Dual lateral switch device

A dual switch apparatus defining two independent switches simultaneously actuated in response to a single transverse force comprising:

• a foldable support member having a first portion and a second portion;
• a first conductor disposed on the support member and defining a first pattern on the first portion;
• a second conductor disposed on the support member and defining a second pattern on the first portion;
• a third conductor disposed on the second portion of the support member generally in the mirror image of the first pattern;
• a fourth conductor disposed on the second portion of the support member generally in the mirror image of in the second pattern;
• and
• a pressure responsive semiconducting composition disposed for overlying at least one of the first, second, third and fourth conductors for providing a contact resistor thereon;
• the support member being folded for transversely aligning the first and third conductors and the second and fourth conductors in normally spaced apart relationship, the pair of the first and third conductors and the pair of the second and fourth conductors being laterally positioned in simultaneous actuating proximity, the first and third conductors transversely movable into electrically conducting relationship and the second and fourth conductors transversely movable into electrically conducting relationship in response to the single transverse force.

A tone generating device comprising:

• a switch apparatus defining a pair of switches simultaneously actuated in response to a single transverse force, the switch apparatus comprising:
• a first support member;
• a first conductor disposed on the first support member;
• a second conductor disposed on the first support member;
• a second support member;
• a third conductor disposed on the second support member;
• a fourth conductor disposed on the second support member;
• the first and second support members juxtaposed opposite one another in normally spaced apart relationship with the first and third conductors and the second and fourth conductors transversely aligned and laterally spaced in simultaneously actuating proximity, the first and third conductors transversely movable into electrically conducting relationship and the second and fourth conductors transversely movable into electrically conducting relationship in response to the application of the single transverse force;
• and
• a pressure responsive semiconducting composition disposed between at least one of the first and third pair of conductors and the second and fourth pair of conductors for providing a contact resistance thereacross, the contact resistance varying in response to variations in the magnitude of the single transverse force;
• a first utilization circuit coupled between the first and third conductors;
• and
• a second utilization circuit coupled between the second and fourth conductors.

A tone generating device comprising:

• a dual switch apparatus defining a pair of switches simultaneously actuated in response to a single transverse force, the dual switch apparatus comprising:
• a foldable support member having a first portion and a second portion;
• a first conductor disposed on the first portion of the support member;
• a second conductor disposed on the first portion of the support member;
• a third conductor disposed on the second portion of the support member;
• a fourth conductor disposed on the second portion of the support member;
• and
• a pressure responsive semiconductor composition disposed for overlaying at least one of the first, second, third and fourth conductors for providing a contact resistance thereon;
• the support member being folded for transversely aligning the first and third conductors with the second and fourth conductors in normally spaced apart relationship, the first and third conductors defining a first of the pair of switches, the first and third conductors transversely movable into electrical conducting relationship, and the second and fourth conductors, defining the second of the pair of switches, being transversely movable into electrically conducting relationship, the first and second switches being simultaneously actuated in response to the single transverse force;
• a first utilization circuit coupled between the first and third conductors;
• and
• a second utilization circuit coupled between the second and fourth conductors.