Two-stage button structure

• US 7,217,893 B1
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altek Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Altek Corporation
• Inventors: Lin, Tzu-Chih, Huang, Yu-Cheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedhofer; Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US11/580,089
• Time in Patent Office: 214 Days
• Field of Search: 200/1.B, 200/406, 200/516, 200/517, 200/341, 200/520
• US Class Current: 200/1.00B
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/48 using buckling of disc springs
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/64 wherein the switch has more than two electrically distinguishable positions, e.g. multi-position push-button switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/018 Consecutive operations

Abstract

A two-stage button structure includes: a silver paste PCB, a metal dome, a film, a flexible contact body, and a button body. When the button body is pressed to a first stage, the pair of conductive blocks of the flexible contact body respectively passes through the pair of through holes of the film to respectively electrically contact the first and the second conductive areas in order to generate a first stage signal. When the button body is pressed to a second stage, the metal dome is pressed via the contact pin to touch the third conductive area and the pair of conductive blocks respectively electrically contact the first and the second conductive areas at the same time so that the second and the third conductive areas electrically connect with each other to generate a second stage signal.

Claims

1. A two-stage button structure, comprising:

a silver paste PCB having a first conductive area, a second conductive area and a third conductive area that are separated from each other and are sequentially formed thereon from outside to inside;

a metal dome electrically disposed on the second conductive area, and insulated from the third conductive area;

a film disposed on the silver paste PCB and covered on the metal dome, wherein the film has a pair of through holes for respectively exposing one part of the first conductive area and one part of the second conductive area;

a flexible contact body having an opening, and a pair of conductive blocks projected downwardly therefrom and corresponding to the pair of through holes; and

a button body having a pressing portion and a contact pin extending downwardly from the pressing portion, wherein the button body is disposed on the flexible contact body and the contact pin passes through the opening;

whereby, when the button body is pressed to a first stage, the pair of conductive blocks of the flexible contact body respectively pass through the pair of through holes of the film to respectively electrically contact the first and the second conductive areas for generating a first stage signal;

when the button body is pressed to a second stage, the metal dome is pressed via the contact pin to touch the third conductive area and the pair of conductive blocks respectively electrically contact the first and the second conductive areas at the same time so that the second and the third conductive areas electrically connect with each other to generate a second stage signal.

2. The two-stage button structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a frame disposed under the silver paste PCB.

3. The two-stage button structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third conductive area has a circular area formed under the metal dome, and a third striped area connected with the circular area.

4. The two-stage button structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second conductive area has a second surrounding area formed along the circular area, and a second striped area connected with the second surrounding area and formed along one side of the third stripe.

5. The two-stage button structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first conductive area has a first surrounding area formed along the second surrounding area, and a first striped area connected with the first surrounding area and formed along another side of the third stripe.

6. The two-stage button structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible contact body has a first deformed area and a second deformed area formed on the first deformed area.

7. The two-stage button structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first deformed area has a thickness smaller than that of the second deformed area.

8. The two-stage button structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible contact body is made of rubber.

9. The two-stage button structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pair of conductive blocks is a pair of conductive rubbers.

10. The two-stage button structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein a level position of the contact pin is higher than that of the pair of conductive blocks.