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Keyboard switch assembly with multiple isolated electrical engagement regions

  • US 4,164,634 A
  • Filed: 06/10/1977
  • Issued: 08/14/1979
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1977
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A switch assembly comprising:

  • a substrate having a conductive circuit pattern on a surface thereof, the circuit pattern defining switch contacts at switch contact regions of the substrate;

    a generally planar, non-conductive spacer disposed adjacent the surface of the substrate in fixed, nonmoving relationship thereto, the spacer having apertures therethrough at locations opposite the switch contact regions of the substrate to provide communication through the spacer to the switch contacts;

    a generally planar layer of resilient, multiple conductive contact material having a plurality of electrically isolated conductors extending between planar surfaces thereof, the layer having a resiliency in the plane thereof providing all of the return bias force tending to maintain the contacts at each switch region in an open condition and disposed adjacent the spacer on a side thereof opposite the substrate, the planar layer of multiple conductive contact material electrically engaging each of the switch contacts of each switch contact region at a large number of separate and isolated electrical engagement regions and providing switch closure electrical coupling between engaged switch contacts when forced through an aperture of the separator into engagement with the switch contacts of a switch contact region, the resiliency of the multiple conductive contact material providing an only source of positional bias tending to oppose engagement of the multiple conductive contact material with the switch contacts of a switch contact region;

    a conductive layer disposed in opposed relationship to the switch contacts at each switch contact region between the planar layer and an actuator on a side of the planar layer opposite the spacer to provide electrical coupling between planar layer conductors during switch closure; and

    an actuator disposed in opposed relationship to the conductive layer of each spacer aperture to force the conductive layer into engagement with the conductors of the planar layer and to force the multiple conductive contact material through an aperture of the spacer, each actuator being biased toward a nonactuated, open contact position, and being coupled to force the multiple conductive contact material into switch closure engagement with the switch contacts to electrically close the switch contacts of a switch contact region in response to operator actuation.

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