Patent ID: 6636606
Filing Date: 2003-10-21
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
A button guard member for application onto the key pad face surface of a key pad device having a key pad array comprising at least three buttons, the button guard member for protecting against unintentional activation of a selected single button or a button of any selected adjacent pair of buttons of the key pad array of the device, the button guard member comprising:a) a ring member having a preselected cross sectional height and forming a single closed ring having a single interior opening therethrough, said single closed ring having a selected one of alternative ring shapes, said alternative ring shapes being limited to a first ring shape configured to surround and freely confine within said single interior opening only a selected single button of the key pad array and a second ring shape configured to surround and freely confine within said interior opening only a selected adjacent pair of buttons of the key pad array, said preselected height of said ring member being sufficient to provide a surrounding raised edge to inhibit depressing and activating a confined button of said key pad array, and b) adhering means on the underside of said ring member for securing said ring member onto the key pad face surface of a key pad device, c) whereby said raised edge of the surrounding button guard ring member prevents unintentional activation of a confined button while allowing free, unaltered access to all non-confined buttons of the key pad array of the key pad device.