Access control apparatus

A keypad unit for an access system, said unit comprising:

• an outer housing;
• an internal carrier mounted within the housing and defining a carrier cavity;
• a printed circuit board assembly including at least one printed circuit board, said at least one printed circuit board including a plurality of piezoelectric transducers;
• and
• a non-compressive, but compliant encapsulating compound contained within the carrier cavity, said printed circuit board assembly being suspended within the encapsulating compound.

A keypad unit for an access system associated with a vehicle, said keypad unit having means for mounting said unit to a vehicle door, said unit comprising:

• an outer housing defining a housing cavity and having an integral bezel;
• a transparent or translucent internal carrier mounted within the housing cavity, said internal carrier including a top wall and sidewalls defining a carrier cavity, said carrier further including a plurality of carrier projections extending into the carrier cavity;
• an overlay mounted to an outside surface of the top wall of the carrier, said overlay including a plurality of key zones in register with the carrier projections;
• a printed circuit board assembly including a resilient foam layer sandwiched between a top printed circuit board and a bottom printed circuit board, said top printed circuit board including a plurality of LEDs positioned between the top wall of the carrier and the printed circuit board assembly where the LEDs are in register with the key zones, said top printed circuit board further including a plurality of piezoelectric transducers mounted to the top printed circuit board and backed by the foam layer, said piezoelectric transducers being in register with the carrier projections;
• and
• a non-compressive, but compliant encapsulating compound combined within the carrier cavity, said printed circuit board assembly being suspended within the encapsulating compound and being spaced from all walls of the carrier.