Patent Application
20120208590
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The present disclosure generally relates to electronic mobile devices, and more particularly to keyboards or keypads of electronic mobile devices.
In the design of electronic mobile devices, such as cellular phones and the like, there is an inclination to continuously improve aesthetic qualities. One manner for making such improvements involves designing smaller and/or thinner devices by using smaller and/or thinner components. Another manner for making aesthetic improvements includes using visually and/or tactilely pleasing component assemblies. One type of visually pleasing assembly is a “seamless” keypad or keyboard in which multiple keys and the surrounding frame appear to be integrally connected.
Such seamless keys, while aesthetically appealing, create a number of practical design difficulties. For example, if a deformable film defines the upper layer of a seamless keypad, the film typically needs to exceed a minimum thickness to avoid being punctured during use. The force needed to deflect such a film (to actuate one of the keys) is relatively high and cannot typically be comfortably and repeatedly applied by a device user. As such, the aesthetic appeal of a seamless film keypad is typically outweighed by the desire to provide easy-to-manipulate keys.
Some designs have attempted to reduce the actuation forces described above. In each case, however, the resulting keys are not truly seamless. For example, some film keypad overlays include slits or regions of a material that is more deformable than the film itself. These features significantly reduce the aesthetic appeal of the device. As another example, other keypads use a less flexible, but more durable, sheet made of metal, polymers, or the like to define multiple keys instead of a film overlay. The frame supports the keys in a cantilevered manner and, as such, the keys do not include a visible gap at one side. In order to permit the sheet to be deflected to actuate the keys, however, the remaining three sides are not connected to the frame. As a result, the aesthetic appeal of these keys is significantly less than that of seamless keys.
According to some embodiments, an electronic mobile device includes a base and a plurality of switches supported by the base. A flexible frame overlies the plurality of switches and includes a plurality of deflection supports disposed apart from the base. The deflection supports define a plurality of passageways through the flexible frame. A plurality of actuators is disposed adjacent the plurality of switches. Each of the plurality of actuators is received in a corresponding one of the plurality of passageways and is engageable with a corresponding one of the plurality of switches. A film layer overlies the flexible frame and includes a plurality of deflectable portions. Each of the plurality of deflectable portions overlies a corresponding one of the plurality of actuators and the corresponding one of the plurality of switches. The device further includes a plurality of keys. Each of the plurality of keys is defined by a corresponding one of the plurality of deflectable portions, the corresponding one of the plurality of actuators, and the corresponding one of the plurality of switches. Each of the plurality of keys is actuatable by deflecting the corresponding one of the plurality of deflectable portions and the flexible frame to displace the corresponding one of the actuators and thereby actuate the corresponding one of the plurality of switches.
The teachings of the present disclosure relate generally to portable electronic devices, e.g., mobile communication devices such as pagers, cellular phones, global positioning system (GPS) navigation devices and other satellite navigation devices, smart phones, wireless organizers, wireless personal digital assistants (PDA), and tablet computers. The portable electronic devices could be devices without wireless communication capabilities such as PDAs, electronic gaming devices, digital photograph albums or picture frames, digital cameras, or digital video recorders. These examples are intended to be non-limiting. It is also possible that the teachings of the present disclosure could be applied to electronic devices other than handheld electronic devices, e.g., notebook computers.
Referring to
On the front surface, the base 102 also supports a plurality of input components. In particular, the base 102 supports an input control (e.g., an optical trackpad 106 or the like) and a generally seamless keypad or keyboard 108. Both the input control 106 and the keypad 108 are manipulable by the device user to provide inputs to the device 100 (e.g., to enter text characters, place phone calls, send text messages, use device applications, and the like). The following paragraphs describe more specifically the structure of the keypad 108 that provides its generally seamless appearance while being manipulable with relatively low actuation forces.
Referring now to
A first or upper row 112 of the keypad 108 includes four menu keys 217-220 (
A second row 113 of the keypad 108 includes keys 321-330 (
A third or middle row 114 of the keypad 108 includes keys 331-340 that define a full row of the keyboard layout and are actuatable to input text characters and the like to the electronic mobile device 100. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the keys 331-340 define the middle alphabetical row of a QWERTY-type keyboard layout in addition to a backspace key 340. Alternatively, the keys 331-340 could define a row of another well-known layout, such as a DVORAK-type layout, an alphabetic-type layout, a QWERTZ-type layout, an AZERTY-type layout, or the like and the key 340 could perform a different function or input a text character to the device 100. In any case, the keys 331-340 could additionally be used to input different text characters after entering an alternate or a symbol input mode.
A fourth row 115 of the keypad 108 includes keys 341-350 that define a full row of the keyboard layout and are actuatable to input text characters and the like to the electronic mobile device 100. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the keys 341-350 define the lower alphabetical row of a QWERTY-type keyboard layout in addition to an “alt” (i.e., alternate input mode) key 341, a currency symbol key 349, and an enter key 350. Alternatively, the keys 341-350 could define a row of another well-known layout, such as a DVORAK-type layout, an alphabetic-type layout, a QWERTZ-type layout, an AZERTY-type layout, or the like and the keys 341, 349, and 350 could perform different functions or enter text characters to the device 100. In any case, the keys 341-350 could additionally be used to input different text characters after entering an alternate or a symbol input mode.
A fifth or lower row 116 of the keypad 108 includes five keys 351-355 that are actuatable to provide inputs to the device 100. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the fifth row includes shift keys 351 and 355, a zero key 352, a space key 353, and a “sym” (i.e., symbol input mode) key 354. Alternatively, the keys 351-355 could perform different functions or enter different text characters to the device 100.
Referring now to
To permit the deflectable portions 462 to be movable toward the base 102, the film layer 460 comprises a deformable polymer such as polycarbonate (PC) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) having a thickness of 0.2-0.4 mm. In some embodiments, such a film layer 460 is processed using in-mold labeling (“IML”) techniques to provide invariant indicia on each of the deflectable portions 462. Such indicia illustrates the text character input to the device 100 or a functional character representing the action performed by actuating the corresponding key 217-220 or 321-355. For example, the first menu key 217 includes a telephone-shaped functional character representing the “place call” function of the key 217.
Alternatively, other deformable materials, appropriate film thicknesses, and manufacturing processes may be employed to provide the film layer 460 and the invariant indicia formed thereon.
In any case and as used herein, the term “invariant”, when used to describe indicia, means that the text/functional character of a key does not change to other text/functional characters. However, the function performed by pressing such a key may vary depending on the operating mode of the electronic mobile device 100 (e.g., if placing a phone call, sending a text message, playing a game, etc.). Furthermore, invariant indicia may be transparent or translucent and may be illuminated by internal device components depending on the operating mode of the electronic mobile device 100 (e.g., upon sensing low-light conditions).
To facilitate an aesthetically appealing outermost surface of the device 100, the film layer 460 is generally continuous. As used herein, the term “continuous”, when used to describe the film layer 460, means that the film layer 460 lacks substantial changes in thickness, slits, breaks, or other discontinuities apart from edges at the sides of the film layer 460 (e.g., edges 464 proximate the sides of the electronic mobile device 100) and edges surrounding the trackpad 106. In the embodiments shown in the figures, the edges 464 of the film layer 460 are insert molded to an adjacent component, described below, so as to fix the edges 464 relative to the base 102. In other embodiments, the edges 464 are fastened or otherwise fixed relative to the base 102.
Referring now to
The deflection supports 468 proximate the sides of the electronic mobile device 100 integrally connect to a plurality of base supports 470 that engage the base 102. In the embodiments shown in the figures, the base supports 470 connect to the base 102 via snap connectors or hooks. Regardless of the specific manner in which the base supports 470 connect to the base 102, the base supports 470 “simply” support the deflection supports 468 apart from the base 102. That is, the frame 466 engages the base 102 at the edges of the frame 466 (e.g., at two edges of the frame 466 as shown in the figures), but not therebetween. This type of support permits the deflection supports 468 to move towards the base 102 when the device user presses one of the keys 217-220 and 321-355. This motion of the deflection supports 468 in turn provides low actuation forces compared to those provided by a relatively rigid frame 466.
To further facilitate flexibility of the frame 466, the component comprises a relatively flexible polymer such as PC or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Moreover and as described briefly above, such a flexible polymer may be connected to the film layer 460 using insert molding techniques.
Still referring to
Each upper platform 576 connects to a generally narrow lower leg 578 that extends toward the base 102. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the upper platforms 576 integrally connect to the lower leg 578 extending therefrom to provide relatively tall column-like actuators 474. The upper platforms 576 and lower legs 578 also comprise a semi-rigid polymer, such as PC, to inhibit the actuators 474 from compressing when the device user actuates the keys 217-220 and 321-355.
To provide stability within the keypad 108, the actuator sheet 472 includes a plurality of connecting members 580 (
Still referring to
The electronic mobile device 100 described above may be modified in other manners without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Referring now to
As another exemplary alternative, the film layer 460 could include a transparent portion (not shown) that overlays the optical trackpad 106. Similarly, the film layer 460 could additionally or alternatively include a larger transparent portion (not shown) that overlays the display module 104 and a surrounding bezel. As yet another exemplary alternative, the actuators 474 may be separately supported (i.e., not integrally connected by the connecting members 580). As yet another exemplary alternative, each of the deflectable portions 462 may display variant indicia using a technology such as e-ink or the like.
In any case, from the above it should be apparent that the present disclosure provides an electronic mobile device having a keypad with at least some seamless keys that are manipulable with relatively low actuation forces. Such keys provide aesthetic appeal and may be comfortably and repeatedly actuated by the device user.
The various embodiments presented above are merely examples and are in no way meant to limit the scope of this disclosure. Variations of the embodiments described herein will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art, such variations being within the intended scope of the present application. In particular, features from one or more of the above-described embodiments may be selected to create alternative embodiments comprised of a sub-combination of features which may not be explicitly described above. In addition, features from one or more of the above-described embodiments may be selected and combined to create alternative embodiments comprised of a combination of features which may not be explicitly described above. Features suitable for such combinations and sub-combinations would be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art upon review of the present application as a whole. The subject matter described herein and in the recited claims intends to cover and embrace all suitable changes in technology.
