Patent ID: 7388484

Claim:
In a security interface device, including a keypad having a back panel mountable on a wall surface and a cover panel detachably fastened to said back panel forming a keypad housing containing a printed circuit board and operative components fastened to the interior of said front panel; the provision of a tamper-detecting indicating mechanism; comprising: a tamper switch including an elongate post member having a resiliently compressible element extending between said back panel and circuitry on said printed circuit board, said elongate post member comprising an elongate shaft portion; a cylindrical element extending co-axially with said shaft portion; a ring-shaped flange extending about said shaft portion, and said compressible element being a flexible web connecting said ring-shaped flange with said cylindrical element, said elongate post member having an electrically-conductive end contacting the circuitry on said printed circuit board in the mounted position of said keypad on said wall surface, whereby in an activated condition of said keypad, responsive to tampering by a pulling away of said cover panel from said back panel or pulling the keypad from said wall surface causes said electrically-conductive end to disengage from the circuitry on said printed circuit board so as to short or cause a malfunction in said circuitry and trigger a signal indicative of tampering.