Thin keyboard and components for electronics devices and methods

• US 7,070,349 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2004
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rodgers, Daniel P., Emmert, Steve C., Dombrowski, Richard J., Cauwels, Patrick J., Gordecki, Ryszard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirshfeld, Andrew H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ghatt, Dave A.
• Application Number:
  US10/871,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20050281605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 361/680, 200/5.A, 200/5.B, 400/490, 400/491, 400/491.1
• US Class Current: 400/490
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/07 metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/002 integral with membrane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/004 U-shaped openings surrounding keys
• 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 keypad assembly, the keypad assembly including a keycap layer 110 having multiple user interface key caps flexibly coupled to a carrier portion, a luminescent layer 120 disposed toward a backside of the plurality of key caps, the luminescent layer carrying a plurality of switch domes each aligned with a corresponding one of the plurality of key caps of the key cap layer. In some embodiments, a backing material is applied to a backside of the user interface key caps.

Claims

1. A keypad, the keypad comprising:

a plurality of user interface key caps, the plurality of user interface key caps separated by spaces on at least some sides thereof;

a carrier portion interconnecting the plurality of user interface key caps,

the plurality of user interface key caps flexibly coupled to the carrier portion, and the plurality of user interface key caps and the carrier portion constitute a unitary member,

the plurality of user interface key caps and carrier portion formed of a metal material;

a flexible web interconnecting at least some of the plurality of user interface key caps.

2. The keypad of claim 1, the plurality of user interface key caps and carrier portion having a thickness not more than 1.5 mm.

3. The keypad of claim 1,

the flexible web and the plurality of user interface key caps comprise a common material and forming a unitary member,

the flexible web having a thickness less than a thickness of the user interface key caps.

4. The keypad of claim 1, a rigid backing disposed on a backside of at least some of the plurality of user interface key caps.

5. The keypad of claim 4,

the rigid backing is a plastic material,

the flexible web interconnecting the plurality of user interface key caps is an elastic material.

6. A keypad, the keypad comprising:

a plurality of user interface key caps, the plurality of user interface key caps separated by spaces on at least some sides thereof;

a carrier portion interconnecting the plurality of user interface key caps, the plurality of user interface key caps flexibly coupled to the carrier portion, the plurality of user interface key caps and the carrier portion constitute a unitary member and are formed of the same material;

a flexible web interconnecting at least some of the plurality of user interface key caps, the flexible web disposed on a backside of at least some of the plurality of user interface key caps,

the flexible web interconnecting the plurality of user interface key caps comprising an elastic material different than a material of the user interface key caps.

7. A keypad, the keypad comprising:

a plurality of user interface key caps, the plurality of user interface key caps separated by spaces on at least some sides thereof;

a carrier portion interconnecting the plurality of user interface key caps,

the plurality of user interface key caps flexibly coupled to the carrier portion, the plurality of user interface key caps and the carrier portion constitute a unitary member, the unitary member is a metal material;

a flexible web interconnecting at least some of the plurality of user interface key caps, the flexible web is a resilient material.

8. A keypad, the keypad comprising:

a plurality of user interface key caps, the plurality of user interface key caps separated by spaces on at least some sides thereof;

a carrier portion interconnecting the plurality of user interface key caps, the plurality of user interface key caps are metal, the plurality of user interface key caps flexibly coupled to the carrier portion, the plurality of user interface key caps and the carrier portion constitute a unitary member;

a rigid backing disposed on a backside of at least some of the plurality of user interface key caps;

a flexible web interconnecting at least some of the plurality of user interface key caps,

the flexible web interconnecting the plurality of user interface key caps is an elastic material.