Pressure activated switching device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A pressure actuated switching apparatus which comprises:
- a) first and second conductive electrode layers, at least one of said first and second conductive electrode layers being movable in response to application of a mechanical force thereto from an open circuit first position to a second position wherein at least a portion of said first conductive electrode layer is in electrical contact with at least a portion of the second conductive electrode layer, each conductive electrode layer being electrically connected to a respective terminal of a power source for maintaining the first and second conductive electrode layers at different electrical potentials with respect to each other in at least the open circuit first position; and
,b) a plurality of discrete, spaced apart dots positioned between said first and second conductive electrode layers, said dots being fabricated from an electrically insulative elastomeric polymer foam and resiliently biasing said first and second conductive electrode layers to the open circuit first position, wherein said dots possess a height of at least about 1/64 inch.
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Abstract
A pressure actuated switching apparatus includes first and second conductive layers and a plurality of discrete spaced apart dots between the first and second conductive layers. The dots serve as a standoff for separating the conductive layers and are fabricated from an insulative, elastomeric polymer foam which can collapse under the application of compressive force applied to the apparatus to allow contact between the conductive layers with minimized dead space. Alternatively, the standoff can include strips of electrically insulative elastomeric polymer foam.
195 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A pressure actuated switching apparatus which comprises:
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a) first and second conductive electrode layers, at least one of said first and second conductive electrode layers being movable in response to application of a mechanical force thereto from an open circuit first position to a second position wherein at least a portion of said first conductive electrode layer is in electrical contact with at least a portion of the second conductive electrode layer, each conductive electrode layer being electrically connected to a respective terminal of a power source for maintaining the first and second conductive electrode layers at different electrical potentials with respect to each other in at least the open circuit first position; and
,b) a plurality of discrete, spaced apart dots positioned between said first and second conductive electrode layers, said dots being fabricated from an electrically insulative elastomeric polymer foam and resiliently biasing said first and second conductive electrode layers to the open circuit first position, wherein said dots possess a height of at least about 1/64 inch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A pressure actuated switching apparatus which comprises:
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a) first and second conductive layers; b) a plurality of discrete, spaced apart dots positioned between said first and second conductive layers, said dots being fabricated from an electrically insulative elastomeric polymer foam; and c) a layer of compressible piezoresistive material wherein said plurality of discrete spaced apart dots comprises a first layer of laterally spaced apart dots positioned between at least one of said first and second conductive layers and said compressible piezoresistive material.
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16. A pressure actuated switching apparatus which comprises:
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a) first and second conductive layers; b) a plurality of discrete, spaced apart dots positioned between said first and second conductive layers, said dots being fabricated from an electrically insulative elastomeric polymer foam; and c) a layer of compressible piezoresistive material wherein said plurality of discrete spaced apart dots comprises a first layer of laterally spaced apart dots positioned between said first conductive layer and said piezoresistive material and a second layer of laterally spaced apart dots positioned between said second conductive layer and said compressible piezoresistive material.
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17. A pressure actuated switching apparatus which comprises:
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a) first and second conductive electrode layers, at least one of said first and second conductive electrode layers being movable in response to application of a mechanical force thereto from an open circuit first position to a second position wherein at least a portion of said first conductive electrode layer is in electrical contact with at least a portion of the second conductive electrode layer;
each conductive electrode layer being electrically connected to a respective terminal of a power source for maintaining the first and second conductive electrode layers at different electrical potentials with respect to each other in at least the open circuit first position; and
,b) a standoff including a plurality of discrete, spaced apart strips of electrically insulative elastomeric polymer foam positioned between said first and second conductive electrode layers and resiliently biasing said first and second conductive electrode layers to the open circuit first position, wherein said strips possess a height of at least about 1/64 inches. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A pressure actuated switching apparatus which comprises:
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a) first and second conductive layers; b) a standoff including a plurality of discrete, spaced apart strips of electrically insulative elastomeric polymer foam positioned between said first and second conductive layers; and
,c) a layer of compressible piezoresistive material wherein said plurality of discrete spaced apart strips of electrically insulative elastomeric polymer foam comprises a first layer of laterally spaced apart foam strips positioned between the compressible piezoresistive material and at least one of the first and second conductive layers.
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Specification