Electrical switches have many applications. For example, switches have been used in interlock circuits for lawn and garden tractors and similar vehicles, automobile car doors, refrigerator doors, and home appliances. One type of switch is a momentary switch that includes an actuator that is automatically returned to a normal position. The actuator may be returned to the normal position by a biasing member, such as a spring or a dome contact. In the normal position, two terminals of the switch are in a first state (either open or closed). The actuator can be moved to an actuated position by imparting a force on the actuator. For example, the actuator of a pushbutton switch with a normally extended actuator can be depressed by a user's finger or it can be positioned such that closing a door or sitting on a seat moves the actuator from the normal, extended position to an actuated, depressed position. When the actuator is in the second position, the terminals of the switch are in a second state (closed if the terminals were open in the fist state or open if the terminals were closed in the first state). When the force is removed from the actuator, the actuator automatically returns to the normal position.
Another type of switch is a sustained action switch. A two position sustained action switch includes an actuator that is moveable between two positions. The first position corresponds to a first state of the switch terminals and the second position corresponds to a second state of the switch terminals. The actuator can be moved from the first position to the second position by imparting a force on the actuator. The actuator remains in the second position until a second force is applied to the switch actuator to return the actuator to the first position.