Patent ID: 6307168
Filing Date: 2001-10-23
Classification: H01H

Abstract:
A pressure sensing switch array comprising:upper, middle, and lower laminar elongated nonconductive members, said middle member having a plurality of openings there through defining a plurality of cavities between said upper and lower members;an array of substantially parallel electrically conductive bands fixed to an upper surface of said lower member and positioned to traverse the middle member cavities;an array of substantially parallel electrically conductive bands fixed to a lower surface of said upper member and positioned to traverse the middle member cavities, a first set of said upper member bands collectively connected to an electrical input connector and a second set of said upper member bands being collectively connected to an electrical output connector;an array of regularly spaced dielectric dots fixed to the upper surface of the lower member bands and partially separating the bands of the upper and lower members from electrical contact with each other through the middle member cavities at specific spaced positions;said upper and lower laminar members being resiliently flexible to permit overlapping areas between said upper and lower member arrays of conductive bands to close into and open out of electrical contact through said middle member cavities upon exertion and removal respectively of a minimal threshold external compressive force against said members.