Touchpad assembly

• US 6,281,887 B1
• Filed: 09/20/1999
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Wang, Jiann Bin
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US09/399,140
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/905, 345/168, 345/157, 341/22, 341/33, 341/34, 361/212, 361/220, 361/683, 361/686
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface

Abstract

A touchpad assembly includes a conductive base member having a looped frame, a plurality of spaced apart resilient touchpad supporting fingers that extend inwardly from the looped frame, and a resilient switch actuating finger that extends outwardly from the looped frame. The touchpad supporting fingers establish tight contact with the bottom side of a touchpad member to serve as a discharge path for static electricity. A key switch is disposed beneath the switch actuating finger, and a keypad member is mounted on a top side of the switch actuating finger. The keypad member is operable so as to bend the switch actuating finger relative to the looped frame and actuate the key switch.

Claims

1. A touchpad assembly comprising:

a touchpad member having a bottom side;

a conductive base member including a looped frame, a plurality of spaced apart resilient touchpad supporting fingers that extend inwardly from said looped frame, and a resilient switch actuating finger that extends outwardly from said looped frame, said touchpad supporting fingers establishing tight contact with said bottom side of said touchpad member to serve as a discharge path for static electricity;

a key switch disposed beneath said switch actuating finger; and

a keypad member mounted on a top side of said switch actuating finger, said keypad member being operable so as to bend said switch actuating finger relative to said looped frame and actuate said key switch.

2. The touchpad assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said base member is formed integrally from a stainless steel sheet.

3. The touchpad assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said touchpad supporting fingers have distal ends that are bent upwardly for establishing tight contact with said bottom side of said touchpad member.

4. The touchpad assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said looped frame is formed as a rectangular loop having a front side, a rear side, and left and right sides that cooperatively confine a central opening.

5. The touchpad assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein said touchpad supporting fingers extend from said left and right sides of said looped frame.

6. The touchpad assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein said switch actuating finger extends from said front side of said looped frame.