Abstract: A damper is provided for a switch mechanism to prevent overtravel in response to a snap-release of a plunger when it is fully depressed. If no precautions are taken to prevent this type of overtravel, springs which urge the plunger away from its base can provide sufficient force to propel the plunger away from the base with sufficient speed and force to cause the plunger to travel past its intended unactuated position. The present invention utilizes a sloped cam surface which acts as a damper to divert the direction of travel of a cam follower relative to a cam and thereby dissipate the kinetic energy of the plunger, button and moveable components attached to the plunger.

Abstract: A pushbutton switch is provided with a safety mechanism that permits the button and plunger to be depressed following a relamping procedure in order to reset the mechanism without actuating the switch. When the plunger is pulled upward to initiate the relamping procedure, a cam follower is caused to move into a particular location of a cam and any subsequent downward movement of the plunger and cam after the cam follower has moved to that particular location of the cam will cause a protrusion of the cam to move into interfering relation with a protrusion of the base to prevent sufficient downward movement to actuate the switch during the process of resetting the button and plunger into the switch housing. A cam is attached to the plunger of the switch and is provided with the ability to move relative to the plunger in directions generally perpendicular to a first axis of movement which is the normal axis along which the plunger moves during operation.