Touch-pad cover protecting against wear, spills and abuse

• US 6,614,423 B1
• Filed: 11/07/2000
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Fernando, Llavanya, Bunn, Eric A., Wong, Kyin Pauk, Yuen, Siltex Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sheng, Tom V.
• Application Number:
  US09/710,364
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, D14/345, 361/681, 361/683
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Apparatus for protecting a touch pad against wear, spills and abuse. An apparatus may include a cover for placement over a touch pad and adhesive, adhering to the cover, not adhering to the touch pad and for adhering to a surface surrounding the touch pad. The cover may have upper and lower surfaces. Then the adhesive adheres to the lower surface of the cover. An apparatus may include a touch pad with x and y orthogonal dimensions and at least one edge in each dimension, an overlay above the touch pad and with the touch pad forming a contour, and a plastic-film cover, above and adhering to the overlay, fitting the contour of the touch pad and overlay and covering two edges of the touch pad in each of the x and y dimensions. An edge of the touch pad may be the line at which the touch pad becomes accessible from under any overlying material.

Claims

1. A touch pad protected against its environment, the touch pad comprising:

a touch pad forming a contour and having x and y orthogonal dimensions and at least one edge in each of said dimensions, and having a physical extent of said touch pad defined by an edge thereof;

a cover disposed above said touch pad and covering an edge thereof in each of said x and y dimensions; and

an overlay disposed between said touch pad and and said cover;

wherein said cover fits said contour of said touchpad and said overlay and covers said touch pad and at least a portion of said overlay.

2. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein said edge of said touch pad defines a line at which said touch pad becomes accessible.

3. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein said cover covers two edges of said touch pad.

4. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein said cover covers two edges of said touch pad.

5. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein:

said overlay has outer edges defining a physical extent of said overlay, and

said cover covers at least one of said outer edges of said overlay.

6. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein:

said overlay has outer edges defining a physical extent thereof and has inner edges through which said touch pad is accessible.

7. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein said cover includes a waterproof plastic film.

8. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein said cover includes a plastic film.

9. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein said cover includes a polycarbonate film.

10. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein said cover adheres to at least a portion of said overlay.

11. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein said cover is adhered to at least a portion of said overlay.

12. A touch pad protected against its environment, the touch pad comprising:

a touch pad having x and y orthogonal dimensions and having at least one edge in each dimension;

an overlay disposed above said touch pad so as to form a contour with said touchpad;

a plastic-film cover, disposed above and adhering to said overlay, fitting said contour of said touch pad and overlay and covering two edges of said touch pad in each of the x and y dimensions,

wherein an edge of said touch pad defines a line at which said touch pad becomes accessible.