Slide switch assembly with fixed terminal array preventing generation of pop noises

Claim 2

In a slide switch of the class comprising a hollow elongated casing, three juxtaposed main terminal members secured on the inner wall of said casing, a slide member adapted to be reciprocated in said casing, and a first contact member carried by said slide member whereby the switching of a pair of circuits is effected by moving said slide member so as to cause said first contact member to bridge the center main terminal member and either one of the outer main terminal members, the improvement which comprises a pair of transition terminal members secured on the inner wall of said casing and a second contact member mounted on said slide member to cooperate with said transition terminal members, said three main terminal members, said transition terminal members and said first and second contact members being positioned with respect to each other such that said transition terminal members and said second contact member cooperating therewith maintain a circuit in a closed state from an instant immediately prior to the disengagement of said first contact member from one of the outer main terminal members to an instant immediately after the engagement of said first contact member with the other outer main terminal member.

Claim 3

The slide switch according to claim 1 wherein said transition terminal members have a width larger than that of each of said main terminal members.

Claim 4

The slide switch according to claim 1 wherein the distance between the outer ends of said transition terminal member is equal to the distance between the outer ends of said outer main terminal members.

Claim 5

The slide switch according to claim 1 wherein each of said transition terminal members has the same width as each said three main terminal members and the distance between the outer ends of said pair of transition terminal members is equal to that between the outer ends of the outer main terminal members.

Claim 6

The slide switch aCcording to claim 1 wherein each of said transition terminal members has the same width as each of said three main terminal members, said transition terminal members being positioned with respect to said three main terminal members such that said second contact members bridges said transition terminal members when said first contact member does not bridge the center main terminal member and either one of said outer main terminal members.

Claim 7

The slide switch according to claim 1 wherein an adjacent two of said three main terminal members are used to act also as said transition terminal members, said adjacent two terminal members having a stepped width.

Claim 8

A ganged slide switch assembly comprising a plurality of slide switch units according to claim 1, said units being mounted on a common chassis and the transition terminal members of the respective slide switch units being connected in parallel.

Claim 9

The ganged slide switch assembly according to claim 7 wherein said slide switch units are incorporated in a printed circuit board so that the transition terminal members of respective slide switch units are connected in parallel.

Claim 10

The slide switch according to claim 1 wherein in order to eliminate contact bounce an idle contact is provided between said transition terminal members.

Claim 11

The slide switch according to claim 1 wherein the opposing ends of said transition terminal members are slanted.

Claim 12

The slide switch according to claim 1 wherein said casing is provided with an integral projection to prevent contact bounce between said transition terminal members, and said projection has a height equal to the thickness of said transition terminal members.

Claim 13

In a slide switch of the class comprising a hollow elongated casing, three juxtaposed main terminal members secured on the inner wall of said casing, a slide member adapted to be reciprocated in said casing, and a first contact member carried by said slide member whereby switching of a pair of circuits is effected by moving said slide member so as to cause said first contact member to bridge the center main terminal member and either one of the outer main terminal members, the improvement which comprises juxtaposed three transition terminal members secured on the inner wall of said casing and a second contact member mounted on said slide member to bridge the center transition terminal member and either one of the outer transition terminal members, said three terminal members, said three transition terminal members and said first and second contact members being positioned with respect to each other such that the circuit through one outertransition terminal member, said second contact member and the center transition terminal member is broken before the circuit through one outer main terminal member, said first contact member and the center main terminal member is broken, and that said first contact member bridges said center main terminal member and the other outer terminal member before said second contact member comes to bridge the center transition terminal member and the other outer transition terminal member.

Claim 14

In a slide switch of the class comprising a hollow elongated casing, three juxtaposed main terminal members secured on the inner wall of said casing, a slide member adapted to be reciprocated in said casing, and a first contact member carried by said slide member whereby switching of a pair of circuits is effected by moving said slide member so as to cause said first contact member to bridge the center main terminal member and either one of the outer main terminal members, the improvement which comprises juxtaposed three transition terminal members secured on the inner wall of said casing and a second contact member mounted on said slide member to bridge the center transition terminal member and either one of the outer transition terminal members, said three terminal members, said three transition terminal members and said first and second contact members being positioned with respect to each other such that the circuit through one outertransition terminal member, said second contact member and the center transition terminal member is broken before the circuit through one outer main terminal member, said first contact member and the center main terminal member is broken, and that said first contact member bridges said center main terminal member and the other outer terminal member before said second contact member comes to bridge the center transition terminal member and the other outer transition terminal member.

Claim 15

The slide switch according to claim 12 wherein the distance between the outer main ends of said outer terminal members is equal to the distance between the outer ends of said outer transition terminal members, the center transition terminal member has the same width as each one of said main terminal members, the outer transition terminal members have a width about one half of that of said central transition terminal member, and said first and second contact members have the same width.

Claim 16

The slide switch according to claim 12 wherein the opposing ends of said transition terminal members are slanted.