IPC 6 English version H01H !A-H01H 5/30

H01H-H01H00530

SECTION H– ELECTRICITY

H 01

BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS

H 01 H

ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H 01 B 7/10; overvoltage protection resistors, resistive arresters H 01 C 7/12, H 01 C 8/04; electrolytic self-interrupters H 01 G 9/18; switching devices of the waveguide type H 01 P; devices for interrupted current collection H 01 R 39/00; overvoltage arresters using spark gaps H 01 T 4/00; emergency protective circuit arrangements H 02 H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H 03 K 17/00)

Notes

(1)

This subclass covers (in groups H 01 H 69/00 to H 01 H 87/00) devices for the protection of electric lines or electric machines or apparatus in the event of undesired change from normal electric working conditions, the electrical condition serving directly as the input to the device.

(2)

This subclass does not cover bases, casings, or covers accommodating two or more switching devices or for accomodating a switching device as well as another electric component, e.g. bus-bar, line connector. Those bases, casings or covers are covered by group H 02 B 1/26.

(3)

In this subclass, the following terms or expressions are used with the meanings indicated:

–

"relay" means a switching device having contacts which are operated from electric inputs which supply, directly or indirectly, all the mechanical energy necessary to cause both the closure and the opening of the contacts;

–

"driving mechanism" refers to the means by which an operating force applied to the switch is transmitted to the moving contact or contacts;

–

"operating" is used in a broader sense than "actuating" which is reserved for those parts not touched by hand to effect switching;

–

"acting" or "action" means a self-induced movements of parts at one stage of the switching. These connotations apply to all parts of the verbs "to operate"; "to actuate", and "to act", and to words derived therefrom, e.g. to "actuation".

(4)

In this subclass, details are classified as follows:

–

details of an unspecified type of switching device, or disclosed as applicable to two or more kinds of switching devices designated by the terms or expressions "switches", "relays", "selector switches", and "emergency protective devices", are classified in groups H 01 H 1/00 to H 01 H 9/00;

–

details of an unspecified type of switch, or disclosed as applicable to two or more types of switches as defined by groups H 01 H 13/00 to H 01 H 43/00 and subgroups H 01 H 35/02, H 01 H 35/06, H 01 H 35/14, H 01 H 35/18, H 01 H 35/24, and H 01 H 35/42, all hereinafter called basic types, are classified in groups H 01 H 1/00 to H 01 H 9/00;

–

details of an unspecified type of relay, or disclosed as applicable to two or more types of relays as defined by groups H 01 H 51/00 to H 01 H 61/00, hereinafter called basic types, are classified in group H 01 H 45/00;

–

details of an unspecified protective device, or applicable to two or more types of protective devices as defined by groups H 01 H 73/00 to H 01 H 83/00, hereinafter called basic types, are classified in group H 01 H 71/00.

However, details only described with reference to, or clearly only applicable to, switching devices of a single basic type, are classified in the group appropriate to switching devices of that basic type, e.g. H 01 H 19/02, H 01 H 75/04;

–

mechanical structural details of control members of switches or of keyboards such as keys, push-buttons, levers or other mechanisms for transferring the force to the activated elements are classified in this subclass, even when they are used for controlling electronic switches.

However, mechanical details directly producing electronic effects are classified in group H 03 K 17/94. [4]

Electric switches

Contacts (liquid contacts H 01 H 29/04)

characterised by the material thereof

Co-operating contacts of different material

characterised by the shape or structure of the contact-making surface, e.g. grooved

wetted with mercury

Laminated contacts with divided contact surface

characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage

by abutting

by rolling; by wrapping; Roller or ball contacts

with subsequent sliding

Bridging contacts

with rigid pivoted member carring the moving contact

with resilient mounting

with spring blade support

Assembly of three or more contact-supporting spring blades

within supporting guides

Self-aligning contacts

with provision for adjusting position of contact relative to its co-operating contact

by sliding (by rolling or wrapping H 01 H 1/16)

Plug-and-socket contacts

Contact mounted so that its contact-making surface is flush with adjoining insulation

Knife-and-clip contacts

with resilient mounting

self-aligning contacts

with provision for adjusting position of contact relative to its co-operating contact

Means for increasing contact pressure, preventing vibration of contacts, holding contacts together after engagement, or biasing contacts to the open position

Contacts adapted to act as latches

by magnetic force

Contact arrangements for providing make-before-break operation, e.g. for on-load tap-changing

Electric connections to or between contacts; Terminals (electric connections in general H 01 R)

Auxiliary means structurally associated with the switch for cleaning or lubricating contact-making surfaces (cleaning by normal sliding of contacts H 01 H 1/18, H 01 H 1/36)

Heating or cooling of contacts

Protective enclosures, baffle plates, or screens for contacts (for arc-extinguishing H 01 H 9/30; for mercury contacts H 01 H 29/04)

Contacts sealed in an evacuated or gas-filled envelope, e.g. magnetic dry-reed contacts

Mechanisms for operating contacts (snap-action arrangements H 01 H 5/00; devices for introducing a predetermined time delay H 01 H 7/00; thermal actuating or release means H 01 H 37/02)

Operating parts, i.e. for operating driving mechanism by a mechanical force external to the switch

Levers (tumblers H 01 H 23/14)

Means for securing to shaft of driving mechanism

Turn knobs

Means for securing to shaft of driving mechanism

Push-buttons

adapted for operation by a part of the human body other than the hand, e.g. by foot

adapted for actuation at a limit or other predetermined position in the path of a body, the relative movement of switch and body being primarily for a purpose other than the actuation of the switch, e.g. for a door switch, a limit switch, a floor-levelling switch of a lift

the movement in one direction being intentionally by hand, e.g. for setting automatically cancelled trafficators

wherein an auxiliary movement thereof, or of an attachment thereto, is necessary before the main movement is possible or effective, e.g. for unlatching, for coupling

Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism

using pneumatic or hydraulic actuator

using dynamo-electric motor (for storing energy in a spring motor H 01 H 3/30)

using electromagnet (for storing energy in a spring motor H 01 H 3/30; for operating relays H 01 H 45/00)

using spring motor

Driving mechanisms, i.e. for transmitting driving force to the contacts (snap-action arrangements H 01 H 5/00; introducing a predetermined time delay H 01 H 7/00)

using ratchet

using belt, chain, or cord

using spring or other flexible shaft coupling

using friction, toothed, or screw-and-nut gearing

using cam or eccentric

using Geneva movement

using rod or lever linkage, e.g. toggle

using lost-motion device

with indexing or locating means, e.g. indexing by ball and spring

with means to ensure stopping at intermediate operative positions

Mechanisms for coupling or uncoupling operating parts, driving mechanisms, or contacts

using electromagnetic clutch

using friction, toothed, or other mechanical clutch

Mechanical arrangements for preventing or damping vibration or shock

Lubricating means structurally associated with the switch (for lubricating contact-making surfaces H 01 H 1/60)

Snap-action arrangements, i.e. in which during a single opening operation or a single closing operation energy is first stored and then released to produce or assist the contact movement

Energy stored by the attraction or repulsion of magnetic parts

Energy stored by deformation of elastic members (by deformation of bimetallic element in thermally-actuated switches H 01 H 37/54)

by compression or extension of coil springs

one end of spring transmitting movement to the contact member when the other end is moved by the operating part

one end of spring being fixedly connected to the stationary or movable part of the switch, and the other end reacting with a movable or stationary rigid member respectively through pins, cams, toothed, or other shaped surfaces

having two or more snap-action motions in succession

by twisting of torsion members

with auxiliary means for temporarily holding parts until torsion member is sufficiently strained

by flexing of blade springs

single blade moved across dead-centre position

blade spring with at least one snap-acting leg and at least one separate contact-carrying or contact-actuating leg

having three legs

having two or more snap-action motions in succession

two separate blade springs forming a toggle

by buckling of disc springs

H01H 7/00 - H01H 13/76