Button retention, assembly, and water sealing
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorColin M. Ely
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sealed physical button for use with a portable electronic device that effectively presents ingress of liquids. Embodiments include a button cap having flange portions that interlock with complementary flanges from a button retainer. The button cap may also include a downward oriented central post, proportioned and oriented to interface with the top surface of a button attached to a bracket. The button retainer may include an aperture sized and positioned to receive the central post of the button cap. The button retainer may rest on a shelf within the electronic device housing such that the shelf interposes the bracket and the retainer to form a rigid seal.
Claims25
A button assembly comprising:
- a cap having a flange;
- a post coupled to the cap;
- a housing having a shelf portion;
- a retainer positioned above the shelf portion, the retainer having a flange and an aperture, the aperture positioned to receive the post;
- a switch axially aligned with the post;
- and
- a bracket positioned below the shelf portion and fixedly coupled to the retainer so that the shelf portion at least partially interposes the bracket and the retainer;
- wherein:
- the flange of the cap interlocks with the flange of the retainer.
A translation guide for an oblong button comprising:
- a central aperture for receiving an alignment post;
- and
- a first and second flange positioned longitudinally opposite each other, proportioned and oriented to interlock each with a respective flange of a button cap;
- wherein:
- the first and second flanges define a translation range of the button cap;
A method for assembling a sealed button comprising:
- selecting a button cap having a central post and a first and second extension portions each having a flange;
- selecting a button retainer having an aperture proportioned and oriented to receive the central post of the button cap, the button retainer also having a first and second flange portions;
- positioning the central post within the aperture such that the longitudinal axis of the button cap is skewed at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the button retainer;
- rotating the button cap about an axis defined by the central post and aperture so that the longitudinal axis of the button cap is substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the button retainer;
- positioning the button cap and button retainer within a housing proportioned to rotationally fix the button cap;
- and
- coupling a bracket to the button retainer through the housing.
An electronic device comprising:
- a housing having a button aperture comprising a shelf portion extending from the perimeter of the aperture to the interior of the aperture;
- and
- a button comprising:
- a button cap positioned above the shelf portion of the aperture;
- a button cap retainer positioned between the button cap the shelf portion of the aperture, the button cap retainer coupled to the button cap;
- a bracket positioned below the shelf portion of the aperture;
- and
- a switch portion positioned between the bracket and the button cap retainer;
- wherein:
- the bracket is rigidly fastened to the button cap retainer to clamp around the shelf portion of the aperture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.