COVER

• US 20180275769A1
• Filed: 03/16/2018
• Published: 09/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: IKEDA, Kenichi, MARUYAMA, Kazuhiro, KAWAI, Kochi
• Granted Patent: US 10,747,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/039 Accessories therefor, e.g. mouse pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0393 Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22

Abstract

A non-limiting example cover includes a first cover portion that is provided with a plurality of operation buttons. Each of key tops of the plurality of operation buttons is constituted by a key top portion, an actuator and a conductive member. A connection portion of a conductive sheet is provided between the key top portion and the actuator, and the connection portion is connected, via a coupling portion, to a body portion that is provided on an outside of an area arranged with the key tops. The connection portion is connected to a protrusion provided on a lower side of the key top. Resin plating is applied to the protrusion, and when the key top is depressed and thus a portion of the key top portion where the protrusion is provided is brought into contact to the conductive member, the conductive member and the conductive sheet are electrically connected to each other via the resin plating. Therefore, an electrostatic capacitance of a touch panel changes at a portion that the conductive member is in contact, whereby it can be detected that the touch panel is touched at the portion concerned.

Claims

1. A cover that is removably attachable to electronic equipment having a touch screen equipped with a touch panel of an electrostatic capacitance system and a display, comprising:

a key top that is operable by a user;

a first conductive portion that is contactable to the touch screen;

a second conductive portion that is electrically connected to the first conductive portion in response to the operation of the key top so as to make the touch panel react; and

a returning portion that returns the key top to a state where the key top is not operated after the key top is operated.

2. The cover according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the first conductive portion is arranged between the key top and the touch screen.

3. The cover according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the second conductive portion is provided outside the key top and inside the cover.

4. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the second conductive portion includes at least a connection portion configured to connect to the first conductive portion.

5. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the second conductive portion is in a form of thin film at least a part of the second conductive portion.

6. The cover according to claim 1, wherein a part of the second conductive portion is configured to contact to a housing of the electronic equipment.

7. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive portion is provided in a plural number.

8. The cover according to claim 7, wherein the second conductive portion is configured to be connected to the plurality of first conductive portions.

9. The cover according to claim 7, wherein the second conductive portion includes a plurality of connection portions, and each of the plurality of connection portions is configured to be electrically connected to corresponding one of the first conductive portions.

10. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the key top is a direction input portion configured to input a direction.

11. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the key top is provided with a protruding portion, and the second conductive portion is formed with a first hole configured to be engaged with the protruding portion.

12. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the key top is provided with a protruding portion, and the returning portion is formed with a second hole configured to be engaged with the protruding portion.

13. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the cover includes a first cover portion that covers at least a part of the touch screen on a surface of the electronic equipment and a second cover portion that covers at least a part of a surface of the electronic equipment opposite to the surface provided with the touch screen.

14. The cover according to claim 13, wherein the key top is provided on the first cover portion.

15. The cover according to claim 13, wherein the first cover portion is formed with an opening or cutout configured to make at least a part of the touch screen be visibly recognized.

16. The cover according to claim 15, the first cover portion is provided with a transmissive portion that transmissively covers the opening or cutout.

17. The cover according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the key top to be touched by a user when being operated is non-conductive.

18. A cover that is removably attachable to electronic equipment having a touch screen equipped with a touch panel of an electrostatic capacitance system and a display, comprising:

a key top that is operable by a user;

a first conductive portion that is contactable to the touch screen; and

a second conductive portion that is electrically connected to the first conductive portion in response to the operation of the key top so as to make the touch panel react, wherein

the second conductive portion is provided outside the key top and inside the cover.

19. The cover according to claim 18, wherein at least a part of the key top to be touched by a user when being operated is non-conductive.

20. A cover that is removably attachable to electronic equipment having a touch screen equipped with a touch panel of an electrostatic capacitance system and a display, comprising:

a first cover portion that covers at least a part of the touch screen; and

a second cover portion that covers a surface of the electronic equipment opposite to a surface provided with the touch screen, wherein

the first cover portion is formed with an opening or cutout configured to make at least a part of the touch screen be visually recognized, and

the first cover portion is provided with a key top that is operable by a user and a conductor configured to contact to the touch panel and is connected in order to make the touch panel react in response to an operation of the key top, and

the key top includes a first portion that is touched when being operated by the user, a second portion that is contactable to the conductor and a third portion that connects the first portion and the second portion to each other, the third portion having conductivity.