Vibration detecting switch

[0002] The present invention relates to an electric switch and, more specifically, to a vibration detecting switch, in which a convex surface is provided to guide a metal ball radially outwards so that to keep the circuit on (or off) when the vibration detecting switch is maintained in balance.

[0003] A variety of vibration switches have been disclosed for use to detect the vibration of an object. However, these vibration switches cannot detect displacement of the object in which they are installed. In order to detect the displacement of the object in which a vibration switch is installed, a specially designed control circuit must be added to set the vibration switch into the on (or off) status when the object the maintained immovable.

[0004] The present invention has been accomplished to provided vibration detecting switch, which is practical to detect the vibration as well as displacement of the object in which the vibration detecting switch is installed. According to a first embodiment of the present invention, the vibration detecting switch comprises a metal bottom holder connected to one pole of power supply, the metal bottom holder comprising a top center convex surface and a plurality of top contact rods spaced around the top center convex surface, a metal top holder covered on the metal bottom holder and connected to the other pole of power supply, the metal top holder comprising a bottom center convex surface and a plurality of bottom contact rods spaced around the bottom center convex surface and respectively inserted in the gaps between each top contact rods of the metal bottom holder, a metal ball received in between the metal bottom holder and the metal top holder and disposed in contact with one top contact rod of the metal bottom holder and one bottom contact rod of the metal top holder to switch on the circuit when vibration detecting switch is maintained immovable. According to a second embodiment of the present invention, the vibration detecting switch comprises a metal top cover connected to one pole of power supply, the metal top cover having a bottom center convex surface, a corrugated inner peripheral wall spaced around the bottom convex surface, and two bottom contact rods downwardly extended from the bottom sidewall at two sides for connection to one pole of power supply, an electrically insulative base plate covered on the bottom sidewall of the metal top cover, the electrically insulative base plate having a top center recess and a center through hole through the top center recess, and a rod electrode mounted in the center through hole of the electrically insulative base plate and connected to the other pole of power supply, the rod electrode having a conical head fitted into the top center recess of the electrically insulative base plate and aimed at the bottom convex surface of the metal top cover, and a metal ball carried on the electrically insulative base plate inside the metal top cover to switch off the circuit when the vibration detecting switch is maintained immovable, or to intermittently touch the conical head of the electrode and the bottom convex surface of the metal top cover to further alternatively switch on/off the circuit.

[0005] FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a vibration detecting switch according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0006] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the vibration detecting switch shown in FIG. 1.

[0007] FIG. 3 is a cutaway view of FIG. 2.

[0008] FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation of the vibration detecting switch shown in FIG. 1.

[0009] FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a vibration detecting switch according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the vibration detecting switch shown in FIG. 5.

[0011] FIG. 7 is a cutaway view of FIG. 6.

[0012] FIG. 8 is a sectional side elevation of the vibration detecting switch shown in FIG. 5.

[0013] FIG. 9 is a sectional elevation of the vibration detecting switch according to the second embodiment of the present invention showing the internal structure of the metal top cover.

[0014] Referring to FIGS. from 1 through 3, a vibration detecting switch 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown comprised of a metal top holder 101, a metal bottom holder 102, a metal ball 103 received in between the metal top holder 101 and the metal bottom holder 102, and an outer cover shell 104 holding the metal top holder 101, the metal bottom holder 102 and the metal ball 103 together. The metal top holder 101 has a bottom convex surface 1011 curved outwards from the center of the bottom sidewall thereof, a plurality of bottom contact rods 1012a, 1012b, 1012c, 1012dperpendicularly downwardly extended from the bottom surface and equiangularly spaced around the bottom convex surface 1011, and a conducting rod 1013 perpendicularly upwardly extended from the center of the top sidewall thereof. The metal bottom holder 102 comprises a top convex surface 1021 curved outwards from the center of the top sidewall thereof, a plurality of top contact rods 1022a, 1022b, 1022c, 1022dperpendicularly upwardly extended from the top sidewall and equiangularly spaced around the top convex surface 1021, two locating rods 1023a, 1023brespectively horizontally extended from the periphery in reversed directions, and a conducting rod 1022 perpendicularly extended from the center of the bottom sidewall thereof. The outer cover shell 104 fits over the metal top holder 101 and the metal bottom holder 102, comprising two bottom locating notches 1042a, 1042bdisposed at two sides of the bottom opening thereof, and a top center through hole 1042.

[0015] Referring to FIG. 4 and FIGS. from 1 through 3 again, the bottom contact rods 1012a, 1012b, 1012c, 1012dof the metal top holder 101 are respectively inserted in between the top contact rods 1022a, 1022b, 1022c, 1022dof the metal bottom holder 102, the metal ball 103 is received in between the metal top holder 101 and the metal bottom holder 102 and surrounded by the bottom contact rods 1012a, 1012b, 1012c, 1012dof the metal top holder 101 and the top contact rods 1022a, 1022b, 1022c, 1022dof the metal bottom holder 102, the conducting rod 1013 of the metal top holder 101 extends out of the outer cover shell 104 through the top center through hole 1042, and the conducting rod 1022 extends out of the open bottom side of the outer cover shell 104. In order to prevent rotary motion of the metal top holder 101 relative to the outer cover shell 104, the top center through hole 1042 is made having a non-circular, for example, rectangular cross section, and the conducting rod 1013 of the metal top holder 101 fits the rectangular cross section of the conducting rod 1013 of the metal top holder 101.

[0016] When in use in an apparatus, the conducting rod 1013 of the metal top holder 101 and the conducting rod 1022 of the metal bottom holder 102 are respectively connected to the positive terminal and negative terminal of an electric circuit installed in the apparatus. Because the bottom convex surface 1011 of the metal top holder 101 is aimed at the top convex surface 1021 of the metal bottom holder 102, the metal ball 103 falls to the border area and is disposed in contact with one of the bottom contact rods 1012a, 1012b, 1012c, 1012dof the metal top holder 101 and one of the top contact rods 1022a, 1022b, 1022c, 1022dof the metal bottom holder 102 to close the electric circuit. When moving the apparatus, the metal ball 103 is moved in between the metal top holder 101 and the metal bottom holder 102 to intermittently close/open the electric circuit, i.e., the electric circuit is off when the metal ball 103 moves away from the bottom contact rods 1012a, 1012b, 1012c, 1012dof the metal top holder 101 and the top contact rods 1022a, 1022b, 1022c, 1022dof the metal bottom holder 102, and the electric circuit is on when the metal ball 103 falls from the higher center area of the top convex surface 1021 to the border area to touch one of the bottom contact rods 1012a, 1012b, 1012c, 1012dof the metal top holder 101 and one of the top contact rods 1022a, 1022b, 1022c, 1022dof the metal bottom holder 102.

[0017] FIGS. from 5 through 9 show a vibration detecting switch 1′ constructed according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The vibration induction switch 1′ is comprised of a metal top cover 101′, a rod electrode 102′, a metal ball 103′, and an electrically insulative base plate 104′. The metal top cover 101′ is shaped like a cap having a bottom convex surface 1011′ curved outwards from the bottom sidewall thereof, a corrugated inner peripheral wall 1012′ spaced around the bottom convex surface 1011′, and two bottom contact rods 1013a′, 1013b′ downwardly extended from the bottom sidewall thereof at two sides. The electrically insulative base plate 104′ is sleeved onto the bottom contact rods 1013a′, 1013b′ and covered on the bottom sidewall of the metal top cover 101′ to hold the metal ball 103′ on the inside of the metal top cover 101′, having a top center recess 1041′, and a center through hole 1042′ through the center of the top center recess 1041′. The rod electrode 102′ comprises a shank 1022′ inserted through the center through hole 1042′ of the electrically insulative base plate 104′ and extended to the outside of the metal top cover 101′, and a generally conical head 1021′ which has a generally conical profile and is fitted into the top center recess 1041′ of the electrically insulative base plate 104′ and aimed at the bottom convex surface 1011′ of the metal top cover 101′. When in use, the bottom contact rods 1013a′, 1013b′ of the metal top cover 101′ and the shank 1022′ of the electrode 102′ are respectively connected to the positive pole and negative pole of power supply. Because the head 1021′ of the electrode 102′ has a generally conical profile, the metal ball 103′ does not stay at the generally conical head 1021′ and automatically moves to the corrugated inner peripheral wall 1012′ when the apparatus in which the vibration detecting switch 1′ is installed is maintained immovable, and at this time the circuit is off. On the contrary, when the apparatus in which the vibration detecting switch 1′ is moved, the metal ball 103′ is forced to move in the metal top cover 101′ to intermittently touch the generally conical head 1021′ of the electrode 102′ and the bottom convex surface 1011′ of the metal top cover 101′ and therefore the circuit is alternatively switched on and off.

[0018] A prototype of vibration detecting switch has been constructed with the features of FIGS. 1˜9. The vibration detecting switch functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.

[0019] Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.