Membrane keyswitch

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a flexible, thin plastic film membrane switch in which a plastic housing houses an individual switch. The switch includes a flexible membrane which has a pair of unconnected, interleaved conductive patterns which extend over two elongated arms, each of which has an aperture through the conductive pattern. A conductive terminal is passed through each of the apertures with its sides making electrical connection with the associated conductive pattern and to lock the flexible membrane in place in a chamber of the housing of the switch. The upper portion of the flexible membrane then passes over a curved rib and is reverse bent back over the top of the terminals. A spacer formed by a piece of thin, plastic film material with a rectangular aperture in it is secured to an electrically-conductive plate to provide the necessary spacing between the conductive patterns on the membrane and the conductive plate. The flexible membrane, the spacer and the conductive plate are preferably all sealed together so that they may be handled as one complete unit. Indicator lights may be inserted into a second chamber of the switch housing through apertures in the bottom of the housing. A flexible touch panel is then inserted over the upper portion of the reverse-bent flexible membrane to complete the switch.