Seat belt buckle having pushbutton type switch with elastomeric conductor bridging contact

Claim 1

An electrical switch comprising a non-conductive housing having a main bore extending inwardly from one end of said housing means in said housing defining a shoulder at the inner end of said main bore and a second bore coaxial with said main bore extending inwardly of said housing from said shoulder; spaced apart electrical conductors carried by said housing and exposed within and on opposite sides of said second bore; a bridging member spanning said conductors and movable between positions in which it electrically connects and disconnects said conductors; a resiliently deformable operating member snugly mounted in said main bore and seated at its inner end on said shoulder, the inner end of said operating member being responsive to the application of an axially compressive force to the outer end thereof to protude inwardly beyond said shoulder into said second bore from a normal condition to a deformed condition thereby to effect movement of said bridging means from one of said positions to the other and being responsive to the release of said force to return to its normal condition and effect movement of said bridging means from said other position to said one position; and actuating means engageable witth said outer end of said operating member for for applying and releasing said compressive force to and from said operating member.