The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 30, 1982
Filed:
Jun. 04, 1980
James Meier, Des Plaines, IL (US);
Norlin Industries, Inc., White Plains, NY (US);
Abstract
This is an electrical switch mechanism actuated by a piano-style key of a musical instrument. The switch consists of a pair of cross-bar contacts, at least one of which is resiliently flexible. This resilience permits a moveable contact member to be driven into engagement with a fixed contact member, and also keeps it firmly biased against the fixed contact member for electrical communication therewith whenever the key is in its actuated position. When the key is released, an actuator member on the key captures the moveable contact and moves it away from the fixed contact. Upon actuation, the key over-travels beyond the point of contact engagement, but the actuator decouples from the contact so as to avoid any increase in contact pressure and prevent double-keying. Various techniques for minimizing impact noise during contact recapture, and for mounting the contacts upon a circuit board, are also disclosed.