Keyboard switch assembly with improved pushbutton and associated double snap acting actuator/contactor structure

Claim 1

In a keyboard assembly including first means for supporting electrically conductive contact means, contactor means positioned over but out of electrical contact with said electrically conductive contact means, a frame for supporting said first means, the improvement of said frame having a plurality of bores, extending from a top surface to a bottom surface thereof, a core positioned in each bore for slideable motion therein, each core having a top surface and a bottom surface a keyboard top of flexible and resilient substantially non-porous material positioned over at least portions of said frame top and sealing said bores at the top surface of the frame, a sheet of flexible and resilient insulator material positioned between the bottom of said cores and said said contactor means, said sheet of insulator material having a plurality of raised bubbles, each bubble having at least a snappable curved portion and each bubble extending into a different one of said bores and being surrounded by said bore, each of said bubbles maintaining a portion of each of said cores top surface at least when at rest above the top surface of said frame to which said bores extend and said keyboard top portions sealing each of said bores comprising a raised bubble having a snappable curved surface extending above said bore and extending outwardly beyond the inner wall means defining each of the bores, said keyboard top snappable curved surface over each bore being depressible to urge said respective core bottom surface to force said respective snappable curved surface extending into the bottom of said bore to urge said contact means against said contactor means, both said snappable curved surfaces snapping upon sufficient depression of the respective snappable surface of the keyboard top to cause said contact means to engage said contactor means whereby a double snap action effect is provided.