Key button structure for handheld mobile phone and its similar instrument, and method for forming the same

• US 6,887,001 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2002
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Saito, Shuichi, Kitamura, Hiromu
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ANTHONY H
• Application Number:
  US10/142,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20020167787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 400/490, 400/495, 400/472, 400/400, 200/520, 200/535, 200/341, 200/344, 341/21, 341/22, 361/680, 235/145.R, 235/145.A, 345/168, 345/169, 364/709.12
• US Class Current: 400/490
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/7006 comprising a separate movable contact element for each switch site, all other elements being integrated in layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/01 Off centre actuation
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/002 integral with membrane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/064 Eliminating tolerances
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

A key button switch structure for use in a handheld mobile phone, comprises an input button 1 having a push-down pressure transmitting projection A1 and a button inclination preventing projection B 3 both projected from a bottom surface of the input button, integrally with the input button. Two electrodes A9 and B 10 are formed on a substrate 8 fixed to a body casing 6. A dome-like switch contact 7 is provided to be pushed down by the push-down pressure transmitting projection A1 of the input button when the input button is depressed, thereby to electrically contact both the two electrodes. Thus, since the button inclination preventing projection B 3 is provided, even in the case that an action center line of the dome-like switch contact is not coincident with an input pressure center line of the input button, when the input button is depressed, the electrodes A9 and B 10 formed on the substrate 8 are surely electrically interconnected by the dome-like switch contact effectively uniformly collapsed by the push-down pressure transmitting projection A1 of the input button.

Claims

1. A key button switch structure comprising:

an input button having a first projection, two electrodes formed on a substrate, and a dome-like switch contact to be pushed down by said first projection of said input button when said input button is depressed, thereby to electrically contact both said two electrodes,

wherein said input button further comprises means for preventing inclination of said input button when an action center line of said dome-like switch contact is not coincident with an input pressure center line of said input button and said input button is depressed,

wherein said means for preventing inclination comprises a second projection that is spaced from said first projection and that contacts said substrate when said input button is depressed, and

wherein said input button has a bottom surface that is sloped continuously from a distal end of said first projection to a base of said second projection.

4. The key button switch structure of claim 1, wherein said first projection extends a same distance from said bottom surface as said second projection.

2. A key button switch structure comprising:

an input button having a first projection on a bottom surface of said input button;

two electrodes on a substrate;

a dome-like switch contact arranged to be pushed down by said first projection when said input button is depressed, thereby to electrically contact both said two electrodes; and

a button inclination preventing projection on the bottom surface of said input button,

wherein said bottom surface is sloped continuously from a distal end of said first projection to a base of said button inclination preventing projection.

3. A key button switch structure comprising:

an input button having two projections spaced apart on a bottom surface of said input button;

two electrodes on a substrate; and

a dome-like switch contact arranged to be pushed down by one of said two projections when said input button is depressed and the other of said two projections contacts said substrate, so that said dome-like switch contact electrically contacts both said two electrodes,

wherein said bottom surface is sloped continuously from a distal end of said one projection to a base of said other projection.