Keyboard switch assembly having movable contact, and supporting helicline type legs disposed co-planar to common conductive sheet

A keyboard switching device comprising:

• a first electrically conductive member having a plurality of planar spring-like patterns formed on separate conductive surfaces thereof, each of said patterns comprising a plurality of unconnected, curved slots radiating continuously outwardly from a common portion thereof,
• a plurality of conductive members, at least some of said plurality of conductive members being positioned adjacent at least some different ones of said common portions;
• and
• electrically insulating means for normally separating said adjacent center portions and contact members but permitting each one of said adjacent common portions to effect a switching action when said one common portion is forced from the plane of said first member.

A keyboard switching device for effecting electrical change upon the depression of a key comprising:

• a plurality of key actuating means,
• a first substantially planar electrically conductive member having formed therein a first plurality of switching contact members, at least some of said switching members including a group of unconnected, curved slots radiating substantially continuously outwardly from a common portion thereof,
• a second plurality of switching contact members, at least one of said second plurality of switching members having at least a portion thereof positioned in operative alignment with at least a portion of one of said plurality of key actuating means and at least a portion of said common portion of one of said first plurality of switching members, and
• means for normally separating said first conductive member from said second plurality of switching members but permitting at least said common portion of said one of said first plurality of switching members to move toward said aligned portion of said one of said second plurality of switching members when a force is applied to said one of said plurality of key actuating means to thereby effect a switching action.

A keyboard switching device for effecting a switching action when a key is depressed comprising:

• a plurality of switch actuating means,
• a first electrically conductive member having a first plurality of movable switching contacts formed therein, each of said contacts comprised of a group of unconnected, curved slots radiating outwardly from a common portion thereof, each of said slots being inwardly of at least portions of at least two other of said slots over one portion of its length, outward of at least portions of at least two other of said slots over a second portion of its length, and intermediate at least portions of at least two other of said slots over a third portion of its length,
• a second plurality of contacts, at least one of said second plurality of contacts having at least a portion thereof positioned in operative alignment with both the common portion of one of said first plurality of contacts and one of said plurality of switch actuating means, and
• means for normally separating said first and second pluralities of contacts but permitting at least said common portion of said one of said first plurality of contacts to move toward said aligned portion of said one of said second plurality of contacts when a force is applied to said one of said switch actuating means to thereby effect a switching action by effecting a movement of said common portion of said one of said first plurality of contacts toward said one of said second plurality of contacts.

A keyboard switching device for effecting a switching action when a key is depressed comprising:

• a plurality of key actuating means,
• an electrically insulating planar substrate having a plurality of discrete metallic coatings on a surface thereof, at least some of said coatings having a group of unconnected, curved slots radiating outward from a common portion thereof, and
• a plurality of electrically conductive contact members, at least one of said contact members having at least a portion thereof positioned in operative alignment with the common portion of at least one of said plurality of metallic coatings and with at least one of said switch actuating means,
• said insulating substrate having an aperture therein adjacent to said central portions of said one of said plurality of coatings such that said common portion can be moved through at least a portion of said aperture toward said one of said plurality of contact members when a force is applied to said one of said switch actuating means to thereby effect a switching action.

A keyboard switching device for effecting a switching action when a key is depressed comprising:

• an electrically insulating substrate having a plurality of apertures therein,
• a plurality of discrete metallic coatings supported by said substrate, at least one of said coatings having a forcibly movable portion axially aligned with one of said apertures, said movable portion defined by a group of unconnected, curved slots radiating outward from said movable portion,
• a plurality of fixed contact members at least a portion of one of which is along said alignment axis, and
• a plurality of switch actuating means,
• one of said plurality of switch actuating means being positioned such that said forcibly movable portion of said one of said coatings can be forced by said one switch actuating means toward said portion of said one of said plurality of contact members to thereby effect a switching action.

A switching device comprising:

• a switch actuating means,
• a first electrically conductive contact member having a plurality of unconnected, curved slots radiating substantially continuously outwardly from a common portion thereof,
• a second electrically conductive contact member having at least a portion thereof positioned in axial alignment with at least a portion of said common portion of said first contact member, and
• means for normally separating said first and second contact members but permitting at least said common portion of said first contact member to move toward said aligned portion of said second contact member when a force is applied to said switch actuating means to thereby effect a switching action.

A switching device comprising:

• a switch actuating means,
• a first electrically conductive contact member having at least three curved, unconnected, outwardly radiating slots therein which define a common portion thereof, said at least three slots each having portions which are radially adjacent portions of the other of said at least three slots,
• a second electrically conductive contact member having at least a portion thereof positioned in axial alignment with at least a portion of said common portion of said first contact member, and
• means for normally separating said first and second contact members but permitting at least said common portion of said first contact member to move toward said aligned portion of said second contact member when a force is applied to said switch actuating means to thereby effect a switching action.

A switching device comprising:

• a switch actuating means,
• an electrically insulating planar substrate having a metallic coating over at least a portion of a surface thereof, said coating having a plurality of unconnected, curved slots radiating outward from a common portion of said coating, and
• an electrically conductive contact member having at least a portion thereof positioned in axial alignment with at least a portion of said common portion of said coating,
• said insulating substrate having an aperture therein adjacent to said common portion of said coating such that at least said common portion of said coating can be moved through at least a portion of said aperture toward said contact member when a force is applied to said switch actuating means to thereby effect a switching action.