Pushbutton dial assembly

Abstract

A pushbutton dial assembly, particularly for a telephone handset, is in the form of a sandwich structure comprising a pushbutton member having a plurality of push buttons; a flexible transfer member having a plurality of actuating members, one for each push button, each actuating member having a domed portion extending away from the push button; a flexible contact member having a plurality of domed areas or bubbles, the domed areas extending towards the actuating members and in contact with the domed portions, the concave surface of each domed area having a conducting surface; a flexible insulating spacer member with apertures aligned with the domed areas; and a circuit member having a plurality of contact areas, a contact area aligned with each domed area, and a circuit pattern interconnecting the contact areas. Pressure on a pushbutton causes a domed portion to depress the related domed area which snaps through to make contact with the related contact area. The circuit member can be part of a flexible circuit member carrying electronic components. Grounding means are provided for by-passing static charges occurring on actuation of push button by a user.