Multi-position switch with single sliding actuator cam, reciprocable cam follower and compressive conductive elastomer

• US 4,114,000 A
• Filed: 05/25/1977
• Issued: 09/12/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Feder, Alvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, James R.
• Application Number:
  US05/800,245
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5 R, 200/5 A, 200/16 R, 200/16 A, 200/16 C, 200/16 D, 200/46, 200/159 R, 200/159 A, 200/159 B, 200/86 R, 200/243, 200/248-250, 200/264, 200/265 , 200/153 L, 200/153 LA, 338/99, 338/100, 338/114, 338/118
• US Class Current: 200/16.00R
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/029 comprising conducting material dispersed in an elastic support or binding material
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 15/005 adapted for connection with printed circuit boards

Abstract

A three position switch which selectively interconnects isolated conductors on a printed circuit board is disclosed. In one embodiment, pressure sensitive conductive elastomer pads, disposed in the switch, are brought into contact with isolated conductors on a substrate. A sliding switch actuator, having a cam surface with indentations, is then used to selectively apply pressure to the conductive elastomer pads and thereby selectively connect the isolated printed circuit board conductors. In another embodiment, a three position switch is shown including a plurality of conductive pads, flexibly attached to a switch casing, which are positioned above printed circuit board isolated conductors and then selectively flexed downward into contact with the printed circuit board conductors by moving a sliding actuator arm having a cam surface. The conductive pads are normally separated from the printed circuit board conductors by a flexible rubber shoulder which forms a seal around the contact area and is flexed outward while maintaining the seal when the conductive pads are flexed into contact with the printed circuit board conductors.

Claims

1. A multiple position switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of isolated conductors, including:

a casing;

positioning means attached to said casing for positioning components with respect thereto;

a plurality of conductive means flexibly joined to said casing and located in relatively fixed predetermined positions with respect thereto by said positioning means;

mounting means coupled to said casing for positioning each of said conductive means normally adjacent to a plurality of isolated conductors for conductively contacting and electrically bridging a pair of said conductors in response to each of said conductive means being flexed in a predetermined direction; and

actuator means mechanically contacting said casing and slideably movable in first and second linear orthogonal directions into a plurality of at least three predetermined positions with respect thereto, said actuator means including a cam surface selectively coupled to said plurality of conductive means for selectively flexing a predetermined number of said conductive means in said predetermined direction in response to said actuator means being in each of said plurality of predetermined positions.

2. The multiple position switch according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of conductive means are joined to said casing by said positioning means such that a surface of each of a number of said plurality of conductive means is exposed as part of the exterior of said switch.

3. The multiple position switch according to claim 2 which includes a flexible rubber shoulder that surrounds each of said exposed conductive means exterior surfaces and prevents said surfaces from contacting said plurality of conductors until said conductive means is flexed.

4. A multiple position switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of isolated conductors, including:

an external casing including positioning means for positioning components with respect thereto;

a plurality of pressure sensitive conductive elastomer pads joined to said casing and located in predetermined positions with respect thereto by said positioning means;

mounting means coupled to said casing for positioning each of said pads normally adjacent to a plurality of isolated conductors for conductively contacting and electrically bridging a pair of said conductors in response to each of said elastomer pads being compressed in a predetermined direction; and

actuator means mechanically contacting said casing and slideably movable in first and second linear orthogonal directions into a plurality of at least three predetermined positions with respect thereto, said actuator means including a cam surface selectively coupled to said plurality of elastomer pads for selectively compressing a predetermined number of said conductive means in said predetermined direction in response to said actuator means being in each of said plurality of predetermined positions.

5. The multiple position switch according to claim 4 wherein said plurality of pressure sensitive conductive elastomer pads have a resistivity versus pressure characteristic that includes a rapidly changing initial section.

6. The multiple position switch according to claim 4 wherein said external casing has a plurality of openings which expose a surface of each of a number of said plurality of conductive elastomer pads for positioning adjacent to said isolated electrical conductors.

7. The multiple position switch according to claim 6 which includes a holding clip for mounting said switch to a circuit board having a surface with a plurality of exposed electrical conductors thereon.

8. A multiple position switch for selective interconnecting a plurality of isolated conductors, including:

a casing;

positioning means attached to said casing for positioning components with respect thereto;

a plurality of conductive pads flexibly joined to said casing and located in relatively fixed predetermined positions with respect thereto by said positioning means;

mounting means coupled to said casing for positioning said conductive pads normally adjacent to a plurality of isolated conductors for conductively contacting and electrically bridging a pair of said conductors in response to each of said conductive means being flexed in a predetermined direction; and

actuator means mechanically contacting said casing and slideably movalbe in first and second linear orthogonal directions into a plurality of at least three predetermined positions with respect thereto, said actuator means including a cam surface selectively coupled to said plurality of conductive means for selectively flexing a predetermined number of said conductive means in said predetermined direction in response to said actuator means being in each of said plurality of predetermined positions.

9. The multiple position switch according to claim 8 wherein said plurality of conductive pads are conductive elastomer pads.

10. The multiple position switch according to claim 8 wherein said plurality of pads are coupled to said casing such that a surface of each of a number of said plurality of conductive elastomer pads is part of the exterior of said switch.

11. The multiple position switch according to claim 10 wherein each of said exterior pad surface is surrounded by a flexible rubber shoulder which prevents said surface from contacting said plurality of conductors until said pad is flexed.

12. A multiple position switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of isolated conductors, including:

a casing;

positioning means attached to said casing for positioning components with respect thereto;

a plurality of conductive means flexibly joined to said casing and located in relatively fixed predetermined positions with respect thereto by said positioning means;

mounting means coupled to said casing for positioning each of said conductive means normally adjacent to a plurality of isolated conductors for conductively contacting and electrically bridging a pair of said conductors in response to each of said conductive means being flexed in a predetermined direction;

actuator means mechanically contacting said casing and slideably movable in first and second linear orthogonal directions into a plurality of at least three predetermined positions with respect thereto, said actuator means including a cam surface selectively coupled to said plurality of conductive means for selectively flexing a predetermined number of said conductive means in said predetermined direction in response to said actuator means being in each of said plurality of predetermined positions; and

a plurality of cam following means each coupled between an associated one of said conductive means and said cam surface, and mounted relatively fixed in a first and second orthogonal direction with respect to said conductive means by said positioning means, said cam following means being selectively forced, by movement of said cam surface, against said associated conductive means in a third direction orthogonal to said first and second directions.

13. The multiple position switch according to claim 12 wherein said plurality of conductive means are joined to said casing by said positioning means such that a surface of each of a number of said plurality of conductive means is exposed as part of the exterior of said switch.

14. The multiple position switch according to claim 13 which includes a flexible rubber shoulder that surrounds each of said exposed conductive means exterior surfaces and prevents said surfaces from contacting said plurality of conductors until said conductive means is flexed.

15. A multiple position switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of isolated conductors, including:

an external casing including positioning means for positioning components with respect thereto;

a plurality of pressure sensitive conductive elastomer pads joined to said casing and located in predetermined positions with respect thereto by said positioning means;

mounting means coupled to said casing for positioning each of said pads normally adjacent to a plurality of isolated conductors for conductively contacting and electrically bridging a pair of said conductors in response to each of said elastomer pads being compressed in a predetermined direction;

actuator means mechanically contacting said casing and slideably movable in first and second linear orthogonal directions into a plurality of at least three predetermined positions with respect thereto, said actuator means including a cam surface selectively coupled to said plurality of elastomer pads for selectively compressing a predetermined number of said conductive means in said predetermined direction in response to said actuator means being in each of said plurality of predetermined positions; and

a plurality of cam following means each coupled between an associated one of said elastomer pads and said cam surface, and mounted relatively fixed in a first and second orthogonal direction with respect to said pads by said positioning means, said cam following means being selectively forced, by movement of said cam surface, against said associated pads in a third direction orthogonal to said first and second directions for applying pressure to compress said pads.

16. The multiple position switch according to claim 15 wherein said cam surface has indentations and said plurality of cam following means have projections which are in contact with said cam surface for providing said plurality of predetermined positions for said actuator means.

17. The multiple position switch according to claim 16 wherein said plurality of conductive elastomer pads consists of three pads and said plurality of cam following means consists of three cam following means.

18. A multiple position switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of isolated conductors, including:

a casing;

positioning means attached to said casing for positioning components with respect thereto;

a plurality of conductive pads flexibly joined to said casing and located in relatively fixed predetermined positions with respect thereto by said positioning means;

mounting means coupled to said casing for positioning said conductive pads normally adjacent to a plurality of isolated conductors for conductively contacting and electrically bridging a pair of said conductors in response to each of said conductive means being flexed in a predetermined direction;

actuator means mechanically contacting said casing and slideably movable in first and second linear orthogonal directions into a plurality of at least three predetermined positions with respect thereto, said actuator means including a cam surface selectively coupled to said plurality of conductive means for selectively flexing a predetermined number of said conductive means in said predetermined direction in response to said actuator means being in each of said plurality of predetermined positions; and

a plurality of cam following means each coupled between an associated one of said conductive pads and said cam surface, and mounted relatively fixed in a first and second orthogonal direction with respect to said pads by said casing, said cam following means being selectively forced by said cam surface against said associated pad in a third direction orthogonal to said first and second directions when said actuator means is moved.

19. The multiple position switch according to claim 18 wherein said cam surface has indentations and said plurality of cam following means have projections which are in contact with said cam surface.

20. A multiple position switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of isolated conductors, including:

a casing;

positioning means attached to said casing for positioning components with respect thereto;

conductive means flexibly joined to said casing and located in relatively fixed predetermined positions with respect thereto by said positioning means

mounting means coupled to said casing for positioning said conductive means normally adjacent to a plurality of isolated conductors for conductively contacting and electrically bridging pairs of said conductors in response to said conductive means adjacent to said pairs being flexed in a predetermined direction; and

actuator means mechanically contacting said casing and slideably movable in both first and second linear orthogonal directions with respect to said casing into a plurality of at least three predetermined positions with respect thereto, said actuator means including a cam surface, integrally movable therewith, selectively coupled to said conductive means for selectively flexing said conductive means in said predetermined direction in response to said actuator means being in each of said plurality of predetermined positions to selectively bridge pairs of said conductors for each of said positions.

21. A multiple position switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of isolated conductors, including:

an external casing including positioning means for positioning components with respect thereto;

pressure sensitive conductive elastomer means joined to said casing and located in predetermined positions with respect thereto by said positioning means;

mounting means coupled to said casing for positioning said elastomer means normally adjacent to a plurality of isolated conductors for conductively contacting and electrically bridging pairs of said conductors in response to said elastomer means adjacent to said pairs being compressed in a predetermined direction; and

actuator means mechanically contacting said casing and slideably movable in both first and second linear orthogonal directions with respect to said casing into a plurality of at least three predetermined positions with respect thereto, said actuator means including a cam surface, integrally movable therewith, selectively coupled to said elastomer means for selectively compressing said elastomer means in said predetermined direction in response to said actuator means being in each of said plurality of predetermined positions to selectively bridge pairs of said conductors for each of said positions.