Flexible printed wiring switch

Claim 2

A flexible printed wiring switch comprising a unitary flexible printed wiring element having a plurality of longitudinally parallel printed circuits and a shorting circuit spaced apart from the ends of and arranged transversely with respect to said longitudinal circuits, said flexible printed wiring element being folded transversely upon itself such that said longitudinal circuits are in a facing relationship to said shorting circuit, and an actuator for selectively urging said shorting circuit into electrical continuity with said longitudinal circuits to thereby selectively couple said longitudinal circuits together.

Claim 3

A switch as recited in claim 1 wherein said actuator comprises a slide member affixed to the end of said flexible printed wiring element proximate said shorting circuit and adapted for movement in longitudinal translation with respect to said longitudinal circuits, whereby translation of said slide member toward said longitudinal circuits urges said shorting circuit into sliding electrical contact with each said plurality of longitudinal circuits.

Claim 4

A switch as recited in claim 2 further including means for biasing said slide member such as to maintain said shorting circuit in a preselected position with respect to said longitudinal circuits.

Claim 5

A switch as recited in claim 1 further including said flexible printed wiring element having a longitudinally extending aperture disposed therethrough between said longitudinal circuits, and being transversely folded upon itself such that said shorting circuit is in vertical alignment with said plurality of longitudinal circuits, said actuator comprises a shaft disposed through said aperture in said flexible printed wiring element and having laterally extending means for engaging said flexible printed wiring element and selectively urging said shorting circuit into electrical continuity with said plurality of longitudinal circuits, a holder element adapted to receive said folded flexible printed wiring element and to receive and retain said actuator in alignment with said flexible printed wiring element such that said actuator is vertically movable with respect thereto.

Claim 6

A switch as recited in claim 4 further including a first spring biasing means fixed to said holder element and engaging said actuator such as to urge said actuator toward said flexible printed wiring element, a second spring biasing means fixed to said holder element and engaging said shorting circuit such as to urge said shorting circuit away from said plurality of longitudinal circuits in opposition to said first spring biasing means, and the bias provided by said first and second spring biasing means being selected with respect to one another such as to maintain said shorting circuit in a preselected vertical position with respect to said plurality of longitudinal circuits.

Claim 7

A switch as recited in claim 5 wherein said first spring biasing means provides a greater bias than is provided by said second spring biasing means such that said shorting circuit is maintained in electrical continuity with said plurality of longitudinal circuits to thereby provide a normally closed switch to be selectively opened by said actuator.

Claim 8

A switch as recited in claim 5 wherein said second spring biasing means provides a greater bias than is provided by said first spring biasing means such that said shorting circuit is maintained apart from said plurality of longitudinal circuits to thereby provide a normally open switch to be selectively closed by said actuator.

Claim 9

A switch as recited in claim 5 wherein said first and second spring biasing means are leaf springs integrally formed with said holder element.

Claim 10

A switch as recited in claim 4 wherein said laterally extending means of said actuatoR comprises a plate integrally formed with said shaft and having a plurality of protrusions extending from the surface thereof which engages said flexible printed wiring element, one such protrusion disposed in alignment with each of said longitudinal circuits.