Diaphragm switch having a diaphragm supported on an incompressible layer and an elastomer overlaying the diaphragm

Claim 1

A SWITCH WHICH IS ACTIVATED BY PRESSURE APPLIED TO A SMALL AREA NEAR THE CENTER THEREOF COMPRISING: A BASE ASSEMBLY HAVING A FIRST CONDUCTIVE CONTACT ELEMENT; A SUBSTANTIALLY INCOMPRESSIBLE INSULATING LAYER OVERLAYING SAID BASE ASSEMBLY, SAID INSULATING LAYER HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH WHICH IS ALIGNED WITH SAID FIRST CONDUCTIVE CONTACT ELEMENT; A DIAPHRAGM ASSEMBLY OVERLAYING SAID INSULATING LAYER, SAID DIAPHRAGM ASSEMBLY HAVING A SECOND CONDUCTIVE CONTACT ELEMENT WHICH IS ALIGNED WITH SAID FIRST CONDUCTIVE CONTACT ELEMENT BUT IS NORMALLY SEPARATED THEREFROM BY A GAP FORMED BY SAID OPENING; AND AN ELASTOMER LAYER IN CONTACT WITH THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID DIAPHRAGM ASSEMBLY AND HAVING A LOW COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION THEREWITH, SAID ELASTOMER LAYER COACTING WITH THE WALLS OF SAID OPENING TO DEFORM SAID DIAPHRAGM ASSEMBLY INTO SAID OPENING WITH A SMALL RADIUS OF CURVATURE AS PRESSURE IS INITIALLY APPLIED TO SAID SMALL AREA TO CAUSE AN INITIAL POINT CONTACT TO BE ESTABLISHED BETWEEN SAID CONTACT ELEMENTS, AND FURTHER COACTING WITH THE WALLS OF SAID OPENING TO FURTHER DEFORM SAID DIAPHRAGM ASSEMBLY TO INCREASE THE RADIUS OF CURVATURE OF THE LOWER SURFACE THEREOF, AS THE PRESSURE APPLIED TO SAID SMALL AREA IS INCREASED, TO CAUSE THE AREA OF CONTACT BETWEEN SAID CONTACT ELEMENTS TO BE INCREASED.