Switch substrate and method of manufacture
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorsShunichi Iijima, Masanori Takemura
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A switch substrate for a switching device that includes an electrical contact brush, the substrate formed with alternating conductive and insulating portions on its surface and having a groove formed between the conductive and insulating portions to eliminate insulating abrasion powder from the surface of the contact brush. The top of the conducting portions is higher than the bottom of the groove but can be above or below the surface of the insulating portions. To form such a substrate, a conductive layer having projections is formed and is engaged with a mold so that the projections are compressed. After the substrate is removed from the mold, the compressed projections extend to their actual height.
Claims19
A switch substrate for use in a switch assembly having an electrical contact brush, comprising:
- a substrate having a first surface for defining an electrical connection path to be followed by an electrically conductive contact brush, the first surface including a plurality of spaced electrically conductive portions alternating with electrically insulating portions between the electrically conductive portions, the electrically conductive portions and the insulating portions having outer contact surfaces in the electrical connection path for contacting a contact brush and a plurality of grooves are present in the first surface between insulating portions and adjacent conductive portions, the surface defining the bottom of the groove being below the outer contact surface of the insulating and conductive portions on both sides of the groove and the outer contact surface of the conductive portions being in below the outer contact surface of the insulating portions, the grooves positioned across the path to be followed by a contact brush.
A switching device including a switch substrate having alternating conductive and insulating portions on its surface, comprising:
- a first layer of electrically conductive material having a plurality of conductive projections on a top surface thereof;
- a second layer of insulating material disposed on the top surface of the first layer, the electrically conductive projections extending through the second layer to be exposed at the surface of the substrate;
- the second layer configured to define a groove portion on opposite sides of each projection, the surface of the second layer defining the groove portions at a height below both the top of the projections and the insulating portions;
- and
- an electrical contact brush for electrically coupling to the conductive projections.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.