Patent ID: 7105763

Claim:
A switch assembly for controlling an electrical load, the switch assembly comprising: a switch mechanism including a pivot member supported for pivoting about an axis and a switch plate adapted for movement between first and second fixed positions through contact with the pivoting pivot member; and an actuator assembly including a slidably supported pushbutton, the actuator assembly adapted to engage the switch mechanism during inward translation of the pushbutton in response to force applied to the pushbutton for switching the switch mechanism between the first and second fixed positions, the actuator assembly adapted to outwardly bias the pushbutton for return translation of the pushbutton following removal of the force from the pushbutton, the force applied to the pushbutton varying during input traveling of the pushbutton between a fully-released pushbutton position and a fully-engaged pushbutton position, the relationship between actuator force and pushbutton travel distance defining a multiple segment input profile, a first segment of the input profile including the fully-released position, the applied force varying in the first segment from resistance generated by the actuator assembly to provide for the outward return of the pushbutton, the applied force in at least a substantial portion of the first segment varying in substantially linear fashion along a first slope, S 1 , the applied force varying in the second segment from a combination of the pushbutton return resistance and resistance generated by the switch mechanism against movement between the first and second fixed positions, the applied force in at least a substantial portion of the second segment varying in substantially linear fashion along a second slope, S 2 , the relationship between the first and second slopes, s 1 and s 2 , being defined by the following equation: 0.30 (approx.) ≦ s 1 /s 2≦0.60 (approx.).