Patent ID: 7113176

Claim:
A control console comprising: a housing; an electrical circuit disposed in said housing for processing electrical signals in response to user-selected commands; a touch screen subassembly comprising: a touch screen electrically connected to said electrical circuit, said touch screen having an outer surface and configured to display images based on electrical signals received from said electrical circuit and to generate electrical signals based on manual depression of the outer surface that are transmitted to said electrical circuit as command signals; and an enclosure that is pivotally mounted to said housing, wherein said touch screen is secured to said enclosure; and a brake assembly extending between said housing and enclosure, said brake assembly configured to apply a restraining force on movement of said enclosure so that, when the touch screen surface is depressed to cause said touch screen to generate a command signal, said enclosure remains in a static position relative to said housing and, when a force greater than the force required to cause said touch screen to generate a command signal is applied to said touch screen or said enclosure, said enclosure pivots relative to said touch screen.