Method of fabricating an elastomeric keypad

A method of fabricating an elastomeric keypad having plastic key caps on elastomeric keys, comprising the steps of:

• providing a plastic film having convex key caps formed therein, the convex key caps each having a graphic printed thereon, and the plastic film having a web connecting the convex key caps;
• providing a multi-plate molding tool having a first plate, a second plate and a third plate, the first plate having a first surface containing recesses representative of the elastomeric keys;
• placing the plastic film onto the first plate such that the convex key caps are situated in the recesses and the web is situated above the first surface;
• mounting the second plate onto the first plate such that the first and second plate cooperate to excise the convex key caps from the plastic film and to displace the web toward the first surface;
• after the step of mounting the second plate, mounting the third plate onto the second plate to form an assembled multi-plate molding tool having a cavitydefining the elastomeric keypad;
• filling the cavity with an elastomeric material and curing the elastomeric material to form an elastomeric keypad having the convex key caps integrally attached to the elastomeric keys;
• and
• after the step of molding, opening the assembled multi-plate molding tool, removing the elastomeric keypad, and removing the displaced web from the multi-plate molding tool.

A method of fabricating an elastomeric keypad having plastic caps on elastomeric keys, comprising the steps of:

• providing a planar plastic film having an array of graphics printed thereon and having plastic caps molded onto the plastic film such that the caps are intimately attached to the planar plastic film and are situated on the graphics, and the planar plastic film having a web portion connecting the graphics;
• providing a multi-plate molding tool having a first plate, a second plate and a third plate, the first plate having a first surface containing recesses representative of the elastomeric keys;
• placing the planar plastic film onto the first plate such that the plastic caps are situated in the recesses and the web portion is situated on the first surface;
• after the step of placing, mounting the second plate and the third plate onto the first plate to form an assembled multi-plate molding tool having a cavity defining the elastomeric keypad;
• molding an elastomeric material into the cavity and solidifying the elastomeric material to form an elastomeric keypad having the plastic caps and associated graphics integrally attached to the elastomeric keys;
• and
• after the step of molding, removing the third plate from the multi-plate molding tool and ejecting the molded keypad with the integrally molded plastic caps from the tool, the first and second plates cooperating to retain the web portion from the molded keypad and integrally molded plastic caps;
• opening the assembled multi-plate molding tool and removing the web portion from the multi-plate molding tool.