Pressure sensitive direction switches

• US 6,437,682 B1
• Filed: 09/14/2001
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Vance, Scott LaDell
• Primary Examiner(s): Enad, Elvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Kyung S.
• Application Number:
  US09/952,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20020050919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5.A, 200/512, 200/517, 338/185, 338/154, 338/128, 338/118, 338/166, 338/99, 338/114, 338/71
• US Class Current: 338/185
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/70 having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard mounting together a plurality of independent switches H02B
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/785 characterised by the material of the contacts, e.g. conductive polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2025/046 having a spherical bearing between operating member and housing or bezel
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2025/048 having a separate central push, slide or tumbler button which is not integral with the operating part that surrounds it
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2201/032 Conductive polymer; Rubber
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2203/022 Helical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/036 Metallic disc
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/012 Joy stick type
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/018 Consecutive operations
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/024 Packing between substrate and membrane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/078 Variable resistance by variable contact area or point
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/008 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being perpendicular to the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/041 having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls

Abstract

Pressure sensitive direction devices are provided which may facilitate assembly and provide higher tolerance for variation in alignment of components while still providing for pressure sensitive direction detection. The devices of the present invention may be particularly advantageous when integrated into devices, such as cellular radiotelephones, to provide a user interface to facilitate user navigation through increasingly complex menu structures. In various embodiments, the present invention may detect pressure in addition to two and, preferably, at least four directions. In particular embodiments, the devices of the present invention provides a switching device having a plurality of trace grid areas located, for example, on a printed circuit board and actuated responsive to pressure applied by a user through a poly-dome layer where increase pressure results in contact with a greater number of the traces in respective grids. Alternative embodiments include trace patterns which are substantially circumferentially arranged in patterns configured to detect user input. A select switch is included in various embodiments of the present invention.

Claims