Slide selector switch with multiple independently removable slide assembly modules

Claim 2

A slide selector switch term-assembly comprising a housing having at least one set of receiving means adapted to engage a plurality of slide assembly modules; a circuit board associated with said housing having a plurality of sets of conductive paths formed thereon; and at least one independently removable slide assembly module, including a non-signal carrying bar having engaging means thereon for engagement with a corresponding set of the receiving means on said housing to independently and removably support said slide selector module with respect to said housing, a slide movably supported upon said bar for selective movement between plural switch positions on said bar corresponding to said sets of contact paths, and conductive means controlled by said slide for selectively contacting the conductive paths within a given set upon said circuit board when the slide is in any one of its plural positions to thereby complete a predetermined switching circuit associated with the contacted paths.

Claim 3

The slide selector switch term-assembly of claim 1 further including indicia means associated with said bar having switch position indicia thereon, and movable target means associated with the slide for selectively displaying an indicia associated with the selected switch position.

Claim 4

The slide selector switch term-assembly of claim 2 wherein detenting means are provided on said slide and corresponding serrations are provided on said bar adapted to cooperate with said detenting means to positively define the switch positions occupied by said slide.

Claim 5

The slide selector switch term-assembly of claim 3 wherein the contact means comprises a spring formed of conductive material having a bifurcated outer extension forming two contact bearing fingers that are adapted to contact and bridge the gap between two adjacent conductive paths on said circuit board.

Claim 6

The slide selector switch term-assembly of claim 4 wherein said indicia means is removably secured upon said bar.

Claim 7

The slide selector switch term-assembly of claim 1 further including a second slide movably supported upon said bar for movement between plural switch positions, and separation means on said bar for limiting the movement of the respective slides to different groups of switch positions.

Claim 8

The slide selector switch term-assembly of claim 1 having a plurality of sets of receiving means upon said housing and having a corresponding plurality of slide assembly modules.

Claim 9

A slide selector switch term-assembly comprising a housing formed of opposed sides secured to a top and a bottom, respectively, and having an open front and rear, with The sides of the housing having opposed sets of slots formed on the inner surfaces thereof; a circuit board attached to the rear of said housing, having a plurality of sets of conductive paths thereon, with each set of conductive paths corresponding to a set of slots in said housing sides; and a plurality of independently removable slide selector modules, each of said slide selector modules including a non-signal carrying bar having end extensions adapted to fit within a pair of opposed slots in said housing sides for independently and removably engaging the module with the housing, said module further comprising a slide movably supported upon the bar for movement therealong, the slide having an indexing spring secured thereto and the bar having serrations formed along an edge facing the indexing spring, adapted to selectively receive the indexing spring to define plural switch positions for the slide, and an electrical contact secured to said slide, said electrical contact including a pair of contacts adapted to selectively contact and bridge the gap between adjacent current paths provided upon the circuit board when said slide is moved into one of the switch positions.

Claim 10

A slide selector switch term-assembly comprising a housing formed of opposed sides secured to a top and a bottom, respectively, and having an open front and rear, with The sides of the housing having opposed sets of slots formed on the inner surfaces thereof; a circuit board attached to the rear of said housing, having a plurality of sets of conductive paths thereon, with each set of conductive paths corresponding to a set of slots in said housing sides; and a plurality of independently removable slide selector modules, each of said slide selector modules including a non-signal carrying bar having end extensions adapted to fit within a pair of opposed slots in said housing sides for independently and removably engaging the module with the housing, said module further comprising a slide movably supported upon the bar for movement therealong, the slide having an indexing spring secured thereto and the bar having serrations formed along an edge facing the indexing spring, adapted to selectively receive the indexing spring to define plural switch positions for the slide, and an electrical contact secured to said slide, said electrical contact including a pair of contacts adapted to selectively contact and bridge the gap between adjacent current paths provided upon the circuit board when said slide is moved into one of the switch positions.

Claim 11

A slide selector switch term-assembly as described in claim 8 further including an indicia means removably secured upon said bar having switch position indicia formed thereon corresponding to each slide position and a movable target associated with said slide for selectively displaying an indicia associated with the selected switch position.

Claim 12

The slide selector switch term-assembly of claim 9 wherein the indicia means comprises a transparent strip having numerals printed on the rear face thereof in an opaque color, and wherein said target comprises a section of bright fluorescent material.

Claim 13

The slide selector switch term-assembly of claim 9 further including retaining strips secured to the rear edge of the housing and other retaining strips removably secured to the front edge of said housing to retain slide selector modules therein.

Claim 14

The slide selector switch term-assembly of claim 9 wherein the indicia means comprise an opaque strip having clear numbers formed therein, and wherein said target comprises a section of bright fluorescent material.