WATERPROOF HOUSING FOR DIGITAL DEVICES HAVING CAPACITIVE TOUCH SCREEN AND ITS ACTUATOR MECHANISM

• US 20130082963A1
• Filed: 09/30/2012
• Published: 04/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Man Fong Chu
• Original Assignee: Man Fong Chu
• Inventors: CHU, Man Fong
• Granted Patent: US 9,170,690 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/008 for making water- or air-tight
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence

Abstract

An actuator mechanism for actuating a capacitive touch screen of a digital device held in a waterproof housing includes an actuator shaft extending through an opening formed on the housing, a press button connected to an outer end of the shaft, a probe head connected to an inner end of the shaft, and a biasing member adapted to urge the probe head away from the touch screen, whereby pushing the press button against the biasing force moves the probe head towards and in contact with the touch screen. A waterproof housing having actuator mechanisms is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A waterproof housing for a digital device having a capacitive touch screen, the waterproof housing comprising:

(a) a housing body for holding therein the digital device;

(b) an actuator shaft extending through an opening formed on the housing body;

(c) a press button connected to an outer end of the shaft;

(d) a probe head connected to an inner end of the shaft; and

(e) a biasing member adapted to urge the probe head away from the touch screen, wherein pushing the press button against the biasing force of the biasing member moves the probe head towards and in contact with the touch screen; and

wherein the press button, the shaft and the probe head are made of a material capable of conducting electric charge.

2. The waterproof housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the probe head comprises a probe pad made of rubber for direct contact with the touch screen.

3. The waterproof housing as claimed in claim 2, wherein the probe head comprises a sleeve mounted on the inner end of the shaft, and the probe pad is mounted on an enlarged free end of the sleeve.

4. The waterproof housing as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an adaptor having a first end connected to the inner end of the shaft, and a second end connected to the probe head located at an off-center position relative to a center axis defined by the shaft.

5. The waterproof housing as claimed in claim 4, wherein the adaptor comprises a through hole for receiving therein the inner end of the shaft.

6. The waterproof housing as claimed in claim 5, wherein the through hole of the adaptor and the inner end of the shaft received therein have non-circular cross section, whereby the adaptor is rotatable about the center axis of the shaft, and the probe head is moveable along a circular path over the touch screen thereby carrying out a “

touch-swipe”

or a “

touch-circle”

motion across the touch screen.

7. The waterproof housing as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a retaining ring fastened at the inner end of the shaft for retaining the adaptor at a position abutting against an inner surface of the housing body.

8. The waterproof housing as claimed in claim 4, wherein the press button, the shaft, the adaptor and the probe head are made of metal.

9. The waterproof housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the biasing member is a coil spring coiled around the outer end of the shaft between the press button and a washer seated in a circular recess formed on an outer surface of the housing body.

10. The waterproof housing as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an O-ring mounted on the shaft at the opening of the housing body for sealing a gap between the shaft and the opening.

11. An actuator mechanism for actuating a capacitive touch screen of a digital device held in a waterproof housing, the actuator mechanism comprising:

(a) an actuator shaft extending through an opening formed on the housing;

(b) a press button connected to an outer end of the shaft;

(c) a probe head connected to an inner end of the shaft; and

(d) a biasing member adapted to urge the probe head away from the touch screen, wherein pushing the press button against the biasing force of the biasing member moves the probe head towards and in contact with the touch screen; and

wherein the press button, the shaft and the probe head are made of a material capable of conducting electric charge.

12. The actuator mechanism as claimed in claim 11, wherein the probe head comprises a probe pad made of rubber for direct contact with the touch screen.

13. The actuator mechanism as claimed in claim 12, wherein the probe head comprises a sleeve mounted on the inner end of the shaft, and the probe pad is mounted on an enlarged free end of the sleeve.

14. The actuator mechanism as claimed in claim 11, further comprising an adaptor having a first end connected to the inner end of the shaft, and a second end connected to the probe head located at an off-center position relative to a center axis defined by the shaft.

15. The actuator mechanism as claimed in claim 14, wherein the adaptor comprises a through hole for receiving therein the inner end of the shaft.

16. The actuator mechanism as claimed in claim 15, wherein the through hole of the adaptor and the inner end of the shaft received therein have non-circular cross section, wherein the adaptor is rotatable about the center axis of the shaft, and the probe head is moveable along a circular path over the touch screen thereby carrying out a “

touch-swipe”

or a “

touch-circle”

motion across the touch screen.

17. The actuator mechanism as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a retaining ring fastened at the inner end of the shaft for retaining the adaptor at a position abutting against an inner surface of the housing.

18. The actuator mechanism as claimed in claim 14, wherein the press button, the shaft, the adaptor and the probe head are made of metal.

19. The actuator mechanism as claimed in claim 11, wherein the biasing member is a coil spring coiled around the outer end of the shaft between the press button and a washer seated in a circular recess formed on an outer surface of the housing.

20. The actuator mechanism as claimed in claim 11, further comprising an O-ring mounted on the shaft at the opening of the housing for sealing a gap between the shaft and the opening.