Button mechanism for waterproof housing

An input assembly, comprising:

• a waterproof wall defining an exterior surface and an interior surface, the exterior surface being exposed to an ambient environment, the interior surface being fluidically isolated from the ambient environment;
• an input member attached to the exterior surface and movable relative to the exterior surface, the input member comprising:
• a body portion defining an input surface of the input member, the body portion positioned within a recess defined in the exterior surface of the waterproof wall;
• a retention feature extending from the body portion and configured to limit movement of the input member relative to the waterproof wall, the retention feature positioned within a cavity extending from the recess, the cavity having a first width less than a second width of the recess, the first width and the second width measured in a direction parallel to the input surface;
• a first movable object attached to the input member;
• a second movable object attached to the input member spaced apart from the first movable object;
• a first sensor positioned at the interior surface and configured to output a first signal indicating motion of the first movable object through the waterproof wall;
• a second sensor positioned at the interior surface and configured to output a second signal indicating motion of the second movable object through the waterproof wall;
• a processor configured to output a third signal when the input member is depressed beyond a predetermined threshold distance relative to the waterproof wall in response to detecting that the first signal indicates motion of the first movable object beyond the predetermined threshold distance relative to the first sensor and in response to detecting that the second signal indicates motion of the second movable object beyond the predetermined threshold distance relative to the second sensor.

An electronic device, comprising:

• a housing defining an exterior surface and an internal volume, the exterior surface defining a recess;
• a transmissive barrier forming a waterproof interface between the recess and the internal volume;
• a button having a body portion having an input surface, a shaft extending from the body portion, and a retainer clip attached to the shaft, the shaft extending at least partially into a cavity in a wall of the recess, the retainer clip having an enlarged diameter relative to the shaft and limiting withdrawal of the shaft from the cavity, the shaft having a diameter less than a width of the input surface;
• a radiating object movable with the button and at least partially positioned within the cavity;
• a sensor positioned within the internal volume, the sensor configured to monitor a position of the radiating object through the transmissive barrier and generate a signal in response to the position of the radiating object;
• and
• a controller disposed in the internal volume and configured to monitor motion of the button based on the signal from the sensor.