FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention pertains to a switch for motor vehicles which comprises a pivoted operating lever  one pivoting position of which represents a neutral position that also has an assigned electrical state.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
DE-OS 3 249 359 discloses a steering column switch  in which the left or right turn signals are respectively connected to a voltage source via sensitive micro switches if the operating lever is manually moved into the two operating positions. In this particular switch  no circuit is closed in the neutral position of the operating lever. In this known steering column switch  the sensitive micro switches are realized in the form of encapsulated circuit switches that are actuated by the operating lever.

A similar steering column switch with two sensitive micro switches that are realized in the form of make contact elements and selectively actuated via the operating lever is used as a mode selection switch in construction machines and tractors. In one operating position of the operating lever  the transmission is shifted into the forward mode  with the transmission being shifted into the reverse mode when the operating lever is moved into the other operating position. In such instances  it would be desirable to close an additional circuit in the neutral position of the operating lever which  for example  is looped into the starter circuit of an internal combustion engine.

The additional circuit that is closed in the neutral position of the operating lever should be interrupted in both operating positions of the operating lever so as to effectively prevent the internal combustion from starting in one of the operating positions that represent the forward mode and the reverse mode of the transmission. DE-OS 3 623 979 discloses a suitable steering column switch for this purpose that fulfils its function.

Yet another steering column switch for this purpose is disclosed in US Patent No. 6 278 070  which comprises a base plate; a manually activated T-shape operating lever that can be selectively rotatingly moved around a pivoting axis passing through said operating lever in an area of intersection of horizontal and vertical portions of said T-shape from a neutral lever position into either a first or a second operating lever position; a first and a second encapsulated micro switch placed in an upright fashion onto said base plate  said first and a second encapsulated micro switch each having an idle micro switch position and an operating micro switch position; said first and said second micro switches being adapted to be activated by said operating lever  when it moves from said neutral lever position into said first or said second operating lever position respectively  to thus move from said idle micro switch position into said operating micro switch position; a third encapsulated micro switch placed in a lying position onto said base plate; said third micro switch being adapted to be activated by said operating lever in said neutral lever position  wherein a terminal link is provided for operating each of said first and said second micro switches  said operating lover engaging on each terminal link with a corresponding end of said horizontal portion of said T-shape thereof during said rotating motion thereof  to thereby move the corresponding micro switch into its operating micro switch position  and wherein a third terminal link is provided for said third micro switch  and said operating lever is provided with a control projection at a free end of said vertical portion of said T-shape thereof  said control projection engaging on said third terminal link in said neutral lever position to thereby activate said third micro switch  whereas  when moving with said operating lever during said rotating motion thereof from said neutral lever position  said control projection disengages from said third terminal link and thus deactivates said third micro switch  whereby said third micro switch moves into said idle micro switch position.

However  the steering column switches disclosed in aforesaid publications are relatively complicated in terms of their construction  due to which it occupies comparatively large space. In terms of the cost  the steering column switches are also costlier because of the complexity in construction and lot of individual components which are used for realizing the necessary functionality. Lastly  the switches are easily affected by dirt and corrosion and hence  their life is short.

Thus  there is a need to provide an improved steering column switch which overcomes one or more of the aforesaid disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This objective is attained in a steering column switch which comprises a lever which can be moved from a neutral position to a first operating position and a second operating position  a first encapsulated micro-switch having a first contacting tab located on a base plate such that the first contacting tab is actuated when the lever is in the first operating position  a second encapsulated micro-switch having a second contacting tab located on the base plate such that the second contacting tab is actuated when the lever is in the second operating position  the first and the second encapsulated micro-switches being interconnected with each other and connected in three circuits in such a manner that:
(a) in the first operating position of the lever  the interconnected first and the second encapsulated micro-switches allow a first circuit to be switched ON;
(b) in the second operating position of the lever  the interconnected first and the second encapsulated micro-switches allow a second circuit to be switched ON; and
(c) in the neutral position of the lever  the interconnected first and the second encapsulated micro-switches allow a third circuit to be switched ON.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The features of the present invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself  together with further features and attended advantages  will become apparent from consideration of the following detailed description  taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. One or more embodiments of the present invention are now described  by way of example only  with reference to the accompanied drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 shows an overall view of a lever combination switch in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;
FIGURE 2 shows an internal construction of a lever combination switch in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention  this view corresponding to a bottom view of the lever combination switch;
FIGURE 3 shows an internal construction of a lever combination switch in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention  this view corresponding to a top view of the lever combination switch;
FIGURE 4 shows the lever combination switch in accordance with a first embodiment in a working mode  this view corresponding to a bottom view of the lever combination switch;
FIGURE 5 shows the lever combination switch in accordance with a second embodiment in a working mode  this view corresponding to a bottom view of the lever combination switch;
FIGURE 6 shows the lever combination switch in accordance with the second embodiment  this view corresponding to a bottom view of the lever combination switch;
FIGURE 7 shows a bottom perspective view of a lever combination switch in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention;
FIGURE 8 shows yet another bottom perspective view of a lever combination switch in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention;
FIGURE 9 shows the internal construction of a lever combination switch in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention  this view corresponding to a bottom view of the lever combination switch;
FIGURE 10 shows the construction of the base in accordance with the third embodiment; and
FIGURE 11 shows the construction of an actuating member which gets attached to the lever and comes in contact with the contacting tab.

Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example  the dimensions of some of the elements in the drawings may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms  specific embodiment thereof has been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail 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 the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Before describing in detail embodiments it may be observed that the novelty and inventive step that are in accordance with the present invention reside in the construction of the structure for assisting in assembling of flue duct  accordingly  the drawings are showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention 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 a setup  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 setup or device. In other words  one or more elements in a system or apparatus proceeded by “comprises… a” does not  without more constraints  preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or apparatus.

As shown in figures 1 to 4  the lever is arranged on the base plate with the aid of pivot point such that said lever can be turned relative to the base plate. The angle of turn can be adjusted based on the need.

As shown in figures 2 to 4  an actuating member is attached to the lever. Referring to figures 2  4  5  9 and 10  the actuating member is provided with a projection which engages with the first contacting tab or the second contacting tab and actuates the contacting tab when the lever is in an operating position. Particularly  the projection engages with the first contacting tab such that the first contacting tab is actuated when the lever is in the first operating position  and the projection engages with the second contacting tab such that the second contacting tab is actuated when the lever is in the second operating position. In the neutral position of the lever  the projection does not actuate any of the first or the second contacting tabs.

It may be noted that each of the first and the second micro switch is a two way switch and the said first and the second encapsulated micro-switches are interconnected with each other and connected in three circuits in such a manner that:
(a) in the first operating position of the lever  the interconnected first and the second encapsulated micro-switches allow a first circuit to be switched ON;
(b) in the second operating position of the lever  the interconnected first and the second encapsulated micro-switches allow a second circuit to be switched ON; and
(c) in the neutral position of the lever  the interconnected first and the second encapsulated micro-switches allow a third circuit to be switched ON.

The first circuit is preferably a circuit which will allow the vehicle to move in a forward direction. The second circuit is preferably a circuit which will allow the vehicle to move in a reverse direction. The third circuit is preferably a combustion interrupter circuit which effectively prevents the internal combustion of the vehicle from starting in one of the operating positions that represent the forward movement mode and the reverse movement mode.

The foregoing description has described only a few of the many possible implementations of the present invention. Thus  the description is given only by way of illustration and nothing contained in this section should be construed to limit the scope of the invention.