Tactile touch switch panel
AssigneeSheldahl, Inc.
InventorBlaine G. Lowthorp
Life of this patent
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AssigneeSheldahl, Inc.
InventorBlaine G. Lowthorp
Estimating the term…
A touch panel diaphragm-type switch array providing improved tactile feedback. A rigid substrate having a printed circuit conductor pattern thereon, with the pattern defining a plurality of switch locations, each including first and second separate electrical contacts is provided and superimposed thereover is a spacer having apertures in registration with the electrical contact pairs. Sandwiched between the substrate and the spacer is a thin layer of a suitable plastic material which is deformed in the areas defined by the apertures in the spacer to define dome-shaped projections surrounded by an annular ring. A bridging conductor is disposed on the underside of the dome-shaped projections. "Spider" members are supported by the side walls of the apertures and are disposed between the outer side of the dome-shaped projections and a flexible plastic cover layer which is affixed to the top side of the spacer layer. The cover layer is imprinted with indicia to visually define the switch positions. Depression of the cover layer with a finger acts through the spider to invert the dome to thereby bring the bridging conductor into electrical engagement with the first and second switching contacts on the substrate. A positive feel is imparted to the finger as the dome inverts and the electrical contact is established.
A tactile feedback electrical switch assembly for intermittently altering the electrical condition of normally spaced apart conductors and comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.