Shimless button assembly for an electronic device
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsEmery A. Sanford, Tyson B. Manullang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a shimless button assembly. According to such embodiments, a shimless button assembly includes a button component and a switch mechanism. The button component includes a compressible member that is configured to expand and contract in order to occupy a volume of space between the button component and the switch mechanism. The volume of space between the button component and the switch mechanism may be caused by differing tolerances between the various components of the button assembly, such as, for example, the button component and the switch mechanism.
Claims20
A button assembly, comprising:
- a button component;
- a base positioned below the button component;
- a switch mechanism positioned between the base and the button component;
- and
- a compressible member positioned between the base and the button component and defining a cavity;
- a hardenable material positioned within the cavity, wherein:
- the compressible element is compressible to expand or contract to occupy a volume within the button assembly;
- when the hardenable material cures, the hardenable material becomes rigid and maintains a thickness of the volume occupied by the compressible element.
A button assembly, comprising:
- a button component;
- a base positioned below the button component;
- a switch mechanism positioned between the base and the button component;
- an expansion component positioned within a volume located between the button component and the switch mechanism or between the switch mechanism and the base;
- and
- a glue positioned within a cavity defined within the expansion component, wherein:
- the expansion component comprises a compressible member that expands or contracts to occupy a thickness of the volume;
- the glue, once hardened, maintains the thickness after curing.
A method for biasing a button assembly, the method comprising:
- placing a glue layer into a cavity defined by a compressible member;
- inserting the compressible member into a volume of the button assembly to bias a button component away from a base;
- and
- hardening enabling the glue layer to maintain a thickness of the volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.