# US 8,541,704 B2 · Electrical appliance housing

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 8,541,704 B2
- Document ID: US8541704B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/463,381
- Filed: 2012-05-03
- Published: 2012-08-23
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2002-12-21
- Assignees: Braun GmbH
- Applicants: Karl Herzog; Thomas Fritsch
- Inventors: Karl Herzog; Thomas Fritsch
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8541704B2

## CPC

- H05K 5/0017: {with operator interface units}
- H05K 5/069: {Other details of the casing, e.g. wall structure, passage for a connector, a cable, a shaft}
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS

## Abstract

An electrical appliance housing including a hard plastic housing body defining a switch-actuating aperture. The aperture is sealed with a soft plastic membrane. An actuating button is fastened to a hard plastic base that is bonded to the membrane.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electrical appliance housing, comprising:
a hard plastic housing body defining a mechanism-activation aperture;
a soft plastic membrane configured to seal the aperture;
a hard plastic base; and
an actuating button joined to the hard plastic base;
wherein at least one bar secures the base to the housing body and the at least one bar comprises two bars, the two bars arranged in a common plane parallel to a plane of the aperture.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electrical appliance housing of claim 1, wherein the base is free of through-holes.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electrical appliance housing of claim 1, wherein the base is free from penetration by the actuating button.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electrical appliance housing of claim 1, wherein the membrane is directly bonded to the base and the at least one bar.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The electrical appliance housing of claim 1, wherein the membrane includes an edge section that encloses the base and projects beyond the base towards an outer side of the electrical appliance housing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The electrical appliance housing of claim 1, wherein the actuating button is integrally molded with the hard plastic base.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The electrical appliance housing of claim 1, wherein the membrane defines a recess, at least an outer side of the base penetrating the membrane through the recess.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The electrical appliance housing of claim 1, wherein the actuating button protrudes beyond the membrane towards an outer side of the electrical appliance housing.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The electrical appliance housing of claim 1, wherein the base defines a blind-end bore configured to receive a neck of the actuating button.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The electrical appliance housing of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a radial projection.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The electrical appliance housing of claim 1, wherein the housing body is bonded to the membrane.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The electrical appliance housing of claim 1, wherein the actuating button is positioned on the membrane.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The electrical appliance housing of claim 1, wherein the actuating button is positioned in the membrane.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The electrical appliance housing of claim 1, wherein the at least one bar is integrally molded with the housing body.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The electrical appliance housing of claim 1, wherein the at least one bar is integrally molded with the base.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The electrical appliance housing of claim 1, wherein the at least one bar extends generally parallel to a plane of the aperture.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The electrical appliance housing of claim 1, wherein each of the two bars extends to opposite edges of the aperture.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The electrical appliance housing of claim 1, wherein the two bars is configured to reduce the bending resistance in a direction transverse to the common plane.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The electrical appliance housing of claim 18, wherein each the two bars is shaped in an undulating configuration.