Handset keypad

• US 7,834,853 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2006
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Finney, Mark D., Emmert, Steve C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tryder; Gregory J
• Application Number:
  US11/459,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20080037765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,576 Days
• Field of Search: 345168-178, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/575.1, 455/575.8, 341 20- 22, 463/37, 200/5.A, 200/521, 200/513
• US Class Current: 345/169
• 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 (1200) includes a plurality of keys (1202) and a plurality of key dividers (1204-1210) wherein each of the key dividers includes a plurality of raised guide portions (1212-1214) and at least one tactile cue portion (1214) that is interposed between the plurality of raised guide portions (1212-1214). In one example, the keypad (1200) is a bell keypad and is made up of an elastomeric substrate (44) that includes the key dividers (1212-1214), a keypad dome array (48) that supports the silicone substrate (44) and a keypad sheet (36), such as a top sheet of a front assembly, having keypad indicia thereon and slots operatively sized to receive the plurality of key dividers.

Claims

1. A keypad comprising:

a plurality of keys arranged in a bell keypad layout;

a plurality of arced key dividers, operatively positioned above and below keys in a respective row of keys, wherein each of the plurality of arced key dividers includes a plurality of raised guide portions and a plurality of tactile cue portions interposed between the plurality of raised guide portions that provide lateral tactile cues; and

an elastomeric sheet comprising the plurality of arced key dividers, a keypad dome array that supports the elastomeric sheet and a keypad sheet having key pad indicia thereon and slots operatively sized to receive the plurality of arced dividers.