Air-gap slide switch

Abstract

An improved air-gap slide switch is provided. The air-gap slide switch comprises a slide switch assembly having a slide body and a slide contact removably attached to the slide body for providing electrical conductivity between two printed circuit board contacts when the slide body is in a closed position. No conductivity is provided between the PCB contacts when the slide body is in an open position. The slide body also comprises a longitudinally extending channel wherein a compression spring may be mounted. The compression spring provides a biasing force between the slide body and the slide contact. The slide contact includes two contact arms that retain the slide contact within two contact arm channels located on the slide body. By slidably retaining the contact arms in the contact arm channels, the slide contact is provided a degree of longitudinal motion with respect to the spring channel and the compression spring. As the slide body is moved laterally back and forth from an open to a closed position, a near compressive force is maintained between the slide contact and the PCB contacts.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
         1 . An air-gap slide switch, comprising: 
 a slide body having a longitudinally extending channel therethrough;    a slide contact slidably retained by said slide body;    a spring mounted within said channel providing a biasing force between said slide body and said slide contact; and    two contacts, and wherein said slide contact provides electrical conductivity between said two contacts when said slide body is in a closed position.    
     
     
         2 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 1   , wherein said slide contact does not provide electrical conductivity between said two contacts when said slide body is in an open position.  
     
     
         3 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 2   , wherein said channel is cylindrical.  
     
     
         4 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 3   , wherein said spring comprises a cylindrical compression spring.  
     
     
         5 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 4   , wherein said slide contact comprises a contact surface and two contact arms, and wherein said slide body further comprises two contact arm channels disposed at opposite sides of said slide body.  
     
     
         6 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 5   , wherein each one of said contact arms is slidably retained by one of said contact arm channels.  
     
     
         7 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 6   , further comprising: 
 a mount plate having an aperture for receiving a portion of said slide body.    
     
     
         8 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 7   , wherein said aperture permits said slide body to move only within said open position and said closed position.  
     
     
         9 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 8   , wherein said slide body further comprises an upper slide extension and a lower slide extension.  
     
     
         10 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 9   , wherein said mount plate is disposed between said upper slide extension and said lower slide extension.  
     
     
         11 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 10   , further comprising: 
 a button capture plate removably attached to said mount plate and having a slot for receiving an end portion of said slide body.    
     
     
         12 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 11   , wherein said slot permits said slide body to move only within said open position and said closed position.  
     
     
         13 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 12   , wherein said end portion of said slide body is flush with a top portion of said capture plate.  
     
     
         14 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 13   , wherein said two contacts are mounted on a printed circuit board.  
     
     
         15 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 14   , wherein said printed circuit board is operably coupled to said mount plate.  
     
     
         16 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 15   , wherein said two contacts are the same width as said slide contact.  
     
     
         17 . An air-gap slide switch comprising: 
 a slide body having a longitudinally extending cylindrical channel therethrough and two contact arm channels disposed at opposite sides of said slide body;    a slide contact comprising a contact surface and two contact arms, each one of said contact arms slidably retained by one of said contact arm channels;    a cylindrical compression spring mounted within said channel providing a biasing force between said slide body and said slide contact; and    a printed circuit board comprising two contacts;    and wherein said contact surface provides electrical conductivity between said two contacts when said slide body is in a closed position.    
     
     
         18 . The air-gap switch of    claim 17   , wherein said contact surface does not provide electrical conductivity between said two contacts when said slide body is in an open position.  
     
     
         19 . The air-gap switch of    claim 18   , further comprising: 
 a mount plate having an aperture for receiving a portion of said slide body.    
     
     
         20 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 19   , wherein said aperture permits said slide body to move only within said open position and said closed position.  
     
     
         21 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 20   , wherein said slide body further comprises an upper slide extension and a lower slide extension.  
     
     
         22 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 21   , wherein said mount plate is disposed between said upper slide extension and said lower slide extension.  
     
     
         23 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 22   , further comprising: 
 a button capture plate removably attached to said mount plate and having a slot for receiving an end portion of said slide body.    
     
     
         24 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 23   , wherein said slot permits said slide body to move only within said open position and said closed position.  
     
     
         25 . The air-gap slide switch of    claim 24   , wherein said end portion of said slide body is flush with a top portion of said capture plate.