Rocker switch

Abstract

A switch having a rocker paddle pivotally coupled to a cam driver composed, in part, of a rigid member which causes a cam to rotate first in a clockwise direction and then in a counter clockwise direction each time the rocker paddle is depressed. Alternate rotation of the cam drives a slider member back and forth along a linear axis to open and close a set of contacts. A shaped leaf spring cooperates with a cam follower on the slider member to assist in the movement of the slider and to determine its rest positions. A spring urges the rocker paddle to always be in its out position when the switch is in its on position and off at rest positions. An indicator such as an LED located in the paddle indicates the state of conduction of the switch.

1 . An electrical rocker paddle switch comprising: 
 a switch housing;    a manually movable rocker paddle coupled to the housing;    actuator means having a first end and a second end, said actuator means attached to the rocker paddle at the first end and movable in response to the movement of the rocker paddle;    cam means driven by the second end of the actuator means to alternately rotate in a first and second opposite direction as the rocker paddle is alternately depressed;    slider means having a slider position determining cam follower coupled to be moved alternately in a first and a second opposite direction along a common linear axis by rotation of the cam means in the first and second opposite direction;    a fixed stationary contact and a movable brush contact mounted to the switch housing, the movable brush contact biased to contact the fixed stationary contact to thereby electrically close the switch, the movable brush contact being movable by the slider means to disengage the fixed stationary contact to thereby electrically open the switch; and    a cam shaped leaf spring positioned within the switch housing and coupled to the slider position determining cam follower on the slider means to aid in the movement of the slider means;    wherein said rocker paddle pivots about its upper end and is biased by a spring to assume the same at rest position when either in its on position or off position.