Patent ID: 7652216
Filing Date: 2010-01-26
Classification: F21V,H01H

Abstract:
1. An electrical switch comprising: a base having at least first and second peripheral electrical conductors and a central electrical conductor thereon; an electrically conductive flexible dome disposed on said base, said flexible dome having a plurality of relatively longer legs extending from a dome portion thereof and being in electrical contact with the first peripheral electrical conductor of said base, said flexible dome having a relatively shorter leg extending from the dome portion thereof and overlying the second peripheral electrical conductor of said base, and the dome portion of said flexible dome overlying the central electrical conductor of said base, said flexible dome having an actuation distance; wherein the relatively shorter leg of said flexible dome comes into electrical contact with the second electrical conductor of said base when said flexible dome is pressed towards said base with a first actuation force, and wherein the dome portion of said flexible dome comes into electrical contact with the central electrical conductor of said base when said flexible dome is pressed towards said base with a second actuation force that is greater than the first actuation force; a spring having a first end bearing against said flexible dome and having a second end; an actuation pushbutton disposed at the second end of said spring, wherein said actuation pushbutton is urged away from said flexible dome by said spring, wherein said actuation pushbutton is movable for applying force to said flexible dome via said spring, and wherein said spring has a spring rate selected so that said actuation pushbutton must be moved over a distance that is substantially greater than the actuation distance of said flexible dome in order to produce the second actuation force on said flexible dome.