WO2018184662A1

WO2018184662A1 - Improved four terminal switch for switching ac and dc current

Info

Publication number: WO2018184662A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/057964
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mehmet Cahit OZDEMIR; Resul KARTAL; Bekir DUMLU; Serdal Elmas; Nihat Gunduz
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2017-04-04
Filing date: 2017-04-04
Publication date: 2018-10-11

Abstract

The present invention relates to a multi-terminal electrical switch configured to disconnect at least one of an AC or DC electrical sources while the other one of said AC or DC electrical sources remains in electrical connection, said multi-terminal electrical switch comprising a first side (2) and a second side (3) with movable electrical contacts in the form of first side and second side movable contacts (4, 5) provided at each side, said multi-terminal electrical switch comprising further having a switch enclosure (6) defining an inner region in the form of a spring chamber (13) enclosing a spring element (8).

Description

IMPROVED FOUR TERMINAL SWITCH FOR SWITCHING AC AND DC CURRENT

The present invention relates to a current carrying switch in the form of an improved AC and DC current switching device.

It is well-known that the sizes of switches increase as the current rating increases. Similarly the sizes of switches increase with increasing number of terminals. For this reason, there are disadvantages to using switches in mobile and small household appliances.

Among others, a prior art publication in the technical field of the invention may be referred to as WO2015187888A1, which discloses an electrical connector for electrically connecting a rechargeable battery with an electrically powered device and methods of operation for use of the electrically powered device comprising the connector. The connector comprises features including: integration of both first terminals for transmitting charging or discharging signals to and from the battery as well as one or more signal terminals for transmitting one or more balancing signals to and from the battery; implementation of communication means allowing for one or more signals comprising battery specific information to be received by the electrically powered device upon making an electrical connection with the battery; and, one or more safety features for preventing unsupported electrical connections between incompatible connector configurations.

Another publication in the technical field of the invention may be referred to as US2011003512A1, disclosing universal battery connector and system for R/C devices adaptable for use with different types of battery connection plugs. A battery and universal battery plug may be connected to a battery connection plug through the use of a specifically designed adaptor plug. The adaptor plug includes universal contacts for connection to a terminal on the universal battery plug. The adaptor plug also includes adaptor terminals configured for slide-fit reception of a battery connection plug.

The present invention, on the other hand, addresses the situation where AC and DC contacts can be selectably simultaneously operational in hybrid-operating appliances, therefore providing extra security. The physical size of the switch is small enough to be used in mobile and handheld appliances. Coating (gold and/or silver additives) on the contacts, arc formation and contact sticking due to mechanical movement of the switch are prevented.

To this end, the present invention provides a switch for switching high (20-30A) AC and DC currents without increasing the physical size of the switch. The number of terminals can switch AC and DC currents simultaneously in a selectable manner; therefore the switch can be used in hybrid (AC and DC) handheld appliances.

The present invention provides an AC and DC current switching device where AC and DC contacts are simultaneously selectably operational and by which physical size of the switch is kept small enough to be used in mobile and handheld appliances, as provided by the characterizing features defined in Claim 1.

Primary object of the present invention is to provide an AC and DC current switching device for hybrid operation devices in the manner to ensure operational safety.

The present invention proposes a multi-terminal electrical switch configured to disconnect one of an AC or DC electrical sources. The switch comprises movable electrical contacts in a switch enclosure, the latter defining an inner spring chamber with a spring element retained in a pretensioned manner to apply a predetermined force to said switch enclosure by which the switch enclosure tilts around a fulcrum and its first side or second side movable contacts establish electrical contact with first side or second side stationary contacts.

The manually selected electrical contact position is maintained in continuous contact by said spring element pretensioned and longitudinally positioned at least partially along the longitudinal axis of said biasing means.

Accompanying drawings are given solely for the purpose of exemplifying an AC and DC current switching device, whose advantages over prior art were outlined above and will be explained in brief hereinafter.

The drawings are not meant to delimit the scope of protection as identified in the Claims, nor should they be referred to alone in an effort to interpret the scope identified in said Claims without recourse to the technical disclosure in the description of the present invention.

The drawings are only exemplary in the sense that they do not necessarily reflect the actual dimensions and relative proportions of the respective components of the system if not otherwise explicitly stated.

Fig. 1A and 1B demonstrate side views of a switch according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 demonstrates a perspective view of a switch according to the present invention.

Fig. 3 demonstrates a sectional view of a switch according to the present invention.

The following numerals are assigned to different parts referred to in the detailed description of the present invention:

AC and DC switch
First side
Second side
First side movable contact
Second side movable terminal
Switch enclosure
Rotational axis
Spring element
Biasing means
First side stationary contact
Second side stationary contact
Movable contact retaining means
Spring chamber
Longitudinal axis

The present invention proposes a multi-terminal switch (AC and DC switch (1)) connectable to AC as well as DC sources. The AC and DC switch (1) is configured in a way that disconnects one of the AC or DC sources while the other remains in electrical connection. In this manner short circuiting of AC voltage by DC in hybrid-operating appliances is prevented.

In accordance with the present invention, the AC and DC switch (1) mechanism comprises a first side (2) and a second side (3), movable electrical contacts in the form of first side and second side movable contacts (respectively 4 and 5) being provided at each side.

The AC and DC switch (1) mechanism is configured to have a generally rectangular cross-section portion as a switch enclosure (6), said switch enclosure (6) defining an inner, generally tubular region in the form of a spring chamber (13) enclosing a spring element (8).

In accordance with the present invention, said spring element (8) is pretensioned in a predetermined upward direction in said spring chamber (13) and adapted to apply a predetermined force in the upward direction to said switch enclosure (6) to impart a certain amount of force thereto. Said switch enclosure (6), on the other hand, is movably supported on a biasing means (9) acting as a fulcrum. To this end, said switch enclosure (6) is allowed to tilt either towards said first side (2) or said second side (3). The biasing means (9) is configured in the manner that the switch enclosure (6) starts tilting about the biasing means (9) in the direction of one of said first or second sides (2, 3). The biasing means (6) is preferably formed as a continuous support part forming a contact line with a lower stationary portion of the multi-terminal switch assembly.

When the switch enclosure (6) tilts over to one of the lateral positions, its movable contacts (first side or second side movable contacts (4, 5)) establish electrical contact with respective stationary contacts (first side or second side stationary contacts (10, 11)) and this electrical contact position is maintained in continuous contact by said spring element (8) longitudinally positioned at least partially along the longitudinal axis of said biasing means (9) and pretensioned in the upward direction to continue exerting a predefined amount of force, irrespective of the side to which said switch enclosure (6) tilts over, thereby maintaining the electrical contact position of the switch enclosure (6).

The switch enclosure (6) is manually operated so that the user can easily apply a force greater than that being applied by the pretensioned spring element (8) to disconnect movable contacts of any side from stationary contacts. Therefore, the biasing means (9) provided at the midpoint of the switch enclosure (6) in an equally spaced manner with respect to movable or stationary contact at each side, the force exerted by the spring element (8) extending along the longitudinal axis of said biasing means (9) inevitably holds one of the AC or DC electrical contact position and prevent contacts from being disconnected.

In a further aspect of the present invention, said first side and second side movable contacts (4 and 5), having a planar surface form, extend in an inclined manner with respect to the horizontal plane. More precisely, as can be seen in Fig. 3, each of said first side or second side movable contacts (4 and 5) reaches a horizontal position only when electrical contact between movable and stationary contact at one side is established. Preferably, each of said first side or second side movable contacts (4 and 5) are disposed at an angle of about ten degrees with respect to the horizontal plane.

In a further aspect of the present invention, said first side and second side movable contacts (4 and 5) are held in position by movable contact retaining means (12) also structurally ensuring inclined orientation of said movable contacts with respect to the horizontal plane.

In accordance with the invention, the switch enclosure (6) tilts over to one of the lateral positions around a rotational axis (7) that can be best seen in Fig. 2.

In a nutshell, the present invention proposes a multi-terminal electrical switch configured to disconnect at least one of an AC or DC electrical sources while the other one of said AC or DC electrical sources remains in electrical connection, said multi-terminal electrical switch comprising a first side (2) and a second side (3) with movable electrical contacts in the form of first side and second side movable contacts (4, 5) provided at each side, said multi-terminal electrical switch comprising further having a switch enclosure (6) defining an inner region in the form of a spring chamber (13) enclosing a spring element (8).

In a further aspect of the present invention, said spring element (8) is pretensioned in said spring chamber (13) such that it is adapted to apply a predetermined force to said switch enclosure (6) in a predetermined direction.

In a further aspect of the present invention, said switch enclosure (6) is movably supported on a biasing means (9) acting as a fulcrum such that said switch enclosure (6) is allowed to tilt either towards said first side (2) or said second side (3).

In a further aspect of the present invention, the switch enclosure (6) tilts about the biasing means (9) in the direction of one of said first or second sides (2, 3) and when the switch enclosure (6) tilts over to one of said first or second side (2, 3) positions, its first side or second side movable contacts (4, 5) establish electrical contact with first side or second side stationary contacts (10, 11) of said multi-terminal electrical switch.

In a further aspect of the present invention, electrical contact position between first side or second side movable contacts (4, 5) and first side or second side stationary contacts (10, 11) of said multi-terminal electrical switch is maintained in continuous contact by said spring element (8) being pretensioned and at least partially longitudinally positioned along the longitudinal axis (14) of said biasing means (9).

In a further aspect of the present invention, said multi-terminal electrical switch is manually operable.

In a further aspect of the present invention, said biasing means (9) is provided at the midpoint of the switch enclosure (6) in an equally spaced manner with respect to movable or stationary contacts at first or second side (2, 3).

In a further aspect of the present invention, said first side and second side movable contacts (4, 5), having a planar surface form, extend in an inclined manner with respect to the horizontal plane.

In a further aspect of the present invention, said first side or second side movable contacts (4, 5) reach a horizontal position when electrical contact between movable and stationary contacts at first or second sides (2, 3) is established.

In a further aspect of the present invention, each of said first side or second side movable contacts (4 and 5) are disposed at an angle of about ten degrees with respect to the horizontal plane.

In a further aspect of the present invention, said first side and second side movable contacts (4 and 5) are held in position by movable contact retaining means (12) supporting the same in inclined orientation with respect to the horizontal plane.

In a further aspect of the present invention, said switch enclosure (6) is tiltable over to one of the first or second sides (2, 3) around a rotational axis (7).

Interior contacts of the AC and DC switch (1) can be coated with coatings preventing arc formation and having very low resistance to carry high currents. Switch mechanism is designed to be conveniently manually operated.

Claims

A multi-terminal electrical switch configured to disconnect at least one of an AC or DC electrical sources while the other one of said AC or DC electrical sources remains in electrical connection, said multi-terminal electrical switch comprising a first side (2) and a second side (3) with movable electrical contacts in the form of at least one first side and second side movable contact (4, 5) provided at each side, said multi-terminal electrical switch comprising further having a switch enclosure (6) defining an inner region in the form of a spring chamber (13) enclosing a spring element (8) characterized in that;

said spring element (8) is pretensioned in said spring chamber (13) such that it is adapted to apply a predetermined force to said switch enclosure (6) in a predetermined direction,

said switch enclosure (6) is movably supported on a biasing means (9) acting as a fulcrum such that said switch enclosure (6) is allowed to tilt either towards said first side (2) or said second side (3).
A multi-terminal electrical switch as in Claim 1, characterized in that the switch enclosure (6) tilts about the biasing means (9) in the direction of one of said first or second sides (2, 3) and when the switch enclosure (6) tilts over to one of said first or second side (2, 3) positions, its first side or second side movable contacts (4, 5) establish electrical contact with first side or second side stationary contacts (10, 11) of said multi-terminal electrical switch.
A multi-terminal electrical switch as in Claim 2, characterized in that electrical contact position between first side or second side movable contacts (4, 5) and first side or second side stationary contacts (10, 11) of said multi-terminal electrical switch is maintained in continuous contact by said spring element (8) being pretensioned and at least partially longitudinally positioned along the longitudinal axis (14) of said biasing means (9).
A multi-terminal electrical switch as in Claim 1 or 3, characterized in that said multi-terminal electrical switch is manually operable.
A multi-terminal electrical switch as in Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said biasing means (9) is provided at the midpoint of the switch enclosure (6) in an equally spaced manner with respect to movable or stationary contacts at first or second side (2, 3).
A multi-terminal electrical switch as in Claim 1, characterized in that said first side and second side movable contacts (4, 5), having a planar surface form, extend in an inclined manner with respect to the horizontal plane.
A multi-terminal electrical switch as in Claim 6, characterized in that said first side or second side movable contacts (4, 5) reach a horizontal position when electrical contact between movable and stationary contacts at first or second sides (2, 3) is established.
A multi-terminal electrical switch as in Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that each of said first side or second side movable contacts (4 and 5) are disposed at an angle of about ten degrees with respect to the horizontal plane.
A multi-terminal electrical switch as in Claim 8, characterized in that said first side and second side movable contacts (4, 5) are held in position by movable contact retaining means (12) supporting the same in inclined orientation with respect to the horizontal plane.
A multi-terminal electrical switch as in Claim 1, characterized in that said switch enclosure (6) is tiltable over to one of the first or second sides (2, 3) around a rotational axis (7).