Patent Application
20090314619
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dome switches suitable for use in electronic devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dome switches are well-known and often used in consumer electronic products to implement buttons. For example, various consumer electronic devices, e.g., a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, game controller, or remote controller, typically include a plurality of buttons that a user can press to invoke various operations with respect to such devices. Such buttons can, for example, be used for function (e.g., send, end, navigate, etc.) buttons or for buttons of an alphanumeric keypad/keyboard. These buttons in many cases are implemented by dome switches.
A dome switch consists of a dome made from metal or plastic that can be deformed temporarily by a user press to invoke a switching action. Then, when the user press is removed, the dome returns to its original, undeformed shape. Today, with many electronic devices, proper operation of buttons is an important requirement for usability and user satisfaction. With respect to dome switches, the tactile feedback provided by dome switches is often very helpful to users of the consumer electronic products. However, conventional assembly of such buttons implemented by dome switches is inefficient and complicated. Generally, a dome must be placed on a substrate and corresponding structures often provide a button or key structure (with or without an actuation nub) that can be pressed downward to engage the dome during a button or key press. In some designs, activation nubs are provided on the button or key structure or on the peaks of the domes themselves. In any case, the formation of the activation nubs is a separate manufacturing step that is tedious and time-consuming. In addition, the placement of the actuation nubs relative to the domes is not always as accurate as desired. For example, if the actuation nub does not properly align with the center region of a dome, the tactile feedback for such dome switch will be disturbed and therefore not as robust as intended.
The invention pertains to a dome switch structure that includes an actuator integrally formed with a dome. Advantageously, the actuator can be formed so as to be positioned over and properly aligned with the dome. In one embodiment, the dome switch structure is used by an electronic device to provide user input. When the actuator is pressed by a user, the actuator depresses the dome and induces a switching action. In one embodiment, the dome switch structures can be manufactured (i.e., machined) as a unitary structure. Consequently, since actuators and domes can be formed together, the dome switch structures yield not only consistent accurate alignment but also simplified assembly of dome switches. Given the accurate alignment of an actuator to a corresponding dome, dome switches formed from the dome switch structures can have consistent and reliable tactile feel to users, which thereby provides reliable usage by users.
The invention may be implemented in numerous ways, including, but not limited to, as a system, device, apparatus, or method. Several exemplary embodiments of the present invention are discussed below.
As a dome-actuator structure for use in a dome switch, one embodiment of the invention can, for example, include at least: a dome, and an actuator feature attached to and positioned over the dome such that depressing of the actuator operates to depress the dome.
As an electronic device, one embodiment of the invention can, for example, include at least: a substrate having electrical contacts; and at least one switching apparatus including at least a dome and an actuator, the dome being provided on or proximate to the substrate, and the actuator being aligned over and integral with the dome.
As a method for forming a dome switch, one embodiment of the invention can, for example, include at least: obtaining a metal sheet; forming a dome-actuator structure in the metal sheet; separating the dome-actuator structure from the metal sheet; and manipulating the dome-actuator structure such that the actuator feature is positioned over the dome.
As a method for forming a dome switch, another embodiment of the invention can, for example, include at least: obtaining a metal sheet; forming a dome at a first region of the metal sheet; forming an actuator feature at a second region of the metal sheet; separating the dome and the actuator feature from the metal sheet; and positioning the actuator feature over the dome.
As a method for operating a dome switch, one embodiment of the invention can, for example, include at least: receiving a user press of a user input assembly including a dome and an actuator feature; and depressing the dome via the actuator feature in response to the user press so as to make an electrical connection to induce a switching action.
Various aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
The invention will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are discussed below with reference to the various figures. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for explanatory purposes, as the invention extends beyond these embodiments.
The invention pertains to a dome switch structure that includes an actuator integrally formed with a dome. Advantageously, the actuator can be formed so as to be positioned over and properly aligned with the dome. In one embodiment, the dome switch structure is used by an electronic device to provide user input. When the actuator is pressed by a user, the actuator depresses the dome and induces a switching action. In one embodiment, the dome switch structures can be manufactured (i.e., machined) as a unitary structure. Consequently, since actuators and domes can be formed together, the dome switch structures yield not only consistent accurate alignment but also simplified assembly of dome switches. Given the accurate alignment of an actuator to a corresponding dome, dome switches formed from the dome switch structures can have consistent and reliable tactile feel to users, which thereby provides reliable usage by users.
In one embodiment, the dome switch structure is used by an electronic device to provide user input. When the actuator is pressed by a user, the actuator depresses the dome and induces a switching action. In addition, given the pressure to make electronic devices smaller and thinner, there is a need to make components smaller and thinner. With respect to dome switches, the ability to integrate the actuator with the dome serves to reduce the overall height of the dome and actuator combination.
The invention can be utilized in a variety of different devices (e.g., electronic devices) including, but not limited to including, portable and highly compact electronic devices (i.e., portable electronic devices) with limited dimensions and space. In one embodiment, a device may be a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a media player, a mobile phone (e.g., cellular phone), a personal digital assistant (PDA), other handheld electronic devices, a computer mouse, a keyboard, a remote control, a computer accessory, and/or a computer peripheral. Typically, the electronic devices include at least one electrical component inside its housing. The electrical component can, for example, be an integrated circuit or circuit board. Examples of integrated circuits include memory, processor (microprocessor or controller), ASIC, and various others.
The size of the dome-actuator switch 100 can vary with implementation. In one embodiment, the dome 102 can have a diameter of about 3-8 mm, the actuator 104 can have a diameter of about 0.75-1.5 mm, the width of the platform 106 can be about 1.7-6 mm, and a width of the arm 108 can be about 0.5-2 mm. In one particular embodiment, the dome 102 can have a diameter of about 4.5 mm, the actuator 104 can have a diameter of about 1.0 mm, the width of the platform 106 can be about 2.0 mm, and a width of the arm 108 can be about 0.5 mm.
The dome-actuator structure 202 includes a dome 206 having an open end adjacent to the surface of the substrate 204, and a closed end having a curved surface that extends upward away from the surface of the substrate 204. The thickness of the dome 206 is typically in a range of 0.05-0.1 millimeters. For example, the dome-actuator structure 202 can be stainless steel (e.g., SUS 301), and the thickness of the dome 206 is typically in a range of 0.07 millimeters. The dome-actuator structure 202 also includes an actuator 208. The actuator 208 can also have a dome-like configuration. The actuator 208 can have an open end that is adjacent to a surface of a platform 210. In one implementation, the actuator 208 is formed from a portion of the platform 210. The closed end of the actuator 208 has a curved surface that extends downward towards the dome 206. As illustrated in
It should be noted that the compressed state typically requires a downward force to be exerted on the platform 210. Typically, the downward force is induced by a user press action. Once the downward force is removed, the platform 210 by way of the arm 212′ recovers to its uncompressed state and the dome 206′ returns to its uncompressed state, such as illustrated in
The dome switch manufacturing process 300 can initially obtain 302 a metal sheet. For example, the metal sheet can be a sheet of stainless steel (e.g., stainless steel 301) with a thickness of about 0.07 millimeters. Next, a dome can be formed 304 in the metal sheet. The formation of the dome into the metal sheet can be done by a progressive die approach in which the dome is gradually formed into the metal sheet in several stages. In addition, an actuator feature can be formed 306 in the metal sheet. The actuator can also be formed utilizing a progressive die approach. In one implementation, the dome and the actuator feature can be concurrently formed. In another implementation, the dome and the actuator feature can be formed sequentially.
After the dome and the actuator feature have been formed 304 and 306, a dome-actuator structure can be separated 308 from the metal sheet. The separation 308 can be performed by a stamping action or a cutting action. For example, the dome-actuator structure can be stamped out of the metal sheet as a unitary structure. As another example, the dome-actuator structure can be cut or diced from the metal sheet using any in a number of conventional approaches. After the dome-actuator structure has been separated 308 from the metal sheet, the dome-actuator structure can be manipulated 310 so that the actuator feature is positioned over the dome. As an example, the dome-actuator structure can include a flexure (e.g., arm) that couples together in the actuator and the dome. The flexure serves to position the actuator relative to the dome. At this point, the dome-actuator structure has been formed by the dome switch manufacturing process 300. Thereafter, the dome of the dome-actuator structure can be attached 312 to a substrate so as to form a dome switch. Typically, operations 302-310 are repeatedly performed using to form a plurality of dome-actuator structures. The various dome-actuator structures can be formed one at a time or more than one at a time.
In
In the foregoing description, reference to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Further, the order of blocks in process flowcharts or diagrams representing one or more embodiments of the invention do not inherently indicate any particular order nor imply any limitations in the invention.
The advantages of the invention are numerous. Different aspects, embodiments or implementations may, but need not, yield one or more of the following advantages. One advantage of certain embodiment of the invention is that dome structures can have accurately aligned actuator. Another advantage of the invention is that assembly of dome switches is simplified since actuators can be integrally formed with domes. Yet another advantage of the invention is that compact dome switches for low profile electronic devices are facilitated.
The many features and advantages of the present invention are apparent from the written description. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, the invention should not be limited to the exact construction and operation as illustrated and described. Hence, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to as falling within the scope of the invention.
