Abstract

An improved switch apparatus for monitor presence of the patient in a hospital or nursing home bed and responsible to distortion by the weight of the patient, the switch being formed of an elongated, thin rectangular base member of insulating, flexible material having an elongated generally rectangular cutout in it, a first and second plastic cover members encompassing the base member, the plastic cover members being sealed around the edges and the plastic cover members having conductive layers affixed to the opposed surfaces on either side of the base member and arranged so that the conductive layers are spaced apart from each other in the area of the cutout and held apart by the memory of the base and plastic covers and a cable having one conductor connected to the conductive layer on one cover member and another conductor connected to the conductive layer on the other cover member, the conductive surfaces contacting each other through the cutout in the base member when the switch apparatus is subject to bending or twisting distortion.