Rolling-ball switch terminal rod multi-sided engaging members
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rolling-ball switches have weak and unstable connections between terminal rods and housing due to smooth lateral surfaces, leading to unreliable switching states.
Innovation Solution
The rolling-ball switch incorporates terminal rods with multi-sided lateral surfaces featuring engaging members, such as indentations or protrusions, which securely engage with the housing's through holes and circuit board slots, enhancing stability and connection strength during assembly and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the lateral surfaces of terminal rods are smooth, then the assembly process is simple, but the connection between terminal rods and housing becomes weak and unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal rod features a multi-sided lateral surface with engaging members (protrusions or indentations) at specific locations, while other portions remain smooth. This local modification provides enhanced engagement with the housing's through holes without complicating the overall assembly process, resolving the contradiction between assembly simplicity and connection stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal rod's lateral surface transitions from a symmetric smooth cylinder to an asymmetric multi-sided structure with engaging members. This asymmetric design creates specific engagement points with the housing that improve connection stability while maintaining relatively simple assembly procedures.
2Reliability
If engaging members are added to terminal rods, then connection stability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than making the entire terminal rod complex, only specific portions are modified with engaging members. This localized approach improves connection stability while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of adding complex external fastening mechanisms, the patent inverts the approach by creating engaging members directly on the terminal rod that interlock with corresponding features in the housing. This inverted design achieves stability through the terminal rod itself rather than through additional complex components.
Data Source
AI summary
A rolling-ball switch includes a housing, at least two terminal rods, and a conductive ball. The housing defines a chamber, and has a bottom wall provided with at least two through holes. Each through hole is defined by a multi-sided hole wall. Each terminal rod has an inner end extending into the chamber through the respective through hole, an outer end that extends outwardly of the bottom wall and that is adapted to be inserted into a circuit board, a multi-sided lateral surface extending between the inner and outer ends, and at least one engaging member provided on the multi-sided lateral surface and engaging the hole wall of the respective through hole. The conductive ball is disposed movably in the chamber to contact separably the inner ends of the terminal rods.