Switch having switch contacts engageable directly with circuit board contacts

Claim 1

A switch which is intended for mounting on a circuit board, the switch comprising a prismatic insulating housing having oppositely facing external endwalls, an external topwall, oppositely facing external sidewalls extending between the endwalls, and a base, at least one switch cavity in the housing, the cavity having a switch contact and an actuator therein, the switch being characterized in that: the cavity has a first opening at the base of the housing and a second opening in one of the external walls other than the endwalls, the cavity has an elongated circuitiously formed spring therein, the spring having spaced-apart ends which are proximate to the first opening, the ends having switch contacts thereon, at least one of the ends being movable upon the application and removal of a flexing force to an intermediate portion of the spring, the actuator being movably contained in the cavity and being in engagement with the intermediate portion of the spring, the actuator having an engageable portion which projects through the second opening in the housing which can be engaged by an externally applied force to push the actuator into the associated cavity, the actuator being normally in a first position in which the engageable portion projects through the second opening to an extended position, the actuator being movable inwardly of the cavity to a depressed position upon application of an external force to the engageable portion with accompanying application of a flexing force to the intermediate portion of the spring whereby, the switch can be mounted on a circuit board with the switch contacts associated with a pair of circuit board contacts and with the switch contacts against the circuit board contacts when the actuator is in one of its positions, at least one of the switch contacts being spaced from its associated circuit board contact when the actuator is moved to its other position.