Dual lateral switch device

• US 4,301,337 A
• Filed: 03/31/1980
• Issued: 11/17/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Interlink Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Franklin N. Eventoff
• Inventors: Eventoff, Franklin N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, James R.
• Application Number:
  US06/135,386
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 84/1.01, 84/1.25, 84/DIG. 7, 200/5 A, 200/159 B, 340/365 R
• US Class Current: 200/5.00A
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/029 comprising conducting material dispersed in an elastic support or binding material
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/703 characterised by spacers between contact carrying layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/785 characterised by the material of the contacts, e.g. conductive polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/80 characterised by the manner of cooperation of the contacts, e.g. with both contacts movable or with bounceless contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/807 characterised by the spatial arrangement of the contact sites, e.g. superimposed sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2201/002 bounceless
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2201/036 Variable resistance
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2203/012 Microprotrusions
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2203/02 Interspersed fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2211/032 Pressure sensitive layer on contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2213/002 with external pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/008 Part of substrate or membrane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/02 pneumatic
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/002 superimposed
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/006 more then one pole
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2227/012 Conductive rubber
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2227/014 Conductive particles
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/002 Screen printing
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/012 Vacuum deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/014 : Electro deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/028 : Adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/038 : Folding of flexible printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/018 : Musical instrument
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/016 : combined with start switch, discrete keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 84/07 : Electric key switch structure

Abstract

A dual switch apparatus has two switches simultaneously actuated in response to a single touch force where at least one of the switches has a pressure responsive variable contact resistance. A first support member has a first and a second conductor disposed thereon and a second support member has a third and a fourth conductor disposed thereon so that the first and third conductors and the second and fourth conductors have mirror image conductor patterns. A semiconducting composition layer is disposed to cover at least one of the four conductors. The first and second support members are positioned facing one another with the first and third conductors and the second and fourth conductors transversely aligned so that a transverse force causes the first and third conductors and the second and fourth conductors to move into electrically conducting relationship. A spacer maintains the first and second support members in normally spaced relationship. A utilization circuit may be coupled across each of the first and third and second and fourth conductors. In one embodiment, the first conductor has two electrically isolated contact members with interdigiting fingers with the third conductor acting as a shunt.

Claims

1. A dual switch apparatus defining two independent switches simultaneously actuated in response to a single transverse force comprising:

a first support member;

a first conductor disposed on the first support member;

a second connector disposed on the first support member;

a second support member;

a third conductor disposed on the second support member;

a fourth conductor disposed on the second support member;

the first and second support members juxtaposed opposite one another in normally spaced apart relationship with the first and third conductors and the second and fourth conductors laterally spaced in simultaneous actuating proximity, the first and third conductors transversely movable into electrical conducting relationship and the second and fourth conductors transversely movable into electrical conducting relationship in response to application of the single transverse force, the first and third conductors defining a first switch and the second and fourth conductors defining a second switch; and

a pressure responsive semiconducting composition disposed for providing a contact resistance across at least one of the first and second switches, the contact resistance varying in response to variations in the magnitude of the single transverse force.

2. The dual switch apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first conductor comprisers:

a first contact member; and

a second contact member, the first and second contact members being electrically isolated with the third conductor providing a shunt for electrically coupling the first and second contact members in response to the application of the single transverse force.

3. The dual switch apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first and second contact members each have a plurality of interdigiting fingers.

4. The dual switch apparatus of claim 2 or 3 wherein the third conductor comprises the pressure responsive semiconducting composition.

5. The dual switch apparatus of claims 2 or 3 wherein the pressure responsive semiconducting composition is disposed for overlying at least one of the first, second, third and fourth conductors for providing a contact resistor thereon.

6. The dual switch apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a spacer surrounding the first, second, third and fourth conductors for maintaining the first and third conductors and the second and fourth conductors in the normally spaced apart relationship.

7. A dual switch apparatus defining two independent switches simultaneously actuated in response to a single transverse force comprising:

a foldable support member having a first portion and a second portion;

a first conductor disposed on the support member and defining a first pattern on the first portion;

a second conductor disposed on the support member and defining a second pattern on the first portion;

a third conductor disposed on the second portion of the support member generally in the mirror image of the first pattern;

a fourth conductor disposed on the second portion of the support member generally in the mirror image of in the second pattern; and

a pressure responsive semiconducting composition disposed for overlying at least one of the first, second, third and fourth conductors for providing a contact resistor thereon;

the support member being folded for transversely aligning the first and third conductors and the second and fourth conductors in normally spaced apart relationship, the pair of the first and third conductors and the pair of the second and fourth conductors being laterally positioned in simultaneous actuating proximity, the first and third conductors transversely movable into electrically conducting relationship and the second and fourth conductors transversely movable into electrically conducting relationship in response to the single transverse force.

8. The dual switch apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a spacer positioned between the first and second portions and surrounding the first, second, third and fourth conductors for maintaining the first and third pair of conductors and the second and fourth pair of conductors in normally spaced apart relationship.

9. A tone generating device comprising:

a switch apparatus defining a pair of switches simultaneously actuated in response to a single transverse force, the switch apparatus comprising;

a first support member;

a first conductor disposed on the first support member;

a second conductor disposed on the first support member;

a second support member;

a third conductor disposed on the second support member;

a fourth conductor disposed on the second support member;

the first and second support members juxtaposed opposite one another in normally spaced apart relationship with the first and third conductors and the second and fourth conductors transversely aligned and laterally spaced in simultaneously actuating proximity, the first and third conductors transversely movable into electrically conducting relationship and the second and fourth conductors transversely movable into electrically conducting relationship in response to the application of the single transverse force; and

a pressure responsive semiconducting composition disposed between at least one of the first and third pair of conductors and the second and fourth pair of conductors for providing a contact resistance thereacross, the contact resistance varying in response to variations in the magnitude of the single transverse force;

a first utilization circuit coupled between the first and third conductors; and

a second utilization circuit coupled between the second and fourth conductors.

10. The tone generating device of claim 9 wherein the dual switch apparatus further comprises a spacer surrounding the first, second, third and fourth conductors for maintaining the first and third pair of conductors and the second and fourth pair of conductors in the normally spaced apart relationship.

11. A tone generating device comprising:

a dual switch apparatus defining a pair of switches simultaneously actuated in response to a single transverse force, the dual switch apparatus comprising;

a foldable support member having a first portion and a second portion;

a first conductor disposed on the first portion of the support member;

a second conductor disposed on the first portion of the support member;

a third conductor disposed on the second portion of the support member;

a fourth conductor disposed on the second portion of the support member; and

a pressure responsive semiconductor composition disposed for overlaying at least one of the first, second, third and fourth conductors for providing a contact resistance thereon;

the support member being folded for transversely aligning the first and third conductors with the second and fourth conductors in normally spaced apart relationship, the first and third conductors defining a first of the pair of switches, the first and third conductors transversely movable into electrical conducting relationship, and the second and fourth conductors, defining the second of the pair of switches, being transversely movable into electrically conducting relationship, the first and second switches being simultaneously actuated in response to the single transverse force;

a first utilization circuit coupled between the first and third conductors; and

a second utilization circuit coupled between the second and fourth conductors.

12. The dual tone generating device of claim 11 wherein the dual switch apparatus further comprises a spacer positioned between the first and second portions and surrounding the first, second, third and fourth conductors for maintaining the first and third conductors and the second and fourth conductors in normally spaced apart relationship.