EP2362405B1 - Keypads for mobile devices and method of manufacturing the same - Google Patents
Keypads for mobile devices and method of manufacturing the same Download PDFInfo
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- EP2362405B1 EP2362405B1 EP10154745.3A EP10154745A EP2362405B1 EP 2362405 B1 EP2362405 B1 EP 2362405B1 EP 10154745 A EP10154745 A EP 10154745A EP 2362405 B1 EP2362405 B1 EP 2362405B1
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- Prior art keywords
- keypad
- domes
- actuators
- keys
- mobile device
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Images
Classifications
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
- H01H13/70—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard
- H01H13/702—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
- H01H13/704—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches characterised by the layers, e.g. by their material or structure
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
- H01H13/70—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard
- H01H13/84—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard characterised by ergonomic functions, e.g. for miniature keyboards; characterised by operational sensory functions, e.g. sound feedback
- H01H13/85—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard characterised by ergonomic functions, e.g. for miniature keyboards; characterised by operational sensory functions, e.g. sound feedback characterised by tactile feedback features
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
- H01H13/70—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard
- H01H13/86—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard characterised by the casing, e.g. sealed casings or casings reducible in size
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H2209/00—Layers
- H01H2209/016—Protection layer, e.g. for legend, anti-scratch
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H2223/00—Casings
- H01H2223/002—Casings sealed
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
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Definitions
- the subject matter herein generally relates to mobile devices and in particular, to keypads for mobile devices.
- a keypad assembly is an important component of a mobile device because it can be used to enter letters, numbers, or signs, and to produce actions or commands.
- a keypad assembly generally includes a main printed circuit board (PCB), a dome sheet carrying a plurality of dome switches (domes) disposed on the main PCB, and a keypad having keys on the front side and corresponding actuators on the back side. When a key is pressed, the actuator collapses the corresponding dome, which connects the circuit on the PCB and produces the intended action of the key.
- PCB main printed circuit board
- dome sheet carrying a plurality of dome switches (domes) disposed on the main PCB
- a keypad having keys on the front side and corresponding actuators on the back side.
- FEP film-in-plastic
- PC polycarbonate
- the mobile device 100 can include a housing 110, a display 120, and a keypad 130.
- the keypad 130 can include a keyfield having alphanumeric keys arranged in a keyboard layout, numeric keys, and other function keys.
- the keypad 130 can be of various styles, including the FIP style keypad as discussed below.
- the mobile device 100 is a handheld wireless communication device, the mobile device 100 can be any of the following: a personal digital assistant (PDA), a handheld electronic device, a non-handheld wireless communication device, a pager, a cellular phone, a cellular smart-phone, a wireless organizer, a wirelessly enabled notebook computer and the like. It is understood that the mobile device 100 is not necessarily limited to the configurations shown in FIG. 1 .
- a user interface which can include the display 120 and the keypad 130.
- the operating system 232 is stored in flash memory 226, the operating system 232 in other embodiments is stored in read-only memory (ROM) or a similar storage element (not shown).
- ROM read-only memory
- the operating system 232, the device program 234 or parts thereof can be loaded in RAM 224 or some other volatile memory.
- the mobile device 100 When the mobile device 100 is enabled for two-way communication within the wireless communication network 214, it can send and receive messages from a mobile communication service.
- Examples of communication systems enabled for two-way communication can include, but are not limited to, the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, the Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service (UMTS) network, the Enhanced Data for Global Evolution (EDGE) network, the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) networks, Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service Time Division Duplexing (UMTS-TDD), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB) networks, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) networks, Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks and other networks that can be used for data and voice, or just data or voice.
- GPRS General Packet Radio Service
- UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service
- EDGE Enhanced Data for Global Evolution
- CDMA Code Division Multiple Access
- UMTS-TDD Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service Time Division
- the mobile device 100 can require a unique identifier to enable the mobile device 100 to transmit and receive messages from the communication network 214. Other systems may not require such identifying information.
- SIM Subscriber Identity Module
- RUIM Removable User Identity Module
- the RUIM and SIM card can be used in multiple different mobile devices 100.
- the mobile device 100 can be able to operate some features without a SIM/RUIM card.
- a SIM/RUIM interface 244 located within the mobile device 100 can allow for removal or insertion of a SIM/RUIM card (not shown).
- the SIM/RUIM card can feature memory and can hold key configurations 246, and other information 248, such as identification and subscriber related information. With a properly enabled mobile device 100, two-way communication between the mobile device 100 and communication network 214 is possible.
- the keypad sheet 300 can be part of a keypad that can be implemented in the mobile device 100 of FIG. 1 , although it is understood that the keypad sheet 300 can be assembled into other suitable components.
- the keypad sheet 300 can be made from a film such as a PC film.
- a plurality of raised keys 305 can be thermo formed on a front side of the keypad sheet 300.
- a plurality of actuators 310 can be formed by injection molding them on a back side of the keypad sheet 300.
- the actuators 310 can be formed into each key pocket 315 of a corresponding key 305 and protrude from the back side of the keypad sheet 300.
- the actuators 310 after the keypad is installed into a mobile device, can contact domes (not shown here) and cause them to collapse when the keys 305 are pressed to allow any inputs to be entered into the mobile device.
- the keymat layer 400 can be a layer of flexible material - such as, for example, silicon rubber - that can be molded onto the back side of the keypad sheet 300.
- the keypad sheet 300 and the keymat layer 400 together form the keypad 500.
- the keymat layer 400 can be formed with a plurality of protrusions 410 (see FIG. 5 ) in areas corresponding to the actuators 310 on the back side of the keypad sheet 300. As best shown in FIG.
- the keymat layer 400 can include a plurality of receptacles 420 that can accept the actuators 310 of the keypad sheet 300. This configuration can help secure the keypad sheet 300 to the keymat layer 400.
- the keymat layer 400 can have a larger thickness in areas corresponding to the actuators 310 than in areas between the keys 305.
- the thickness of the protrusions 410 can be selected so that the protrusions 410 can fill a gap between the actuators 310 and the domes (not shown here) when the keypad 500 is assembled within a mobile device. Since the keymat layer 400 is made of flexible material, the protrusions 410 can be slightly depressed following assembly so as to apply a pre-load force to the domes.
- Portions of the mobile device 100 and supporting components can take the form of hardware elements, software elements or elements containing both hardware and software.
- the software portions can include, but are not limited to, firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.
- these software portions can take the form of a computer program product accessible from a computer-usable or computer-readable medium providing program code for use by or in connection with a computer or any instruction execution system.
- a computer-usable or computer readable medium can be any apparatus that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
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- Telephone Set Structure (AREA)
Description
- The subject matter herein generally relates to mobile devices and in particular, to keypads for mobile devices.
- A keypad assembly is an important component of a mobile device because it can be used to enter letters, numbers, or signs, and to produce actions or commands. A keypad assembly generally includes a main printed circuit board (PCB), a dome sheet carrying a plurality of dome switches (domes) disposed on the main PCB, and a keypad having keys on the front side and corresponding actuators on the back side. When a key is pressed, the actuator collapses the corresponding dome, which connects the circuit on the PCB and produces the intended action of the key.
- There are different styles of keypads for mobile devices. One style is the so-called film-in-plastic (FIP) keypad, which is manufactured by thermo forming a polycarbonate (PC) film to the shape of the key caps and then plastic injection molding hard or relatively inflexible actuators into the back side of each key cap pocket. Slits are cut around some of the keys to make the keys more flexible and easier to be pressed down.
- However, the existing design of the FIP style keypads has a number of drawbacks. First, the process of injection molding the hard actuators is not exact, which can result in gaps being present between the actuators and the domes following the assembly of the keypad into a mobile device. These gaps can make the keypad feel as if there is a loss of structural integrity during operation, as the keypad may slide in various directions while the keys are depressed. This phenomenon is referred to as keypad floating. Second, the slits cut around the keys can expose the dome sheet and the main PCB to outside dust, water or other contaminants. Third, the hard actuators can generate an abrupt and stiff tactile feedback response when they strike the corresponding domes, which can also cause a greater amount of noise to be produced during the interaction when compared to other keypads. Finally, the hard actuators, in view of their relative inflexibility, allow for a shorter key travel, which can degrade the tactile feedback quality of the keypad.
-
Document EP 0 845 795 A2 discloses a keypad according to the preamble of claim 1. - Embodiments of the present application will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached Figures, wherein:
-
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a mobile device; -
FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a block diagram of several exemplary components that can be part of the mobile device ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of an exemplary keypad sheet; -
FIG. 4 illustrates a back view of the keypad sheet ofFIG. 3 ; -
FIG. 5 illustrates an exploded back view of the keypad sheet ofFIG. 3 with an exemplary keymat layer; -
FIG. 6 illustrates an exploded front view of the keypad sheet with the keymat layer ofFIG. 5 ; -
FIG. 7 illustrates the keypad sheet ofFig. 3 with slits being cut around the keys; -
FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the keypad sheet with the keymat layer ofFIG. 5 molded on the back side thereof; -
FIG. 9A illustrates a schematic partial view of the keypad sheet and keymat layer ofFIG. 5 installed within a housing of a mobile device; -
FIG. 9B illustrates a partial front view of a mobile device in which grids are used for installing the keypad into the housing; and -
FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a method of manufacturing a keypad. - It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein.
- Several definitions that apply throughout this document will now be presented. The term "mobile device" is defined as any electronic device that is capable of at least accepting information entries or commands from a user and includes its own power source. The term "keypad" is defined as an interface through which a user may enter commands, including text-based, voice-based or even visual-based commands. The term "dome" is defined as a switch that includes a collapsible component that completes an electrical contact when a force above a threshold is applied to the collapsible component. A "slit" is defined as a cut or opening in a surface. The term "pierce" is defined as a complete penetration of a surface or material. The term "molding" or "molded" is defined as a process of forming articles by heating a material until it can flow and be injected into a mold or a state following such a process. The term "pre-load force" is defined as a force exerted on a first object by a second object that is insufficient to cause the second object to transition from a first state to a second state but is designed to supplement a force that is sufficient to transition the second object from the first state to the second state. An "actuator" is defined as a projection of a key that directly or indirectly interacts with a dome when the key is used for entry of information.
- As noted earlier, the conventional FIP style keypads used for mobile devices typically have gaps between the hard actuators and the domes, which cause keypad floating. The slits cut around the keys to provide flexibility for the keys can also expose the domes and the main PCB to external contaminants. The hard actuators further generate an abrupt and stiff tactile feedback response, which can cause a greater amount of noise and produces a shorter key travel. A keypad that overcomes these drawbacks is presented herein.
- In one arrangement, the keypad can have a keypad sheet that can include a plurality of keys formed on a front side of the keypad sheet and a plurality of actuators formed on a back side of the keypad sheet. The actuators can protrude from the back side of the keypad sheet. Slits can be cut around at least some of the keys to provide the keys with flexibility. The keypad can further include a keymat layer molded onto the back side of the keypad sheet. The slits can be cut in a way such that they do not pierce the keymat layer. The keymat layer can function as a barrier to prevent external contaminants from entering the keypad, thus protecting the domes and other components. The keymat layer can be made of flexible material, such as silicon rubber. The areas of the keymat layer corresponding to the actuators can fill the gap between the hard actuators and the domes, thus preventing keypad floating. Due to the flexibility of the keymat layer, the keypad can also improve tactile feedback, reduce noise, and allow for a longer key travel.
- Referring to
FIG. 1 , an example of amobile device 100 is shown. In one arrangement, themobile device 100 can include ahousing 110, adisplay 120, and akeypad 130. Thekeypad 130 can include a keyfield having alphanumeric keys arranged in a keyboard layout, numeric keys, and other function keys. Thekeypad 130 can be of various styles, including the FIP style keypad as discussed below. While in the illustrated embodiment themobile device 100 is a handheld wireless communication device, themobile device 100 can be any of the following: a personal digital assistant (PDA), a handheld electronic device, a non-handheld wireless communication device, a pager, a cellular phone, a cellular smart-phone, a wireless organizer, a wirelessly enabled notebook computer and the like. It is understood that themobile device 100 is not necessarily limited to the configurations shown inFIG. 1 . - Referring to
FIG. 2 , an example of a block diagram of some of the components that make up themobile device 100 is shown. Themobile device 100 can include aprocessor 210 that can control the operation of themobile device 100. Acommunication subsystem 212 can perform all communication transmission and reception with awireless network 214. Theprocessor 210 can further be coupled to an auxiliary input/output (I/O)subsystem 216, which can be coupled to themobile device 100. In at least one embodiment, theprocessor 210 can be coupled to a serial port (for example, a Universal Serial Bus port) 218, which can allow for communication with other devices or systems. Thedisplay 120 can be coupled to theprocessor 210 to allow for displaying of information to an operator of themobile device 100. The keypad 130 (or keyboard) can also be coupled to theprocessor 210. - The
mobile device 100 can include aspeaker 220, amicrophone 222, random access memory (RAM) 224 andflash memory 226, all of which can be coupled to theprocessor 210. Other similar components can be provided on themobile device 100 and optionally coupled to theprocessor 210.Other communication subsystems 228 and othercommunication device subsystems 230 are generally indicated as being functionally coupled with theprocessor 210, as well. An example of acommunication subsystem 228 is that of a short range communication system, such as BLUETOOTH® communication module or a WI-FI® communication module (a communication module in compliance with IEEE 802.11 set of protocols) and associated circuits and components. - The
processor 210 is able to perform operating system functions and can enable execution of programs on themobile device 100. In some embodiments, not all of the above components may be included in themobile device 100. For example, in at least one embodiment, thekeypad 130 is not provided as a separate component and is displayed as required on a dynamic touch display (not shown). In an embodiment having a dynamic touch display, thekeypad 130 can be displayed as a touchscreen keypad (not shown). A touchscreen module (not shown) can be incorporated in such an embodiment such that it is in communication with theprocessor 210. When inputs are received on the touchscreen keypad, the touchscreen module can send or relay messages corresponding to those inputs to theprocessor 210. - The auxiliary I/
O subsystem 216 can take the form of a navigation tool, such as an optical trackpad, a thumbwheel, a mechanical trackball, a joystick, a touch-sensitive interface, or some other I/O interface. Other auxiliary I/O subsystems can include external display devices and externally connected keyboards (not shown). While the above examples have been provided in relation to the auxiliary I/O subsystem 216, other subsystems capable of providing input or receiving output from themobile device 100 are considered within the scope of this disclosure. Other keys or buttons can be placed along the side of themobile device 100 to function as escape keys, volume control keys, scrolling keys, power switches, or user programmable keys, and can likewise be programmed accordingly. - Furthermore, the
mobile device 100 can be equipped with components to enable operation of various programs, as shown inFIG. 2 . In an exemplary embodiment, theflash memory 226 can be enabled to provide a storage location for anoperating system 232,device programs 234 and data. Theoperating system 232 can generally be configured to manageother programs 234 that are also stored inflash memory 226 and executable on theprocessor 210. Theoperating system 232 can honor requests for services made byprograms 234 throughpredefined program 234 interfaces. More specifically, theoperating system 232 can typically determine the order in whichmultiple programs 234 are executed on theprocessor 210 and the execution time allotted for eachprogram 234, manage the sharing offlash memory 226 amongmultiple programs 234, handle input and output to and fromother device subsystems 230, and so on. In addition, operators can typically interact directly with theoperating system 232 through a user interface, which can include thedisplay 120 and thekeypad 130. While in an exemplary embodiment, theoperating system 232 is stored inflash memory 226, theoperating system 232 in other embodiments is stored in read-only memory (ROM) or a similar storage element (not shown). As those skilled in the art will appreciate, theoperating system 232, thedevice program 234 or parts thereof can be loaded inRAM 224 or some other volatile memory. - In one exemplary embodiment, the
flash memory 226 can containprograms 234 for execution on themobile device 100, including anaddress book 236, a personal information manager (PIM) 238 and thedevice state 240. Furthermore,programs 234 andother information 242 including data can be segregated upon storage in theflash memory 226 of themobile device 100. - When the
mobile device 100 is enabled for two-way communication within thewireless communication network 214, it can send and receive messages from a mobile communication service. Examples of communication systems enabled for two-way communication can include, but are not limited to, the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, the Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service (UMTS) network, the Enhanced Data for Global Evolution (EDGE) network, the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) networks, Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service Time Division Duplexing (UMTS-TDD), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB) networks, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) networks, Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks and other networks that can be used for data and voice, or just data or voice. - For the systems listed above, the
mobile device 100 can require a unique identifier to enable themobile device 100 to transmit and receive messages from thecommunication network 214. Other systems may not require such identifying information. As an example, GPRS, UMTS, and EDGE use a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) in order to allow communication with thecommunication network 214. Likewise, most CDMA systems use a Removable User Identity Module (RUIM) to communicate with the CDMA network. The RUIM and SIM card can be used in multiple differentmobile devices 100. Themobile device 100 can be able to operate some features without a SIM/RUIM card. A SIM/RUIM interface 244 located within themobile device 100 can allow for removal or insertion of a SIM/RUIM card (not shown). The SIM/RUIM card can feature memory and can holdkey configurations 246, andother information 248, such as identification and subscriber related information. With a properly enabledmobile device 100, two-way communication between themobile device 100 andcommunication network 214 is possible. - The two-way communication enabled
mobile device 100 can both transmit and receive information from thecommunication network 214. The transfer of communication can be from themobile device 100 or to themobile device 100. To communicate with thecommunication network 214, themobile device 100 in the presently described exemplary embodiment is equipped with an integral orinternal antenna 250 for transmitting messages to thecommunication network 214. Likewise, themobile device 100 in the presently described exemplary embodiment can be equipped with anotherantenna 252 for receiving communication from thecommunication network 214. These antennae (250, 252), in another exemplary embodiment, can be combined into a single antenna (not shown). As one skilled in the art would appreciate, the antenna or antennae (250, 252) in another embodiment can be externally mounted on themobile device 100. Themobile device 100 can also have atransmitter 254 and areceiver 256, which can be respectively coupled to antennae (250, 252), and can also include one or morelocal oscillators 258 for processing the incoming or outgoing RF signals. Themobile device 100 can also have a digital signal processor (DSP) 260 to assist in the processing of the incoming and outgoing signals. - Referring to
FIGs. 3 and4 , a front view and a back view of akeypad sheet 300 are shown respectively. Thekeypad sheet 300 can be part of a keypad that can be implemented in themobile device 100 ofFIG. 1 , although it is understood that thekeypad sheet 300 can be assembled into other suitable components. Thekeypad sheet 300 can be made from a film such as a PC film. As can be seen fromFIG. 3 , a plurality of raisedkeys 305 can be thermo formed on a front side of thekeypad sheet 300. As can be seen fromFIG. 4 , a plurality ofactuators 310 can be formed by injection molding them on a back side of thekeypad sheet 300. Theactuators 310 can be formed into eachkey pocket 315 of acorresponding key 305 and protrude from the back side of thekeypad sheet 300. Theactuators 310, after the keypad is installed into a mobile device, can contact domes (not shown here) and cause them to collapse when thekeys 305 are pressed to allow any inputs to be entered into the mobile device. - It is understood that the
keypad sheet 300 is not limited to the particular configuration shown inFIGs. 3 and4 . For example, thekeypad sheet 300 may contain a different number of raisedkeys 305 as compared to the number pictured here and thekeys 305 may be shaped differently. Moreover, thekeys 305 do not necessarily have to be raised, as they can be simply flat or even positioned below a base surface of thekeypad sheet 300. Additionally, not every key 305 requires acorresponding actuator 310, and somekeys 305 may have more than one correspondingactuator 310. - Referring to
FIGs. 5 and6 , an exploded back view and front view of thekeypad sheet 300 ofFIGs. 3 and4 with anadditional keymat layer 400 are shown, respectively. Thekeymat layer 400 can be a layer of flexible material - such as, for example, silicon rubber - that can be molded onto the back side of thekeypad sheet 300. Thekeypad sheet 300 and thekeymat layer 400 together form thekeypad 500. Thekeymat layer 400 can be formed with a plurality of protrusions 410 (seeFIG. 5 ) in areas corresponding to theactuators 310 on the back side of thekeypad sheet 300. As best shown inFIG. 6 , thekeymat layer 400 can include a plurality ofreceptacles 420 that can accept theactuators 310 of thekeypad sheet 300. This configuration can help secure thekeypad sheet 300 to thekeymat layer 400. In addition, thekeymat layer 400 can have a larger thickness in areas corresponding to theactuators 310 than in areas between thekeys 305. The thickness of theprotrusions 410 can be selected so that theprotrusions 410 can fill a gap between theactuators 310 and the domes (not shown here) when thekeypad 500 is assembled within a mobile device. Since thekeymat layer 400 is made of flexible material, theprotrusions 410 can be slightly depressed following assembly so as to apply a pre-load force to the domes. - Referring to
FIG. 7 , thekeypad sheet 300 ofFIG. 3 is shown withslits 320 being cut around thekeys 305 so that thekeys 305 can be more flexible and can move easily when being pressed. As an example, theslits 320 can be cut by laser etching before or after thekeymat layer 400 is molded onto thekeypad sheet 300. In either arrangement, theslits 320 can pierce thekeypad sheet 300 to provide a sufficient amount of flexibility for thekeys 305. If theslits 320 are cut after thekeymat layer 400 is molded onto thekeypad sheet 300, however, theslits 320 can be cut in a way that theslits 320 pierce thekeypad sheet 300 but do not pierce thekeymat layer 400. As such, thekeys 305 can maintain their flexibility, but the keymat layer can be a barrier to external contaminants, such as dust, water, to protect the domes and other components of themobile device 100. - Referring to
FIG. 8 , a cross-sectional view of thekeypad sheet 300 with thekeymat layer 400 molded on the back side thereof is shown. As can be seen, theactuators 310 can fit within thereceptacles 420 of thekeymat layer 400. As can also be seen, theprotrusions 410 can be formed on top of thecorresponding actuators 310 and can fill a gap between theactuators 310 and the domes (not shown here) when thekeypad 500 is assembled within themobile device 100. This can prevent or minimize keypad floating. Since theprotrusions 410 are made of flexible material, they can also provide a longer key travel and softer tactile feel to the users, as will be described in more detail below. - In addition, a sealing
ring 600 can be formed along at least a portion of the outline of thekeypad 500. When thekeypad 500 is installed within themobile device 100, for example, thehousing 110 of themobile device 100 can apply forces to thesealing ring 600 so as to create a sealing along the edges of thekeypad 500. This provides additional protection to components inside themobile device 100. In one arrangement, the sealingring 600 can be integrated into the design of thekeymat layer 400. In another arrangement, the sealingring 600 can be a discrete component that can be attached or secured to thekeymat layer 400. Additionally, the sealingring 600 can be made of the same material as thekeymat layer 400, although other suitable substances can be used. - Referring to
FIG. 9A , a schematic partial view of thekeypad 500 installed within thehousing 110 of themobile device 100 is shown. As can be seen, thekeymat layer 400 can be positioned between thekeypad sheet 300 and a plurality ofdomes 700 of themobile device 100. The thickness of theprotrusions 410 can be so chosen that theprotrusions 410 can contact the correspondingdomes 700 and the contact can cause theprotrusions 410 to be slightly depressed so as to provide a pre-load force to thedomes 700. Thehousing 110 can press on anedge 505 of thekeypad 500 to supplement the pre-load force on thedomes 700. The pre-load force can be a result of both of the forces of thedomes 700 pushing up and theprotrusions 410 pushing down. The pre-load force and the overall configuration of thekeypad 500 can provide a better tactile feel for the users. - Referring to
FIG. 9B , a partial front view of themobile device 100 is shown. As can be seen,grids 105 can be additionally provided for installing thekeypad 500, which lacks rigidity because of its FIP style, into thehousing 110. Thegrids 105 can fit into the areas between thekeys 305 in order to provide the rigidity to secure thekeypad 500 into themobile device 100. Thegrids 105 can be an integral part of thehousing 110 or can be a separate part that is assembled into thehousing 110. Alternatively, thegrids 105 can be assembled onto thekeypad 500 first and then assembled into thehousing 110. Thegrids 105 can also press on the areas between thekeys 305 to supplement the pre-load force on thedomes 700. - For example, because the
protrusions 410 can contact thedomes 700 and in view of the pre-load force, any pre-existing gap between theactuators 310 and thedomes 700 can be eliminated or significantly reduced. This arrangement can prevent the issue of a floating keypad from surfacing. Moreover, thekeymat layer 400, because it can be made of a relatively soft material, can reduce the noise from theactuators 310 striking thedomes 700, which can make keypad strokes quieter. Also, because thekeymat layer 400 can be constructed of a deformable material, the length that thekeys 305 can travel when pressed can be increased, as theprotrusions 410 can slightly collapse during such a keystroke. In addition to these features, thekeymat layer 400, as described above, can protect thedomes 700 and other components of themobile device 100 from external contaminants. - Referring to
FIG. 10 , amethod 1000 of manufacturing a keypad is shown. It is understood that the steps of themethod 1000 are not limited to the particular order in which they are presented here. Themethod 1000 may also include a greater (or even fewer) number of steps than that which is illustrated inFIG. 10 . Atstep 1005, a film can be thermo formed into a shape defining protruding keys on a front side of the film and key pockets on a back side of the film in which the key pockets can correspond to the keys. Atstep 1010, actuators can be molded into the key pockets so that the actuators can protrude from the back side of the film. The formed film can be referred to as a keypad sheet. Atstep 1015, a keymat layer can be molded onto the back side of the keypad sheet in which the keymat layer can be formed with protrusions in areas corresponding to the actuators on the back side of the keypad sheet. The keymat layer can be made of flexible material and have a larger thickness in areas corresponding to the actuators than in areas between the keys. The thickness of the keymat layer in the areas corresponding to the actuators can be larger than a gap between the actuators and the domes so that a pre-load force can be exerted on the domes. Atstep 1020, slits can be cut around at least some of the keys in which the slits are cut into the keypad sheet but do not pierce the keymat layer. Optionally, atstep 1025, a sealing ring can be formed along at least a portion of an outline of the keypad. - Portions of the
mobile device 100 and supporting components can take the form of hardware elements, software elements or elements containing both hardware and software. In one embodiment, the software portions can include, but are not limited to, firmware, resident software, microcode, etc. Furthermore, these software portions can take the form of a computer program product accessible from a computer-usable or computer-readable medium providing program code for use by or in connection with a computer or any instruction execution system. For the purposes of this description, a computer-usable or computer readable medium can be any apparatus that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The medium can be an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system (or apparatus or device) or a propagation medium (though propagation mediums in and of themselves as signal carriers are not included in the definition of physical computer-readable medium). Examples of a physical computer-readable medium include a semiconductor or solid state memory, magnetic tape, a removable computer diskette, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a rigid magnetic disk and an optical disk. Current examples of optical disks include compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM), compact disk-read/write (CD-R/W) and DVD. Both processors and program code for implementing each as aspect of the system can be centralized or distributed (or a combination thereof) as known to those skilled in the art. - A data processing system suitable for storing program code and for executing program code, which can be implemented in any of the above-referenced devices described herein, can include at least one processor coupled directly or indirectly to memory elements through a system bus. The memory elements can include local memory employed during actual execution of the program code, bulk storage, and cache memories that provide temporary storage of at least some program code in order to reduce the number of times code must be retrieved from bulk storage during execution. I/O devices (including but not limited to keyboards, displays, pointing devices, etc.) can be coupled to the system either directly or through intervening I/O controllers.
- Examples have been described above regarding a keypad and method of manufacturing same. Various modifications to and departures from the disclosed embodiments will occur to those having skill in the art. The subject matter is set forth in the following claims.
Claims (4)
- A keypad (500) for installation within a housing (110) of a mobile device (100), the keypad comprising:a keypad sheet (300) including:a plurality of keys (305) formed on a front side of the keypad sheet (300); anda plurality of actuators (310) formed on a back side of the keypad sheet (300), anda keymat layer (400) for positioning between the keypad sheet (300) and domes (700) of the mobile device, the keymat layer (400) molded onto the back side of the keypad sheet (300) so as to form a barrier (400) to external contaminants;wherein the keymat layer (400) is formed with protrusions (410) in areas corresponding to the actuators, and wherein the protrusions (410) are arranged to contact the domes (700) such that the contact between the protrusions (410) and the domes (700) provides a pre-load force on the domes which is insufficient to cause the domes to transition from a first state to a second state but capable of supplementing a force that is sufficient to transition the domes from the first state to the second state, characterized in that the actuators (310) are protruding from the back side of the keypad sheet (300).
- The keypad (500) according to claim 1, wherein the keypad (500) is installed within the housing (110) of the mobile device (100) with the help of grids (105) fitting into areas between the keys (305), and wherein the housing (110) presses on an edge of the keypad (500) and the grids (105) press on the areas between the keys (305) to supplement the pre-load force on the domes (700).
- A method of manufacturing a keypad (500), comprising:forming a keypad sheet (300) by:forming a film into a shape defining protruding keys (305) on a front side and key pockets (315) on a back side, the key pockets (315) corresponding to the keys (305); andmolding actuators (310) into the key pockets (315) so that the actuators (310) protrude from the back side of the keypad sheet (300); andmolding a keymat layer (400) onto the back side of the keypad sheet (300) so that the keymat layer (400) forms a barrier (400) to external contaminants, the keymat layer (400) being formed with protrusions (410) in areas corresponding to the actuators (310) on the back side of the keypad sheet (300), wherein the keymat layer (400) is made of flexible material and has a larger thickness in areas corresponding to the actuators (310) than in areas between the keys (305);positioning a keypad (500) formed by the keypad sheet (300) and the keymat layer (400) above a plurality of domes (700), thus forming a keypad assembly, wherein the protrusions (410) fill a gap between the actuators (310) and the domes (700); andwherein the thickness of the keymat layer (400) in the areas corresponding to the actuators (310) is larger than the gap between the actuators (310) and the domes (700) so that a pre-load force is exerted on the domes (700), wherein the pre-load force is insufficient to cause the domes to transition from a first state to a second state but capable of supplementing a force that is sufficient to transition the domes from the first state to the second state..
- The method according to claim 3, further comprising:installing the keypad assembly within a housing (110) of a mobile device (100) with the help of grids (105) fitting into areas between the keys (305) of the keypad assembly, wherein the housing (110) presses on an edge of the keypad assembly and the grids (105) press on the areas between the keys (305) of the keypad assembly to supplement the pre-load force on the domes (700).
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP10154745.3A EP2362405B1 (en) | 2010-02-25 | 2010-02-25 | Keypads for mobile devices and method of manufacturing the same |
CA2732304A CA2732304C (en) | 2010-02-25 | 2011-02-18 | Keypads for mobile devices and method of manufacturing the same |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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EP10154745.3A EP2362405B1 (en) | 2010-02-25 | 2010-02-25 | Keypads for mobile devices and method of manufacturing the same |
Publications (2)
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EP2362405A1 EP2362405A1 (en) | 2011-08-31 |
EP2362405B1 true EP2362405B1 (en) | 2016-05-04 |
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EP10154745.3A Active EP2362405B1 (en) | 2010-02-25 | 2010-02-25 | Keypads for mobile devices and method of manufacturing the same |
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EP (1) | EP2362405B1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2732304C (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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PH12015000477A1 (en) * | 2015-11-11 | 2018-02-12 | Dante Olivar | Keypad for electronic devices |
Family Cites Families (13)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4391845A (en) * | 1981-11-19 | 1983-07-05 | Oak Industries Inc. | Method of making a membrane switch |
US4421966A (en) * | 1982-07-26 | 1983-12-20 | Kb Denver, Inc. | Keyboard elastomeric cover with buttons having changeable legends |
JP3151553B2 (en) * | 1996-11-29 | 2001-04-03 | 帝国通信工業株式会社 | Key top plate and manufacturing method thereof |
GB2346739B (en) * | 1999-02-12 | 2002-12-18 | Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd | Keypad structure |
FI20011304A (en) * | 2001-06-19 | 2002-12-20 | Nokia Corp | Compact integrated keyboard and method for producing the same |
US7126498B2 (en) * | 2002-02-27 | 2006-10-24 | Digit Wireless, Llc | Keypad construction |
US7355590B2 (en) * | 2002-04-30 | 2008-04-08 | Nokia Corporation | Keymat |
JP4062973B2 (en) * | 2002-05-28 | 2008-03-19 | 日本電気株式会社 | Waterproof structure for electronic device and electronic device having the waterproof structure |
US7873394B2 (en) * | 2004-04-21 | 2011-01-18 | Symbol Technologies, Inc. | Self contained keypad assembly |
KR100962604B1 (en) * | 2005-11-08 | 2010-06-11 | 신에츠 폴리머 가부시키가이샤 | Covering member for push-button switch |
US20080191904A1 (en) * | 2007-02-12 | 2008-08-14 | Kai-Jie Tsao | Method For Manufacturing Thin Keypad Assembly And Such Assembly |
DE602007004640D1 (en) * | 2007-12-14 | 2010-03-18 | Research In Motion Ltd | Key on a keyboard of an electronic device for playing back feedback signals |
ATE533167T1 (en) * | 2008-03-18 | 2011-11-15 | Research In Motion Ltd | KEYBOARD WITH WATER AND DUST PROTECTION |
-
2010
- 2010-02-25 EP EP10154745.3A patent/EP2362405B1/en active Active
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2011
- 2011-02-18 CA CA2732304A patent/CA2732304C/en active Active
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CA2732304C (en) | 2016-05-03 |
CA2732304A1 (en) | 2011-08-25 |
EP2362405A1 (en) | 2011-08-31 |
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