US 11,881,366 B2
Switch with illumination surface illuminated with different states of illumination
Michael Scott Carlson, Deephaven, MN (US); and Darrell Raymond Pikkaraine, Elk River, MN (US)
Assigned to BANNER ENGINEERING CORPORATION, Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed by Banner Engineering Corporation, Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed on Sep. 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/486,384.
Application 17/486,384 is a continuation of application No. 16/794,046, filed on Feb. 18, 2020, granted, now 11,139,124.
Application 16/794,046 is a continuation of application No. 14/168,845, filed on Jan. 30, 2014, granted, now 10,566,148, issued on Aug. 28, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/849,655, filed on Jan. 30, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2022/0189709 A1, Jun. 16, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01H 3/02 (2006.01); H01H 13/02 (2006.01); H01H 9/16 (2006.01); H05B 47/10 (2020.01)
CPC H01H 3/022 (2013.01) [H01H 9/161 (2013.01); H01H 13/023 (2013.01); H05B 47/10 (2020.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A switch, comprising:
a housing having a sidewall comprising an optical indicator portion having an externally visible annular illumination surface substantially surrounding, and facing away from, a longitudinal axis;
a switching module comprising an actuator adapted to be manually actuated to move relative to the housing along the longitudinal axis from a first position to a second position;
an internal circuit enclosed in the housing and comprising:
an illuminating device adapted to illuminate the externally visible annular illumination surface; and
a plurality of pairs of contacts,
at least a first one of the plurality of pairs of contacts being connectable to one or more circuits external to the housing and adapted to change an operational state of the one or more circuits when the actuator is manually actuated, and
at least a second one of the plurality of pairs of contacts being connected to the illuminating device and adapted to cause the illuminating device to emit light of different states of illumination corresponding to the respective positions of the actuator;
wherein the first position is an armed position, at which the switching module permits the one or more circuits external to the housing to continue operation, and the second position is an actuated position, at which the switching module causes the one or more circuits external to the housing to cease operation.