A control element having a beam member divided into an actuation section and a valve section positioned on opposing sides of a pivot member, in which active control of the actuation section causes buckling of the valve section to bring the valve section from a closed state to an open state or causes relaxing of the valve section to bring the valve section from an open state to a closed state.

A control element having a beam member divided into an actuation section and a valve section positioned on opposing sides of a pivot member, in which active control of the actuation section causes buckling of the valve section to bring the valve section from a closed state to an open state or causes relaxing of the valve section to bring the valve section from an open state to a closed state.

A pressure switch including: a spring blade; a ram pin having an angled bottom surface and laterally restrained in movement, where upward movement of the ram pin engages the spring blade such that the spring blade snap deflects to an engaged position, and where downward movement of the ram pin engages the spring blade such that the spring blade snap deflects to an unengaged position; a ball bearing in contact with the angled bottom surface of the ram pin; and an adjustment screw laterally restraining the ball bearing in movement, where a lateral inward movement of the adjustment screw relative to an outside surface of the pressure switch causes an upward movement of the ram pin, and where a lateral outward movement of the adjustment screw relative to the outside surface of the pressure switch causes a downward movement of the ram pin.

A pressure switch including: a spring blade; a ram pin having an angled bottom surface and laterally restrained in movement, where upward movement of the ram pin engages the spring blade such that the spring blade snap deflects to an engaged position, and where downward movement of the ram pin engages the spring blade such that the spring blade snap deflects to an unengaged position; a ball bearing in contact with the angled bottom surface of the ram pin; and an adjustment screw laterally restraining the ball bearing in movement, where a lateral inward movement of the adjustment screw relative to an outside surface of the pressure switch causes an upward movement of the ram pin, and where a lateral outward movement of the adjustment screw relative to the outside surface of the pressure switch causes a downward movement of the ram pin.

A highly durable, quiet switch includes a housing, a stationary contact terminal including a fixed portion, a moving contact terminal, a moving contact unit including a body, a moving portion, and an urging member and connected to the moving contact terminal, an operating unit, a first elastic unit that comes in contact with the moving contact unit and elastically deforms when the moving portion moves away from the fixed portion, and a second elastic unit including a contact point between the moving portion and the fixed portion facing the moving portion to come in contact with the moving portion. The second elastic unit elastically deforms and electrically connects the stationary and moving contact terminals when the moving portion moves toward the fixed portion and comes in contact with the contact point.

A highly durable, quiet switch includes a housing, a stationary contact terminal including a fixed portion, a moving contact terminal, a moving contact unit including a body, a moving portion, and an urging member and connected to the moving contact terminal, an operating unit, a first elastic unit that comes in contact with the moving contact unit and elastically deforms when the moving portion moves away from the fixed portion, and a second elastic unit including a contact point between the moving portion and the fixed portion facing the moving portion to come in contact with the moving portion. The second elastic unit elastically deforms and electrically connects the stationary and moving contact terminals when the moving portion moves toward the fixed portion and comes in contact with the contact point.

A switch mechanism has a compliant buckling bar that includes a single fixed end mounted to a mounting surface and a free end that is displaced with respect to the fixed end. The mounting of the fixed end to the mounting surface may constitute the only fixed connection between the bar and the mounting surface. The bar moves between two stable positions in response to a transition force applied transversely to the free end. Residual stress in the bar may be higher when the free end is at each of the stable positions than when the free end is at a neutral position located between the stable positions.

A switch mechanism has a compliant buckling bar that includes a single fixed end mounted to a mounting surface and a free end that is displaced with respect to the fixed end. The mounting of the fixed end to the mounting surface may constitute the only fixed connection between the bar and the mounting surface. The bar moves between two stable positions in response to a transition force applied transversely to the free end. Residual stress in the bar may be higher when the free end is at each of the stable positions than when the free end is at a neutral position located between the stable positions.

A bi-stable assembly for a switch assembly includes: a cam configured to have two stable positions: a first stable position, and a second stable position; a flexible member that includes: a first holding portion; a second holding portion; and a middle portion between the first holding portion and the second holding portion; and an operating interface configured to rotate the cam relative to the flexible member. The first holding portion is configured to hold the cam in the first stable position; and the second holding portion is configured to hold the cam in the second stable position.

A control element having a beam member divided into an actuation section and a valve section positioned on opposing sides of a pivot member, in which active control of the actuation section causes buckling of the valve section to bring the valve section from a closed state to an open state or causes relaxing of the valve section to bring the valve section from an open state to a closed state.