Slide switch

Abstract

A slide switch includes an electrically insulated support housing having an interior cavity and having an upper wall which defines an opening in communication with the interior cavity. An electrically insulated slide body is slidably disposed within the interior cavity of the support housing so as to be slidably movable reciprocally in an operation direction between first and second positions. The slide body has a knob which projects through the opening defined in the upper wall of the support housing to allow manual movement of the slide body between the first and second positions At least one pair of fixed contacts is disposed parallel, but spaced apart relative, to one another substantially transverse to the operation direction of the slide body The slide body also includes a movable contact sized and configured to be in contact with the pair of fixed conductors when the slide body is in the first position so as to make an electrical circuit therebetween, and to be disengaged from at least one of the fixed conductors when the slide body is in the second position so as to break electrical contact therebetween. The movable contact includes a main elongate contact strip and an auxiliary elongate contact strip disposed in parallel side-by-side relationship to one another in the operation direction of the slide body. The main contact strip includes a main protrusion for contacting the pair of fixed contacts when the slide body is in the first position thereof. The auxiliary contact strip includes an auxiliary protrusion spaced from the main protrusion in the operation direction of the slide body. The auxiliary protrusion thereby contacts one of the fixed contacts when the slide body is being moved from the first position and into the second position to thereby maintain the electrical circuit until the slide body reaches the second position.