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US 4,361,738 AGranted
Key-actuated switch
AssigneeNorlin Industries, Inc.
InventorJames Meier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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AssigneeNorlin Industries, Inc.
InventorJames Meier
Estimating the term…
This is an electrical switch mechanism actuated by a piano-style key of a musical instrument. The switch consists of a pair of cross-bar contacts, at least one of which is resiliently flexible. This resilience permits a moveable contact member to be driven into engagement with a fixed contact member, and also keeps it firmly biased against the fixed contact member for electrical communication therewith whenever the key is in its actuated position. When the key is released, an actuator member on the key captures the moveable contact and moves it away from the fixed contact. Upon actuation, the key over-travels beyond the point of contact engagement, but the actuator decouples from the contact so as to avoid any increase in contact pressure and prevent double-keying. Various techniques for minimizing impact noise during contact recapture, and for mounting the contacts upon a circuit board, are also disclosed.
A key-actuated switch mechanism comprising:
A switch mechanism comprising:
A switch mechanism comprising a base board having a selected thickness, said board having an aperture formed therein which extends through said thickness of said board, an electrical contact means including a resilient wire at least one portion of which is curved to form at least one full turn having a selected outside radius and is resiliently compressible to temporarily decrease said radius, said aperture being somewhat smaller than twice said radius in a direction parallel to said radius and said board thickness being somewhat less than said radius, said curved portion being friction fit within said aperture to assist in securing said contact means to said base board, the relative dimensions of said curved portion, aperture and board being such that the center of said turn snaps past said board upon insertion of said turn into said aperture and must be recompressed to extract if from said aperture.
A switch mechanism comprising base means formed with an aperture having a pair of diagonally opposite corners, and electrical contact means including a resilient wire curved at one point along its length to form a fractional turn, said curvature being received within said aperture and resiliently compressed between said corners whereby spring pressure is exerted for securing said contact means to said base means.
A switch mechanism comprising base means, fixed contact means, moveable contact means, each of said contact means having a first end secured to said base means and a second end spaced from said base means, said second end of said moveable contact means having a static position and being resiliently biased toward said static position, said second end of said fixed contact means being interposed to prevent said second end of said moveable contact means from reaching said static position, and means operable for driving said second end of said moveable contact means out of engagement with said second end of said fixed contact means and further away from said static position, and for thereafter releasing said second end of said moveable contact means to return to engage said second end of said fixed contact means, said second end of said fixed contact means having a normal position and being adapted to be moved slightly from said normal position by said moveable contact means when contacted thereby, such slight movement being in a direction to cause a slight wipe between said contacts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.