Matsuhashi, Akira;

Stopping device with a switch

A stopping device with a switch is used for stopping an object to be detected, such as a table on which a work or material to be measured is mounted. The stopping device is basically formed of a housing; a first leaf spring disposed in the housing and fixed thereto at an outer portion; an actuating shaft with a stopping surface fixed to an inner portion of the first leaf spring to be movable inside the housing; a movable contact attached to the actuating shaft at a side opposite to the stopping surface; a second leaf spring disposed in the housing to face the first leaf spring and fixed to the housing at an outer portion thereof; and a fixed contact fixed to an inner portion of the second leaf spring and facing the movable contact with a space therebetween. When the object abuts against the stopping surface, the actuating shaft is displaced to allow the movable contact to contact the fixed contact, and after the object is further displaced in a contact condition of the movable and fixed contacts, the object is stopped by the stop reference surface. The stopping device can be extremely shortened in its length.

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What is claimed is:

1. A stopping device with a switch, comprising:

a housing having a stop reference surface at one side and an inner space;

a first leaf spring disposed in the inner space of the housing and having inner and outer portions, said outer portion of the first leaf spring being fixed to the housing;

an actuating shaft fixed to the inner portion of the first leaf spring and being movable inside the housing perpendicular to the stop reference surface, said actuating shaft having a stopping surface at one side to project outwardly from the stop reference surface;

a movable contact attached to the actuating shaft at a side opposite to the stopping surface;

a sealing device disposed between the actuating shaft and the housing for sealing therebetween;

a second leaf spring disposed in the inner space of the housing to face the first leaf spring and having inner and outer portions, said outer portion of the second leaf spring being fixed to the housing; and

a fixed contact attached to the inner portion of the second leaf spring and being movable inside the housing, said fixed contact facing the movable contact with a space therebetween so that when an object abuts against the stopping surface, the actuating shaft is displaced to allow the movable contact to contact the fixed contact, and after the object is further displaced in a contact condition of the movable and fixed contacts, the object is stopped by the stop reference surface.

2. A stopping device with a switch according to claim 1, wherein said first leaf spring is arranged substantially parallel to the stop reference surface, and the actuating shaft is fixed to the inner portion of the first leaf spring perpendicular thereto, said object directly abutting against the stop reference surface and being stopped after the object is displaced in the contact condition of the movable and fixed contacts.

3. A stopping device with a switch according to claim 1, wherein said first leaf spring is formed of two leaf springs situated parallel to each other so that the actuating shaft is held stably.

4. A stopping device with a switch according to claim 3, further comprising a first ring situated near one of the two leaf springs, a second ring situated between the two leaf springs, a third ring situated between the other of the two leaf springs and the second leaf spring, and a fourth ring for holding the second leaf spring together with the third ring.

5. A stopping device with a switch according to claim 4, further comprising a first cylinder situated on the actuating shaft and contacting said one of the two leaf springs, and a second cylinder situated on the actuating shaft and disposed between the two leaf springs, said movable contact having a flange so that the other of the two leaf springs being held between the flange and the second cylinder.

6. A stopping device with a switch according to claim 5, further comprising a first lead connected to the second ring to conduct to the movable contact through the two leaf springs, and a second lead connected to the fourth ring to conduct to the fixed contact through the second leaf spring.

7. A stopping device with a switch according to claim 6, wherein said sealing device is situated inside the housing and is arranged substantially parallel to said two leaf springs between the stop reference surface and the first ring.

8. A stopping device with a switch according to claim 6, wherein said actuating shaft includes a head portion having said stopping surface at one side, a second stopping surface at a side opposite to the stopping surface and facing the stop reference surface and a first groove situated between the stopping surface and the second stopping surface, and a shaft portion extending from the head portion.

9. A stopping device with a switch according to claim 8, wherein said housing includes a flange extending axially outwardly from the stop reference surface to partly surround the head portion and having an outer groove, one side of the sealing device being located in the first groove and an other side of the sealing device being located in the outer groove.

10. A stopping device with a switch according to claim 9, further comprising a dust cover situated outside the flange of the housing to hold the other side of the sealing device.