Shimless button assembly for an electronic device

• US 9,449,770 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2014
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sanford, Emery A., Manullang, Tyson B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leon, Edwin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malakooti, Iman
• Application Number:
  US14/178,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20150228423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5.A, 200/512, 200/520
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/14 Operating parts, e.g. push-button
• 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 2221/042 Foam
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/044 Elastic part on actuator or casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/062 Damping vibrations

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a shimless button assembly. According to such embodiments, a shimless button assembly includes a button component and a switch mechanism. The button component includes a compressible member that is configured to expand and contract in order to occupy a volume of space between the button component and the switch mechanism. The volume of space between the button component and the switch mechanism may be caused by differing tolerances between the various components of the button assembly, such as, for example, the button component and the switch mechanism.

Claims

1. A button assembly, comprising:

a button component;

a base positioned below the button component;

a switch mechanism positioned between the base and the button component; and

a compressible member positioned between the base and the button component and defining a cavity;

a hardenable material positioned within the cavity, wherein;

the compressible element is compressible to expand or contract to occupy a volume within the button assembly;

when the hardenable material cures, the hardenable material becomes rigid and maintains a thickness of the volume occupied by the compressible element.

2. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein the hardenable material comprises a glue.

3. The button assembly of claim 1, further comprising a printed circuit coupled to the switch mechanism.

4. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein the compressible member is comprised of foam.

5. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein the compressible member is comprised of rubber.

6. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein the button component comprises a contact plate.

7. The button assembly of claim 6, wherein the compressible member is disposed between the button component and the contact plate.

8. A button assembly, comprising:

a button component;

a base positioned below the button component;

a switch mechanism positioned between the base and the button component;

an expansion component positioned within a volume located between the button component and the switch mechanism or between the switch mechanism and the base; and

a glue positioned within a cavity defined within the expansion component, wherein;

the expansion component comprises a compressible member that expands or contracts to occupy a thickness of the volume;

the glue, once hardened, maintains the thickness after curing.

9. The button assembly of claim 8, further comprising a printed circuit coupled to the switch mechanism, wherein the printed circuit board is positioned between the switch mechanism and the expansion component.

10. The button assembly of claim 8, wherein the compressible member is comprised of foam.

11. The button assembly of claim 8, wherein the compressible member is comprised of rubber.

12. The button assembly of claim 8, wherein the button component comprises a contact plate.

13. The button assembly of claim 8, wherein the compressible member is coupled to a housing component.

14. The button assembly of claim 13, wherein the housing component has at least one insertion point, wherein the insertion point enables the glue layer to be disposed within the cavity defined within the expansion component.

15. The button assembly of claim 8, wherein the compressible member is comprised of a malleable metal.

16. The button assembly of claim 8, wherein the compressible member is a spring.

17. A method for biasing a button assembly, the method comprising:

placing a glue layer into a cavity defined by a compressible member;

inserting the compressible member into a volume of the button assembly to bias a button component away from a base; and

hardening enabling the glue layer to maintain a thickness of the volume.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the compressible member is disposed between the contact plate and a portion of a button.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the compressible member comprises at least one of foam and rubber.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising enabling the compressible member to expand prior to the glue layer hardening.