Patent ID: 6545239
Filing Date: 2003-04-08
Classification: H01H

Abstract:
A rocker switch assembly, comprising:a rocker switch housing; a ground contact and at least one electrical circuit contact pin fixedly mounted within said rocker switch housing, said ground contact and said at least one electrical circuit contact pin being normally electrically disengaged from each other; at least one snap-dome contact mounted within said rocker switch housing such that a peripheral portion of said at least one snap-dome contact is normally disposed in electrical contact with said ground contact while a central elevated portion of said at least one snap-dome contact is normally electrically disengaged from said at least one electrical circuit contact pin; a rocker actuator pivotally mounted upon said rocker switch housing and comprising a rocker plate portion; and at least one actuator post integral with said rocker plate portion of said rocker actuator and depending substantially vertically downwardly such that a lower end extremity portion of said at least one actuator post is normally disposed in contact with said central elevated portion of said at least one snap-dome contact whereby when said central elevated portion of said at least one snap-dome contact is disposed in a normal, non-depressed state, said central elevated portion of said at least one snap-dome contact biases said rocker actuator back to a normal, non-depressed position, whereas when a downward depression force is impressed upon said rocker actuator, said lower end extremity portion of said at least one actuator post causes said central elevated portion of said at least one snap-dome contact to be depressed into contact with said at least one electrical circuit contact pin through means of a short actuation stroke so as to electrically connect said ground contact to said at least one electrical circuit contact pin which is sensed by an operator by means of tactile feedback through said at least one dependent actuator post.