The present invention generally relates to an electrical switching arrangement suitable for controlling a plurality of loads in association with each other, and more particularly, to an electrical switching arrangement, for example, for use in motor vehicles in which sliding members are provided so as to selectively open or close electrical connections between stationary contacts and contact plates or contact springs through displacement of the contact springs by the sliding members.
Generally, the loads as referred to above include, for example, small lamps (side lamps, instrument illuminating lamps, etc.), high beam head lamps, low beam head lamps, etc. of motor vehicles, and for control thereof through mutual association therebetween under predetermined conditions, there are provided a light switch and a dimmer and passing switch. Since the switches as described above are to be controlled by operating members each having a particular purpose inherent therein, they have conventionally been constituted independently so as to be associated with each other through wiring means, and thus, the switching arrangement on the whole tends to be large in size and to occupy a considerable space, with further complication of electrical circuit constructions.
Meanwhile, in the conventional switching arrangements in which the switch is adapted to be turned OFF by displacing the contact plate or contact spring through depression thereof at one position of the sliding member, and to be turned ON by releasing the depression of the contact spring at the other position of the sliding member, since no spring force is applied by the contact spring to the sliding member at the ON position of the switch, the sliding member undesirably becomes unstable or unsteady in an opening in which it is accommodated, due to vibration, etc. of the motor vehicle. On the other hand, in the case where it is necessary to adopt a system in which the sliding member is coupled with an actuating member for subjecting the sliding member to sliding movement through an engaging mechanism, it is not possible to prevent the unsteady state of the sliding member by the actuating member, if the engaging mechanism employed is of movable or loose fit with respect to the sliding member for alleviation of dimensional inaccuracy or for facilitation of assembly of the engaging mechanism.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds