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A cantilevered push button adapted for accepting an input on an electrical or electronic device is disclosed. The button can include an elongated button top component disposed about an exterior surface of an electrical or electronic device such that it is accessible to a user, and having two opposing distal ends associated with separate user inputs. A first fulcrum is located between the first distal end and the midpoint of the elongated button top component, while a second fulcrum is located between the second distal end and the midpoint. A first electrical contact is associated with the first distal end, such that when a user presses on the first distal end, the elongated button top component pivots about the second fulcrum and the first electrical contact is actuated. A second electrical contact is similarly associated with the second distal end and first fulcrum.

Inventors: Bradley J. Hamel, Tang Yew Tan, Erik Wang
Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
Primary Examiner: Michael A Friedhofer
Attorney: Beyer Law Group LLP
Current U.S. Classification: 200/339; 200/5.00R; 200/553

View patent at USPTO
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Citations

Cited PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US5329278Oct 24, 1991Jul 12, 1994Pivoting electronic keyboard keys
US5508479Nov 17, 1994Apr 16, 1996Elastomeric rocker switch assembly
US5584380Jul 28, 1994Dec 17, 1996Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.Seesaw switch
US6239392Oct 11, 2000May 29, 2001Yazaki CorporationSwitch unit
US6246019Mar 14, 2000Jun 12, 2001Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Multidirectional switch and complex type switch using the same
US6274826Oct 11, 2000Aug 14, 2001Yazaki CorporationSwitch unit
US6961052Mar 17, 2003Nov 1, 2005Cisco Technology, Inc.Methods and apparatus for providing multi-directional navigation control
US6967300Sep 30, 2004Nov 22, 2005SMK Manufacturing, Inc.Key assembly for electronic machines
US6995326Dec 1, 2004Feb 7, 2006NTT DoCoMo, Inc.Input key and input apparatus
US7259339Sep 8, 2006Aug 21, 2007Palm, Inc.Enhanced key structure with combined keycap for a mobile computing device

Claims

1. A cantilevered push button adapted for accepting one or more inputs on an electrical or electronic device, comprising:

a button top component having a first distal end associated with a first user input and a second distal end opposite said first distal end and associated with a second user input separate from said first user input, wherein said button top component is disposed about an exterior surface of an electrical or electronic device and is accessible to a user, and wherein both of said first and second distal ends can be actuated simultaneously by a user during ordinary use of said electrical or electronic device;

a first fulcrum located at said first distal end or between said first distal end and the midpoint of said button top component;

a second fulcrum located at said second distal end or between said second distal end and said midpoint of said button top component;

a first electrical contact associated with said first distal end of said button top component, wherein said button top component pivots about said second fulcrum and said first electrical contact is actuated when a user presses on said first distal end; and
a second electrical contact associated with said second distal end of said button top component, wherein said button top component pivots about said first fulcrum and said second electrical contact is actuated when a user presses on said second distal end.

2. The cantilevered push button of claim 1, wherein said first fulcrum is located at said second electrical contact.

3. The cantilevered push button of claim 2, wherein said second fulcrum is located at said first electrical contact.

4. The cantilevered push button of claim 1, wherein said button top component is comprised of a substantially rigid material.

5. The cantilevered push button of claim 4, wherein said button top component is metal.

6. The cantilevered push button of claim 1, wherein said first fulcrum is located at said first distal end and said second fulcrum is located at said second distal end.

7. The cantilevered push button of claim 1, wherein said first and second electrical contacts comprise dome button type electrical contacts.

8. The cantilevered push button of claim 7, wherein said dome button type electrical contacts are preloaded with a positive upward force.

9. The cantilevered push button of claim 1, wherein said simultaneous actuation results in the entire cantilevered push button being pressed inward toward said electrical or electronic device.

10. The cantilevered push button of claim 1, wherein said button top component is adapted to be disposed through an opening of and not contact a housing of said electrical or electronic device.

11. An electrical device, comprising:

a housing adapted to contain one or more internal electrical device components therein;

one or more user interface regions; and

a cantilevered push button located at one of said one or more user interface regions and adapted for accepting one or more inputs on said electrical device, wherein said cantilevered push button includes
an elongated button top component having a first distal end associated with a first user input and a second distal end opposite said first distal end and associated with a second user input separate from said first user input, wherein said elongated button top component is disposed about an exterior surface of an electrical or electronic device and is accessible to a user, and wherein both of said first and second distal ends can be actuated simultaneously by a user during ordinary use of said electrical device,
a first fulcrum located at said first distal end or between said first distal end and the midpoint of said elongated button top component,
a second fulcrum located at said second distal end or between said second distal end and said midpoint of said elongated button top component;
a first electrical contact associated with said first distal end of said elongated button top component, wherein said elongated button top component pivots about said second fulcrum and said first electrical contact is actuated when a user presses on said first distal end, and
a second electrical contact associated with said second distal end of said elongated button top component, wherein said elongated button top component pivots about said first fulcrum and said second electrical contact is actuated when a user presses on said second distal end.

12. The electrical device of claim 11, wherein said electrical device comprises an electronic device.

13. The electrical device of claim 11, wherein said first fulcrum is located at said second electrical contact.

14. The electrical device of claim 13, wherein said second fulcrum is located at said first electrical contact.

15. The electrical device of claim 11, wherein said elongated button top component is comprised of a substantially rigid material.

16. The electrical device of claim 11, wherein said first and second electrical contacts comprise dome button type electrical contacts.

17. The electrical device of claim 11, wherein said simultaneous actuation results in the entire cantilevered push button being pressed inward toward said electrical device.

18. The electrical device of claim 11, wherein said elongated button top component is disposed through an opening in said housing and does not contact said housing.

19. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing adapted to contain one or more internal electrical device components therein;

a processor located within said housing;

one or more user interface regions having one or more user interface components in communication with said processor; and

one or more cantilevered push buttons located at at least one of said one or more user interface regions and adapted for accepting a plurality of inputs on said electronic device, wherein each of said one or more cantilevered push buttons includes
an elongated button top component having a first distal end associated with a first user input and a second distal end opposite said first distal end and associated with a second user input separate from said first user input, wherein said elongated button top component is disposed through an opening in said housing, does not contact said housing, and is accessible to a user,
a first fulcrum and a second fulcrum about which said elongated button top pivots when actuated by a user,
a first electrical contact associated with said first distal end of said elongated button top component, wherein said elongated button top component pivots about said second fulcrum and said first electrical contact is actuated when a user presses on said first distal end, and
a second electrical contact associated with said second distal end of said elongated button top component, wherein said elongated button top component pivots about said first fulcrum and said second electrical contact is actuated when a user presses on said second distal end.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein both of said first and second distal ends can be actuated simultaneously by a user during ordinary use of said electronic device.

Drawings