John P Koepke, 60Chicago, IL

4267417, May 12, 1981

Jun 9, 1980

6/157903

John A. Koepke - Mount Prospect IL

Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Chicago IL

H01H 1302
H01H 1370

200159B

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.

3988557, Oct 26, 1976

Jan 27, 1975

5/544546

Richard C. Francke - Streamwood IL
John A. Koepke - Des Plaines IL

Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Chicago IL

H01H 916

200314

A lighted pushbutton electrical switch assembly for either one light or two light operation is provided with a switching mechanism that has one or more upwardly projecting depressible actuating members and a plurality of terminal leads which pass up the outside of the housing to the top of the housing where they are terminated in connecting pads with a pad at each of the four corners of the housing and one in the center which is electrically connected to one of the corner pads. An outer housing receives the switching mechanism in its lower end and a lens section in its open upper end. An intermediate horizontal partition in the housing retains a plurality of conductive coil springs to make contact between the connecting pads and the bulbs. The pushbutton member for actuating the switch receives the light bulbs in apertures in its base. Electrical contacts secured on the pushbutton member complete the circuit for the light bulbs.