Tony M Oct 4, 2022:

@ Asker No, that's not what the leaf refers to.
It is the type of the actual switch mechanism: the 'leaf' is a fine flexible strip of metal that forms the moving contact of the switch; this technology is only suitable form small, low-current / low-voltage switches, but enables the kind of miniaturisation essential in things like microswitches.
This is why I pointed out that 'leaf' doesn't really belong with the 'lever', and as such is arguably spurious detail in this text.
The above comments assume that the actual lever itself is (fairly) rigid, as they usually are; some different kinds of microswitch do have a 'springy', flexible lever which might at a stretch be thought of as being like a 'leaf' — though arent's usually bent in this way.
Perhaps more context about the actual device in question would help to clear this up?

Jean-Christophe Duc (asker) Oct 4, 2022:

@Samuel Thanks for the link/refs

Jean-Christophe Duc (asker) Oct 4, 2022:

@Tony, thanks. I understand "leaf" in leaf switch as refering to the shape of the lever, i.e. a thin blade (lame)?

Tony M Oct 4, 2022:

@ Samuël I have some doubts; it is not the 'lever' itself that is in any way 'à lames' — it is the microswitch itself: these are often also known as 'leaf switches', due to the way they operate electrically.
So this is the '(leaf) switch operating lever' — TBH, the 'leaf' is redundant and didn't need to have been added here: there is no other lever involved, and hence no reason to specifically state which lever here. In my technical opinion, it has no translation value here.

Samuël Buysschaert Oct 3, 2022:

Fwiw Actionneur à lame ou levier à lame peut-être?
Sans certitude mais cela m'a fait penser à qqch comme "leaf spring"

MICRORUPTEURS INTERRUPTEURS À BASCULE
https://switches-sensors.zf.com/fr/wp-content/uploads/sites/... (p.5)