Patent ID: 9405457
Filing Date: 2016-08-02
CPC Classification: G06F

Claim Text:
1. An apparatus for operating a touch screen, comprising: a button having a first surface region and a second surface region adapted to be in contact with a touch instrument and said touch screen respectively so as to relay a touch action by a user to a touch activation area of said touch screen and actuate a touch command thereof, said button having physical properties tactually distinguishable from surrounding areas so as to provide said user with tactile cues and feedback while operating said touch screen thereby; and a retainer of which only one end attached to a mounting base selected from the group consisting of a housing of said touch screen, a case of said housing, and an external object, said retainer disposing said button in a predetermined position over said touch screen and in approximate alignment with said touch activation area by connecting said button and said mounting base along a longitudinal direction established between said button in said predetermined position and said one end of said retainer, said retainer having a smaller width in a transverse direction perpendicular to said longitudinal direction and parallel to said touch screen than the dimension of said touch screen in said transverse direction so that the portion of said retainer disposed over said touch screen moves without covering and resting against any of said housing and said case while said button moves toward said touch screen so as to increase movability of said retainer toward said touch screen and reduce viewing obstruction of said touch screen by said retainer, said button and said retainer maintaining a substantially rigid connection such that said user can effectively actuate said touch command by pressing only said retainer, whereby an extended touch zone corresponding to said touch command is established between said button and said retainer.