Self-aligning lid switch for laundry machines

摘要

A self-adjusting lid switch for a laundry apparatus provides a switch assembly attached to the housing of the machine and an actuator arm attached to the lid. The actuator arm includes an actuating surface pressing an operator of the switch assembly when the lid is sufficiently closed to allow operation of the machine. Problems of manufacturing tolerance and wear that might displace the actuator arm and switch assembly are accommodated by providing each of the actuator arm and switch assembly with alignment surfaces that upon closing of the lid, align the respective components prior to actuation of the switch. The alignment surfaces may be pins extending from the actuator arm received by a corresponding funnel-shaped channel between fingers flanking the operator of the switch that receive the pins.