Patent ID: 8358218

Claim:
A data entry device comprising: a housing formed of at least two portions; data entry circuitry located within said housing; at least one case-open switch assembly operative to sense when said housing is opened; and tamper indication circuitry operative to receive an input from said at least one case-open switch assembly and to provide an output indication of possible tampering with said data entry circuitry located within said housing, said at least one case-open switch assembly including: an arrangement of electrical contacts arranged on a base surface, said arrangement of electrical contacts including at least one of an outer ring contact and an inner intermediate ring contact, at least two outer intermediate ring contacts, arranged along an outer intermediate ring, and a central contact, said at least one of said outer ring contact and said inner intermediate ring contact being anti-tampering contacts and being coupled to said tamper indication circuitry; and a resiliently deformable conductive element, which defines a short circuit between said central contact and said at least two outer intermediate ring contacts only when said housing is closed, said resiliently deformable conductive element comprising: an at least partially continuous circumferential flange fixed at least two locations thereat in electrical contact with said at least two outer intermediate ring contacts at least two corresponding locations at said base surface; a circumferential portion having a cross sectional configuration which includes two mutually spaced arches; a central portion disposed in a case-open operative orientation at a first distance from said base surface; and a contact portion located interiorly of said central portion and disposed in a case-open operative orientation at a second distance from said base surface, less than said first distance, and in a non-case open operative orientation touching said central contact.