CA2476778A1 - Printed circuit board for a mobile device - Google Patents

Printed circuit board for a mobile device Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2476778A1
CA2476778A1 CA002476778A CA2476778A CA2476778A1 CA 2476778 A1 CA2476778 A1 CA 2476778A1 CA 002476778 A CA002476778 A CA 002476778A CA 2476778 A CA2476778 A CA 2476778A CA 2476778 A1 CA2476778 A1 CA 2476778A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
circuit board
printed circuit
contacts
keys
layout
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
CA002476778A
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2476778C (en
Inventor
Paul Robert Chyc
Roman Peter Rak
Jason Griffin
Steven Fyke
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
BlackBerry Ltd
Original Assignee
Research in Motion Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Research in Motion Ltd filed Critical Research in Motion Ltd
Publication of CA2476778A1 publication Critical patent/CA2476778A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2476778C publication Critical patent/CA2476778C/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01HELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/70Switches 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
    • H01H13/702Switches 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
    • H01H13/705Switches 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 construction, mounting or arrangement of operating parts, e.g. push-buttons or keys
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01HELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/70Switches 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
    • H01H13/76Switches 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 wherein some or all of the operating members actuate different combinations of the contact sets, e.g. ten operating members actuating different combinations of four contact sets
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01HELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/70Switches 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
    • H01H13/78Switches 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 contacts or the contact sites
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01HELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2221/00Actuators
    • H01H2221/032Actuators adjustable
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01HELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2229/00Manufacturing
    • H01H2229/022Modular assembly

Abstract

A printed circuit board is provided for use in a keyboard assembly of a mobile device having a plurality of keys in a key layout. The printed circuit board has a plurality of contacts, such as dome switches, arranged in a contact layout. The contact layout is such that it can be used with a plurality of different key layouts, each actuating different combinations of contacts. Some keys in a particular key layout are overlying at least two of the plurality of contacts, and such keys actuate only one of the underlying contacts. As such, a common printed circuit board can be used for a plurality of complementary mobile device designs having different key layouts, thereby allowing a manufacturer to realize cost efficiencies.

Claims (9)

1. A printed circuit board for a keyboard assembly for use in a mobile device, the keyboard assembly having a plurality of keys in a key layout, the printed circuit board comprising:
a plurality of contacts arranged in a contact layout for actuation by different combinations of keys in different key layouts, at least two of the plurality of contacts underlying each of at least one key of the plurality of keys in one of the different key layouts, the at least one key for actuating only one of the at least two of the plurality of contacts.
2. The printed circuit board of claim 1 wherein the contact layout is arranged to correspond with key positions in the different key layouts.
3. The printed circuit board of claim 1 wherein the contacts are arranged in rows.
4. The printed circuit board of claim 1 wherein the contacts are arranged in columns.
5. The printed circuit board of claim 1 wherein at least some of the contacts are dome switches.
6. The printed circuit board of claim 1 wherein at least some of the contacts are printed on the printed circuit board.
7. The printed circuit board of claim 1 wherein the plurality of keys are arranged in a QWERTY keyboard layout.
8. The printed circuit board of claim 1 wherein the plurality of keys are arranged in a telephone keypad layout.
9. The printed circuit board of claim 1 wherein the plurality of keys are arranged in a key layout selected from the group consisting of: QWERTZ, AZERTY, Dvorak, and alphabetic.
CA002476778A 2003-08-07 2004-08-06 Printed circuit board for a mobile device Active CA2476778C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0318532.9 2003-08-07
GB0318532A GB2404788B (en) 2003-08-07 2003-08-07 Printed circuit board for a mobile device

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2476778A1 true CA2476778A1 (en) 2005-02-07
CA2476778C CA2476778C (en) 2010-03-09

Family

ID=27839810

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002476778A Active CA2476778C (en) 2003-08-07 2004-08-06 Printed circuit board for a mobile device

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (4) US7026566B2 (en)
CA (1) CA2476778C (en)
GB (1) GB2404788B (en)
HK (1) HK1075742A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2404788B (en) * 2003-08-07 2006-08-23 Research In Motion Ltd Printed circuit board for a mobile device
US7394030B2 (en) 2005-06-02 2008-07-01 Palm, Inc. Small form-factor keyboard using keys with offset peaks and pitch variations
US7832628B2 (en) * 2005-10-21 2010-11-16 Verifone, Inc. Protective cover for terminal keypad security switches
US7259339B1 (en) 2006-09-08 2007-08-21 Palm, Inc. Enhanced key structure with combined keycap for a mobile computing device
US8989822B2 (en) 2006-09-08 2015-03-24 Qualcomm Incorporated Keypad assembly for use on a contoured surface of a mobile computing device
EP2093784B1 (en) 2008-02-20 2010-07-28 Research In Motion Limited Device providing an improved keypad assembly for a portable electronic device
US20090207054A1 (en) * 2008-02-20 2009-08-20 Research In Motion Limited Device providing an improved keypad assembly for a portable electronic device
US7910851B2 (en) * 2008-11-26 2011-03-22 Motorola Mobility, Inc. Padstacks capable of receiving domes of dome keypads in a plurality of locations and printed circuit boards utilizing the padstacks
ITPD20130147A1 (en) * 2013-05-24 2014-11-25 Vimar Spa CONTROL UNIT FOR AN ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT
KR20150099295A (en) * 2014-02-21 2015-08-31 삼성전자주식회사 Electronic device including a physical key

Family Cites Families (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU627396B2 (en) * 1990-02-14 1992-08-20 Yazaki Corporation Two-stage rubber switch
DE69322910T2 (en) * 1992-07-31 1999-06-10 Sega Enterprises Kk Control key mechanism
JP3000885B2 (en) * 1994-12-28 2000-01-17 ヤマハ株式会社 Switch device
US5717176A (en) * 1996-07-17 1998-02-10 United Technologies Automotive, Inc. Sequentially operated membrane switches
GB2324414B (en) * 1997-04-15 2001-09-12 Motorola Gmbh Keypad arrangement
WO1999044212A1 (en) * 1998-02-25 1999-09-02 Tso Kevin H K Alphanumerical data input device using multiple input keys
KR100743139B1 (en) * 1999-10-01 2007-07-27 마쯔시다덴기산교 가부시키가이샤 5-Directional key operation device
GB2364173B (en) * 2000-06-30 2004-04-14 Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd A keypad
CA2363244C (en) * 2000-11-07 2006-06-13 Research In Motion Limited Multifunctional keyboard for a mobile communication device and method of operating the same
JP2002217457A (en) * 2001-01-12 2002-08-02 Nec Corp Mobile phone, and diffusing body and lighting system provided therein
US6303887B1 (en) * 2001-02-23 2001-10-16 Shin-Etsu Polymer Co., Ltd. Pushbutton switch element for pushbutton switch structure
JP2003031077A (en) * 2001-07-16 2003-01-31 Sunarrow Ltd Multi-stage multi-directional key and multi-stage multi- directional key switch using the same
TW510561U (en) * 2001-12-11 2002-11-11 Silitek Corp Push button structure
JP2004014284A (en) * 2002-06-06 2004-01-15 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Lighting switch sheet and lighting unit with the same
GB2404788B (en) * 2003-08-07 2006-08-23 Research In Motion Ltd Printed circuit board for a mobile device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US8076602B2 (en) 2011-12-13
US20050045465A1 (en) 2005-03-03
US7923649B2 (en) 2011-04-12
US7459651B2 (en) 2008-12-02
GB2404788B (en) 2006-08-23
US20090134002A1 (en) 2009-05-28
CA2476778C (en) 2010-03-09
HK1075742A1 (en) 2005-12-23
GB0318532D0 (en) 2003-09-10
GB2404788A (en) 2005-02-09
US20110147189A1 (en) 2011-06-23
US20060118400A1 (en) 2006-06-08
US7026566B2 (en) 2006-04-11

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