Tactile electromechanical data input mechanism
First Claim
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1. An electromechanical data input mechanism, comprising:
- a first structural entity, a second structural entity arranged to move with respect to said first structural entity and having certain elastic properties, as a part of said first structural entity, a first surface, as a part of said second structural entity, a second surface located adjacent to said first surface and separated therefrom substantially by a gap, a first conductive coupling area on said first surface, a second conductive coupling area on said first surface, between said first and second surfaces and adjacent to said conductive coupling area a first dome-like member and a second dome-like member, each of said first and second dome-like members having a conductive surface adjacent to the respective conductive coupling area, and extending from the second surface, a first actuator located adjacent to the first dome-like member and a second actuator located adjacent to the second dome-like member;
wherein;
the mechanism provides a pressing area for exerting a force pressing the first and second structural entities towards each other, substantially within which pressing area the first and second dome-like members are located, within the pressing area, the elastic properties of the second structural entity are substantially uniform, said first and second structural entities are within the pressing area kept apart from each other solely through the dome-like members, under the influence of a force exerted on a first area within the pressing area, said first and second structural entities are arranged to move, with respect to each other, so that the first actuator moves towards the first dome-like member, under the influence of a force exerted on a second area within the pressing area, said first and second structural entities are arranged to move with respect to each other so that the second actuator moves towards the second dome-like member, and under the influence of a force exerted on a third area within the pressing area, said first and second structural entities are arranged to move with respect to each other so that the first actuator moves towards the first dome-like member, and the second actuator moves towards the second dome-like member.
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Abstract
An electromechanical data input mechanism 200, 700, 750 comprises a first structural entity 210, 710, having a first surface 211 and a conductive coupling area 107 on said first surface, and a second structural entity 220, 720 having a second surface 212 located adjacent to said first surface and separated therefrom by a gap. It further comprises a dome-like member 102 adjacent to said conductive coupling area, and extending from the second surface, an actuator 105 adjacent to the dome-like member. The mechanism is characterized in that within an pressing area elastic properties of the second structural entity are substantially uniform and said first and second structural entities are kept apart from each other solely through the dome-like members, and said first and second structural entities are arranged to move with respect to each other so that under the influence of a force pressing them towards each other, the actuator moves towards the dome-like member.
134 Citations
44 Claims
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1. An electromechanical data input mechanism, comprising:
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a first structural entity, a second structural entity arranged to move with respect to said first structural entity and having certain elastic properties, as a part of said first structural entity, a first surface, as a part of said second structural entity, a second surface located adjacent to said first surface and separated therefrom substantially by a gap, a first conductive coupling area on said first surface, a second conductive coupling area on said first surface, between said first and second surfaces and adjacent to said conductive coupling area a first dome-like member and a second dome-like member, each of said first and second dome-like members having a conductive surface adjacent to the respective conductive coupling area, and extending from the second surface, a first actuator located adjacent to the first dome-like member and a second actuator located adjacent to the second dome-like member;
wherein; the mechanism provides a pressing area for exerting a force pressing the first and second structural entities towards each other, substantially within which pressing area the first and second dome-like members are located, within the pressing area, the elastic properties of the second structural entity are substantially uniform, said first and second structural entities are within the pressing area kept apart from each other solely through the dome-like members, under the influence of a force exerted on a first area within the pressing area, said first and second structural entities are arranged to move, with respect to each other, so that the first actuator moves towards the first dome-like member, under the influence of a force exerted on a second area within the pressing area, said first and second structural entities are arranged to move with respect to each other so that the second actuator moves towards the second dome-like member, and under the influence of a force exerted on a third area within the pressing area, said first and second structural entities are arranged to move with respect to each other so that the first actuator moves towards the first dome-like member, and the second actuator moves towards the second dome-like member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
said plate comprises a transparent layer and a planar display element, said transparent layer being on the opposite side of the plate than the actuator, and the information being displayed with the display element is viewable through the transparent layer.
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19. An electromechanical data input mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said first structural entity is a plate.
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20. An electromechanical data input mechanism according to claim 19, wherein said plate has a transparent layer and a planar display element, said transparent layer being on the opposite side of the plate than the first surface, and
the information being displayed with the display element is viewable through the transparent layer. -
21. An electromechanical data input mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the gap is at least partly filled with an elastic material allowing the first and second structural entities to move with respect to each other.
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22. An electromechanical data input mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the number of dome-like members between said first and second surfaces is equal to a positive integer greater than one, and as many actuators extend from the second surface as there are dome-like members between said first and second surfaces.
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23. An electromechanical data input mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the gap is at least partly filled with a member allowing the first and second structural entities to move with respect to each other and joining the entities to each other.
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24. An electronic device, comprising:
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an electromechanical data input mechanism, and within said electromechanical data input mechanism a first structural entity, a second structural entity arranged to move with respect to said first structural entity and having certain elastic properties, as a part of said first structural entity, a first surface, as a part of said second structural entity, a second surf ace located adjacent to said first surface and separated therefrom substantially by a gap, a first conductive coupling area on said first surface, a second conductive coupling area on said first surface, between said first and second surfaces and adjacent to said conductive coupling area a first dome-like member and a second dome-like member, each of said first and second dome-like members having a conductive surface adjacent to the respective conductive coupling area, and extending from the second surface, a first actuator located adjacent to the first dome-like member and a second actuator located adjacent to the second dome-like member;
wherein; said mechanism provides a pressing area for exerting a force Pressing the first and second structural entities towards each other, substantially within which pressing area the dome-like members are located, within the pressing area, the elastic properties of the second structural entity are substantially uniform, said first and second structural entities are within the pressing area kept apart from each other solely through the dome-like members, under the influence of a force exerted on a first area within the pressing area, said first and second structural entities are arranged to move, with respect to each other, so that the first actuator moves towards the first dome-like member, under the influence at a force exerted on a second area within the pressing area, said first and second structural entities are arranged to move with respect to each other so that the second actuator moves towards the second dome-like member, and under the influence of a force exerted on a third area within the pressing area, said first and second structural entities are arranged to move with respect to each other so that the first actuator moves towards the first dome-like member, and the second actuator moves towards the second dome-like member. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An electromechanical data input mechanism, comprising:
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a first structural entity, a second structural entity arranged to move with respect to said first structural entity, as a part of said first structural entity, a first surface, as a part of said second structural entity, a second surface located adjacent to said first surface and separated therefrom substantially by a gap, a conductive coupling area on said first surface, between said first and second surfaces and adjacent to said conductive coupling area a dome-like member having a conductive surface adjacent to the conductive coupling area, and extending from the second surface, an actuator located adjacent to the dome-like member;
wherein; the mechanism provides a pressing area for exerting a force pressing the first and second structural entities towards each other, substantially within which pressing area the dome-like member is located, within the pressing area, the elastic properties of the second structural entity are substantially uniform, under the influence of a force exerted on a first area within the pressing area, one of said first and second structural entities is arranged to bend, so that the first actuator moves towards the dome-like member.
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35. An electronic device, comprising:
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an electromechanical data input mechanism, and within said electromechanical data input mechanism a first structural entity and a second structural entity arranged to move with respect to said first structural entity, so that one of said first and second structural entities also constitutes a chassis of the electronic device and the other of said first and second structural entities comprises electronic circuitry, as a part of said first structural entity, a first surface, as a part of said second structural entity, a second surface located adjacent to said first surface and separated therefrom substantially by a gap, a conductive coupling area on said first surface, between said first and second surfaces and adjacent to said conductive coupling area a dome-like member having a conductive surface adjacent to the respective conductive coupling area, and extending from the second surface, an actuator located adjacent to the dome-like member;
wherein; said mechanism provides a pressing area for exerting a force pressing the first and second Structural entities towards each other, substantially underneath which pressing area the dome-like member is located, under the influence of a force exerted on an area within the pressing area, said first and second structural entities are arranged to move, with respect to each other, so that the actuator moves towards the dome-like member. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
said plate comprises a transparent layer and a planar display element, said transparent layer being on the opposite side of the plate than the actuator, and the information being displayed with the display element is viewable through the transparent layer.
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39. An electromechanical data input mechanism according to claim 37, wherein said plate has a transparent layer and a planar display element, said transparent layer being on the opposite side of the plate than the first surface, and
the information being displayed with the display element is viewable through the transparent layer. -
40. An electromechanical data input mechanism according to claim 35, wherein the gap is at least partly filled with an elastic material allowing the first and second structural entities to move with respect to each other.
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41. An electromechanical data input mechanism according to claim 35, wherein the number of dome-like members between said first and second surfaces is equal to a positive integer greater than one, and as many actuators extend from the second surface as there are dome-like members between said first and second surfaces.
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42. An electronic device according to claim 35, the device being a portable telecommunication device.
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43. An electronic device according to claim 35, the device being a mobile phone.
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44. An electromechanical data input mechanism according to claim 35, wherein the gap is at least partly filled with a member allowing the first and second structural entities to move with respect to each other and joining the entities to each other.
Specification
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Current AssigneeVivo Mobile Communication Co., Ltd. (Vivo Communication Technology Co. Ltd.)
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Original AssigneeNokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
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InventorsSalminen, Seppo Juhani, Kaikuranta, Terho Otso Tapio
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Primary Examiner(s)WU, XIAO MIN
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Application NumberUS09/885,202Publication NumberTime in Patent Office958 DaysField of Search345/168, 345/169, 345/173, 345/156, 345/157, 345/170, 345/171, 345/172, 200/5.A, 200/6.A, 200/5.R, 341/22, 341/23, 341/26, 455/466, 455/575.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2US Class Current345/169CPC Class CodesG06F 3/0338 with detection of limited l...H01H 2223/002 sealedH01H 2231/022 Telephone handsetH01H 2300/022 Application wake up; switch...H01H 25/041 having a generally flat ope...H01H 9/181 using a programmable displa...
