US 2026/0039987 A1 · MICROPHONE SWITCH FOR PLAYBACK DEVICE

Abstract

Switch assemblies and network devices incorporating same. An example playback device includes a housing, one or more microphones, and a switch assembly configured to enable and disable the microphone(s). The switch assembly may include a slider cage coupled to the housing, an electrical actuator, and a sliding switch sub-assembly configured to slide laterally between first and second positions along a path constrained by the slider cage, the sliding switch sub-assembly including an actuator portion that extends through an opening in the housing to an exterior of the playback device and a translation component that converts lateral motion of the sliding switch sub-assembly between the first and second positions into vertical motion that activates the electrical actuator to enable the microphone(s) when the sliding switch sub-assembly is in the first position and deactivates the electrical actuator to disable the microphone(s) when the sliding switch sub-assembly is in the second position.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A playback device comprising:

a housing;
a switch assembly configured to enable and disable one or more components of the playback device, the switch assembly comprising
a slider cage positioned inside the housing and coupled to the housing,
an electrical actuator, and
a sliding switch sub-assembly configured to slide laterally between a first position and a second position along a path constrained by the slider cage, the sliding switch sub-assembly including an actuator portion that extends through an opening in the housing to an exterior of the playback device and a translation component that converts lateral motion of the sliding switch sub-assembly between the first and second positions into vertical motion that activates the electrical actuator to enable the one or more components when the sliding switch sub-assembly is in the first position and deactivates the electrical actuator to disable the one or more components when the sliding switch sub-assembly is in the second position.

2 more elements

A network device comprising:

a housing having a base;
an electronics board housed within the housing and including a snap dome;
a slider cage coupled to the base;
a sliding switch sub-assembly configured to slide laterally between a first position and a second position along a path constrained by the slider cage, the sliding switch sub-assembly comprising a monolithic body portion and a spring, the body portion including an actuator portion that extends from a first side of the body portion through an opening in the base, the spring being coupled to an opposing side of the body portion and configured to convert lateral motion of the sliding switch sub-assembly between the first and second positions into vertical motion that activates the snap dome to establish an electrical connection to enable at least one component of the network device when the sliding switch sub-assembly is in the first position and to break the electrical connection to disable the at least one component when the sliding switch sub-assembly is in the second position;
wherein the slider cage is positioned between the electronics board and the sliding switch sub-assembly.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Microphone switch for playback device

Life of this patent

Microphone switch for playback device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20