Tactile touch switch panel

Claim 1

A tactile feedback electrical switch assembly for intermittently altering the electrical condition of normally spaced apart conductors and comprising: (a) base pad means for receiving and retaining said electrical switching assembly thereon; (b) a first insulative film having means insulatively mounting a plurality of spaced apart electrical switching conductors upon said base pad means with mutally adjacent conductors of said electrical switching conductor forming a pair of switch contacts; (c) a tactile layer having a plurality of dome-shaped projections formed therein with said layer being arranged for mounting upon said base pad means in superimposed relationship with said first insulative film, and with each of said dome-shaped projections being in substantial registration with one discrete pair of switch contacts on said first insulative film and with an electrical conductor bridging contact area on the inner surface of said tactile layer within said dome and in substantial registration with said contacts; and (d) said dome-shaped projection comprising a generally parabolic disc with a raised center portion and an annular ring projecting upwardly and outwardly from the edge of said parabolic disc, said annular ring joining said parabolic disc along a generally circular transition line, said transition line normally being located at the apex of an angle which is generally acute from the upper surface of said dome-shaped projection and wherein the upper surface of said parabolic disc extends above that of said annular ring, the arrangement being such that upon depression of said parabolic disc, said annular ring functions as a hinge for accommodating inversion of said parabolic disc and resultant contact between said bridging contact and said switch contacts.