Accessory controller with switch module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9659723-B2
Application number	US-201213478623-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2012
Priority date	May 23, 2012
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

An accessory may be provided with a button controller having a microphone and switches. Plastic structures for the accessory may be formed by injection molding. Plastic structures may be molded around switch terminals. Switches may be formed using dome switch members and the switch terminals. A printed circuit with components may be mounted in the plastic structures. Recesses in the structures may be configured to receive the dome switch members, components on the printed circuit board, and wires in a cable. A backplate may be used to cover the printed circuit. A layer of plastic may be molded over the backplate to seal an interface created by the backplate. Cable strain relief structures may be molded into the layer of plastic. A lip on the strain relief structures may prevent particles from entering the controller.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An accessory button controller, comprising:
metal switch terminals embedded in at least one plastic structure;
wires soldered to the terminals;
at least one dome switch formed from a dome switch member and portions of the terminals, wherein the at least one plastic structure comprises a first plastic substructure encapsulating the metal switch terminals and a second plastic substructure coupled to the first plastic substructure, wherein the at least one plastic structure comprises a first recess in a first side of the at least one plastic structure configured to receive the dome switch member, a second recess in a second side of the at least one plastic structure configured to receive one or more electrical components, and a third recess configured to receive the wires;
a structure disposed over the second side of the at least one plastic structure, wherein the structure comprises a fourth recess; and
a strain relief structure comprising a third plastic substructure disposed at least partially within the fourth recess.

2. The accessory button controller defined in claim 1 further comprising a cable that is received within the strain relief structure, the cable including multiple wires, the multiple wires including the wires that are soldered to the switch terminals.

3. The accessory button controller defined in claim 1 wherein the strain relief structure comprises a fifth recess and a flexible lip positioned between the fifth recess and an end of the movable button member, wherein the movable button member is configured to bear against the flexible lip when the movable button member is pressed.

4. The accessory button controller defined in claim 1 wherein the third recess is in the second side of the at least one plastic structure and extends along a length of the switch module.

5. The accessory button controller defined in claim 1 wherein at least one metal switch terminal extends into the second recess and the wires are soldered to the at least one metal switch terminal in the second recess.

6. The accessory button controller defined in claim 1 further comprising a printed circuit, wherein the one or more electrical components is electrically connected to the printed circuit.

7. The accessory button controller defined in claim 6 further comprising a backplate disposed over the printed circuit and between the second side of the at least one plastic structure and the structure, wherein the backplate forms an interface with the second plastic substructure.

8. The accessory button controller defined in claim 7 wherein the structure comprises a fourth plastic substructure that is coupled to the second plastic substructure and that seals the interface.

9. The accessory button controller defined in claim 1 further comprising:
a movable button member disposed over the switch module, wherein the button member comprises a button disposed over each dome switch; and
a clip attached to the movable button member and positioned between the button member and the switch module;
wherein the switch module, the backplate, and the structure are disposed within a housing member and the movable button member is attached to the housing member.

10. The accessory button controller defined in claim 9 wherein the clip includes a first set of engagement features and the switch module includes a second set of engagement features, wherein each engagement feature in the first set of engagement features is configured to mate with a corresponding engagement feature in the second set of engagement features.

11. The accessory button controller defined in claim 10 wherein the first set of engagement features comprise openings and the second set of engagement features comprise switch module protrusions protruding from the switch module.

12. An accessory button controller, comprising:
a first housing component;
a second housing component positioned opposite the first housing component to define an interior volume of a housing; and
a plastic structure within the interior volume of the housing;
a first cable segment extending from a first end of the housing and comprising a first strain relief engaged with a first recess in the plastic structure;
a second cable segment extending from a second end of the housing and comprising a second strain relief engaged with a second recess in the plastic structure; and
a switch positioned in a third recess in the plastic structure and electrically coupled to at least one of the cable segments; wherein
the first housing component is configured to move relative to the second housing component to activate the switch.

13. The accessory button controller defined in claim 12 further comprising a polymer film attached to the plastic structure over the first recess.

14. The accessory button controller defined in claim 12 , further comprising metal structures embedded within the plastic structure.

15. The accessory button controller defined in claim 14 , further comprising a dome switch member coupled to the plastic structure, wherein the metal structures are configured to form the switch with the dome switch member.

16. The accessory button controller of claim 12 , wherein:
the first strain relief is overmolded on the first cable segment;
the second strain relief is overmolded on the second cable segment; and
the first and second cable segments extend from opposite ends of the accessory button controller.

17. The accessory button controller of claim 16 , wherein the first and second strain reliefs are substantially coaxial with one another.

18. The accessory button controller of claim 17 , wherein:
the plastic structure has a substantially elongate shape having a longitudinal axis extending from the first end to the second end; and
the first and second cable segments extend from opposite ends of the plastic structure and are substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the plastic structure.

19. A headset, comprising:
a button controller;
a first cable segment extending from a first end of the button controller and comprising a first strain relief proximate the first end of the button controller;
a second cable segment extending from a second end of the button controller and comprising a second strain relief proximate the second end of the button controller;
a speaker coupled to an end of the first cable segment;
a plug coupled to an end of the second cable segment and comprising at least two terminals; wherein
the button controller comprises:
a first housing component;
a second housing component positioned opposite the first housing component to define an interior volume of a housing;
a plastic structure within the interior volume of the housing comprising a first recess, a second recess, and a third recess, the first strain relief engaged with the first recess and the second strain relief engaged with the second recess; and
a switch positioned in the third recess in the plastic structure, operatively coupled to at least the second cable segment, and configured to selectively electrically connect or disconnect a pair of the at least two terminals;
wherein the first housing component is configured to move relative to the second housing component to activate the switch.

20. The headset of claim 19 , wherein the second and third recesses each define an undercut configured to retain the first and second strain reliefs, respectively, to the plastic structure.

21. The headset defined in claim 19 wherein the switch comprises switc

Assignees

• Yabe Osamu
• Stanley Craig M
• Stiehl Kurt R
• Prest Christopher D
• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Yabe Osamu
• Stanley Craig M
• Stiehl Kurt R
• Prest Christopher D

Classifications

• H01H2229/044

  Injection moulding · CPC title

• H01H2233/002

  joined to form button rows · CPC title

• H01H13/705 Primary

  characterised by construction, mounting or arrangement of operating parts, e.g. push-buttons or keys · CPC title