Jumper touch sensor current switching device

• US 4,045,650 A
• Filed: 01/29/1976
• Issued: 08/30/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Nestor, Charles R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayewsky, Volodymyr Y.
• Application Number:
  US05/653,300
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5 A, 200/61.43, 200/67 G, 200/85 R, 200/86 R, 200/153 K, 200/159, 200/243, 200/264, 200/339
• US Class Current: 200/556
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/403 Contacts forming part of a printed circuit multilayer keyboard switches H01H13/702; thumbwheel switches H01H19/001; for rotary switches with axial contact pressure H01H19/585
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/02 Details

Abstract

A current switching device for use in printed circuit board application includes a terminal contact board sandwiched with respect to a foamed spring pad that supportingly receives a pivotal contactor plate in juxtaposed relationship therewith and wherein the switch includes a rotatable rocker engageable with the contactor plate and pivotal to cause the contactor plate to be shifted into electrical bridging engagement with the terminal board and wherein the foamed pad yields in both compression and shear to produce a bias on the contactor plate for return thereof to a spaced relationship with the terminal board when the rocker is in a neutral position.

Claims

1. A printed circuit board switch comprising a housing having a cavity therein with a side opening, a cavity base, a planar printed circuit board having an end segment and a side extension, means forming spaced apart electrical conductor strips on said end segment and said side extension, means for electrically insulating said strips from each other and said housing, said end segment being juxtaposed with said cavity base and having a planar extent substantially congruous with that of said cavity base, said side extension being directed through said side opening for electrical connection of said conductor strips external of said housing, an electrically conductive contactor plate with straight unbent ends located within said cavity having a center pivot and contact ridges formed on said straight unbent ends thereof, a flexible pad of foamed electrical insulating material secured to the underside of said contactor plate and juxtaposed against said end segment to electrically insulate said plate from said conductor strips and actuator means bearing against said contactor plate to produce a neutral position compression of said pad, said actuator means being operative to shift said contactor plate into first and second pivoted positions to cause said contact ridges thereon to initially contact and then shift laterally of said conductor strips to produce a wiping action thereacross said pad yielding in shear to accommodate said lateral shift and in compression to produce an unbalanced force on said contactor plate for return thereof to a neutral position when said actuator means is released.

2. A printed circuit board switch comprising a housing having a cavity therein with a side opening, a cavity base, a planar printed circuit board having an end segment and a side extension, means forming spaced apart electrical conductor strips on said end segment and said side extension, means for electrically insulating said strips from each other and said housing, said end segment being juxtaposed with said cavity base and having a planar extent substantially congruous with that of said cavity base, said side extension being directed through said side opening for electrical connection of said conductor strips external of said housing, an electrically conductive contactor plate located within said cavity having a center pivot and contact ridges formed on straight unbent opposite ends thereof, a flexible pad of foamed electrical insulating material secured to the underside of said contactor plate and juxtaposed against said end segment to electrically insulate said plate from said conductor strips, a rocker member, means pivotally mounting said rocker member on said housing to bear against said contactor plate to produce a neutral position compression of said pad, means defining a center fulcrum for said rocker member, said rocker member being operative to shift said contactor plate into first and second pivoted positions about said fulcrum to cause said contact ridges thereon to initially contact and then shift laterally of said conductor strips to produce a wiping action thereacross, said pad yielding in shear to accommodate said lateral shift and in compression to produce an unbalanced force on said contactor plate for return thereof to a neutral position when said rocker member is released.

3. A printed circuit board switch comprising a housing having a cavity therein with a side opening, a cavity base, a planar printed circuit board having an end segment and a side extension, means forming spaced apart electrical conductor strips on said end segment and said side extension, means for electrically insulating said strips from each other and said housing, said end segment being juxtaposed with said cavity base and having a planar extent substantially congruous with that of said cavity base, said side extension being directed through said side opening for electrical connection of said conductor strips external of said housing, an electrically conductive contactor plate located within said cavity having a center pivot and contact ridges formed on opposite straight unbent ends thereof, a flexible pad of foamed electrical insulating material secured to the underside of said contactor plate and juxtaposed against said end segment to electrically insulate said plate from said conductor strips, a rocker member, means pivotally mounting said rocker member on said housing, means including a spring biased pin on said rocker member bearing against said contactor plate at the center pivot thereof to produce a neutral position compression of said pad, said rocker member being operative to shift said pin from said contactor plate center pivot to move said contactor plate into first and second pivoted positions about said fulcrum to cause said contact ridges thereon to initially contact and then shift laterally of said conductor strips to produce a wiping action thereacross, said spring biased pin serving to latch said contactor plate in said first and second pivoted positions, said pad yielding in shear to accommodate said lateral shift and in compression to produce an unbalanced force on said contactor plate for return thereof to a neutral position when said rocker member is released.

4. A printed circuit board switch comprising a housing having a cavity therein with a side opening, a cavity base, a planar printed circuit board having an end segment and a side extension, means forming spaced apart electrical conductor strips on said end segment and said side extension, means for electrically insulating said strips from each other and said housing, said end segment being juxtaposed with said cavity base and having a planar extent substantially congruous with that of said cavity base, said side extension being directed through said side opening for electrical connection of said conductor strips external of said housing, an electrically conductive contactor plate located within said cavity having a center pivot and contact ridges formed on opposite straight, unbent ends thereof, a flexible pad of foamed electrical insulating material secured to the underside of said contactor plate and juxtaposed against said end segment to electrically insulate said plate from said conductor strips, a rocker member, means pivotably mounting said rocker member on said housing, means including a spring biased pin on said rocker member, said center pivot being formed as an outwardly directed ridge with inclined surfaces on either side thereof, said pin engaging said contactor plate on either side of said ridge to shift said contactor plate into first and second pivoted positions about said center pivot to cause said contact ridges thereon to initially contact and then shift laterally of said conductor strips to produce a wiping action thereacross, said pad yielding in shear to accommodate said lateral shift and in compression to produce an unbalanced force on said contactor plate for return thereof to a neutral position when said actuator means is released.

5. A printed circuit board switch comprising a housing having a cavity therein with a side opening, a cavity base, a resilient backing plate on said base, a planar printed circuit board having an end segment and a side extension, means forming spaced apart electrical conductor strips on said end segment and said side extension, means for electrically insulating said strips from each other and said housing, said end segment being juxtaposed with said backing plate and having a planar extent substantially congruous with said backing plate, said side extension being directed through said side opening for electrical connection of said conductor strips external of said housing, an electrically conductive contactor plate with straight unbent ends located within said cavity having a center pivot and contact ridges formed on opposite ones of said ends, means for securing said housing, backing plate and end segment together as a unit, said means including fulcrum means for supporting said contactor plate at the pivot thereon for pivotal movement within said cavity to cause selective engagement of said contact ridges with said end segment to complete a circuit across said spaced conductor strips and wherein said backing plate yields to prevent wear at said strips, a flexible pad of foamed electrical insulating material secured to the underside of said contactor plate and juxtaposed against said end segment to electrically insulate said plate from said conductor strips and having a planar extent to either side of said fulcrum means, and actuator means bearing against said contactor plate to produce a neutral position compression of said pad, said actuator means being operative to shift said contactor plate into first and second pivoted positions about said fulcrum to cause said contact ridges thereon to initially contact and then shift laterally of said strips to produce a wiping action thereacross, said pad yielding in shear to accommodate said lateral shift and in compression to produce an unbalanced force on said contactor plate for return thereof to a neutral position when said actuator means is released.