Membrane switch assembly
AssigneeAMP Incorporated
InventorsJames R. Bryce, Donald G. Stillie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Switch assembly comprises a switch housing having a membrane switch contained therein. The switch housing has integral mounting means for mounting the assembly in an opening in a panel. The membrane switch has sheet metal switch leads extending therefrom and extending from the housing. When the assembly is mounted on a panel, these leads engage and establish electrical contact with circuit board conductors on a circuit board which is adjacent to the panel.
Claims10
A switch assembly mounted in a supporting panel means and a circuit board located adjacent to, and extending parallel to said panel means, said switch assembly having a conductor leads extending therefrom and connected to circuit board conductors in said circuit board, said switch assembly and said supporting panel means being characterized in that:
- said switch assembly comprises a membrane switch and switch supporting means, said membrane switch being supported in said panel means by said switch supporting means,
- said membrane switch comprising a pair of flexible insulating substrates having opposed surfaces, switch conductors on said opposed surfaces and separator means between said opposed surfaces normally maintaining said opposed surfaces in spaced-apart relationship, said separator means permitting relative flexing movement of said substrates normally of their own planes towards each other thereby to move said switch conductors into contact with each other,
- said conductor leads comprising resilient sheet metal conductors connected to said switch conductors and extending from said switch assembly towards said circuit board, said conductor leads having contact portions bearing against, and in electrical contact with, said circuit board conductors.
A membrane switch assembly which is intended for mounting in a panel for electrical connection to circuit board conductors on a circuit board which is adjacent to, and spaced from, said panel, said membrane switch assembly comprising:
- a membrane switch and a switch housing, said membrane switch comprising a pair of flexible insulating substrates having opposed surfaces, switch conductors on said opposed surfaces and separator means between said opposed surfaces normally maintaining said opposed surfaces in spaced-apart relationship, said separator means permitting relative flexing movement of said substrates normally of their own planes towards each other thereby to move said switch conductors into contact with each other,
- said switch housing being generally flat and having a recess extending into one surface thereof, said membrane switch being in said recess,
- switch conductor leads connected to said switch conductors, said switch conductor leads comprising sheet metal members extending from said membrane switch and through said housing and beyond the other surface of said housing, said switch conductor leads having free ends and having contact portions on said free ends whereby,
- upon mounting said membrane switch assembly in an opening in said panel with said other surface of said housing opposed to said circuit board, said contact portions of said leads will bear against said circuit board conductors and said switch will control current flow through said circuit board conductors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.