Sensor-containing electronic device button with optimized tactile characteristics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9704379-B2
Application number	US-201514713958-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2015
Priority date	May 15, 2015
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a displacement control member may be operationally coupled with a selectable button of a hazard detector so that axial depression of the selectable button effects pivoting of the selectable button and the displacement control member into contact with a switch of the hazard detector. The displacement control member may be coupled with the selectable button so that a ratio of a distance from the switch to a point of user contact with the selectable button and a distance from the switch to a pivot point of the displacement control member is similar regardless of where the user contacts the selectable button. The displacement control member may equalize a user input force that is required to activate the hazard detector's switch.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a housing having an interior region within which components of the device are contained;
a selectable button positioned on a front portion of the device so as to face and be selectable by a user;
a switch disposed within the housing and axially under the selectable button, the switch being positioned radially offset from a central axis of the selectable button and being activatable upon user selection of the selectable button; and
a displacement control member disposed within the housing between the selectable button and the switch, the displacement control member being operationally coupled with the selectable button so that axial depression of the selectable button effects pivoting of the selectable button and pivoting of the displacement control member into contact with the switch, the displacement control member being configured to equalize a user input force that is required to activate the switch by being coupled with the housing and selectable button so that a ratio of a radial distance from the switch to the user input force and a radial distance from the switch to a pivot point of the displacement control member is relatively uniform regardless of where the user selects the selectable button;
wherein the displacement control member includes a centrally located aperture that is positioned so as to not impede a sensor that is disposed axially behind the displacement control member.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the displacement control member includes a pivot surface that defines the pivot point and that effects pivoting of the selectable button and the displacement control member upon user selection of the selectable button.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the pivot surface comprises a radial flange that extends around a majority of an outer perimeter of the displacement control member.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the displacement control member is coupled with the housing so that the pivot surface is radially offset from the central axis of the selectable button.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein a variation of the user input force that is required to activate the switch is less than 25%.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the displacement control member includes a plurality of arms that extend radially from a central hub, and wherein a radial length of at least two of the arms is different.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the displacement control member further includes a plurality of spring components that are coupleable with the housing and configured to bias the selectable button toward an unselected position.

8. The device of claim 6 , wherein the displacement control member includes five arms that extend radially from the central hub.

9. A component for a device having a selectable button and a switch disposed axially under the selectable button, the switch being positioned radially offset from a central axis of the selectable button and being activatable upon user selection of the selectable button, the component being disposed within the housing between the selectable button and the switch, the component comprising:
a displacement control member that is operationally coupleable with the selectable button so that axial depression of the selectable button effects pivoting of the selectable button and pivoting of the displacement control member into contact with the switch, the displacement control member being coupled with the housing and selectable button so that a ratio of a radial distance from the switch to a point of user contact with the selectable button and a radial distance from the switch to a pivot point of the displacement control member is such that a user input force that is required to activate the switch is relatively uniform regardless of where the user contacts the selectable button;
wherein the displacement control member includes a pivot surface that defines the pivot point that effects pivoting of the selectable button and the displacement control member upon user selection of the selectable button, the pivot surface being defined by a plurality of arms that extend radially from a central hub, wherein a radial length of at least two of the arms is different.

10. The component of claim 9 , wherein the displacement control member includes five arms that extend radially from the central hub.

11. The component of claim 9 , wherein the displacement control member is coupled with the housing so that the pivot surface is radially offset from the central axis of the selectable button.

12. The component of claim 9 , wherein a variation of the user input force that is required to activate the switch is less than 25%.

13. A method of configuring a device comprising:
providing a housing having an interior region within which components of the device are contained;
positioning a selectable button on a front portion of the device so as to face and be selectable by a user;
positioning a switch within the housing so as to be axially under the selectable button and radially offset from a central axis of the selectable button, the switch being activatable upon user selection of the selectable button;
positioning a displacement control member within the housing between the selectable button and the switch; and
coupling the displacement control member with the housing and selectable button so that axial depression of the selectable button effects pivoting of the selectable button and pivoting of the displacement control member into contact with the switch and so that a ratio of a radial distance from the switch to a point of user contact with the selectable button and a radial distance from the switch to a pivot point of the displacement control member is such that a user input force that is required to activate the switch is relatively uniform regardless of where the user contacts the selectable button;
wherein the displacement control member includes a plurality of arms that extend radially from a central hub.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein a radial length of at least two of the arms is different.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising coupling the displacement control member with the housing so that a pivot surface of the displacement control member is radially offset from the central axis of the selectable button, the pivot surface defining the pivot point that effects pivoting of the selectable button and the displacement control member upon user selection of the selectable button.

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Dong William
• Schmidt Mathias
• Mittleman Adam

Classifications

• G08B17/107 Primary

  for detecting light-scattering due to smoke · CPC title

• H05K5/03

  Covers · CPC title

• G08B25/12 Primary

  Manually actuated calamity alarm transmitting arrangements {emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm, activators, e.g. details of alarm push buttons mounted on an infrastructure} · CPC title