Elastic contact and regulating switch
By setting spacing holes and elastic connecting arms in the contact area of the contact piece, the problems of high noise and short lifespan of existing adjustment switches with hard contact are solved, achieving the effects of noise reduction and extended service life, and is suitable for high-performance scenarios such as multi-directional electric seat adjustment systems.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ZHEJIANG JIALONG ELECTRICAL CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-08-27
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-21
AI Technical Summary
Existing control switches have problems with their contact plates due to their structural design, such as hard contact, high impact noise, and short service life, which affect the user experience and reliability of the equipment.
Spacing holes are set in the contact area of the contact piece to separate the outer area from the central area, and elastic connecting arms and connecting bridges are set in the spacing holes to form a local elastic structure, which absorbs the impact force of the collision at the moment of contact, reduces noise and extends service life.
The flexible connection structure reduces contact noise and wear, improves the stability and durability of the switch, and is suitable for noise-sensitive and high-performance applications.
Smart Images

Figure CN224536885U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of switches, and in particular to an elastic contact piece and an adjusting switch. Background Technology
[0002] In modern electronic devices and electrical control devices, the regulating switch, as a core component for switching circuits and adjusting functions, directly affects the overall performance and user experience of the equipment due to its operational stability, tactile feedback, and noise level. Among these components, the contact piece, as a key conductive component inside the regulating switch that enables circuit switching, plays a decisive role in the switch's reliability through its structural design. In existing technologies, regulating switches typically achieve contact switching with different stationary contacts by bending and deforming a contact piece under pressure, thereby completing circuit on / off or function adjustment. Specifically, when the contact piece is subjected to external pressure, it undergoes elastic bending, causing the contact area that was originally in contact with one stationary contact to detach from that stationary contact and make contact with the other stationary contact during the bending process, ultimately achieving the function of circuit switching. However, the mainstream contact pieces currently on the market have significant defects in their structural design, especially in the construction of their contact areas. The contact area of existing contact plates generally adopts a one-piece structure. This area only has silver dots installed at preset positions to enhance conductivity and wear resistance. Apart from the silver dot mounting structure, the contact area as a whole is a continuous sheet shape. This design results in direct hard contact between the contact area, especially between the silver dots and the stationary contact, when the contact plate switches circuits. On the one hand, the impact force at the moment of contact is relatively large, which can easily cause surface wear of the silver dots and stationary contact. Long-term use may also lead to contact deformation, affecting the contact reliability and service life of the switch. On the other hand, the impact noise generated by the hard contact is relatively obvious. In scenarios with high requirements for operating noise, such as precision instruments and household silent equipment, this noise will seriously reduce the user experience of the equipment and become an important factor restricting the application range of regulating switches. Utility Model Content
[0003] The purpose of this invention is to address the problems of hard contact, high collision noise, and short service life of existing regulating switches by providing an elastic contact piece and regulating switch to optimize the contact method, reduce collision noise, and improve the working stability and durability of the switch, thereby meeting the high-performance requirements of regulating switches in different scenarios.
[0004] The technical solution of this utility model is as follows: an elastic contact piece, including a contact area for contacting a stationary contact, a silver dot installed on the contact area, the contact area including a peripheral area and a central area, the silver dot installed on the central area, a gap hole opened between the central area and the peripheral area, an elastic connecting arm arranged across the gap hole, and the two ends of the elastic connecting arm being integrally connected to the peripheral area and the central area respectively.
[0005] By adopting the above technical solution, an outer area and a central area separated by a spacer hole are set in the contact area, and an elastic connecting arm is set in the spacer hole, connecting the outer area and the central area at both ends respectively. This creates a local elastic structure between the central area where the silver dot is installed and the main body of the contact piece. The elastic connecting arm gives the central area independent elastic buffering capability. When the silver dot on the central area contacts the stationary contact, the elastic connecting arm can produce a slight elastic deformation, absorbing the impact force of the collision at the moment of contact, avoiding direct hard contact between the silver dot and the stationary contact, and buffering the collision process, effectively reducing the impact force and noise at the moment of contact. The buffering effect can reduce the surface wear of the silver dot and the stationary contact, prevent contact deformation after long-term use, and improve the conductivity reliability and service life of the contact piece. The elastic connecting arm is integrally connected with the outer area and the central area, ensuring the buffering effect without damaging the overall conductivity of the contact piece, and ensuring stable current transmission during circuit switching.
[0006] In one possible design, at least one connecting bridge spanning the spacer hole is also provided within the spacer hole, with both ends of the connecting bridge integrally connected to the outer area and the central area, respectively.
[0007] The above design, with the connecting bridge and the elastic connecting arm forming a dual connection structure, enhances the structural stability and connection reliability between the central and peripheral areas. The connecting bridge provides additional support stiffness, preventing excessive stress on the central area that could lead to breakage or permanent deformation of the elastic connecting arm when relying solely on it. This improves the robustness of the connection between the central and peripheral areas and prevents the central area from shifting or undergoing plastic deformation under repeated impacts. The connecting bridge also helps to distribute the contact force on the central area, making the force more even and preventing the silver point from shifting due to localized force concentration. This ensures the contact accuracy between the silver point and the stationary contact and the reliability of the electrical connection. At the same time, while enhancing structural strength, it still maintains the elastic buffering effect when the silver point contacts the stationary contact, balancing stability and noise reduction requirements.
[0008] In one possible design, the connecting bridge and the flexible connecting arm are arranged symmetrically with respect to the silver point.
[0009] The above design ensures that the supporting force (from the connecting bridge) and the buffering force (from the elastic connecting arm) in the central area are evenly distributed around the silver point. The central area experiences balanced force during operation, avoiding deviation or twisting caused by structural asymmetry. This ensures that the silver point is always precisely aligned with the preset contact position of the stationary contact, improving the reliability of circuit switching. The symmetrical arrangement also improves the deformation synchronization between the elastic connecting arm and the connecting bridge. When the silver point contacts the stationary contact, the buffering force can evenly absorb the impact of the collision, avoiding noise fluctuations caused by insufficient local buffering, making the noise reduction effect more stable. At the same time, it optimizes the consistency of the mechanical response of the overall structure, reduces fatigue deformation of the contact piece after long-term use, and extends the product life.
[0010] In one possible design, it also includes a support foot in the shape of an elastic arch and pressure arms located on both sides of the support foot; the support foot is used to support the switch in a preset position; when the pressure arm is pressed, the pressure arm bends and drives the contact area to switch the contact state with the stationary contact; when the pressure arm is not pressed, the elasticity of the support foot helps the pressure arm to reset.
[0011] With the above design, the elastic arched support foot can stably support the contact piece in a preset position within the switch, providing a fixed mounting reference for the contact piece and preventing overall displacement of the elastic contact piece when it is bent under pressure, thus ensuring the relative positional accuracy of the contact area and the stationary contact. The pressure arm provides a clear force-bearing point for the contact piece, facilitating external structural pressure application and making the bending trajectory of the pressure arm more stable when under pressure, preventing jamming or misalignment during contact area switching. The elasticity of the support foot can provide reset assistance when the pressure arm is not under pressure, ensuring that the contact piece quickly and accurately returns to its initial state, avoiding circuit switching delays or failures caused by untimely contact piece reset, and improving the operating response speed of the switch.
[0012] Another technical solution of this utility model: an adjusting switch, including an elastic contact piece; two symmetrically spaced stationary contacts, the contact area of the elastic contact piece being located between the two stationary contacts; a fulcrum, on which the elastic contact piece is mounted, and the elastic contact piece using the fulcrum as a fulcrum; a pressure member disposed above the elastic contact piece; and a handle connected to the pressure member; wherein pressing the handle can drive the pressure member to move and apply pressure to the elastic contact piece, causing the contact area of the elastic contact piece to contact or separate from different stationary contacts, thereby switching the circuit.
[0013] The above technical solution provides an adjustable switch using the aforementioned improved elastic contact piece. By mounting the elastic contact piece on a fulcrum base and using the fulcrum base as a fulcrum, combined with the linkage structure of the handle and the pressure member, accurate pressure is applied to the contact piece pressure arm. During operation, the contact area of the elastic contact piece can smoothly switch between two stationary contacts. The elastic buffer structure in the central area significantly reduces noise and impact during the switching process, improving the operating feel and quietness of the switch. It is suitable for noise-sensitive household appliances, lighting equipment, and precision control devices.
[0014] In one possible design, the pressure member has a frame-like structure, with the handle located in the middle of the pressure member and the pressure member surrounding the outside of the handle.
[0015] The above design makes the overall structure compact and symmetrically stressed, improving operational stability and structural strength, and facilitating integration into miniaturized switch modules, thus enhancing the product's structural adaptability and space utilization.
[0016] In one possible design, multiple sets of actuation assemblies are also included, each set consisting of an elastic contact piece, two stationary contacts, and a fulcrum; the pressure piece has four evenly distributed pressure blocks, each corresponding to a set of actuation assemblies; wherein, when the handle is turned, the pressure piece is moved, and one of the pressure blocks on the pressure piece applies pressure to the corresponding elastic contact piece, so that the contact area of the elastic contact piece contacts or separates from different stationary contacts.
[0017] By adopting the above design, and by setting multiple sets of action components, which are synchronously driven by a pressure component with four evenly distributed pressure blocks, the sequential or selective switching of multiple circuit paths can be completed by a single handle operation, thus expanding the functional application range of the switch. The four evenly distributed pressure blocks correspond one-to-one with the action components, and each set of action components works independently without interfering with each other, avoiding accidental triggering of action components in other circuits and improving the accuracy of multi-circuit switching. This structure is particularly suitable for application scenarios that require multi-directional adjustment, such as multi-directional seat movement, thus expanding the application scope of this utility model. Attached Figure Description
[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of Embodiment 1 of the present utility model; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of Embodiment 1 of the present utility model; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of Embodiment 2 of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of Embodiment 3 of the present invention; Figure 5 This is an exploded view of Embodiment 3 of this utility model; Among them, 1. elastic contact piece; 11. peripheral area; 12. central area; 13. silver dot; 14. spacer hole; 15. elastic connecting arm; 16. connecting bridge; 17. support foot; 18. pressure arm; 2. handle; 3. pressure piece; 31. pressure block; 4. stationary contact point; 5. fulcrum seat; 51. preset groove. Detailed Implementation Example 1
[0019] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 The elastic contact piece shown includes a contact area for direct contact with a stationary contact 4, and a silver dot 13 is installed on the contact area. The silver dot 13 is fixed by conventional welding or embedding to improve the conductivity and wear resistance of the contact. The contact area is divided into an outer area 11 and a central area 12. The silver dot 13 is fixedly installed in a predetermined position in the central area 12 through a through hole, ensuring that the silver dot 13 can accurately align with the stationary contact 4. Between the central area 12 and the outer area 11, an annular or arc-shaped spacer hole 14 is provided along the edge contour of both. The spacer hole 14 partially separates the central area 12 and the outer area 11, and the connection between the two is achieved only through an elastic connecting arm 15 provided in the spacer hole 14. The elastic connecting arm 15 is arranged across the spacer hole 14, with one end integrally formed with the edge of the outer area 11 and the other end integrally formed with the edge of the central area 12, forming a continuous structure of the outer area 11, the elastic connecting arm 15, and the central area 12. The structure is manufactured from the same sheet metal using a stamping or etching process, ensuring structural integrity and manufacturing consistency. When the elastic contact piece 1 is switching, and the silver point 13 collides with a stationary contact 4, the central area 12 will be subjected to the reaction force of the stationary contact 4. At this time, the elastic connecting arm 15 can undergo slight elastic deformation to absorb the impact force of the collision at the moment of contact, forming a buffer effect and preventing the silver point 13 from forming a hard contact with the stationary contact 4, thereby reducing collision noise. At the same time, the deformation of the elastic connecting arm 15 can also reduce the surface wear of the silver point 13 and the stationary contact 4, ensuring the contact reliability after long-term use.
[0020] The resilient contact piece 1 also includes a resiliently arched support foot 17 and pressure arms 18 located on both sides of the support foot 17. The support foot 17 is made of a resilient metal material and is an upwardly convex arch. Its bottom is used to support a preset position within the switch (such as the preset groove 51 on the fulcrum 5 mentioned later), providing a stable mounting reference for the entire resilient contact piece 1. There are two pressure arms 18, which are integrally formed on the left and right sides of the support foot 17, and the free ends of the pressure arms 18 extend to the vicinity of the outer periphery 11 of the support foot 17, forming the shape of the outer periphery support foot 17. When an external structure (such as the pressure member 3) applies downward pressure to the pressure arms 18, the pressure arms 18 will bend and deform around the support foot 17, thereby causing the contact area to bend synchronously, so that the silver point 13 disengages from the currently contacting stationary contact 4 and makes contact with another stationary contact 4. When the pressure arm 18 is pressed down, the support foot 17 is compressed and stores energy; when the pressure is released, the stored elastic potential energy is released rapidly, and the resulting reset force helps the pressure arm 18 quickly return to its initial position, driving the contact area to reset and ensuring the switch's operational response speed. In this way, the elastic arched support foot 17 not only provides stable support for the entire contact piece within the switch, but its own elastic deformation also acts as an energy storage mechanism. Example 2
[0021] Unlike Example 1, as follows: Figure 3 As shown, to optimize the structural stability of the contact area, in addition to the elastic connecting arm 15, at least one connecting bridge 16 spanning the spacer hole 14 is additionally provided within the spacer hole 14. The structure of the connecting bridge 16 is similar to that of the elastic connecting arm 15, but its width is smaller. Its two ends are integrally connected to the outer area 11 and the central area 12, respectively. The number of connecting bridges 16 can be adjusted according to the size of the spacer hole 14 and the force requirements of the contact piece. For example, one, two, or more can be provided. Of course, if the elastic connecting arm 15 provides sufficient support, the connecting bridge 16 may not be provided. The main function of the connecting bridge 16 is to assist the elastic connecting arm 15 in dispersing the force on the central area 12, preventing the elastic connecting arm 15 from breaking or permanently deforming due to excessive force on the central area 12 when relying solely on the elastic connecting arm 15. At the same time, the connecting bridge 16 does not significantly affect the elastic deformation capability of the elastic connecting arm 15. While enhancing the connection between the central area 12 and the outer area 11, it can still maintain the buffering effect when the silver point 13 contacts the stationary contact 4.
[0022] The layout of the connecting bridge 16 and the flexible connecting arm 15 is optimized, limiting their arrangement to be symmetrical with respect to the silver point 13. For example, if one connecting bridge 16 and one flexible connecting arm 15 are provided, the connecting bridge 16 and the flexible connecting arm 15 are located on both sides of the spacer hole 14 with the central axis of the silver point 13 as the axis of symmetry; if two connecting bridges 16 and two flexible connecting arms 15 are provided, the four components are evenly and symmetrically distributed along the circumference of the silver point 13. Example 3
[0023] Based on the above-described embodiment of the elastic contact piece 1, such as Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, this utility model also provides an adjustment switch, which includes a handle 2, a pressure member 3, two symmetrically spaced stationary contacts 4, a fulcrum 5, and the aforementioned elastic contact piece 1. Two stationary contacts 4 are fixedly installed in a symmetrical and spaced manner on the base of the switch, and the contact area of the elastic contact piece 1 is located between the two stationary contacts 4, ensuring that the silver dots 13 on the contact area can switch contact between the two stationary contacts 4; the fulcrum 5 is fixed inside the switch, and the elastic contact piece 1 is installed on the fulcrum 5, with the fulcrum 5 as the force fulcrum of the elastic contact piece 1. Specifically, the support foot 17 of the elastic contact piece 1 can be snapped or abutted in the preset groove 51 of the fulcrum 5, so that the elastic contact piece 1 can be stably bent around the fulcrum 5 when pressed. In addition, the fulcrum 5 is also one of the wiring points of the switch; the pressure piece 3 is set above the elastic contact piece 1, and the position of the pressure piece 3 corresponds to the pressure arm 18 of the elastic contact piece 1; the handle 2 is in contact with the pressure piece 3, and the user can drive the pressure piece 3 to move by operating the handle 2. The operation of the regulating switch is as follows: When the user presses the handle 2, the handle 2 drives the pressure member 3 to move towards the elastic contact piece 1. The pressure member 3 contacts the pressure arm 18 of the elastic contact piece 1 and applies pressure. Under the action of pressure, the elastic contact piece 1 bends with the preset position of the fulcrum 5 as the fulcrum, driving the contact area to move closer to one of the stationary contacts 4, so that the silver point 13 contacts the stationary contact 4, and at the same time separates from the other stationary contact 4, completing the circuit switching. That is, the circuit switches from the original connection of stationary contact 4, elastic contact piece 1, and fulcrum 5 to the connection of another stationary contact 4, elastic contact piece 1, and fulcrum 5. When the user releases the handle 2, the pressure of the pressure member 3 disappears, the support foot 17 of the elastic contact piece 1 releases elastic potential energy, driving the pressure arm 18 and the contact area to reset, and the silver point 13 returns to the initial contact of the stationary contact 4, realizing the reverse switching of the circuit.
[0024] The pressure component 3 has a frame-like structure, such as a square or circular frame. The handle 2 is installed in the middle of the pressure component 3, and the frame of the pressure component 3 surrounds the outside of the handle 2, forming a layout with the handle 2 in the center and the pressure component 3 surrounding it. On the one hand, the frame-like structure makes the force on the pressure component 3 more balanced. When the handle 2 moves the pressure component 3, the pressure component 3 will not deform due to excessive local force, ensuring that the pressure applied by the pressure component 3 to the elastic contact piece 1 pressure arm 18 is uniform. On the other hand, the handle 2 is located in the middle, and the operating force can be evenly transmitted through the pressure component 3, preventing the pressure component 3 from shifting. At the same time, the surrounding layout can reduce the overall size of the switch, making the switch structure more compact and adaptable to more installation scenarios of small electronic devices.
[0025] The regulating switch combines multiple sets of actuating components. Each set consists of an elastic contact piece 1, two stationary contacts 4, and a fulcrum 5, and these multiple sets of actuating components are evenly distributed along the circumference of the pressure member 3. Simultaneously, the pressure member 3 is provided with four evenly distributed pressure blocks 31, such as one pressure block 31 on each of the four sides of the frame-shaped pressure member 3. The pressure blocks 31 are integrally connected by connecting plates, and each pressure block 31 corresponds to a set of actuating components. The position of each pressure block 31 is aligned with the pressure arm 18 of the elastic contact piece 1 in the corresponding actuating component.
[0026] The multi-circuit, multi-directional switching process of this regulating switch is as follows: When the user moves the handle 2, the handle 2 will drive the pressure member 3 to move towards one of the pressure blocks 31. For example, if it moves to one side of the pressure member 3, the pressure block 31 will contact the pressure arm 18 of the elastic contact piece 1 in the corresponding action assembly and apply pressure. Under the action of pressure, the elastic contact piece 1 bends, and its silver point 13 switches to the contact state with the two stationary contacts 4, realizing the circuit switching of the corresponding circuit. Other pressure blocks 31 do not contact the corresponding elastic contact piece 1, and do not affect the on / off state of other circuits. By moving the handle 2 towards different pressure blocks 31, different action assemblies can be controlled separately to realize independent switching of multiple circuits.
[0027] This utility model's adjustment switch can be applied to multi-directional electric adjustment systems for seats such as automobiles and office chairs, used to control functions such as seat forward and backward movement, backrest tilt, and height adjustment. Traditional seat switches, when switching positions, generate noticeable noise due to the hard contact between the contact piece and the contact point, and are prone to wear after long-term use, affecting operational reliability and quiet operation. This application addresses this by setting a spacing hole 14, an elastic connecting arm 15, and a connecting bridge 16 in the contact area of the elastic contact piece 1, giving the central area 12 where the silver point 13 is located elastic buffering capacity, reducing the impact force and noise when colliding with the stationary contact point 4. Simultaneously, the switch adopts a multi-set action assembly integrated design, combined with the pressure component 3 structure of the evenly distributed pressure block 31, allowing for orderly switching of multiple adjustment functions with a single handle 2 operation. Its self-resetting structure eliminates the need for an additional spring, simplifying assembly and improving reliability. This switch is compact, operates quietly, and has good durability, making it particularly suitable for seat control systems with high operational quality requirements, effectively improving the user experience.
Claims
1. A resilient contact piece comprising a contact area for contacting a stationary contact (4), wherein silver dots (13) are mounted on the contact area, characterized in that: The contact area includes an outer area (11) and a central area (12). The silver dot (13) is installed on the central area (12). A gap hole (14) is provided between the central area (12) and the outer area (11). An elastic connecting arm (15) is provided in the gap hole (14) and spans the gap hole (14). The two ends of the elastic connecting arm (15) are integrally connected to the outer area (11) and the central area (12) respectively.
2. The elastic contact sheet according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least one connecting bridge (16) is provided in the spacer hole (14) and spans the spacer hole (14). The two ends of the connecting bridge (16) are integrally connected to the outer area (11) and the central area (12), respectively.
3. The elastic contact sheet according to claim 2, characterized in that: The connecting bridge (16) and the elastic connecting arm (15) are arranged symmetrically with respect to the silver point (13).
4. The elastic contact sheet according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a support foot (17) in the shape of an elastic arch and pressure arms (18) located on both sides of the support foot (17); the support foot (17) is used to support the switch in a preset position. When the pressure arm (18) is pressed, the pressure arm (18) bends and drives the contact area to switch the contact state with the stationary contact (4). When the pressure arm (18) is not pressed, the elasticity of the support foot (17) helps the pressure arm (18) to reset.
5. An adjusting switch, characterized in that, include: The elastic contact piece (1) as described in any one of claims 1 to 4; Two symmetrically spaced stationary contacts (4) are provided, and the contact area of the elastic contact piece (1) is located between the two stationary contacts (4). The fulcrum (5) is on which the elastic contact piece (1) is mounted, and the elastic contact piece (1) uses the fulcrum (5) as a fulcrum; A pressure member (3) is disposed above the elastic contact piece (1); as well as Handle (2), which is connected to the pressure member (3); Pressing the handle (2) can drive the pressure member (3) to move and apply pressure to the elastic contact piece (1), so that the contact area of the elastic contact piece (1) contacts or separates from different stationary contacts (4) to switch circuits.
6. The regulating switch according to claim 5, characterized in that: The pressure member (3) has a frame structure, the handle (2) is located in the middle of the pressure member (3), and the pressure member (3) surrounds the outside of the handle (2).
7. The regulating switch according to claim 6, characterized in that: It also includes multiple sets of action assemblies, each set of action assemblies is composed of one elastic contact piece (1), two stationary contacts (4) and one fulcrum seat (5); the pressure member (3) has four evenly distributed pressure blocks (31), and each pressure block (31) corresponds to a set of action assemblies; wherein, when the handle (2) is turned, the pressure member (3) is moved, and one of the pressure blocks (31) on the pressure member (3) applies pressure to the corresponding elastic contact piece (1) so that the contact area of the elastic contact piece (1) contacts or separates from different stationary contacts (4).