Electronic devices may include several types of input components that can be used by a user for providing instructions or commands to the electronic device. For example, the input component may be a switch assembly including a button that may be moved to one of at least two different positions. The button may be aligned with a slider that can slide along a linear track. Consequently, as the button is moved from one position to another, the movement of the button causes the slider to slide along the track. A switch box can be coupled to the slider via an engagement member that can detect mechanical movement of the slider and translate this movement into electrical signals. These electrical signals can then be interpreted by other components of an electronic device in order to alter a functional state of the device.
Given the trend to incorporate more features into devices, while simultaneously maintaining or shrinking the physical dimensions of the device, other components such as switch assemblies within the device may need to shrink. Accordingly, switch assemblies constructed with a thin operational profile are needed.
Rotational switch assemblies having a thin operational profile are provided for use in electronic devices. Rotational switch assemblies in accordance with embodiments of the invention can include a button, an engagement member, and switch housing. The switch housing includes a radial spring, a post, and at least two contact spring arms. The engagement member includes at least two contact pads and at least two position notches and is mounted to and operable to rotate about the post to one of at least two positions. When the button is moved from one position to another, this movement is translated to the engagement member, which rotates from one position to another, and as the engagement member rotates, the radial spring engages the position notch corresponding to the position of the engagement member, and one of the contact pads engages a corresponding one of the contact spring members for that position.
The above and other aspects of the invention, its nature, and various features will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and in which:
Electronic device 10 may include at least one input component (see, e.g., buttons 16 and 18 and switch assembly 200 of
As shown in
Generally, device 10 may be said to have a depth D that may be defined by the gap between back wall 14 and the front wall (not shown). Similarly, housing 400 may be said to have a width W that may be defined by the length between right side wall 22 and left side wall 21. Finally, device 10 may be said to have a height H that may be defined by the length between top wall 23 and bottom wall 24. It should be noted that the design of device 10 described above is only exemplary and need not be substantially hexahedral, and that, in certain embodiments, the intersects of certain walls may be beveled, and device 10 itself could generally be formed in any other suitable shape, including, but not limited to, substantially spherical, ellipsoidal, conoidal, octahedral, or a combination thereof, for example.
Electronic device 10 can include at least one switch assembly 200. As shown in
Switch assembly 200 may also include a button 214 that can slide within and along track 212 between at least two button positions to change a functional state of device 100 (e.g., to power the device up or to power the device down or to switch the ringer between a vibrate mode or a ring mode). For example, as shown in
Referring now to
Engagement member 240 may be coupled to button 214 (e.g., via pin 250) and to post 232, and engagement member 240 may rotate about an axis (e.g., center axis) of post 232 between different switch positions when button 214 correspondingly moves between different button positions along track 212. Engagement member 240 can include position notches 242 and switch contact pads 234. When button 214 moves between different positions, radial spring 236 engages one of position notches 242 and one of contact pads 244 is electrically connected to one of contact spring arms 234.
Contact spring arms 234 may be electrically coupled to an electronic component (e.g., a processor (not shown)) of device 10, for example, via a circuit board (not shown) of device 10. When button 214 is at a functional button position along track 212, engagement member 240 is positioned so that one of its contact pads 244 is in contact with a respective contact spring arm 234 associated with that functional button position, and switch housing 230 may thereby change the function or logic of an electronic component of device 10 in response to engagement member 240 being in that position.
In some embodiments, switch 230 of switch assembly 200 may be any type of switching component, including, but not limited to, a single pole single throw (“SPST”) switch, a single pole double throw (“SPDT”) switch, a single pole center off (“SPCO”) switch, a double pole single throw (“DPST”) switch, a double pole double throw (“DPDT”) switch, a double pole center off (“DPCO”) switch, a maintained contact switch, a momentary contact switch, a fader or limitless contact switch, or combinations thereof.
Referring to
Referring now to
Housing 230 can be constructed from any suitable material such as plastic, metal, or a combination thereof. For example, the structure of housing 230 can be an injected molded part, and contact spring arms 234 and radial spring 236 can be constructed from metal. In addition, spring arms 234 and radial spring 236 are incorporated into the molded part. Post 232 may be constructed to have tight tolerances so that there is virtually no slop in the coupling with engagement member 240. Engagement member 240 may be secured to post 232 with retaining structure 510 (shown in
Engagement member 240 may be constructed from any suitable material or combination of materials. For example, the general structure of member 240 can be constructed from a plastic and contact pads 244 can be constructed from a metal. Engagement member 240 can be an integrally formed structure having a protrusion portion and a free spinning portion. The protrusion portion extends beyond the periphery of the sides and engages button 214. In one embodiment, the periphery portion can have two arms (as shown) for interfacing with a pin (not shown) that is part of button 214. In another embodiment, the periphery portion can be a single arm having an extension member that interfaces with the button.
The free spinning portion can include a tightly dimensioned through-hole for coupling to post 232, position notches 242, and contact pads 244. Any suitable number of position notches 242 and contact pads 244 may be present on engagement member 240. The location of position notches 242 may depend on the radius of the free spinning portion. Thus, the greater the radius, the greater the spacing between position notches 242. Position notches 242 may be shaped to promote snug lockup for each switch position.
Although
Radial spring 236 and its interaction with engagement member 240, and in particular to position notches 242, is discussed. As discussed above, when button 214 is switched from one position to another, this movement is translated to engagement member 240, which results in member 240 rotating from one position to another position. When member 240 rotates from one position to another, radial spring 502 engages one of position notches 242.
Radial spring 236 can be constructed to have a pre-load force for engaging position notches 242 in a manner that is strong enough to eliminate any slop in the movement of engagement member 240 from one position to another. As used herein, “slop” in engagement member movement can be characterized as the wiggling of the engagement member that is created when a small amount of force is applied to the engagement member, where the applied force is insufficient to cause the engagement member to move to a different position switch 242. An advantage of using radial spring 236 in box housing 230 according to this invention is that additional design flexibility is provided as compared to springs used in conventional linear switches.
It is be understood that various directional and orientational terms such as “up” and “down,” “front” and “back,” “left” and “right,” “top” and “bottom,” “above” and “under,” and the like are used herein only for convenience, and that no fixed or absolute directional or orientational limitations are intended by the use of these words. For example, the devices of the invention can have any desired orientation. If reoriented, different directional or orientational terms may need to be used in their description, but that will not alter their fundamental nature as within the scope and spirit of the invention. Moreover, it is also to be understood that various types of devices, other than electronic devices, may be provided with one or more switch assemblies of the invention. For example, any mechanical device, such as a board game, may be provided with switch assemblies of the invention.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention can be practiced by other than the described embodiments, which are presented for purposes of illustration rather than of limitation.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/474,622, filed Apr. 12, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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6728982 | Lemire et al. | May 2004 | B2 |
6853290 | Jorgensen et al. | Feb 2005 | B2 |
20050145466 | Wang | Jul 2005 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20120261241 A1 | Oct 2012 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61474622 | Apr 2011 | US |