Switchcraft, Inc.

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

John R Herron

James R Bailey

A capacitive keyswitch comprising a first circuit support, an electrically insulating spacer, a dielectric structure, a second circuit support and an actuating assembly for actuating the keyswitch; the first circuit support is flexible and carries thereupon a first conductive circuit, the first conductive circuit includes a first conductive land; the second circuit support carries thereupon a second conductive circuit, the second conductive circuit including a second conductive land; the spacer has an aperture therethrough; the first conductive land, the second conductive land, and the aperture are substantially in register with the first conductive land and the second conductive land being in facing relation with respect to each other; the dielectric structure is interposed between the first and second conductive lands; the actuating assembly comprises a plunger and a pad; the pad is interposed between the plunger and the first circuit support whereby application of a force urging the plunger toward the first circuit support urges the pad against the first circuit support and, through the pad, urges the first circuit support toward the second circuit support, whereby capacitance between the first conductive land and the second conductive land is varied as the force is varied.

Capacitive keyswitch

An audio connector having a stationary member adapted to be mounted on a chassis or panel and a detachable member adapted to be interfitted with said stationary member. The stationary member has a post-like conductive housing disposed within a hollow collar member. The hollow collar member has an intermediate escutcheon plate for mounting the collar member to the chassis or panel. The stationary member has a plurality of female conductive pin receptacles for mating with male pins of the detachable member. The stationary member includes a unitary resilient latch having an elongated tongue-like conductive portion and a pair of conductive wing-like members offset from the elongated conductive portion. The detachable member has a sleeve-like conductive housing with a polarization groove for receiving the elongated conductive portion of the resilient latch and a lip cut through the polarization groove for engaging the conductive wing-like members when the detachable member is interfitted with the stationary member to lock the detachable and stationary members together. The stationary member includes a spring-loaded release mechanism having an elongated conductive lever. When it is desired to separate the detachable and stationary members the spring-loaded release mechanism slides to disengage the wing-like members from the lip. The stationary member is grounded through the mounting means to the chassis or panel and the tongue-like conductive portion is in electrical contact with the detachable member to provide electrical continuity between the detachable and stationary members. The latching system also reduces mechanical vibrations between the interfitted connector members and provides positive latching for the audio connector.

Miniature audio connector

An audio connector comprising the combination of a pair of detachable members, one of such members including a hollow sleeve-like conductive housing and a plurality of male conductive contact pins, the other one of such members having a post-like conductive housing and a plurality of female conductive pin receptacles adapted to mate with the male contact pins. A mechanical latching system including a unitary resilient latch having an elongated tongue-like conductive portion and a pair of conductive wing-like members offset from the elongated conductive portion is mounted on one of the pair of conductive housings. A manually actuated release means is mounted on the latch. The elongated tongue-like portion of the latch is adapted to slide within a polarization groove formed within the other one of the pair of conductive housings, such groove being cut through a lip formed on the inner periphery of the hollow sleeve-like conductive housing. The wing-like members engage the lip to lock the members together until the release means is actuated to disengage the wing-like members from the lip. The tongue-like conductive portion provides electrical continuity between the conductive housings, reduces mechanical vibrations between the pair of members, and provides a keying mechanism for the connector.

Growing community of inventors

Park Ridge, IL, United States of America

John R Herron