Low profile rotary switch with detent in the bushing
View Patent ↗A panel mounted low profile rotary switch ( 100 ) contains a detent mechanism ( 120 ) mounted in a bushing ( 110 ). In a preferred class of embodiments, the detent sub-assembly comprises a single spring ( 220 ) positioned in parallel within the vertical extending shaft ( 130 ). The force exerted by the spring is manually adjusted by a set screw ( 210 ) to provide the desired downward applied vertical force on a plunger ( 230 ). The plunger, preferably a pointed cylinder, applies pressure to detent balls ( 240 ) causing the detent balls to move radially outward and engage rotor cams located on the inner surface of the detent mechanism.
1. A panel mounted rotary switch, comprising:
a bushing having an upper portion that extends through the panel to a user's side and a lower portion that remains beneath the panel and prevents the bushing from movement toward the user's side; and
a detent sub-assembly housed in the upper portion of the bushing.
2. The panel mounted rotary switch of claim 1 , having a shaft that couples a knob on the user's side with an electrical contact beneath the panel.
3. The panel mounted rotary switch of claim 2 , wherein operation of the detent sub-assembly is independent of the knob.
4. The panel mounted rotary switch of claim 1 , wherein the detent sub-assembly is positioned an planar relation to the panel.
5. The panel mounted rotary switch of claim 1 , wherein the bushing is prevented from rotational movement by an engagement with the panel.
6. The panel mounted rotary switch of claim 5 , wherein the lower portion of the bushing has a stop pin that fits within an aperture on the panel.
7. The panel mounted rotary switch of claim 6 , wherein the detent sub-assembly is prevented from rotational movement by an engagement with the bushing.
8. The panel mounted rotary switch of claim 7 , wherein the engagement with the bushing comprises an extrusion on the detent sub-assembly that cooperates with a groove on the bushing.
9. The panel mounted rotary switch of claim 5 , wherein the upper portion of the bushing has a flat side that cooperates with a D shaped opening in the panel to prevent rotational movement.
10. The panel mounted rotary switch of claim 1 , wherein the detent sub-assembly utilizes only one spring and at least one ball to contact rotor cams (cylindrical lobes) thereby setting a switch position.
11. The panel mounted rotary switch of claim 1 in electrical connection to a plurality of printed circuit boards.
12. A method of using a rotary switch, comprising:
mounting the rotary switch to a panel such that a detent sub-assembly is in planar relation to the panel.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the detent sub-assembly is housed in a bushing that extends from beneath the panel to above the panel.
14. A rotary switch having a detent sub-assembly housed in an upper portion of a bushing, a shaft that couples a user-rotatable knob on a upper portion of the shaft, wherein the knob is capable of being rotated directly by a user without linear movement of the shaft, and wherein a rotational movement of the shaft makes an electrical connection between a first terminal and a second terminal.