Patent ID: 7714239

Claim:
A mechanical force switch to be disposed along a longitudinal device axis of a medical device, the switch comprising: a switching piston having: a longitudinal piston axis disposed parallel to the longitudinal device axis; and a bias-device contact; a hollow body defining a body interior cavity in which said switching piston is movably disposed along said piston axis to define: a switch-making piston position at a first longitudinal piston position with respect to said body; and a switch-breaking piston position at a second longitudinal piston position with respect to said body different from said first longitudinal piston position; a bias device imparting a variable longitudinal bias to said switching piston to retain said switching piston in one of two positions selected from said switch-making piston position and said switch-breaking piston position until an external force imparted to said switching piston along said longitudinal piston axis exceeds said longitudinal bias and, when the external force exceeds said longitudinal bias, said switching piston moves to the other of said two positions; and an electrically-conductive contact physically coupled to said switching piston and moveable between said two positions to define a switch-making state, when said switching piston is in said switch-making piston position, and a switch-breaking state, when said switching piston is in said switch-breaking piston position.