Patent ID: 8592700

Claim:
A switch of a device having a longitudinal device axis, the switch comprising: a switching element having a longitudinal switching axis disposed parallel to the longitudinal device axis of the device; a hollow body defining an interior cavity in which the switching element is movably disposed along the switching axis to define: a switch-making position at a first longitudinal position along the switching axis; and a switch-breaking position at a second longitudinal position along the switching axis, the second longitudinal position being different from the first longitudinal position; a biasing element imparting a variable longitudinal bias to the switching element to place the switching element in one of the switch-making position and the switch-breaking position until an external force imparted to the switching element along the switching axis exceeds the longitudinal bias thereby causing the switching element to move to the other one of the switch-making position and the switch-breaking position; and an electrically-conductive contact coupled to the switching element and defining: a switch-making state when the switching element is in the switch-making position; and a switch-breaking state when the switching element is in the switch-breaking position.