Claims
- 1. A closure-sensitive signalling device responsive to the opening of a folded article having first and second panels foldable with respect to each other along a fold line, comprising:
- a low-profile printed circuit board having a top surface and a bottom surface and adapted to have said bottom surface secured to said first panel with one end of said board adjacent to said fold line;
- a battery-powered signal generator IC mounted on said top surface of said board;
- means for generating a humanly perceptible signal in response to a signal from said signal generator IC; and
- a cantilever switch mounted on said one end of said board and electrically connected to said signal generator IC, said cantilever switch having a fulcrum on said top surface of said board and including
- a stationary electrical contact mounted on said board; and
- a conductive cantilever arm engageable with said stationary contact, said cantilever arm having one end secured to said board and engaged with said fulcrum on said top surface thereof, and a free end which is engageable with said second panel when said board is mounted on said first panel with said one end adjacent to said fold line.
- 2. The closure-sensitive signalling device of claim 1, wherein said stationary contact is mounted above said top surface of said board and said cantilever arm extends below said stationary contact.
- 3. The closure-sensitive signalling device of claim 2, wherein said cantilever arm includes an integral coil spring.
- 4. The closure-sensitive signalling device of claim 3, wherein said cantilever arm is longer than the distance between said stationary contact and said fulcrum.
- 5. The closure-sensitive signalling device of claim 4, wherein said one end of said cantilever arm extends downward through said top surface of said board.
- 6. A closure-sensitive signalling device responsive to the opening of a folded article having first and second panels foldable with respect to each other along a fold line, comprising:
- a low-profile printed circuit board having a top surface and a bottom surface and adapted to have said bottom surface secured to said first panel with one end of said board adjacent to said fold line;
- a battery-powered signal generator IC mounted on said top surface of said board;
- means for generating a humanly perceptible signal in response to a signal from said signal generator IC; and
- a cantilever switch mounted on said one end of said board and electrically connected to said signal generator IC, said cantilever switch including
- a stationary electrical contact mounted on said board;
- a conductive cantilever arm engageable with said stationary contact, said cantilever arm having one end secured to said board and a free end which is engageable with said second panel when said board is mounted on said first panel with said one end adjacent to said fold line; and
- spring means including a coil spring integrally formed with said cantilever arm for biasing said cantilever arm toward said stationary contact.
- 7. The closure-sensitive signalling device of claim 6, wherein said spring means includes a coil spring integrally formed with said cantilever arm.
- 8. The closure-sensitive signalling device of claim 6, wherein said stationary contact is mounted above said top surface of said board and said cantilever arm extends below said stationary contact.
- 9. A closure-sensitive signalling device responsive to the opening of a folded article having first and second panels foldable with respect to each other along a fold line, comprising:
- a low-profile printed circuit board having a top surface and a bottom surface and adapted to have said bottom surface secured to said first panel with one end of said board adjacent to said fold line;
- a battery-powered signal generator IC mounted on said top surface of said board;
- means for generating a humanly perceptible signal in response to a signal from said signal generator IC; and
- a cantilever switch mounted on said one end of said board and electrically connected to said sound generator IC, said cantilever switch including
- a stationary electrical contact mounted on said board; and
- a conductive cantilever arm of spring wire engageable with said stationary contact, said cantilever arm having one end secured to said board and a free end which is engageable with said second panel when said board is mounted on said first panel with said one end adjacent to said fold line.
- 10. The closure-sensitive signalling device of claim 9, wherein said cantilever arm includes an integral coil spring.
- 11. A folded card with a closure-sensitive signalling device, comprising:
- first and second panels of paper stock folded with respect to each other along a fold line, said first panel having inner and outer substantially parallel layers defining a sleeve therebetween; and
- a signalling device including a switch contained within said sleeve, said signalling device including a stationary electrical contact and a conductive lever arm supported by one of said layers, said lever arm having an attachment end, a center portion engageable with said stationary contact, and a free end extending out of said sleeve and engageable with said second panel, said lever arm including an integral coil spring, said signalling device further including a battery-powered signal generator IC having an input connected to said switch, and means for generating a humanly perceptible signal in response to a signal from said signal generator IC.
- 12. The folded card of claim 11, wherein said signalling device includes a switch base adhesively attached to said outer layer of said first panel, and wherein said stationary contact and said lever arm are mounted on said base.
- 13. The folded card of claim 12, wherein said switch base includes a top surface, and said stationary contact is mounted above said top surface of said base.
- 14. The folded card of claim 12, wherein said switch base defines a fulcrum for said lever arm, and the horizontal distance from said fulcrum to said stationary contact is greater than the horizontal distance from said stationary contact to the tip of said free end.
- 15. A closure-sensitive signalling device responsive to the opening of a folded article having first and second panels foldable with respect to each other along a fold line, comprising:
- a low-profile printed circuit board adapted for mounting on said first panel with one end of said board adjacent to said fold line;
- a battery-powered signal generator IC mounted on said printed circuit board;
- means for generating a humanly perceptible signal in response to a signal from said signal generator IC; and
- a cantilever switch mounted on said one end of said printed circuit board and electrically connected to said signal generator IC, said cantilever switch including
- a stationary electrical contact fixed in place on said printed circuit board; and
- a conductive cantilever arm engageable with said stationary contact, said cantilever arm having one end secured at more than one point on e surface of said printed circuit board, said cantilever arm further having a free end which is engageable with said second panel when said printed circuit board is mounted on said first panel with said one end adjacent to said fold line.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/074,874, filed Feb. 17, 1998.
US Referenced Citations (16)