Low profile switch with flat wire harness

• US 6,765,158 B1
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Morrison, Gerald O., Drew, Iris C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedhofer, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US10/431,800
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5.R, 200/5.A, 200/18, 200/17.R, 200/511, 200/512, 200/517, 200/341-345
• US Class Current: 200/5.00R
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/70 having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard mounting together a plurality of independent switches H02B
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/028 alterable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/022 Modular assembly

Abstract

A low profile modular switch, the switch including a switch plate including an actuator and a housing, and a sense plate including a switch mechanism configured to interface with the actuator, and a flat wiring harness having one end joined to the sense plate and another end having a connector, wherein tactile feel of the modular switch is determined by a property of the switch plate independent of the sense plate.

Claims

1. A low profile modular switch, the switch comprising:

a switch plate comprising an actuator and a housing; and

a sense plate comprising a switch mechanism configured to interface with the actuator, and a flat wiring harness having one end joined to the sense plate and another end having a connector, wherein tactile feel of the modular switch is determined by a property of the switch plate independent of the sense plate, the actuator is mounted to the housing using a suspension, and the actuator comprises a vented sac and a subplate.

2. The modular switch of claim 1 wherein the switch plate tactile feel property comprises at least one of actuator and suspension compliance, stiffness, and flexibility.

3. The modular switch of claim 1 wherein the wiring harness is joined to an edge of the sense plate.

4. The modular switch of claim 1 wherein the sense plate further comprises a light source disposed to light the actuator.

5. A modular switch bank comprising:

a switch plate comprising an actuator;

a sense plate comprising a switch mechanism, wherein the switch mechanism is configured to interface with the actuator, and tactile feel of the modular switch bank is determined by a property of the switch plate independent of the sense plate; and

a housing, wherein the actuator comprises a vented sac and a subplate, and the actuator is mounted to the housing using a suspension.

6. The switch bank of claim 5 wherein the switch plate tactile feel property comprises at least one of actuator and suspension compliance, stiffness, and flexibility.

7. A method of determining tactile feel of a modular switch, the method comprising:

interfacing a switch plate comprising an actuator, a sense plate comprising a switch mechanism, and a housing, wherein the at least one actuator comprises a vented sac and a subplate, and the at least one actuator is mounted to the housing using a suspension, and wherein the switch mechanism is configured to interface with the actuator, and tactile feel of the modular switch is determined by a property of the switch plate independent of the sense plate.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the switch plate tactile feel property comprises at least one of actuator and suspension compliance, stiffness, and flexibility.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising joining a wiring harness to an edge of the sense plate.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising disposing a light source to light the actuator.