Patent ID: 7782170

Claim:
A microswitch comprising a deformable membrane, the microswitch comprising: at least two flexure arms, each comprising two opposite ends, each end being directly attached to a substrate, at least one contact arm arranged between the at least two flexure arms, the contact arm being independently and directly attached to each of said flexure arms in a central part of said flexure arms, the contact arm remaining substantially parallel to the substrate and deforming less than the at least two flexure arms upon actuation of the microswitch, the at least two flexure arms and the contact arm being substantially parallel to each other in a first stable position, the flexure arm comprising actuating means disposed adjacent to the substrate designed to deform the flexure arms, from the first stable position of the microswitch to a second stable position in such a way to establish in the second stable position an electric contact between at least a first conducting pad formed on the substrate and at least a second conducting pad arranged on the contact arm, and complementary electrostatic holding means respectively fixedly secured to the membrane and the substrate and designed to hold the microswitch in the second stable position of the membrane.