Vehicle Switch Structure with Rotating Conductive Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional switch structures for vehicle interior lamps experience unstable conduction due to the formation of an oxide layer on contact and bus bar surfaces, leading to long-term conductivity issues.
Innovation Solution
A switch structure with a conductive element that is rotatable and retractable, biased by a spring, which provides a wider contact range with bus bars and removes the oxide layer by sliding contact during switching, ensuring stable conduction. The conductive element has an abutment portion and extension portions that move over convex portions on the bus bars or housing, enhancing the restoring force and preventing disengagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional switch structure with a contact and bus bar is used, then the structure is simple, but the conduction becomes unstable due to oxide layer formation on the contact surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The contact is changed from a static structure to a dynamic one, enabling it to rotate relative to the operating element and slide against the bus bar. This dynamic motion allows the contact to automatically remove oxide layers through friction during switching operations, thereby maintaining stable conduction without requiring complex additional components.
Solution Approach 2:
The switch structure utilizes its own switching operation to automatically remove oxide layers from the contact surfaces. The rotational and sliding motions generated during normal ON/OFF switching serve the dual purpose of circuit control and contact surface maintenance, eliminating the need for separate cleaning mechanisms or maintenance interventions.
2Reliability
If the contact is biased perpendicular to the operating direction, then the structure is simple, but the oxide layer cannot be effectively removed
Solution Approach 1:
The contact is designed to rotate and slide during switching operations, creating dynamic friction contact with the bus bar. This motion is achieved by allowing the contact to pivot on its support while being pushed by the spring, transforming the simple perpendicular biasing into a more complex but effective rotational-sliding mechanism that actively removes oxide layers.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution maintains stable conduction by removing the oxide layer and increasing the restoring force, ensuring reliable switching between ON and OFF positions, thus addressing the instability in conventional switch structures.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing unit configured to support the conductive element while being biased toward the push direction
Implementation Method 2
the conductive element is configured to be retractable in the push direction and to be rotatable in the pivoting direction of the operating element relative to the operating element and slidably contacts with the bus bars upon rotation of the switch knob
Data Source
AI summary
The switch structure is configured to have a switch knob, a lens for transmitting the light of a bulb in the interior of a vehicle, a bus bar connected between the bulb side and the power source side (not shown), and a convex portion protruding toward the switch knob. A conductive element is formed to have a bulb-side abutment portion that abuts on a bulb-side bus bar and is connected thereto and a power source side abutment portion that abuts on a power source side bus bar and is connected thereto. When attached to an operating element, the conductive element is configured to be retractable in a push direction and to be rotatable in a rotational direction relative to the operating element and slidably contacts with the bus bar upon rotation of the switch knob.