Support Bracket for Selective Fire Switches

Abstract

Disclosed is a robust selective fire switch. One exemplary selective fire switch includes a switch housing, a plunger having a head and a body extending longitudinally from the head, the head extending at least partially into an opening defined in the switch housing, a first post and a second post arranged on opposing sides of the switch housing, and a filament wire coupled to and extending between both the first and second posts, the filament wire being in contact with the plunger and thereby securing the plunger in a seated configuration within the switch housing.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A selective fire switch, comprising:
 a switch housing;   a plunger having a head and a body, the body extending longitudinally from the head and at least partially into an opening defined in the switch housing;   a first post and a second post arranged on opposing sides of the switch housing; and   a filament wire coupled to and extending between both the first and second posts across the switch housing, the filament wire being in contact with the plunger and thereby securing the plunger in a seated configuration within the switch housing.   
     
     
         2 . The selective fire switch of  claim 1 , wherein the filament wire extends from the first post to the second post and back to first post from the second post. 
     
     
         3 . The selective fire switch of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second posts support the filament wire across the switch housing in a substantially tangential relationship with respect to the head of the plunger. 
     
     
         4 . The selective fire switch of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second posts define a lateral extension that extends a short distance over the switch housing. 
     
     
         5 . The selective fire switch of  claim 1 , wherein the filament wire is coupled to one or both of the first and second posts by at least one of soldering, welding, brazing, or mechanical fasteners. 
     
     
         6 . The selective fire switch of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second posts is electrically conductive and configured to apply a voltage across the filament wire. 
     
     
         7 . The selective fire switch of  claim 1  or  6 , wherein the filament wire is configured to fail upon being subjected to the voltage, and wherein, when the filament wire fails, the plunger is able to move from the seated configuration to an extended configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The selective fire switch of  claim 1 , wherein the first post comprises an input stanchion and an output stanchion, the input and output stanchions being electrically conductive and structurally offset from each other on a first side of the switch housing. 
     
     
         9 . The selective fire switch of  claim 1  or  8 , wherein the filament wire comprises a first portion coupled to the input stanchion and extending to the second post arranged on a second side of the switch housing, and a second portion extending from the second post and coupled to the output stanchion. 
     
     
         10 . The selective fire switch of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one groove defined in the head of the plunger and being configured to receive or engage the filament wire as it extends across the switch housing. 
     
     
         11 . The selective fire switch of  claim 1  or  10 , wherein the filament wire comprises a first portion and a second portion and the at least one groove comprises a first groove and a second groove defined on opposing sides of the head, the first groove being configured to engage the first portion and the second groove being configured to engage the second portion. 
     
     
         12 . The selective fire switch of  claim 1  or  10 , wherein the at least one groove is centrally defined on the head and the filament wire rests within the at least one groove. 
     
     
         13 . The selective fire switch of  claim 1  or  10 , wherein the at least one groove comprises one or more conduits defined through the head and configured to receive the filament wire therethrough. 
     
     
         14 . A method of operating a selective fire switch, comprising:
 securing a plunger in a seated configuration within a switch housing with a filament wire that engages the plunger, the filament wire being coupled to and extending between a first post and a second post arranged on opposing sides of the switch housing and extending across the switch housing;   applying a voltage across the filament wire;   burning the filament wire with the voltage; and   moving the plunger from the seated configuration to an extended configuration with respect to the switch housing.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the plunger has a head and a body extending longitudinally from the head and at least partially into an opening defined in the switch housing, and wherein securing the plunger in the seated configuration further comprises supporting the filament wire with the first and second posts in a substantially tangential relationship with respect to the head. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  or  15 , wherein supporting the filament wire with the first and second posts further comprises supporting the filament wire with a lateral extension defined on at least one of the first and second posts, the lateral extension extending a short distance over the switch housing. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  or  15 , further comprising engaging the filament wire in or on at least one groove defined in the head of the plunger. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  or  15 , wherein moving the plunger from the seated configuration to the extended configuration further comprises:
 engaging the body of the plunger on a toggle mechanism arranged within the switch housing, the toggle mechanism being spring loaded; and 
 moving the plunger into the extended configuration with the toggle mechanism once the filament wire is burned. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein applying the voltage across the filament wire comprises:
 supplying a current to the first post, the first post being electrically conductive; and   conducting the current from the first post to the filament wire.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first post comprises an input stanchion and an output stanchion, the input and output stanchions being electrically conductive and structurally offset from each other, and wherein apply the voltage across the filament wire comprises:
 supplying a current to the input stanchion;   conducting the current from the input stanchion to a first portion of the filament wire which extends to the second post; and   conducting the current to the output stanchion via a second portion of the filament wire that extends from the second post.   
     
     
         21 . A selective fire switch, comprising:
 a switch housing;   a plunger extending at least partially into an opening defined in the switch housing;   an input stanchion and an output stanchion arranged on a first side of the switch housing, the input and output stanchions being electrically conductive and structurally offset from each other;   a post arranged on a second side of the switch housing opposite the first side of the switch housing; and   a filament wire having a first portion coupled to the input stanchion and extending to the post across the switch housing, and a second portion extending from the post across the switch housing and to the output stanchion, the filament wire being in contact with the plunger and thereby maintaining the plunger in a seated configuration within the switch housing.   
     
     
         22 . The selective fire switch of  claim 21 , wherein the filament wire is supported across the switch housing between the input and output stanchions and the post in a substantially tangential relationship with respect to the plunger. 
     
     
         23 . The selective fire switch of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the input and output stanchions and the post defines a lateral extension that extends a short distance over the switch housing. 
     
     
         24 . The selective fire switch of  claim 21 , wherein the filament wire is coupled to at least one of the input and output stanchions and the post by at least one of soldering, welding, brazing, or mechanical fasteners. 
     
     
         25 . The selective fire switch of  claim 21 , wherein the input and output stanchions are electrically conductive and configured to route a voltage through the filament wire and around the post. 
     
     
         26 . The selective fire switch of  claim 21  or  25 , wherein the filament wire is configured to fail upon being subjected to the voltage, and wherein, when the filament wire fails, the plunger is able to move from the seated configuration to an extended configuration. 
     
     
         27 . The selective fire switch of  claim 21 , wherein the plunger has a head and at least one groove defined in the head, the at least one groove being configured to receive or engage the filament wire as it extends across the switch housing. 
     
     
         28 . The selective fire switch of  claim 21  or  27 , wherein the at least groove comprises a first groove and a second groove defined on opposing sides of the head, the first groove being configured to engage the first portion of the filament wire and the second groove being configured to engage the second portion of the filament wire. 
     
     
         29 . The selective fire switch of  claim 21  or  27 , wherein the at least one groove comprises first and second conduits defined through the head and configured to receive the first and second portions of the filament wire, respectively, therethrough.