Switch with magnetically-coupled armature

Claim 2

An electrical switch, comprising: a carrier having first and second surfaces; a set of electrodes disposed on one of said carrier surfaces and defining at least one pair of spaced switch contacts; an actuator for selectively opening or closing the switch contacts, the actuator comprising an electrically conductive armature disposed on said one of the carrier surfaces, and a coupler movably mounted on the other of the carrier surfaces, the coupler being a permanent magnet and the armature being made of magnetic material such that the armature is normally held in engagement with said one surface of the carrier by the magnetic attraction between the coupler and armature, movement of the coupler causing corresponding movement of the armature into and out of shorting relation with the switch contacts; and a detent plate adjacent the coupler, the detent plate being made of magnetic material and having a plurality of spaced ribs spanning the path of movement of the coupler, the magnetic attraction between the coupler and ribs providing a tactile sensation that defines a switch position.

Claim 3

The switch of claim 1 wherein the detent plate is generally circular and the ribs are arranged radially thereon.

Claim 4

An electrical switch, comprising: a flexible member having first and second surfaces; a first set of electrodes disposed on one of said flexible member surfaces and defining at least one first pair of spaced switch contacts; an actuator for selectively opening or closing the switch contacts, the actuator comprising an electrically conductive armature disposed on said one of the flexible member surfaces, and a coupler movably mounted on the other of the flexible member surfaces, the coupler being a permanent magnet and the armature being made of magnetic material such that the armature is normally held in engagement with said one surface of the flexible member by the magnetic attraction between the coupler and armature, movement of the coupler causing corresponding movement of the armature into and out of shorting relation with the switch contacts; a spacer adjacent said one surface of the flexible member with an opening defined in the spacer; a substrate adjacent said spacer; a second set of electrodes disposed on one of either the flexible member or the substrate and defining at least one second pair of spaced switch contacts; and a shorting pad disposed on the other of either the flexible member or the substrate in facing relation with the second set of electrodes such that deflection of the flexible member causes contact between the second set of electrodes and the shorting pad, thereby closing the switch defined by said electrodes.

Claim 5

An electrical switch, comprising: a flexible member having first and second surfaces; a first set of electrodes disposed on one of said flexible member surfaces and defining at least one first pair of spaced switch contacts; an actuator for selectively opening or closing the switch contacts, the actuator comprising an electrically conductive armature disposed on said one of the flexible member surfaces, and a coupler movably mounted on the other of the flexible member surfaces, the coupler being a permanent magnet and the armature being made of magnetic material such that the armature is normally held in engagement with said one surface of the flexible member by the magnetic attraction between the coupler and armature, movement of the coupler causing corresponding movement of the armature into and out of shorting relation with the switch contacts; a spacer adjacent said one surface of the flexible member with an opening defined in the spacer; a substrate adjacent said spacer; a second set of electrodes disposed on one of either the flexible member or the substrate and defining at least one second pair of spaced switch contacts; and a shorting pad disposed on the other of either the flexible member or the substrate in facing relation with the second set of electrodes such that deflection of the flexible member causes contact between the second set of electrodes and the shorting pad, thereby closing the switch defined by said electrodes.

Claim 6

The switch of claim 3 wherein the flexible member comprises a carrier layer.

Claim 7

The switch of claim 3 wherein the flexible member comprises a carrier layer and a membrane lying directly adjacent one another with the second electrodes or shorting pad formed on the membrane.

Claim 8

The switch of claim 3 wherein the actuator further comprises a knob, the knob being movably mounted on the other of the flexible member surfaces and having a coupler therein which moves with the knob, and a pushbutton extending through the knob into contact with the flexible member.

Claim 9

An electrical switch, comprising: a carrier having first and second surfaces; a set of electrodes disposed on one of said carrier surfaces and defining at least one pair of spaced switch contacts; an actuator for selectively opening or closing the switch contacts, the actuator comprising an electrically conductive armature disposed on said one of the carrier surfaces, and a coupler movably mounted on the other of the carrier surfaces, the coupler being a permanent magnet and the armature being made of magnetic material such that the armature is normally held in engagement with said one surface of the carrier by the magnetic attraction between the coupler and armature, movement of the coupler causing corresponding movement of the armature into and out of shorting relation with the switch contacts; and a dome member connected to the carrier defining a chamber in which the armature resides.

Claim 10

An electrical switch, comprising: a carrier having first and second surfaces; a set of electrodes disposed on one of said carrier surfaces and defining at least one pair of spaced switch contacts; an actuator for selectively opening or closing the switch contacts, the actuator comprising an electrically conductive armature disposed on said one of the carrier surfaces, and a coupler movably mounted on the other of the carrier surfaces, the coupler being a permanent magnet and the armature being made of magnetic material such that the armature is normally held in engagement with said one surface of the carrier by the magnetic attraction between the coupler and armature, movement of the coupler causing corresponding movement of the armature into and out of shorting relation with the switch contacts; and a dome member connected to the carrier defining a chamber in which the armature resides.

Claim 11

The switch of claim 7 further comprising a bracket attached to the carrier and the dome member is affixed to the bracket.

Claim 12

The switch of claim 8 wherein the bracket further comprises hooks engageable with the dome member.

Claim 13

The switch of claim 7 further comprising an armature retainer rotatable with the armature in the chamber.

Claim 14

An electrical switch, comprising: a carrier having first and second surfaces; a set of electrodes disposed on one of said carrier surfaces and defining at least one pair of spaced switch contacts; an actuator for selectively opening or closing the switch contacts, the actuator comprising an electrically conductive armature disposed on said one of the carrier surfaces, and a coupler movably mounted on the other of the carrier surfaces, the coupler being a permanent magnet and the armature being made of magnetic material such that the armature is normally held in engagement with said one surface of the carrier by the magnetic attraction between the coupler and armature, movement of the coupler causing corresponding movement of the armature into and out of shorting relation with the switch contacts; and an armature retainer engageable with the armature and movable therewith.

Claim 15

An electrical switch, comprising: a carrier having first and second surfaces; a set of electrodes disposed on one of said carrier surfaces and defining at least one pair of spaced switch contacts; an actuator for selectively opening or closing the switch contacts, the actuator comprising an electrically conductive armature disposed on said one of the carrier surfaces, and a coupler movably mounted on the other of the carrier surfaces, the coupler being a permanent magnet and the armature being made of magnetic material such that the armature is normally held in engagement with said one surface of the carrier by the magnetic attraction between the coupler and armature, movement of the coupler causing corresponding movement of the armature into and out of shorting relation with the switch contacts; and an armature retainer engageable with the armature and movable therewith.

Claim 16

The switch of claim 11 wherein the armature retainer comprising a generally flat disk having openings therein for receiving the armature.

Claim 17

An electrical switch, comprising: a carrier block having first and second surfaces and a groove formed in the first surface; a set of spaced electrodes disposed in said groove; an actuator comprising an electrically conductive armature disposed in said groove, and a coupler movably mounted on the second carrier block surface, the coupler being a permanent magnet and the armature being made of magnetic material such that the armature is normally held in engagement with said groove by the magnetic attraction between the coupler and armature, movement of the coupler causing corresponding movement of the armature with respect to the electrodes.

Claim 18

An electrical switch, comprising: a carrier block having first and second surfaces and a groove formed in the first surface; a set of spaced electrodes disposed in said groove; an actuator comprising an electrically conductive armature disposed in said groove, and a coupler movably mounted on the second carrier block surface, the coupler being a permanent magnet and the armature being made of magnetic material such that the armature is normally held in engagement with said groove by the magnetic attraction between the coupler and armature, movement of the coupler causing corresponding movement of the armature with respect to the electrodes.

Claim 19

The switch of claim 13 wherein the groove is generally V-shaped.

Claim 20

A potentiometer, comprising: a carrier having first and second surfaces; a set of electrodes disposed on one of said carrier surfaces and defining at least one resistive element and an associated common contact spaced from the resistive element; and an actuator for selectively operating the potentiometer, the actuator comprising an electrically conductive armature disposed on said one of the carrier surfaces, normally in contact with both the common contact and resistive element, and a coupler movably mounted on the other of the carrier surfaces, the coupler being a permanent magnet and the armature being made of magnetic material such that the armature is normally held in engagement with said one surface of the carrier by the magnetic attraction between the coupler and armature, movement of the coupler causing corresponding movement of the armature along the resistive element and in engagement with the common contact.

Claim 21

A potentiometer, comprising: a carrier having first and second surfaces; a set of electrodes disposed on one of said carrier surfaces and defining at least one resistive element and an associated common contact spaced from the resistive element; and an actuator for selectively operating the potentiometer, the actuator comprising an electrically conductive armature disposed on said one of the carrier surfaces, normally in contact with both the common contact and resistive element, and a coupler movably mounted on the other of the carrier surfaces, the coupler being a permanent magnet and the armature being made of magnetic material such that the armature is normally held in engagement with said one surface of the carrier by the magnetic attraction between the coupler and armature, movement of the coupler causing corresponding movement of the armature along the resistive element and in engagement with the common contact.

Claim 22

The structure of claim 15 wherein the actuator further comprises a knob mounted for movement adjacent the other of said carrier surfaces, the coupler being connected to the knob for movement therewith adjacent said other surface of the carrier.