Lighted pushbutton panel switches

An array of lightable pushbuttons adapted for mounting to a control panel, comprising:

• a first printed circuit board having first electrically conductive traces adapted for activating lighting elements;
• an array of bushing elements mounted on said first printed circuit board, each of said bushing elements having a central opening for one of said lighting elements;
• a translatable cover over each bushing element, each cover having at least one guide extension extending through a guide bore in one of said bushing elements, providing for guided movement of each said translatable cover;
• a second printed circuit board spaced apart from said first printed circuit board and having an array of spring-loaded switches in a matching array to said array of bushing elements, said spring-loaded switches connected to second electrically conductive traces on said second printed circuit board;
• and
• actuators attached to each of said guide extensions and positioned for operating said spring-loaded switches.

A control panel having a front face with an array of openings therethrough and an assembly of lightable pushbuttons mounted thereto, said lightable pushbutton assembly comprising:

• a first printed circuit board having first electrically conductive traces adapted for activating lighting elements;
• an array of bushing elements mounted on said first printed circuit board, each of said bushing elements having a central opening for one of said lighting elements;
• a translatable cover over each bushing element, each cover having at least one guide extension extending through a guide bore in a bushing element, providing for guided movement of each said translatable cover;
• a second printed circuit board spaced apart from said first printed circuit board and having an array of spring-loaded switches in a matching array to said array of bushing elements, said spring-loaded switches connected to second electrically conductive traces on said second printed circuit board;
• and
• actuators attached to each of said guide extensions and positioned for operating said spring-loaded switches.

A method for separating electrical circuitry for a lighting element from electrical circuitry for switch contacts in a lightable pushbutton array, comprising the steps of:

• forming first circuitry adapted for powering said lighting elements on a first printed circuit board;
• forming second circuitry for sensing operation of said switch contacts on a second printed circuit board adapted for mounting spring-loaded switches thereto;
• mounting a guide bushing to said first printed circuit board, said guide bushing having a central opening for said lighting element and at least one guide bore therethrough;
• spacing said first and said second printed circuit boards apart and substantially parallel;
• placing a translatable cover over said guide bushing, the translatable cover having a guide extension extending through said guide bore and terminating in an actuator positioned to operate said spring-loaded switch.