Self capturing and keyed mobile device button

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9263204-B2
Application number	US-201213632758-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2012
Priority date	Aug 19, 2010
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

A housing of an electronic device encloses and supports at least one operational component and includes at least one opening sized to accommodate a mechanical input assembly. The mechanical input assembly includes a feature arranged to receive an input event, at least a portion of the feature exposed at an outside surface of the housing, an operational indicia visible on the exposed portion and having a preferred orientation with respect to the housing, the operational indicial providing an indication of how an operation of the operational component is influenced, and a shaft having a size and shape in accordance with the opening, the shaft attached to the external feature at a first end and an integrally formed self-capturing feature at the second end. The self-capturing feature is inserted into the opening until activated. The indicia is then properly aligned and the mechanical input assembly is locked to the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a housing having a recess that leads to an opening, the recess comprising a tabbed feature; and
a mechanical input assembly having a top end and a self-capturing end, the self-capturing end being removably insertable through the opening, and the top end having a round shape and a keying feature operative to interface with the tabbed feature to prevent the mechanical input assembly from rotating when the self-capturing end is inserted through the opening.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the self-capturing end is at least partially threaded.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the opening is at least partially threaded.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the self-capturing end comprises a plurality of movable prongs.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of prongs is operative to interface with an inner surface of the housing at the opening to prevent the mechanical input assembly from being removed from the housing.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the self-capturing end protrudes from the top end.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the keying feature is disposed between the self-capturing end an exposed surface of the top end.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising a dome switch disposed within the housing.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the self-capturing end is operative to interact with the dome switch after the self-capturing end is inserted through the opening.

10. A button mechanism comprising:
a button component having a round shape and a keying feature; and
a shaft coupled to the button component and operative to be removably insertable through an opening of a housing of a device, the keying feature being operative to interface with a tabbed feature of the housing to prevent the button component from rotating when the shaft is inserted through the opening.

11. The button mechanism of claim 10 , wherein the shaft is at least partially threaded.

12. The button mechanism of claim 11 , wherein the opening is at least partially threaded.

13. The button mechanism of claim 10 , wherein the shaft comprises a plurality of laterally expandable prongs.

14. The button mechanism of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of laterally expandable prongs is operative to interface with an inner surface of the housing at the opening to prevent the button mechanism from being removed from the housing.

15. The button mechanism of claim 10 , wherein the keying feature is operative to interface with the tabbed feature to prevent the button mechanism from rotating when the shaft is fully inserted through the opening.

16. A button receiving apparatus comprising:
a surface having a retaining portion;
an opening disposed through the surface and adjacent to the retaining portion, the opening being operative to removably receive a shaft end of a round button, and the retaining portion being operative to interface with a top end of the button to prevent the button from rotating when the shaft end is inserted through the opening.

17. The button receiving apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the surface comprises an outer side and an inner side.

18. The button receiving apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the retaining portion comprises a step between the outer side and the inner side.

19. The button receiving apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the opening is at least partially threaded.

20. The button receiving apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the retaining portion is operative to interface with a notch in a top end of the button to prevent the button from rotating when the shaft end is inserted through the opening.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Rivera Felix Jose Alvarez
• Lin Wey-Jiun
• Sanford Emery

Classifications

• H01H9/20 Primary

  Interlocking, locking, or latching mechanisms · CPC title

• G06F1/1626 Primary

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title

• H05K5/0017

  with operator interface units · CPC title

• Y10T70/5889

  For automotive vehicles · CPC title

• Y10T29/49002

  Electrical device making · CPC title