Patent ID: 7064639

Claim:
A magnetic latching switch, comprising: a) a selectively energizable electromagnet; b) a switch housing that supports a first switch terminal and a second switch terminal at fixed locations within a housing interior; c) a switch actuator which extends into and is supported by the housing that is selectively manually moveable by a user between a first position and a second position; d) a contact coupled to the switch actuator within said housing such that the contact electrically bridges the first and second switch terminals to close the switch when the switch actuator is in one of the first and second positions and the first and second switch terminals are electrically isolated to open the switch when the switch actuator is in an other of the first and second positions; e) a biasing member coupled to the switch actuator, such that the switch actuator is biased to the first position; f) a metallic member coupled to the switch actuator such that a magnetic field applied by the electromagnet to the metallic member when the switch actuator is in the second position and the electromagnet is energized maintains the switch actuator in the second position and wherein the biasing member maintains the switch actuator in the first position when the switch actuator is in the first position and the electromagnet is energized.