Nov. 1, 1966 A. DE FALCO 3,283,274 PUSH BUTTON REED SWITCH Filed Oct. 4, 1963 Nov. 1, 1966 A. DE FALCO 3,283,274 PUSH BUTTON REED SWITCH Filed Oct. 4, 1963 4. Sheets-Sheet 2 8 5 5? 7 . | ? F. G. 8 ?? ANGELO DE FALCO INVENTOR. ???. 1, 1966 A. DE FALCO 3,283,274 PUSH BUTTON REED SWITCH Filed Oct. 4, 1963 4. Sheets-Sheet 4 ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ????********!=:==============~~~ F| G. 37 F. G. 38 3,283,274 United States Patent Office Patented Nov. 1, 1966 2 3,283,274 These ring magnets can be magnetized to give a multi PUSH BUTTON REED SWITCH tude of varying magnetic fields having a given polarity Angelo De Falco, 37 Argyle Terrace, irvington, N.J. and strength. For example, ring magnets can be polar Filed Oct. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 313,881 ized normal to the longitudinal axis so that one end will 14 Claims. (CI. 335-206) have a north polarity and the other end a south polarity This invention relates generally to push button switches or they can be polarized parallel to the longitudinal axis and more particularly to a magnetically actuated push so that half the diameter of the ring magnet is north and button switch where the switch elements are of the reed the other half south, or it can have a plurality of polarized type. portions parallel to the longitudinal axis so there are a In recent years reed switches have found wide appli O plurality of arcuate sections of relative north and south cation in electrical circuitry where reliable and durable polarities like wedges of a piece of pie. operation under adverse and extremely high speed con Ring magnets have unusual facility because the ma ditions had to be met. terials from which they are constructed not only have Under modern day manufacturing techniques conven high magnetic stability but they can also be molded. In tional reed switches embody the following general char 5 addition to establishing predetermined polar character acteristics: istics, the mass of the magnet and the intensity of the magnetic field can also be controlled within wide limits (a) They are encapsulated in glass or similar sub and therefore it is easily adapted for use in the present stances having a high dielectric constant which are easily invention. Sealed by heat or other relatively simple means and which 20 The significance of these characteristics of ring magnets will withstand the pressures required to establish vacuum have been set forth and distinguished because this element or to fill the capsule with an inert gas. is a critical element of the present invention in that it pro (b) The capsule has mounted therein a pair of coacting vides in operative position the equivalent field to that ob leads which have one end fixed and the other end free tained by the annular type electro-magnetic actuator. the respective ends being disposed at opposite ends of the 25 When the ring magnet is operatively associated with capsule to extend into the capsule along the longitudinal the envelope of a reed switch, it can provide a simple push axis so that the free ends overlap each other. button switch or repulsion actuated switch having a con (c) The reeds are made of a material of high magnetic tinuous magnetic field of 360, particularly in that form permeability and low magnetic retentivity. of the invention where the ring type magnet is polarized (d) Contacts are formed at adjacent points on the reeds 30 normal to the longitudinal axis as distinguished from where they overlap. being polarized parallel to the longitudinal axis. In my copending application U.S. Serial No. 314,026 In particular, because of the integral characteristics of filed October 4, 1963, now U.S. Patent 3,243,541, an im the ring magnet, it is easily mounted to provide optimum proved reed switch is disclosed which differs from the coupling of its magnetic field to elements of the reed conventional reed switch above described. switch. In brief, this improved reed switch is characterized by Accordingly, the present invention embodies a push the fact that the construction and operative coaction of button reed switch wherein a ring type permanent magnet the reed elements permits them to have one respective end polarized normal to the axis thereof is disposed relative connected to the same point of reference in the envelope the envelope of the reed switch so that the ring magnet so that the external leads of the reed elements extend 40 will act to actuate or deactuate the elements of the reed out of the hermetically sealed envelope at substantially switch. adjacent points to facilitate connecting the reed elements The ring magnet means can, if desired, be movable and into a current carrying circuit. coact either with a mechanical resilient return means such Accordingly, in all references made generally to a reed as a spring, bellows or the like type device, or it can coact switch or reed switches, it will be understood by those with another magnetic means in which the repulsive forces skilled in the art to include not only the conventional of the magnetic fields act as a magnetic spring; to provide reed switches but the improved reed switch of such co for returning the ring magnet actuating means to its non pending application. actuated position. Control of such reed switches is efficiently achieved by Where the ring maget means has a fixed relationship to magnetic lines of force external to the envelope whereby 50 the elements of the reed switch and the magnetic field is predetermined polar relationships in the cooperating reed shunted by a suitable device, such device can in turn be elements cause them to either repel or attract each other. associtaed with a return means for accomplishing the Heretofore the two general methods of activating reed same type of actuation or deactuation of the reed elements switches have been electro-magnetic fields and permanent in the switch. bar magnets. 55 In the construction disclosed herein the forces required With bar magnets, however, it is clear from the prior to operate the push button of the Switch can be of ex art devices that a substantial portion of the magnetic flux tremely light actuating pressures such as occurs when two density is lost because they are limited to establishing a magnetic elements are utilized for actuating and as a re single diameter field in the adjacent reeds being actuated, till Til IleainS. as will be understood by those skilled in the art. 60 In one prior are device as shown in U.S. Patent 2,923,- Another type of force is that which is established by a 791 a plurality of longitudinally aligned bar magnets in mechanical element such as a resilient spring which coacts spaced relation to each other to provide an annular actu with the ring magnet actuating means and forms a return ator has been used with a reed switch. means which devices can be adjusted between any given While this type of actuating mechanism is effective be 65 limits depending on the number of coils, and the diameter cause it simulates the electro-magnetic field type of an of the coil material. nular actuator, it is limited from a functional viewpoint In substance the pressure necessary for actuation can and in the distribution of magnetic flux, and, therefore, be varied from less than one gram to several pounds as fails to provide the full and uniform field which is ob a particular application may require. tained by the electro-magnetic type of actuator. 70 Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to Ring magnets are well known in the permanent magnet provide a simple and reliable push button Switch in which art for a multitude of uses other than for switch actuation. the desired force for operation can be predetermined. 3,283,274 3 4 It is another object of the invention to provide a rela FIGURE 27 is an exploded view of the push button as tive simple switch structure which is operable under the sembly and shunt means for the invention shown in FIG influence of an annularly disposed magnetic field. URE 24. It is a further object to provide a simple push button FIGURE 28 shows the push button switch with shunt switch which is explosion proof because of the sealed means utilizing a conventional reed switch. reed elements which coact with the magnets in this device. FIGURE 29 is a further form of push button switch These and other objects and advantages of the inven utilizing a plurality of reed switches as shown in FIGURE tion will become evident from the following description 1 and having a magnetic return means. with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 30 is a top view showing another adjustable FIGURE 1 shows a conventional reed switch. 10 stop means. FIGURE 2 shows one form of applicant's improved FIGURE 31 is a cross-section taken at 31-31 of FIG reed switch. URE 29. FIGURE 3 is a cross-section taken at 3-3 of FIG FIGURE 32 is also a further form of push button switch URE 2. utilizing a plurality of reed switches as shown in FIGURE FIGURE 4 is a partial perspective of one of the reed 2 peripherally disposed and staged, for predetermined elements of the improved reed switch shown in FIG staggered operation with respect to a centrally disposed URE 2. magnetic actuating and return means. FIGURE 5 is a partial perspective of the other reed FIGURE 33 is a cross-section taken at line 33-33 of element of the improved reed switch shown in FIGURE 2.