Button retention, assembly, and water sealing
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorColin M. Ely
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sealed physical button for use with a portable electronic device that effectively presents ingress of liquids. Embodiments include a button cap having flange portions that interlock with complementary flanges from a button retainer. The button cap may also include a downward oriented central post, proportioned and oriented to interface with the top surface of a button attached to a bracket. The button retainer may include an aperture sized and positioned to receive the central post of the button cap. The button retainer may rest on a shelf within the electronic device housing such that the shelf interposes the bracket and the retainer to form a rigid seal.
Claims19
A button assembly comprising:
- a cap having a flange;
- a post coupled to the cap;
- a housing;
- a retainer positioned below the cap, the retainer having a flange and defining an aperture, the aperture positioned to receive the post;
- and
- a switch axially aligned with the post;
- wherein:
- the retainer is attached to the housing to form a seal;
- and
- the flange of the cap interlocks with the flange of the retainer by twisting about an axis defined by the post.
An electronic device comprising:
- a housing defining a button aperture;
- and
- a button comprising:
- a button cap positioned above the button aperture;
- a button cap retainer positioned below the button cap, the button cap retainer coupled to the button cap by a flange formed around the perimeter of the button cap;
- and
- a switch portion positioned below the retainer;
- wherein:
- the retainer is attached to the housing to form a seal;
- and
- the button cap and button cap retainer interlock together by one of twisting or sliding.
A button comprising:
- a button cap;
- a button cap retainer coupled to the button cap;
- a bracket configured to couple to the button retainer and to seal to an interior surface of a housing of an electronic device;
- and
- an electrical switch positioned between the bracket and the button cap retainer;
- wherein
- the button retainer is configured to seal to an exterior surface of the housing of an electronic device;
- wherein
- the button cap and the button cap retainer engage by twisting about a central axis of the button cap retainer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.