Sealed rectangular pushbutton switch

Claim 1

A pushbutton switch comprising, in combination: a housing having a rectangular opening in a forward end thereof defined by interior surfaces of housing sidewalls; switch contacts mounted within said housing; operating means mounted for linear reciprocal movement in said housing for operating said switch contacts, said operating means comprising a single rectangular pushbutton disposed within said substantially filling said rectangular opening, said pushbutton being depressible inwardly of said housing, a cylindrical sealing surface disposed rearwardly of said rectangular pushbutton and having its axis aligned with said linear reciprocal movement, and a raised annular rib on said cylindrical sealing surface; and a resilient seal disposed over said forward end of said housing, said seal comprising a tubular rectangular body having sidewalls extending inwardly into said rectangular opening along said interior surfaces of said housing sidewalls substantially beyond said cylindrical sealing surface, a cylindrical portion centrally disposed within said rectangular body having its axis aligned with said linear reciprocal movement, a forward end of said cylindrical portion comprising a pair of axially spaced circular openings for engaging said cylindrical sealing surface on opposite sides of said annular rib for attachment to said operating means, a rear end of said cylindrical portion and a rear end of said rectangular body joined together by a reflex bend which is semicircular at points where said cylindrical portion is tangential to said rectangular body and comprises flat transverse wall sections at corners of said rectangular body between said tangential points, said flat wall sections joining said cylindrical portion and said rectangular portion by radiused portions which are continuations of said semicircular shape, said cylindrical portion translating rearwardly upon depression of said pushbutton causing said semicircular reflex bend to roll rearwardly along said interior surfaces of said housing sidewalls at said tengential points and causing said radiused portion adjacent said cylindrical portion to roll rearwardly with respect to said flat wall sections between said tangential points.