Back to results
US 4,916,262 AGranted
Low-profile, rubber keypad
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorsPolly S. Jungels-Butler, Scott D. Beutler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A low-profile rubber keypad with good tactile feel and illuminability includes a plurality of layers adhesively bonded to one another. The top layer of the keypad is a silicone rubber overlay having a plurality of keys protruding therefrom. The rubber overlay is adhesively bonded to an actuation layer including a plurality of thin actuating strips. The actuation layer is adhesively bonded to a tactile layer including a plurality of collapsible resilient domes. The tactile layer is adhesively bonded to a shorting layer including a plurality of conductors. The shorting layer is adhesively bonded to a flex circuit layer including a plurality of conductors.
Claims7
A keypad comprising in combination:
- a rubber overlay having a top surface with a plurality of protruding portions producing keys, and having a substantially flat bottom surface;
- a first adhesive layer having an outer edge portion bonded to the bottom surface of the rubber overlay at the periphery thereof;
- an actuation layer having a top surface bonded by the first adhesive layer to the rubber overlay, having a bottom surface, and having a plurality of pairs of cavities each separated by an actuating strip thereof, each actuating strip being substantially aligned with a corresponding key;
- a second adhesive layer having an outer edge portion bonded to the bottom surface of the actuation layer at the periphery thereof;
- a tactile layer having a top surface bonded by the second adhesive layer to the actuation layer, having a bottom surface, and having a plurality of collapsible resilient domes, each dome being substantially aligned with a corresponding actuation layer and key;
- a third adhesive layer having a plurality of cavities each substantially aligned with a corresponding key and being bonded to the bottom surface of the tactile layer;
- a shorting layer having a top surface bonded by the third adhesive layer to the tactile layer, having a bottom surface, and having a plurality of conductive areas thereon, each conductive area being substantially aligned with a corresponding key;
- and
- a fourth adhesive layer having a plurality of cavities each substantially aligned with a corresponding key and being bonded to the bottom surface of the shorting layer;
- a circuitry layer having a top surface bonded by the fourth adhesive layer to the shorting layer, having a bottom surface, and having a plurality of conductor pairs, each conductor pair being substantially aligned with a corresponding conductive area of said shorting layer, whereby depression of a key and corresponding actuating strip collapses a corresponding dome to produce contact between a corresponding conductive area and a conductor pair.
7 more elements
A keypad adapted to be surface mounted to a substrate, comprising:
- a rubber overlay having a top surface with a plurality of protruding portions producing keys, and having a substantially flat bottom surface;
- a first adhesive layer having an outer edge portion bonded to the bottom surface of the rubber overlay at the periphery thereof;
- an actuation layer having a top surface bonded by the first adhesive layer to the rubber overlay, having a bottom surface, and having a plurality of pairs of cavities each separated by an actuating strip thereof, each actuating strip being substantially aligned with a corresponding key;
- a second adhesive layer having an outer edge portion bonded to the bottom surface of the actuation layer at the periphery thereof;
- a tactile layer having a top surface bonded by the second adhesive layer to the actuation layer, having a bottom surface, and having a plurality of collapsible resilient domes, each dome being substantially aligned with a corresponding actuation layer and key;
- a third adhesive layer having a plurality of cavities each substantially aligned with a corresponding key and being bonded to the bottom surface of the tactile layer;
- a shorting layer having a top surface bonded by the third adhesive layer to the tactile layer, having a bottom surface, and having a plurality of conductive areas thereon, each conductive area being substantially aligned with a corresponding key;
- a fourth adhesive layer having a plurality of cavities each substantially aligned with a corresponding key and being bonded to the bottom surface of the shorting layer;
- a circuitry layer having a top surface bonded by the fourth adhesive layer to the shorting layer, having a bottom surface, and having a plurality of conductor pairs, each conductor pair being substantially aligned with a corresponding conductive area of said shorting layer, whereby depression of a key and corresponding actuating strip collapses a corresponding dome to produce contact between a corresponding conductive area and conductor pair;
- and
- a fifth adhesive layer bonded to the bottom surface of the circuitry layer for bonding said circuitry layer to the substrate.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.