Multi sectional rotary wafer switch assembly with improved support and terminal connector for thin circuit module

Claim 2

An electrical assembly comprising in combination: a nonconductive base member in the form of a thin wafer; an electrical circuit network supported on at least one surface of said wafer including conductive connectors terminating along an edge of said wafer in conductive terminal pads; a nonconductive frame, said frame having a back with an end wall and sidewalls protruding therefrom, said back, end wall and sidewalls encompassing three sides of an interior space substantially the shape of said thin nonconductive wafer, said frame being open on one end opposite from said end wall, said wafer being positioned in said space with said edge carrying said terminal pads positioned against said end wall of said frame; at least one electrical terminal supported in said end wall of said frame, said terminal being formed of a spring-like conductive material and having a contact overhanging said back of said frame and spaced therefrom a distance less than the thickness of said wafer and said terminal pads formed thereon, said terminal contact exerting a force against said terminal pad on said wafer thereby making good electrical contact when said wafer is positioned in said space; and resilient nonconductive supporting arms extending from said sidewalls of said frame and spaced a distance from said back less than the thickness of said wafer, said resilient arms exerting a force against the surface of said thin wafer toward the back of said frame thereby retaining said wafer within said space in said frame.

Claim 3

The electrical assembly defined in claim 1 in which said wafer is provided with a circular aperture therethrough and said electrical network includes a plurality of switch contact pads disposed on said base in an arcuate array around said aperture, said wafer further including a rotor switching member including conductive contacts adapted to engage said switch pads during rotation of said rotor; and said back of said frame is provided with a slot extending to the open end of said frame into which said rotor contact protrudes when said wafer is positioned in said frame.

Claim 4

The electrical assembly defined in claim 1 in which said end wall of said nonconductive frame is a separate part attached to said frame and formed of a heat resistant thermosetting plastic so that heat applied to said terminals during soldering operations does not cause said terminals to loosen within said end wall.

Claim 5

The electrical assembly defined in claim 1 in which said carrier frAme is provided with protruding tabs extending from the sidewalls and end walls thereof and mating slots formed in the opposite sidewalls and end wall thereby to facilitate a pair of carrier frames to be mounted in interlocking fashion with said tabs of one frame positioned in said slots of the next adjacent carrier frame.

Claim 6

An electrical switch assembly comprising: a nonconductive base member in the form of a thin wafer having an aperture therethrough; a plurality of switch contact pads disposed on said wafer in an arcuate array around said aperture; an electrical circuit network supported on said wafer including conductive connectors extending from said switch pads to respective points in said electrical circuit network and having electrical conductors terminating along an edge of said wafer into conductive terminal pads; a rotor disposed in said aperture through said wafer including a conductive contact adapted to traverse an arcuate path on the surface of said wafer thereby to contact switch pads during rotation of said rotor; a support carrier and terminal connector for said wafer in the form of a nonconductive frame, said frame having a back with an end wall and sidewalls protruding therefrom, said back, end wall and sidewalls encompassing three sides of an interior space substantially the shape of said thin nonconductive wafer, said frame being open on one end opposite from said end wall whereby said thin wafer may be inserted into said space with said edge carrying said terminal pads positioned against said end wall of said frame; at least one electrical terminal supported in said end wall of said frame, said terminal being formed of a spring-like conductive material and having a contact overhanging said back of said frame and spaced therefrom a distance less than the thickness of said thin wafer and said terminal pads formed thereon, said terminal contact adapted to exert a force against said terminal pads on said wafer thereby making good electrical contact when said wafer is positioned within said space; and resilient supporting arms extending from said sidewalls of said frame and spaced a distance from said back less than the thickness of said thin wafer, said resilient arms adapted to exert a force against the surface of said wafer toward said back of said frame thereby to retain said wafer within said space in said frame.

Claim 7

An electrical switch assembly comprising: a nonconductive base member in the form of a thin wafer having an aperture therethrough; a plurality of switch contact pads disposed on said wafer in an arcuate array around said aperture; an electrical circuit network supported on said wafer including conductive connectors extending from said switch pads to respective points in said electrical circuit network and having electrical conductors terminating along an edge of said wafer into conductive terminal pads; a rotor disposed in said aperture through said wafer including a conductive contact adapted to traverse an arcuate path on the surface of said wafer thereby to contact switch pads during rotation of said rotor; a support carrier and terminal connector for said wafer in the form of a nonconductive frame, said frame having a back with an end wall and sidewalls protruding therefrom, said back, end wall and sidewalls encompassing three sides of an interior space substantially the shape of said thin nonconductive wafer, said frame being open on one end opposite from said end wall whereby said thin wafer may be inserted into said space with said edge carrying said terminal pads positioned against said end wall of said frame; at least one electrical terminal supported in said end wall of said frame, said terminal being formed of a spring-like conductive material and having a contact overhanging said back of said frame and spaced therefrom a distance less than the thickness of said thin wafer and said terminal pads formed thereon, said terminal contact adapted to exert a force against said terminal pads on said wafer thereby making good electrical contact when said wafer is positioned within said space; and resilient supporting arms extending from said sidewalls of said frame and spaced a distance from said back less than the thickness of said thin wafer, said resilient arms adapted to exert a force against the surface of said wafer toward said back of said frame thereby to retain said wafer within said space in said frame.

Claim 8

The electrical switch assembly defined in claim 5 in which there is a slot formed in said back of said frame, said slot opening at said open end of said frame so that said rotor extending from said wafer extends through said slot when said wafer is positioned in said carrier.

Claim 9

The electrical switch assembly defined in claim 6 including a shaft means extending through said rotor and said slot in said carrier whereby said rotor and its contact may be rotated to cause said contact to traverse the surface of said wafer.

Claim 10

The electrical switch assembly defined in claim 7 in which said shaft means for rotating said rotor includes a detent assembly and said sidewalls of said frame are provided with embossments adapted to mate with similarly formed openings in said detent to facilitate mounting of said carrier frame onto said detent assembly with said shaft means extending through said rotor.

Claim 11

The electrical switch assembly defined in claim 5, in which said frame sidewalls and end walls are provided with outwardly extending tabs on one edge thereof, and mating inwardly formed slots on the opposite edge thereof to facilitate mounting a pair of carrier frames in interlocking fashion with said tabs of one frame positioned in said slots of the next adjacent carrier frame.

Claim 12

A support carrier and terminal connector for a thin nonconductive wafer having an electrical circuit network deposited upon a surface thereof, including terminal pads positioned along at least one edge thereof comprising; a nonconductive frame, said frame having a back with an end wall and side walls protruding thereFrom, said back, end wall and side walls encompassing three sides of an interior space substantially the shape of said thin nonconductive wafer, said frame being open on one end opposite from said end wall, with said thin wafer removably inserted into said space with said edge carrying the terminal pads positioned against the end wall of said frame; at least one electrical terminal supported in said end wall of said frame, the terminal being formed of a spring-like conductive material and having a contact overhanging the back of the frame and spaced therefrom a distance less than the thickness of said thin wafer, said terminal contact exerting a force against a corresponding terminal pad on said wafer thereby making good electrical contact when the wafer is positioned in the space; and resilient nonconductive supporting arms extending from the side walls of said frame and spaced a difference from the back less than the thickness of said wafer, said resilient arms exerting a force against the surface of said thin wafer with the wafer in said space to retain the wafer within the frame.

Claim 13

A support carrier and terminal connector for a thin nonconductive wafer having an electrical circuit network deposited upon a surface thereof, including terminal pads positioned along at least one edge thereof comprising; a nonconductive frame, said frame having a back with an end wall and side walls protruding thereFrom, said back, end wall and side walls encompassing three sides of an interior space substantially the shape of said thin nonconductive wafer, said frame being open on one end opposite from said end wall, with said thin wafer removably inserted into said space with said edge carrying the terminal pads positioned against the end wall of said frame; at least one electrical terminal supported in said end wall of said frame, the terminal being formed of a spring-like conductive material and having a contact overhanging the back of the frame and spaced therefrom a distance less than the thickness of said thin wafer, said terminal contact exerting a force against a corresponding terminal pad on said wafer thereby making good electrical contact when the wafer is positioned in the space; and resilient nonconductive supporting arms extending from the side walls of said frame and spaced a difference from the back less than the thickness of said wafer, said resilient arms exerting a force against the surface of said thin wafer with the wafer in said space to retain the wafer within the frame.

Claim 14

The support carrier and terminal connector defined in claim 10 in which said back of said frame is provided with a slot extending from said open end of said frame so that means extending from said nonconductive wafer may extend therein when said wafer is positioned in said frame.

Claim 15

The support carrier and terminal connector defined in claim 10 in which said end wall containing said terminals is a separate part attached to said frame and formed of a heat-resistant thermo-setting plastic material so that heat applied to said terminals during soldering operations does not cause said terminals to loosen within said end wall.