Granted Patent B1

US 7,825,345 · App. 12/198,641 · Granted Nov 2, 2010

Abstract

Claims (41)

1. A reversely mountable tactile switch assembly for a printed circuit board comprising:

a) a switch housing supporting the tactile switch assembly;

b) the switch housing having at least two switch terminals of the tactile switch assembly extending therefrom in order to provide an electrical connection to a desired circuit on the printed circuit board;

c) the switch housing having an actuator button of the tactile switch assembly between the at least two switch terminals; and

d) the at least two switch terminals extending upwardly past the actuator button.

2. The reversely mountable tactile switch assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a) a switch base for the switch housing supporting the tactile switch assembly;

b) a contact being situated adjacent to the switch base;

c) the contact being connectable to the at least two switch terminals;

d) a stem being positioned to touch the contact;

e) a coating positioning the stem in the housing; and

f) a fastener holding the coating on the stem and the stem in the housing.

3. The reversely mountable tactile switch assembly of claim 2 further comprising a rubber layer being positioned between the coating and the fastener.

4. The reversely mountable tactile switch assembly of claim 3 further comprising the at least two switch terminals being four switch terminals.

5. In a printed circuit board having at least one tactile switch assembly, the printed circuit board being usable in an electronic assembly, the improvement comprising:

a) a switch housing supporting the tactile switch assembly;

b) the switch housing having at least two switch terminals, of the tactile switch assembly, extending therefrom in order to provide an electrical connection to a desired circuit;

c) the switch housing having an actuator button of the tactile switch assembly between the at least two switch terminals;

d) the at least two switch terminals extending upwardly past the actuator button

e) a switch base for the switch housing supporting the tactile switch;

f) a contact being situated adjacent to the switch base;

g) the contact being connectable to the at least two switch terminals;

h) a stem being positioned to touch the contact;

i) a coating positioning the stem in the housing;

j) a fastener holding the coating on the stem and the stem in the switch housing; and

k) a rubber layer being positioned between the coating and the fastener.

6. The printed circuit board of claim 5 further comprising the at least two switch terminals being four switch terminals.

7. A circuit housing for at least one printed circuit board comprising:

a) a mounting flange being secured to the circuit housing for supporting the circuit housing in a desired position;

b) the circuit housing having narrow width and a shallow depth;

c) a printed circuit board secured in the housing with at least one reversely mounted tactile switch assembly mounted thereon;

d) the circuit housing having a housing face;

e) the housing face having a light emitting diode aperture therein to receive a light emitting diode display;

f) a printed circuit board being mounted in the circuit housing;

g) the printed circuit board having a component side and a circuit side; and

h) the at least one reversely mounted tactile switch assembly being accessed from the circuit side.

8. The circuit housing of claim 7 further comprising:

a) the circuit housing having a snap fitting to support the printed circuit board within the circuit housing; and

b) the circuit housing having actuator posts to contact the reversely mounted tactile switch assembly as used on an appliance to provide a narrow width and a shallow depth for the circuit housing.

9. The circuit housing of claim 7 further comprising a rubber layer being positioned between the coating and the fastener.

10. The circuit housing of claim 9 further comprising the at least two switch terminals being four switch terminals.

Assignments (8)