Cantilevered push button having multiple contacts and fulcrums

• US 7,863,533 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hamel, Bradley J., Tan, Tang Yew, Wang, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedhofer; Michael A
• Application Number:
  US12/239,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20090301857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 200/512, 200/516, 200/517, 200/553, 200/557, 200/558, 200/339, 341 20- 22, 345/156, 345/157, 345/161, 345/168, 345/169, 345/184
• US Class Current: 200/339
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/145 the actuating surface having two slightly inclined areas extending from the middle outward
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/30 with stable centre positions and one or both end positions unstable
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces

Abstract

A cantilevered push button adapted for accepting an input on an electrical or electronic device is disclosed. The button can include an elongated button top component disposed about an exterior surface of an electrical or electronic device such that it is accessible to a user, and having two opposing distal ends associated with separate user inputs. A first fulcrum is located between the first distal end and the midpoint of the elongated button top component, while a second fulcrum is located between the second distal end and the midpoint. A first electrical contact is associated with the first distal end, such that when a user presses on the first distal end, the elongated button top component pivots about the second fulcrum and the first electrical contact is actuated. A second electrical contact is similarly associated with the second distal end and first fulcrum.

Claims

1. A cantilevered push button adapted for accepting one or more inputs on an electrical or electronic device, comprising:

a button top component having a first distal end associated with a first user input and a second distal end opposite said first distal end and associated with a second user input separate from said first user input, wherein said button top component is disposed about an exterior surface of an electrical or electronic device and is accessible to a user, and wherein both of said first and second distal ends can be actuated simultaneously by a user during ordinary use of said electrical or electronic device;

a first fulcrum located at said first distal end or between said first distal end and the midpoint of said button top component;

a second fulcrum located at said second distal end or between said second distal end and said midpoint of said button top component;

a first electrical contact associated with said first distal end of said button top component, wherein said button top component pivots about said second fulcrum and said first electrical contact is actuated when a user presses on said first distal end; and

a second electrical contact associated with said second distal end of said button top component, wherein said button top component pivots about said first fulcrum and said second electrical contact is actuated when a user presses on said second distal end.

2. The cantilevered push button of claim 1, wherein said first fulcrum is located at said second electrical contact.

3. The cantilevered push button of claim 2, wherein said second fulcrum is located at said first electrical contact.

4. The cantilevered push button of claim 1, wherein said button top component is comprised of a substantially rigid material.

5. The cantilevered push button of claim 4, wherein said button top component is metal.

6. The cantilevered push button of claim 1, wherein said first fulcrum is located at said first distal end and said second fulcrum is located at said second distal end.

7. The cantilevered push button of claim 1, wherein said first and second electrical contacts comprise dome button type electrical contacts.

8. The cantilevered push button of claim 7, wherein said dome button type electrical contacts are preloaded with a positive upward force.

9. The cantilevered push button of claim 1, wherein said simultaneous actuation results in the entire cantilevered push button being pressed inward toward said electrical or electronic device.

10. The cantilevered push button of claim 1, wherein said button top component is adapted to be disposed through an opening of and not contact a housing of said electrical or electronic device.

11. An electrical device, comprising:

a housing adapted to contain one or more internal electrical device components therein;

one or more user interface regions; and

a cantilevered push button located at one of said one or more user interface regions and adapted for accepting one or more inputs on said electrical device, wherein said cantilevered push button includes

an elongated button top component having a first distal end associated with a first user input and a second distal end opposite said first distal end and associated with a second user input separate from said first user input, wherein said elongated button top component is disposed about an exterior surface of an electrical or electronic device and is accessible to a user, and wherein both of said first and second distal ends can be actuated simultaneously by a user during ordinary use of said electrical device,

a first fulcrum located at said first distal end or between said first distal end and the midpoint of said elongated button top component,

a second fulcrum located at said second distal end or between said second distal end and said midpoint of said elongated button top component;

a first electrical contact associated with said first distal end of said elongated button top component, wherein said elongated button top component pivots about said second fulcrum and said first electrical contact is actuated when a user presses on said first distal end, and

a second electrical contact associated with said second distal end of said elongated button top component, wherein said elongated button top component pivots about said first fulcrum and said second electrical contact is actuated when a user presses on said second distal end.

12. The electrical device of claim 11, wherein said electrical device comprises an electronic device.

13. The electrical device of claim 11, wherein said first fulcrum is located at said second electrical contact.

14. The electrical device of claim 13, wherein said second fulcrum is located at said first electrical contact.

15. The electrical device of claim 11, wherein said elongated button top component is comprised of a substantially rigid material.

16. The electrical device of claim 11, wherein said first and second electrical contacts comprise dome button type electrical contacts.

17. The electrical device of claim 11, wherein said simultaneous actuation results in the entire cantilevered push button being pressed inward toward said electrical device.

18. The electrical device of claim 11, wherein said elongated button top component is disposed through an opening in said housing and does not contact said housing.

19. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing adapted to contain one or more internal electrical device components therein;

a processor located within said housing;

one or more user interface regions having one or more user interface components in communication with said processor; and

one or more cantilevered push buttons located at at least one of said one or more user interface regions and adapted for accepting a plurality of inputs on said electronic device, wherein each of said one or more cantilevered push buttons includes

an elongated button top component having a first distal end associated with a first user input and a second distal end opposite said first distal end and associated with a second user input separate from said first user input, wherein said elongated button top component is disposed through an opening in said housing, does not contact said housing, and is accessible to a user,

a first fulcrum and a second fulcrum about which said elongated button top pivots when actuated by a user,

a first electrical contact associated with said first distal end of said elongated button top component, wherein said elongated button top component pivots about said second fulcrum and said first electrical contact is actuated when a user presses on said first distal end, and

a second electrical contact associated with said second distal end of said elongated button top component, wherein said elongated button top component pivots about said first fulcrum and said second electrical contact is actuated when a user presses on said second distal end.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein both of said first and second distal ends can be actuated simultaneously by a user during ordinary use of said electronic device.