Multi-functional touch actuator in electronic devices
AssigneeNokia Corporation
InventorsPekka Pihlaja, Jari Nousiainen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A joystick has a dome facing a flat position sensitive detector for use an electronic device. The dome is elastically mounted so that the apex of the dome rests on the detector. As the joystick is deflected, the dome and the detector roll against each other such that the apex of the dome moves to a different location of the detector surface. The joystick can be depressed to cause the dome to buckle in order to select a function of the electronic device. When the joystick is depressed, the contact area between the dome and the detector increases abruptly. After the dome is buckled, the user can exert an uneven pressure to the joystick to allow the electronic device to carry out another function.
Claims7
A pointing device comprising:
- a keytop;
- a circuit board spaced from the keytop;
- a dome-shaped flexible device disposed between the keytop and the circuit board, the dome-shaped flexible device having an apex and a shape;
- a position sensitive detector positioned in relationship to the dome-shaped flexible device such that
- the apex of the dome has a contact area with the position sensitive detector at a contact position, that
- when the keytop is deflected, the contact position between the apex of the dome and the position sensitive detector is caused to shift while maintaining the shape of the dome-shaped flexible device and maintaining the contact area within a predetermined size, and that
- when the keytop is depressed toward the circuit board, the shape of the dome-shaped flexible device is caused to change and the contact area is caused to increase beyond the predetermined size.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.