Magnetic switch with multi-wide actuator
First Claim
1. An electrical switch, comprising:
- a substrate;
a set of electrodes disposed on said substrate and defining at least one pair of spaced switch contacts;
a coupler layer supported in spaced relation to the substrate;
an electrically conductive armature disposed between the coupler layer and the switch contacts, one of the coupler layer and armature being a permanent magnet and the other being made of magnetic material such that the armature is normally held spaced from the switch contacts in engagement with said coupler layer by the magnetic attraction between the coupler layer and armature;
an aperture in the coupler layer, with the armature being disposed with respect to the aperture such that an actuating force exerted through the aperture will act on the armature; and
an actuator overlying the aperture and engageable with the armature through said aperture, the actuator including a force-receiving portion and a base portion, the base portion being in contact with the coupler layer, the force-receiving portion being cantilevered from the base portion and spaced from the coupler layer when in an unactuated condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A magnetically actuated switch has a magnet coupler layer spaced from a set of electrodes formed on a substrate. The electrodes include spaced contacts. The coupler layer normally holds a conductive armature spaced from the contacts. An aperture in the coupler layer provides access to the armature for application of an actuating force by an actuator. The actuator has a base portion mounted on the coupler layer and a force-receiving portion cantilevered from the base portion. The actuator has a width greater than that of the armature. Alternately, the armature itself can include a base portion pivotable on the substrate and a multi-wide force-receiving portion cantilevered from the base portion.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An electrical switch, comprising:
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a substrate;
a set of electrodes disposed on said substrate and defining at least one pair of spaced switch contacts;
a coupler layer supported in spaced relation to the substrate;
an electrically conductive armature disposed between the coupler layer and the switch contacts, one of the coupler layer and armature being a permanent magnet and the other being made of magnetic material such that the armature is normally held spaced from the switch contacts in engagement with said coupler layer by the magnetic attraction between the coupler layer and armature;
an aperture in the coupler layer, with the armature being disposed with respect to the aperture such that an actuating force exerted through the aperture will act on the armature; and
an actuator overlying the aperture and engageable with the armature through said aperture, the actuator including a force-receiving portion and a base portion, the base portion being in contact with the coupler layer, the force-receiving portion being cantilevered from the base portion and spaced from the coupler layer when in an unactuated condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An electrical switch, comprising:
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a substrate;
a set of electrodes disposed on said substrate and defining at least one pair of spaced switch contacts;
a coupler layer supported in spaced relation to the substrate;
an electrically conductive armature disposed at least partially between the coupler layer and the substrate, the armature including a force-receiving portion and a base portion, the base portion being adjacent to the substrate and wherein the base portion includes a foot which always remains in contact with the substrate, the force-receiving portion being cantilevered from the base portion, one of the coupler layer and armature being a permanent magnet and the other being made of magnetic material such that the force-receiving portion is normally held spaced from the switch contacts in engagement with said coupler layer by the magnetic attraction between the coupler layer and force-receiving portion;
at least a portion of the force-receiving portion being disposed with respect to the coupler layer such that an actuating force can be exerted on the force-receiving portion. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification