Patent ID: 7205496

Claim:
A sub-miniature switch, comprising a housing comprising a cover; a first actuator offset with respect to a center of the housing and protruding therefrom, said actuator being normally in a first position and capable of being biased toward a second position; a plurality of fixed contacts disposed within the housing, the fixed contacts being arranged on a side of the housing opposite the actuator; a plurality of terminals, each terminal respectively electrically conductively connected to one of said fixed contacts; a plurality of movable contacts, each capable of contacting one of said fixed contacts; a contact maker moveably supporting said movable contacts; a bistably arranged spring directly contacting said first actuator and capable of biasing the contact maker in a first switching position when said actuator is in said first position and capable of biasing said contact maker towards a second switching position when said actuator is biased towards said second position; wherein a first of said movable contacts is biased against a first of said fixed contacts when said contact maker is in said first switching position and a second of said movable contact is biased against a second of said fixed contacts when said contact maker is in said second switching position; a separator movably disposed in the cover of the housing and capable of directly contacting both said first actuator and said contact maker; and said separator biasing said contact maker away from said first switching position and towards said second switching position in response to said first actuator being biased towards said second position whereby the contact maker is biased towards said second switching position, the separator thereby functioning as an auxiliary actuator.