moving contact is movably
supported in the encapsulation formed by the proximal end of the actuation
membrane.
4
In a still further embodiment of the present disclosure, the actuation membrane
comprises an actuating face; the actuating face being configured to actuate the moving
contact of the control switch.
In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the distal end of the actuation
membrane has a generally dome shape.
The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way
limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described
above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent with
reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
The novel features and characteristics of the disclosure are set forth in the appended
description. The disclosure itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further
objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the
following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction
with the accompanying figures. One or more embodiments are now described, by way
of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures wherein like reference
numerals represent like elements and in which:
Figure 1 illustrates the sectional view of an existing control switch.
Figure 2 is a sectional view of the present low amperage control switch according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 3 shows the exploded view of the control switch according to another
embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figures 4(a) to (d) depicts the perspective views of the control switch shown in
Figures 2 and 3.
5
Figures 5(a) and (b) show an exploded view of the control switch wherein the
actuation membrane is illuminated according to a further embodiment of the present
disclosure.
Figure 6(a) and (b) shows an exploded view of the control switch wherein the contact
switch is a tact switch according to a still further embodiment of the present
disclosure.
Figure 7(a) and (b) shows an exploded view of the control switch wherein the
moving contact is a conductive pill according to another embodiment of the present
disclosure.
Figure 8(a) and (b) shows an exploded view of the control switch wherein the contact
switch comprises a plurality of fixed terminals according to one more embodiment of
the present disclosure.
The figures depict embodiments of the disclosure for purposes of illustration only.
One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that
alternative embodiments of the assemblies and methods illustrated herein may be
employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
While the invention is subject to various modifications and alternative forms, specific
embodiment thereof has been shown by way of example in the figures and will be
described below. It should be understood, however that it is not intended to limit the
invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the invention is to
cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternative falling within the spirit and scope
of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Before describing in detail the various embodiments of the present disclosure it may
be observed that the novelty and inventive step that are in accordance with a low
amperage control switch for vehicles. It is to be noted that a person skilled in the art
can be motivated from the present disclosure and can perform various modifications.
However, such modifications should be construed within the scope of the invention.
6
Accordingly, the drawings are showing only those specific details that are pertinent to
understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the
disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art
having benefit of the description herein.
The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to
cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that an assembly, setup, system, device
that comprises a list of components does not include only those components but may
include other components not expressly listed or inherent to such system or device or
setup. In other words, one or more elements in the system or apparatus or device
proceeded by “comprises a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the
existence of other elements or additional elements in the assembly or system or
apparatus. The following paragraphs explain present disclosure. The invention in
respect of the same may be deduced accordingly.
Accordingly, it is an aim of the present disclosure to provide a control switch for
vehicles that is compact in size and is water proof.
One more aim of the present disclosure is to provide an improved switching device
which can be used for low amperage switching applications.
Yet another aim of the present disclosure is to provide a control switch that provides
high auditory feedback to the user.
Accordingly, the present disclosure provides a low amperage control switch for
vehicles. The said control switch comprises a housing being configured with a cover
to define a hollow interior region therebetween. An actuation membrane comprising a
distal end being disposed in the interior region of the housing, and a proximal end
emerging externally from the interior region through an opening in the cover. The
proximal end is adapted to be pressed through the opening in a longitudinal direction
to actuate at least one contact switch. A contact switch is disposed in an encapsulation
formed by the distal end of the actuation membrane in the hollow interior region. The
contact switch comprises a moving contact and a PCB. The contact switch is
configured with an electrical circuit of the vehicle. The moving contact is movably
7
supported in the encapsulation formed by the distal end of the actuation membrane,
the moving contact having a generally arcuate shape. A central portion of the moving
contact gets deformed upon application of force by the actuating face of the actuation
membrane, thereby establishing contact with contact points of the PCB and the central
portion of the moving contact regains the arcuate shape upon removal of force by the
actuating face of the actuation membrane, thereby breaking contact with contact
points of the PCB. Alternatively, the moving contact can have a generally flat shape.
The actuation membrane comprises an actuating face; the actuating face being
configured to actuate the moving contact of the control switch. The proximal end of
the actuation membrane has a generally dome shape.
Reference will now be made to a low amperage control switch for vehicles which is
explained with the help of figures. The figures are for the purpose of illustration only
and should not be construed as limitations on the assembly and mechanism of the
present disclosure. Wherever possible, referral numerals will be used to refer to the
same or like parts.
It is understood by a person skilled in art that the low amperage control switch, as
disclosed in the present disclosure, can be mounted at different locations on the front
panel of a vehicle in horizontal or vertical position or any other position as per the
suitability of the manufacturer/user.
Accordingly referring to figures 2 to 4, there is provided a low amperage control
switch (100). The low amperage control switch (100) comprises a housing (101) made
from a sturdy material for securing the various components/sub-assemblies of the
present control switch. The housing (101) comprises an open top side for receiving a
cover (102). The cover (102) is adapted to be secured with the top side of the housing
(101) so as to define a hollow interior region (101a) therebetween. The cover
comprises an opening (102a). As shown in figure 3, the housing (101) comprises
holes (not shown) for receiving wires of the electrical circuit of the vehicle. The said
control switch (100) further comprises an actuation membrane (103) being supported
in the interior region (101a) of the housing (101). The said actuation membrane (103)
comprises a proximal end (103a) and a distal end (103b). In the mounted condition,
8
the proximal end (103a) is located in the interior region (101a) of the housing (101).
The proximal end (103a) of the actuation membrane (103) has a generally rectangular
construction comprising a plurality of side walls and a top wall so as to define an
encapsulation (103c) with the base (101) in the mounted condition. A plurality of
holes (not shown) are provided on one of the side walls corresponding to the holes of
the housing (101). The actuation membrane further comprises an actuating face
(103d) extending longitudinally downwards from a central portion of the proximal
end (103a) towards the base (101) in the encapsulation (103c). The term
longitudinally, herein refers to a direction along the axis XX of the control switch
(100). Referring to figures 2 and 3, the distal end (103b) is formed longitudinally and
extending away from the proximal end (103a) of the actuation membrane (103). In the
mounted condition, the distal end (103b) emerges externally from the interior region
(101a) through the opening (102a) in the cover (102). In an embodiment of the
present disclosure, the distal end (103b) of the actuation membrane (103) has a
generally dome shape. The said distal end (103) is located above the actuating face
(103d) of the actuation membrane (103) such that the actuating face (103d) is pressed
in a downward direction when the distal end (103b) is pressed through the opening
(102a) in the longitudinal direction to actuation at least one contact switch disposed in
the interior region (101a).
Referring to figures 2 to 4, the low amperage control switch (100) comprises a contact
switch (104) being disposed in the encapsulation (103c) formed by the proximal end
(103a) of the actuation membrane (103), thereby preventing external contaminants
such as dust and water from the reaching the contact switch (104). The contact switch
(104) is configured with the electrical circuit of the vehicle by means of wires, cables
or the like. In a non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure as shown in figures
2 and 3, the contact switch (104) comprises a moving contact (105) and a PCB (106).
The said PCB is mounted in the encapsulation (103c) and comprises a plurality of
contact points. The moving contact (105) is correspondingly located over the plurality
of contact points of the PCB (106). Further, wires/connection means are soldered to
the contact points of the PCB (106) to configure the PCB with the electrical circuit of
the vehicle. The moving contact (105) is made from a conductive material and has a
generally arcuate shape comprising a central portion having a curvature towards the
actuating face (103d) with respect to the sides. When the user applies activating force
9
on the distal end (103b) of the actuation membrane (103) by pressing in the
downward direction, the actuating face (103d) applies a force on the central portion of
the moving contact (105). The force applied by the activating face (103d) results in
the central portion of the portion getting collapsed on the contact points of the PCB
(106) to establish electric contact between the contact points of the PCB (106),
thereby completing the electric circuit of the control switch (100) causing activation
of an electrical signal. Upon removal of the activating force from the distal end (103b)
of the actuation membrane (103), the distal end (103b), due to the dome shape,
experiences resilient action and gets restored to the unactuated condition.
Correspondingly, the central portion of the moving contact (105) regains the arcuate
shape, thereby discretely breaking contact with contact points of the PCB (106) to
deactivate the electrical signal and complete a switching cycle.
As shown in figures 5a and 5b, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure,
there is provided an illuminating means in the said control switch (100). The said
illuminating means is configured to illuminate when the control switch (100) is
activated by the user. As shown, the moving contact (205) comprises a hole (205a) in
a central portion of the said moving contact (205). The PCB (206) is provided with
the illuminating means. In a non-limiting embodiment, the illuminating means is an
LED (207) being located corresponding to the hole (205a). The actuation membrane
(203) is made from a transparent/translucent material so as to illuminate upon
illumination of the LED (207) during activation of the control switch (100) by the
user.
As shown in figures 6(a) and (b), according to another embodiment of the present
disclosure, the contact switch (104) of the low amperage control switch (100) is a tact
switch (304). The tact switch (305) is mounted in the encapsulation (103c) such that a
button (305) of the said tact switch (304) is located below the actuating face (103d) of
the actuation membrane (103) so as to be activated by the actuating face (103d).
Referring to figures 7(a) and (b), in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the
contact switch (104) comprises a moving contact (405) having a generally flat shape.
In a non-limiting embodiment, the said moving contact (405) is made from of a
conductive material and is integrated with the actuating face (103d) of the actuation
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membrane (103) for providing discrete contact making/breaking during operation of
the said control switch (100). Correspondingly the PCB (106) is provided with a
plurality of contact points for electrically connected by the moving contact (405)
during activation of the said control switch (100) by the user.
As shown in figures 8(a) and (b), according to a still further embodiment of the
present disclosure, the contact switch (104) comprises a plurality of fixed terminals
(506) corresponding to a moving contact (505) being integrated with the actuating
face (103d) of the actuation membrane (103). The said terminals (506) are supported
on the base (101) of the control switch (100).
List of reference numerals:
100 Low Amperage Control Switch
101 Housing
101a Hollow Interior Region of Housing
102 Cover
102a Opening in Cover
103 Actuation Membrane
103a Proximal End of Actuation Membrane
103b Distal End of Actuation Membrane
103c Encapsulation formed by Actuation Membrane
103d Actuating Face of Actuation Membrane
104 Contact Switch
105 Moving Contact
106 PCB
205 Moving Contact
205a Hole in Moving Contact
206 PCB
207 Illuminating Means; LED
304 Tact Switch
305 Button of Tact Switch
405 Moving Contact
505 Moving Contact
506 Fixed Terminals
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Equivalents:
With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singular terms herein, those
having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the
singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The various
singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.
It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and
especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally
intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at
least,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific
number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly
recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For
example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain
usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim
recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that
the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any
particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing
only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases
“one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a”
and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”);
the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations.
In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly
recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be
interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two
recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two
or more recitations). It will be further understood by those within the art that virtually
any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether
in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the
possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For
example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or
“B” or “A and B.”
While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and
embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and
12
embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to
be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.
13

We claim:
1. A low amperage control switch (100) for vehicles, comprising:
a housing (101) being configured with a cover (102) to define a hollow
interior region (101a) therebetween;
an actuation membrane (103) comprising;
a proximal end (103a) being disposed in the interior
region of the housing (101); and
a distal end (103b) emerging externally from the interior
region (101a) through an opening (102a) in the cover (102); the
distal end (103b) being adapted to be pressed through the
opening (102a) in a longitudinal direction to actuate at least one
contact switch;
a contact switch (104) being disposed in an encapsulation (103c)
formed by the proximal end (103a) of the actuation membrane (103) in
the hollow interior region (101a).
2. The low amperage control switch (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
contact switch (104) comprises a moving contact (105) and a PCB (106).
3. The low amperage control switch (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
contact switch (104) is configured with an electrical circuit of the vehicle.
4. The low amperage control switch (100) as claimed in claims 1 and 2,
wherein the moving contact (105) is movably supported in the
encapsulation (103c) formed by the proximal end (103a) of the actuation
membrane (103).
5. The low amperage control switch (100) as claimed in claims 1 and 2,
wherein the moving contact has a generally arcuate shape.
6. The low amperage control switch (100) as claimed in claim 4, wherein a
central portion of the moving contact (105) gets collapsed upon application
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of force by the actuating face (103c) of the actuation membrane (103),
thereby establishing contact with contact points of the PCB (106).
7. The low amperage control switch (100) as claimed in claims 4 and 5,
wherein the central portion of the moving contact (105) regains the arcuate
shape upon removal of force by the actuating face (103c) of the actuation
membrane (103), thereby breaking contact with contact points of the PCB
(106).
8. The low amperage control switch as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein
the moving contact has a generally flat shape.
9. The low amperage control switch (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
actuation membrane (103) comprises an actuating face (103d); the
actuating face (103d) being configured to actuate the moving contact (105)
of the control switch (104).
10. The low amperage control switch (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
distal end (103b) of the actuation membrane (103) has a generally dome
shape.