Panel construction for housing keypads of mobile computing device

• US 8,046,032 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2008
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Babella, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost; Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, LAURENCE J
• Application Number:
  US12/015,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20090180246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 361/679.08, 361/679.09, 379/433.01, 379/433.07, 345/169, D14/346
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/705 characterised by construction, mounting or arrangement of operating parts, e.g. push-buttons or keys
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/86 characterised by the casing, e.g. sealed casings or casings reducible in size
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/012 Snap mounting
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/014 located in recess
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/034 Bezel
• 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 computing device includes a housing, a front housing segment, a keypad assembly and a rigid panel. The front housing segment includes a void. The keypad assembly includes a substrate and a key structure layer. The key structured layer includes a plurality of key structures. The keypad assembly is configured to extend the key structure layer at least partially through the void so as to enable user access to the individual key structures of the key structure layer. A rigid panel is structured to secure to the front housing segment so as to combine with the key structure layer. The panel includes an arrangement of cross-members that define openings, where each opening is dimensioned to fit around at least one key structure of the key structure layer.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a housing including a front housing segment having a void;

a keypad assembly including a substrate and plurality of key structures, the plurality of key structures being aligned with the void so as to enable user access to the individual key structures; and

a rigid panel including an arrangement of openings, each opening being dimensioned to fit around at least one of the plurality of key structures;

a first securement feature provided on one of the front housing segment or the rigid panel and comprising an integrated combination of a tang structure and an opening;

a second securement feature provided on the other of the front housing segment or the rigid panel comprising (i) a receiving slot to receive the tang structure, and (ii) a structure integrated with the receiving slot that inserts into the opening of the first securement feature;

wherein the first and second securement features secure the panel and the front housing segment together so that the plurality of key structures are securely provided through the arrangement of openings of the panel.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the one or more securement features of one of the front housing segment or the panel include a tang structure and a corresponding receiving slot that combine to snap or pressure fit together so as to secure the panel to the front housing segment.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the rigid panel includes a metal sheet.

4. The computing device of claim 3, wherein the rigid panel includes a Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) film formed over the metal sheet.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein each of the panel and the front housing segment include one or more securement structures to enable the panel to secure to the front housing segment;

wherein the panel and the front housing segment are structured so that the panel is substantially flush with a faç

ade of the front housing segment when the panel is secured to the front housing segment.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the keypad assembly includes a plurality of electrical elements that are provided with the substrate, the plurality of electrical elements including a corresponding electrical element for each of the plurality of key structures in the key structure layer.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the keypad assembly includes one or more lighting elements provided on or with the substrate to illuminate the key structure layer from underneath.

8. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising a deformable layer provided between the key structure and the substrate.

9. A housing assembly for a mobile computing device, the housing assembly comprising:

a front housing segment having at least a first void, wherein the front housing segment includes a first set of securement features that are provided at or adjacent to the first void; and

a rigid panel that is dimensioned to fit within the first void, the panel including a second set of securement features that are mated with the first set of securement features to retain the panel in the void of the front housing segment;

wherein the panel includes an arrangement of cross-members that define openings, each opening being dimensioned to fit around at least one key structure of a keypad that is retained within the housing assembly; and

wherein the first set of securement features include one or more receiving slots, and wherein the second set of securement features include one or more tang structures that are each received within one of the one or more receiving slots to secure the panel to the front housing segment; and

wherein the first set of securement features include one or more structures that are combined with each of the receiving slots and which each extend into corresponding openings of the tang structures when the individual tang structures extend into the corresponding receiving slot.

10. The housing assembly of claim 9, wherein the rigid panel is formed at least in part by a metal sheet.

11. The housing assembly of claim 10, wherein the rigid panel includes a Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) film formed over the metal sheet.

12. A computing device comprising:

a housing including a front housing segment, the front housing segment including a void;

a keypad assembly including a substrate and a key structure layer, the key structure layer including a plurality of key structures, the keypad assembly being configured to extend the key structure layer at least partially through the void so as to enable user access to the individual key structures of the key structure layer; and

a rigid panel that is structured to secure to the front housing segment so as to combine with the key structure layer, the panel including an arrangement of cross-members that define openings, each opening being dimensioned to fit around at least one key structure of the key structure layer;

wherein each of the panel and the front housing segment include one or more securement features that enable the panel and the front housing segment to secure to one another, the one or more securement features of one of the front housing segment or the panel including a tang structure, the one or more securement features of the other of the front housing segment or the panel includes a receiving slot for the tang structure;

wherein each of the one or more tang structures are configured to at least partially extend into one of the corresponding receiving structures, and wherein one or more of the receiving slots each include a corresponding structure, and wherein one or more of the tang structures include a tip end and an opening, the opening of the tang structure being dimensioned to receive the corresponding structure of the receiving slot when the tip end of the tang structure is inserted into the receiving slot.