Switch assembly with front side removability

A switch assembly comprising:

• a panel having a front side and a back side, said panel defining an aperture therethrough, the aperture having an edge surface perpendicular to the front and back sides;
• a switch subassembly disposed through the aperture and having a switch housing defining a longitudinal direction that is perpendicular to said panel, and having an outer periphery dimensioned to fit within the edge surface of the aperture of said panel;
• at least two tabs extending from opposite sides of the switch housing adjacent the back side of said panel, each of said at least two tabs having a first portion that extends away from said switch housing and toward the back side of said panel to a projection, the projection spaced in the longitudinal direction from the back side of the panel and laterally outward of the edge surface of the aperture when said at least two tabs are in a relaxed state, each of said at least two tabs having a second portion that extends from the projection in the longitudinal direction and terminates in a tab end disposed within the aperture of said panel;
• wherein the tab end of each of said at least two tabs is accessible from the front side of said panel and wherein each of said at least two tabs is formed of a resilient material that is sufficiently flexible such that flexing the tab end inwardly from the front side of said panel causes the projection to flex inwardly from the relaxed state to a point where the projection can pass through the aperture to facilitate removal of the switch subassembly from the front side of said panel, and wherein said at least two tabs flex inwardly toward the switch housing as said switch subassembly is inserted through the aperture in said panel and then flex outwardly as the switch subassembly is fully seated in the aperture such that the at least two tabs engage the aperture in said panel to secure the switch subassembly in the aperture;
• and
• wherein the tab end of each of the at least two tabs terminates at a point between the front side and the back side of the panel and at a point between the edge surface of the aperture of said panel and the switch subassembly.