Flexible tactile switch

Claim 1

A first elongated flexible member and a second elongated flexible member positioned in facing relation to each other and movable toward and away from each other and movable with respect to each other longitudinally; a first elongated electrical contact strip on the surface of said first flexible member that faces said second flexible member, and a second elongated electrical contact strip on said surface of said first flexible member that faces said second flexible member, said first and second electrical contact strips being positioned in substantially parallel, spaced-apart relation to each other on said surface of said first flexible member; a third elongated electrical contact strip on the surface of said second flexible member that faces said first flexible member, said third elongated strip being oriented substantially parallel to said first and second contact strips and being of sufficient width and aligned in such a manner as to be able to register with and contact both said first and second contact strips simultaneously when said first and second flexible strips are moved toward each other; compressible spacer means positioned between said first and second flexible members for holding a space between said first and second flexible members, said first and second flexible members being collapsible toward each other under the urging of an external force a sufficient distance such that said third contact strip can contact said first and second contact strips simultaneously; and elongated tubular container means encapsulating said first and second flexible members for holding said first and second flexible members in registration side to side, said first and second flexible members then being movable with respect to each other lengthwise to accomodate said holding of a space between said first and second flexible members while said first and second flexible members are formed simultaneously into arcuate and torqued configurations, and retaining the properties of said first and second flexible members, said members being positioned with said alignment and being collapsible toward each other under the urging of an external force a sufficient distance such that contact is made between the said third contact strip and the said first and second contact strips.

Claim 5

The apparatus claim of 3, wherein said first and second flexible members are non-electrically conductive and said first, second and third electrical contact strips are uninsulated strips of electrically conductive material adhered to said surface of said first and second flexible members with said separate individual circuit electrical leads of said first contact strip positioned to one side of said foam spacer strip and said separate sets of first contact strip and said common electrical lead of said second contact strip are positioned to the opposite side of said compressible spacer means and said third contact strip is positioned to one side of the longitudinal center line of said second flexible member in a manner to provide said register with both said first and second contact strips.