Keyboard switch assembly having raised contacts supported by helicline legs on a common conductive sheet

A switching device comprising:

• an insulating member supporting on a surface thereof a continuous body of a metallic material, said continuous body defining a first contact member including a forceably movable contact area portion supported above another portion of said body in contact with said insulating member by a plurality of support legs, and
• a second contact member having at least a portion thereof positioned both adjacent to said insulating member and in axial alignment with at least a portion of said contact area portion,
• said insulating member having an aperture therein along said alignment axis for permitting said contact area portion to be forced toward said second contact to effect a switching action,
• said contact area maintaining its shape while effecting said switching action.

A switching device comprising:

• an insulating member supporting on a surface thereof a continuous body of a metallic material, said continuous body defining a first contact member including a supporting surface portion situated substantially in a first plane, a forcibly movable substantially planar contact area portion substantially situated in a second plane, and a plurality of supporting legs connecting said supporting surface portion and said contact area portion, and
• a second contact member having at least a portion thereof positioned both adjacent another surface of said insulating member and in axial alignment with at least a portion of said contact area portion,
• said insulating member having an aperture therein for permitting said contact area portion to be forced toward said second contact member to effect a switching action,
• said contact area portion retaining its substantially planar shape while effecting said switching action.

A switching device comprising:

• a switch actuating member,
• a first contact member including a forcibly movable substantially planar contact area portion supported above a substantially planar supporting surface portion by a plurality of support legs;
• said contact area portion, said support surface portion and said support legs being parts of a continuous metallic material,
• a second contact member having at least a portion thereof in operative alignment with both said switch actuating member and said contact area portion, and
• means for normally separating said first contact member from said second contact member but permitting said contact area portion to travel toward said second contact member when a force is applied to said switch actuating member to effect a switching action.

A switching device comprising:

• a switch actuating member,
• a first contact member including a forcibly moveable substantially planar contact area portion supported above a substantially planar supporting surface portion by a plurality of support legs;
• said contact area portion, said support surface portion and said support legs being parts of a continuous metallic material,
• a second contact member having at least a portion thereof in operative alignment with both said switch actuating member and said contact area portion, and
• means for normally spearating said first contact member from said second contact member but permitting said contact area portion to travel toward said second contact member when a force is applied to said switch actuating member to effect a switching action,
• said contact area portion retaining its shape while effecting said switching action.

A switching device comprising:

• a switch actuating member,
• an insulating member supporting on a surface thereof a continuous body of a metallic material, said continuous body defining a first contact member including a supporting surface portion situated substantially in a first plane, a forcibly moveable, substantially planar contact area portion substantially situated in a second plane, and a plurality of non-planar supporting legs connecting said supporting surface portion and said contact area portion,
• a second contact member positioned adjacent another surface of said insulating member, at least a portion of said second contact member in operative alignment with said switch actuating member and said contact area portion,
• said insulating member having an aperture therein for permitting said contact area portion to be forced toward said second contact member when a force is applied to said switch actuating member to 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 metallic substrate having a plurality of switching members formed as integral parts thereof, at least some of said plurality of switching members including a forcible movable, substantially planar contact area portion supported above a substantially planar support surface by a plurality of non-planar support legs,
• a plurality of contact regions positioned adjacent said metallic substrate, at least some of said contact regions having at least a portion thereof in operative alignment with different ones of said switch actuating means and with different ones of said contact area portions, and
• means for normally separating said substrate from said plurality of contact regions but permitting each of said aligned contact area portions to be forced toward its aligned contact region when a force is applied to its aligned switch 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 metallic member having a plurality of switching members formed as integral parts thereof, at least some of said plurality of switching members including a forceable movable, substantially planar contact area portion supported above a substantially planar supporting surface portion by a plurality of non-planar support legs,
• a plurality of contact regions positioned adjacent said metallic member, at least some of said contact regions having at least a portion thereof in operative alignment with different ones of said switch actuating means and with different ones of said contact area portions, and
• means for normally separating said metallic number from said plurality of contact regions but permitting each of said aligned contact area portions to be forced toward its aligned contact region when a force is applied to its aligned switch actuating means to thereby effect a switching action,
• each of said contact area portions retaining its substantially planar shape while effecting its related switching action.

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

• a plurality of switch actuating means,
• a metallic substrate having a plurality of switching members formed as integral parts thereof, at least some of said plurality of switching members including a supporting surface situated substantially in a first plane, and a forceably movable contact area portion supported out of said first plane by a plurality of non-planar support legs,
• a plurality of contact regions positioned adjacent said metallic substrate, at least some of said contact regions having at least a portion thereof in operative alignment with different ones of said switch actuating means and with different ones of said contact area portions, and
• means for normally separating said metallic substrate from said plurality of contact regions but permitting each of said aligned contact area portions to be forced toward its aligned contact region when a force is applied to its aligned switch actuating means to thereby effect a switching action,
• each of said contact area portions retaining its substantially planar shape while effecting its related switching action.

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

• a plurality of switch actuating means,
• an insulating member supporting on a surface thereof a plurality of separate bodies of metallic material, at least some of said bodies having at least one contact member formed as an integral part thereof, each of said contact members including a supporting surface situated substantially in a first plane, and a forceably moveable substantially planar contact area portion supported out of said first plane by a plurality of non-planar support legs,
• a plurality of contact regions positioned adjacent another surface of said insulating member, some of said contact regions having at least a portion in operative alignment with different ones of said switch actuating means and with different ones of said contact area portions,
• said insulating means having a plurality of apertures therein for permitting each of said contact area portions to be forced toward its aligned contact region when a force is applied to its aligned switch 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,
• an insulating member supporting on a surface thereof a plurality of separate bodies of a metallic material, at least some of said bodies having a contact member formed as an integral part thereof, each of said contact members including a supporting surface situated substantially in a first plane, a forcibly movable, substantially planar contact area portion substantially situated in a second plane, and a plurality of non-planar supporting legs connecting said supporting surface and said contact area portion, and
• a plurality of contact regions positioned adjacent another surface of said insulating member, at least some of said contact regions having at least a portion thereof in operative alignment with different ones of said switch actuating means and with different ones of said contact area portions,
• said insulating member having apertures therein for permitting each of said contact area portions to be forced toward its aligned contact region when a force is applied to its aligned siwtch actuating means to effect a switching action,
• each of said contact area portions retaining its substantially planar shape while effecting its related switching action.

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

• a plurality of switch actuating means,
• an insulating member supporting on a surface thereof a plurality separate of bodies of metallic material, at least some of said bodies including at least one contact member formed as an integral part thereof, each of said contact members including a supporting surface situated substantially in a first plane, a forcibly movable contact area portion situated out of said first plane, and a plurality of non-planar supporting legs connecting said supporting surface and said contact area portion, and
• a plurality of contact regions positioned adjacent another surface of said insulating member, some of said contact regions having at least a portion thereof in operative alignment with different ones of said switch actuating means and with different ones of said contact area portions,
• said insulating member having apertures therein for permitting each of said contact area portions to be forced toward its aligned contact region when a force is applied to its aligned switch actuating means to effect a switching action,
• each of said contact areas retaining its substantially planar shape while effecting its related switching action.

A switching device comprising:

• a first contact member comprised of a metallic supporting surface portion situated in a first plane, a substantially planar, metallic contact area portion situated in a second plane, and at least three metallic support legs integral with said surface portion and said contact area portion for normally maintaining said contact area portion displaced from said first plane,
• each of said support legs being in the form of a helicline with said legs contacting said contact area portion at evenly distributed locations such that lines joining said locations define a equilateral geometric shape, each of said support legs extending through a planar arc by a number of degrees such that a first portion of each support leg is above at least a portion of another of said support legs and a second portion of each support leg is below at least a portion of still another support leg,
• a second contact member having at least a portion in axial alignment with at least a portion of said contact area portion of said first contact member, and
• means for normally separating said first and second contact members but permitting said contact area portion to be forced toward said second contact member along said axis and past said first plane to thereby effect a switching action,
• said contact area portion retaining its shape while effecting said switching action.