PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-8044314-B2
Application Number: US-84450210-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Hybrid button

Abstract:
A hybrid button according to the invention is provided. In one embodiment, the button can be implemented in an electronic device such as a media player. The button can include a metal or other non-plastic portion having a reverse flange and a plastic portion including anti-rotation legs. The legs can prevent rotation at least in part because they are retained by another structure. The plastic portion can be injection-molded onto the reverse flange of the metal or non-plastic portion. As such, the reverse flange fixes the position of the plastic portion with respect to the metal portion. Finally, the metal portion can include an actuator nub that actuates a switch when the button is depressed.

Claims:
1. A button comprising: a first portion and a second portion, the first portion comprising a plastic portion and the second portion comprising a metal portion, the plastic portion comprising a band around a periphery of the metal portion, the metal portion of the button being matched to a metal material of a housing hosting the button. 
     
     
       2. The button of  claim 1  wherein the plastic portion comprises a flange that is operative to interlock with a surface and the flange prevents movement of the button along a longitudinal axis of the button. 
     
     
       3. The button of  claim 1 , wherein the metal portion comprises a centrally-located nub on the underside of the metal portion and operative to actuate a dome switch. 
     
     
       4. The button of  claim 1 , wherein the metal portion comprises an annulus with a thickness along a longitudinal axis of between about 0.3 millimeters and about 0.5 millimeters. 
     
     
       5. The button of  claim 1 , wherein the metal portion comprises an annulus along a longitudinal axis of the button of less than about 0.5 millimeters. 
     
     
       6. The button of  claim 1 , wherein the metal portion is formed on a computer-numeric controlled lathe. 
     
     
       7. The button of  claim 1  wherein the metal portion comprises anodized aluminum. 
     
     
       8. A button comprising: a metal upper portion comprising an annulus with a thickness along a longitudinal axis of between 0.3 millimeters and 0.4 millimeters, the metal upper portion being shaped on a lathe to provide an external surface to be presented to a user and an underside with a centrally-located nub operative to actuate a switch, and a plastic lower portion, a portion of the plastic lower portion being injection-molded, wherein the position of the plastic lower portion is fixed with respect to the metal upper portion and the metal upper portion of the button is matched to a metal material of a housing hosting the button. 
     
     
       9. The button of  claim 8 , wherein the plastic lower portion comprises a flange that is operative to interlock with a surface and the flange prevents upward movement of the button along a longitudinal axis of the button. 
     
     
       10. The button of  claim 8 , wherein the metal upper portion comprises a centrally-located nub on the underside of the metal upper portion that is operative to actuate a dome switch. 
     
     
       11. The button of  claim 8  wherein the metal upper portion comprises anodized aluminum. 
     
     
       12. An electronic device comprising: a base plate comprising multiple apertures, a flexible printed circuit board that is operative to receive user stimulus and transmit user commands to a microprocessor in response to the stimulus, and a button comprising a metal upper portion, the metal upper portion of the button being matched to a metal material of a housing hosting the button, a plastic lower portion, the plastic lower portion being injection-molded and configured to pass through the multiple apertures, the multiple apertures configured to constrain the button from rotating, and an actuator nub that actuates a switch on the flexible printed circuit when the button is depressed. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 12 , wherein the plastic lower portion comprises a flange that is operative to interlock with a surface and the flange prevents movement of the button along a longitudinal axis of the button. 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 12 , wherein the metal upper portion comprises a centrally-located nub on the underside of the metal upper portion and operative to actuate a dome switch. 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 12 , wherein the metal upper portion comprises an annulus with a thickness along a longitudinal axis of between about 0.3 millimeters and about 0.5 millimeters. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 12 , wherein the metal upper portion comprises an annulus along a longitudinal axis of the button of less than about 0.5 millimeters. 
     
     
       17. The device of  claim 12 , wherein the metal upper portion comprises anodized aluminum.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/519,259 filed on Sep. 11, 2006, now allowed. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention can relate to buttons with improved strength and durability. More particularly, this invention can relate to hybrid buttons formed from plastic and at least one additional material. 
     For example, conventional center-mounted buttons on selected models of the iPod™ media player made by Apple Computer, Inc., of Cupertino, Calif. are formed from plastic and incorporate certain design functionality. These buttons include distinct mechanical anti-rotation features that are formed using conventional manufacturing techniques. 
     Although media players such as these work well, it can be desirable to retain design functionality of the center-mounted button on an iPod™, or other similar media player, while providing the center-mounted button a metallic or other non-plastic cosmetic finish and to provide an improved surface for engaging the button. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention can relate to retaining certain design functionality, such as anti-rotation, of a center-mounted button on an iPod™, or other similar media player, and providing additional functionality, such as forming the center-mounted button in non-planar (e.g., concave) that was previously difficult to manufacture within the design specifications of the button when it was formed wholly in plastic. 
     In one embodiment, this invention can relate to a portable media player. The portable media player can include a housing, which can include an Input/Output (I/O) platform. The I/O platform can be in the form of one or more buttons. 
     This invention can also relate to buttons for use in cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), video games, radios, MP3 players, CD players, DVD players, televisions, game players, cameras, etc. 
     In one embodiment, a button according to the invention can retain design functionality of the center-mounted button, while providing the center-mounted button a metal or other non-plastic cosmetic finish. 
     A button according to one embodiment of the invention can also retain various mechanical functions, such as anti-rotation, easily implemented in plastic buttons. A button according to the invention can also provide additional functionality such as providing an upper face formed in a concave shape, such shape that was previously substantially unobtainable within the design specifications of the button when it was formed wholly in a cosmetically-desirable plastic. 
     A method of manufacturing a button according to one embodiment of the invention can include lathing a non-plastic upper portion of the button whereby the lathing includes forming a reverse flange in the upper non-plastic portion of the button, anodizing the non-plastic upper portion following the forming of the non-plastic upper portion, and injection-molding a plastic lower portion of the button onto the non-plastic upper portion of the button. The injection-molding can include fixing the position of the plastic lower portion with respect to the non-plastic upper portion by injection-molding at least a portion of the lower portion into the reverse flange. 
     It should be noted that a button according to the invention formed from at least partially from a metallic material may exhibit greater reliability, strength, dependability and electrical properties such as conductivity. Such properties can substantially improve the functionality of the button. Furthermore, a metallic or other non-plastic button may exhibit improved cosmetic properties because the material of the button can be matched to the material of the housing, thereby improving the look and feel of the button and harmonizing the look and feel of the electronic device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The following detailed description of the embodiment of the present disclosure can best be understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings in which features are not necessarily drawn to scale but rather are drawn as to best illustrate the pertinent features. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a media player according to the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged cross-sectional of a button and scroll wheel according to the invention taken from line A-A of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of a cut-out portion taken from line B of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the components of a button according to the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view shown from above of the button according to the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view shown from below of a button according to the invention. 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of the center molded button and flexible printed circuit according to the invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view shown from below of another embodiment of a button according to the invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a flowchart of possible embodiments of methods according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A button according to the invention can include a non-plastic portion formed with a computer-numerically controlled (CNC) lathe and a plastic injection-molded portion that can be injection-molded directly onto the non-plastic portion. 
     One purpose of the injection-molded center button according to the invention can be to retain all-plastic button design functionality. 
     In one embodiment, the button can present an anodized aluminum surface or other metallic surface to a user when the non-plastic portion is formed from a metal. The button can also present a rotationally symmetric (e.g., concave) surface to the user while achieving, or even exceeding, the design specifications of the all-plastic button. Additionally, the injection-molded button according to the invention may be produced in relatively high volumes at a relatively low cost to meet high production requirements. 
     As mentioned above, one method of forming a button is to make a metal portion of the button using a CNC-lathe, which can be used to obtain a button surface shape of a predetermined finish, (e.g., a textured face, a concave face, etc.). 
     Nevertheless, certain functions (e.g., rotation prevention, adaptability to couple to a specific flexible printed circuit (FPC) relief, such as the ability to provide a space for a portion of the FPC to pass therethrough, retention flange and/or other features) cannot easily be obtained in a part that was completely formed with a CNC-lathe because conventional lathing can only shape the metal portion of the button around a rotational axis. Although features may be added to metal portions through additional processing (e.g., milling), such an addition could be both time consuming and costly. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the button can be manufactured as follows: An upper non-plastic portion of the button is formed using a CNC-lathe. The non-plastic portion can be formed to include a machined-concave face. The non-plastic portion can also be further formed to include an undercut retention feature suitable for accepting a plastic ledge. The non-plastic portion can be further formed to incorporate a center button actuator nub on the underside—i.e., the side that faces away from a user—of the button. This non-plastic portion of the button can be finished on the lathe to a very fine finish, and then anodized according to any known anodization processes. 
     The finished anodized part can then be placed in an injection-molding cavity of an injection-molding machine. An additional plastic element (or elements) can then be injection-molded onto the underside of the non-plastic portion of the button (or, in alternative embodiments, on any suitable location on the button). 
     Alternatively, other embodiments of the invention can include an all-metal button that does not include an anti-rotation feature but does include FPC relief, which was machined or coined into the retainer plate on the underside of the button. 
     Yet another aspect of the invention relates to the additional advantages obtained by forming at least a portion of the button from a material other than plastic. For example, plastic iPod™ buttons formed from commercially-available resins such as ABS, PC, AND ABS-PC, are normally only formed at thicknesses of greater than 0.5 millimeters. When the plastic button is formed thinner than 0.5 millimeters, surface quality can degrade at least because the actuator nub, which is typically formed on the underside of the button, can show through to the concave face of the button because of limitations in the flow of the plastic. A button formed according to the invention, however, can be formed at thicknesses of about 0.5 millimeters, about 0.3 millimeters, or even less, because of superior metallic and/or other non-plastic properties and processing. 
     A number of embodiments of this invention are described below with reference to  FIGS. 1-9 . However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for explanatory purposes as the invention extends beyond these limited embodiments. 
       FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a center button housed in a media player  100  according to one embodiment of the invention. The term “media player” generally refers to computing devices that are dedicated to processing media such as audio, video or other images, as for example, music players, game players, video players, video recorders, cameras, and the like. In some cases, the media players may perform a single functional (e.g., a media player dedicated to playing music) and in other cases perform multiple functions (e.g., a media player that plays music, displays video, stores pictures, and the like). In either case, these devices are generally portable so as to allow a user to listen to music, play games or video, record video or take pictures wherever the user travels. Alternatively, the devices that incorporate a button according to this invention may not be portable at all. 
     Electronic device  10  can also be any handheld, or miniature consumer electronic device. Miniature electronic devices may have a form factor that is smaller than that of hand-held devices. Illustrative miniature electronic devices can include, but are not limited to, watches, rings, necklaces, belts, accessories for belts, headsets, accessories for shoes, virtual reality devices, other wearable electronics, accessories for sporting equipment, accessories for fitness equipment, or combinations thereof. 
     In the illustrated embodiment in  FIG. 1 , media player  100  can be a pocket-sized hand-held MP3 music player that allows a user to store a collection of music (e.g., in some cases up to 4,000 CD-quality songs). Although used primarily for storing and playing music, the MP3 music player shown herein can also include additional functionality, such as storing a calendar and phone lists, storing and playing games, storing photos, and the like. 
       FIG. 1  also shows housing  102 , display screen  104 , scroll wheel  110 , concave-faced upper non-plastic portion of center button  112 , that can be used for user navigation through a user interface, holdswitch  114 , and earphone jack  116  of media player. Housing  102  can host center button  112 , and can in fact be configured to retain scroll wheel  110  in its position in the media player. The navigation can be implemented in the form of transmission of user instructions in response to user stimulus on scroll wheel  110 . 
     Scroll wheel  110 , which can alternatively be referred to herein as a touchpad, is an intuitive interface that can provide easy one-handed operation i.e., it lets a user interact with the media player with one or more fingers. Scroll wheel  110  can be configured to provide one or more control functions associated with the media player. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, button  112  can be implemented without scroll wheel  110 . Alternatively, the position of button  112  can be widely varied relative to scroll wheel  110  and housing  102 . For example, they can be adjacent one another or spaced apart. In the illustrated embodiment, button  112  is configured to be surrounded by scroll wheel  110 . In this manner, button  112  can provide a tangible surface that defines the inner boundary of scroll wheel  110 . Alternatively, a single device may have multiple buttons (not shown). By way of example, a plurality of buttons can include a menu button, a play/stop button, a forward seek button and a reverse seek button, and the like. Additionally, button  112  can be placed at any external surface (e.g., top, side, front, or back) of housing  102  that is accessible to a user during manipulation of the media player. Furthermore, button  112  can be integrated with scroll wheel  110 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , or with some other user interface feature on the media player, such as switches, keys, dials, trackballs, joysticks, touch pads, touch screens, displays, microphones, speakers, cameras and the like. Each of these individual interfaces may include buttons either incorporate therein such as a button on a joystick, or forming an integral part thereof such as a switch with button located thereon or a touch screen or touch pad with a button located therewithin which may not operate similar to the touch pad—i.e., in a touch-sensitive fashion but can operate in response to a mechanical force. 
     Further, button  112  can be configured to provide one or more dedicated control functions for making selections or issuing commands associated with operating the media player. By way of example, in the case of an MP3 music player, the button functions can be associated with opening a menu, playing a song, fast forwarding a song, seeking through a menu and the like. In most cases, the button functions are implemented via a mechanical clicking action. For example, dome switch  210  in  FIG. 2  can be configured to produce a mechanical and/or audible clicking action upon actuation. 
     Housing  102  can include integrated circuit chips and other circuitry. Such circuitry can include a microprocessor (e.g., CPU), memory (e.g., ROM, RAM), a power supply (e.g., battery), a circuit board, a hard drive, other memory (e.g., flash) and/or various I/O support circuitry. The electrical components can also include components for inputting or outputting music or sound such as a microphone, amplifier and a digital signal processor (DSP). The electrical components can also include components for capturing images such as image sensors (e.g., charge coupled device (CCD) or include complimentary oxide semiconductor (CMOS)) or optics (e.g., lenses, splitters, filters etc.). The electrical components can also include components for sending and receiving media (e.g., antenna, receiver, transmitter, transceiver, etc.). 
     A user interface for the media player can be formed from button  112  and scroll wheel  110 , among other things, such as a speaker for audible feedback or a vibratory mechanism for providing tactile feedback. While the user interface can be widely varied, this invention can relate to the implementation of buttons on a number of user interface variations. Such variations, which are described in greater detail above, can include buttons implemented on switches, keys, dials, trackballs, joysticks, touch pads, touch screens, displays, microphones, speakers, cameras and the like. 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a center button and scroll wheel according to the specific embodiment of the invention taken from line AA of  FIG. 1 . The button shown in  FIG. 2  can include non-plastic portion  200 , which can itself have a concave surface actuator nub  208  on the underside of non-plastic portion  200 . 
       FIG. 2  also shows plastic portion  202  of the center button. Plastic portion  202  can be injection-molded onto non-plastic portion  200  after non-plastic portion  200  is made. The interconnection between non-plastic portion  200  and plastic portion  202  is enlarged in  FIG. 3  and described in greater detail below. 
       FIG. 2  also shows scroll wheel  204  and center dome switch  210 , which can be located on FPC  212 , which, in turn, can be located on back plate  214 . Actuator nub  208  can be actuated to activate dome switch  210 .  FIG. 2  also shows the thickness of annulus  216 , which can be lathed to a thickness of less than 0.5 millimeters and, in some embodiments, between about 0.3 millimeters and about 0.5 millimeters while still providing the desired functionality typically associated with an all-plastic button. 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of a cut-out portion of  FIG. 2  taken from line B.  FIG. 3  shows non-plastic portion  300  of center button  112 , plastic portion  302  of center button  112 , and flange  303  formed in plastic portion  302  that abuts against the underside of scroll wheel  304 . Flange  303  can allow scroll wheel  304  to maintain center button  112  in a stationary position in the plane of the button. 
       FIG. 3  also shows reverse flange  305  in non-plastic portion  300  that creates a mechanical undercut so that plastic portion  302  does not separate from non-plastic portion  300  after molding. Plastic portion  302  also can include one or more anti-rotation legs  307  that can extend downward into the device. Legs  307  can limit or prevent rotation of the button with respect to the device. This concern is especially significant when the button is centered in a scroll wheel because  10  the rotation of a user&#39;s finger around a scroll wheel can provide rotational forces to the button. 
       FIG. 3  also shows apertures  309  located in the back plate for anti-rotation legs to pass through and to be constrained therein from rotating along a rotational axis about a longitudinal axis (see rotational axis  613  shown in  FIG. 6 ). 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the components of a center-mounted button according to one embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 4  illustrates center button  402  according to the invention, scroll wheel  404 , scroll wheel retainer  406 , anti-rotation apertures  409 , FPC  412  including dome switches, and retainer plate  414 . 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the button according to one embodiment of the invention shown from above.  FIG. 5  shows non-plastic portion of button  500 , and plastic portion of button  502 . 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the button according to one embodiment of the invention shown from below.  FIG. 6  shows non-plastic portion  600  of the button according to the invention, plastic portion  602 , FPC tail relief  601 , center button dome switch actuator nub  603  formed on the underside of non-plastic portion  600 , gating spots  605  for additional circuitry and anti-rotation legs  607 .  FIG. 6  also shows longitudinal axis  611  of the button as well. Furthermore,  FIG. 6  shows rotational axis  613  of the button. While the button according to the invention may not rotate about rotational axis  613 , nevertheless rotational axis  613  has been shown to illustrate the direction of the forces that anti-rotation legs  607  counteract. Rotational axis  613  has also been shown to illustrate the axis in which designs can be implemented using a CNC-lathe, as described in more detail above. It can be seen from this perspective that lower plastic portion  602  has been injection-molded into the reverse flange of upper non-plastic portion  600 . Once molded, the reverse flange can substantially trap lower plastic portion  602  from moving with respect to upper non-plastic portion  600 . Furthermore, the reverse flange can make it difficult to remove lower plastic portion  602 , or to replace lower plastic portion  602  once removed. 
       FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of the center molded button and flexible printed circuit according to the invention.  FIG. 7  shows button&#39;s non-plastic portion  700 , tail  701  from the center dome switch  710  that runs through FPC tail relief  601  (shown in  FIG. 6  and also in  FIG. 8  as FPC tail relief  806 ), tail  703  that can transmit signals to the main logic board (not shown) and FPC  712  that can include the dome switches. 
     In other embodiments of the invention, a media player can include an all-metal button that does not include an anti-rotation feature but does include FPC relief which was machined or coined into the retainer plate on the underside of the button. 
       FIG. 8  shows an exemplary illustration of an all-metal button  800  according to the aforementioned embodiments. While button  800  does not include the anti-rotation legs shown in other embodiments above, button  800  does incorporate gating spots at  802 , dome switch actuator nub  804  and FPC tail relief  806 . In a method according to the embodiment, FPC relief  806  can be coined or machined into the surface of button  800  before, after, or, in some embodiments during certain aspects of the lathing process. 
     While this invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments, there are alterations, permutations, and equivalents, which fall within the scope of this invention. For example, although the invention has been largely described in terms of a music player, it should be appreciated that the invention can also be applied to other types of devices. 
       FIG. 9  shows various embodiments of a method according to the invention. Step  910  shows forming a non-plastic portion of a button using a lathe or other suitable manufacturing technique with a reverse flange. Step  920 , which is shown to be an optional step by the dotted lines, shows anodizing the non-plastic portion of the button. Anodizing may be implemented on a metallic surface. Step  930  shows injection-molding a plastic portion at least partially into the reverse flange of the non-plastic portion. Step  940  shows implementing non-rotation legs on the plastic portion of the button. Step  950  shows the optional step of adapting the button for use in a media player. Such adapting may take the form of configuring the plastic portion of the button with certain gating spots or FPC relief in order to make the button usable with certain circuitry or adjusting the button in some other suitable fashion. 
     The method according to the invention can preferably implemented by a combination of hardware and software, but can also be implemented in hardware or software. The method can also be embodied as computer readable code on a computer readable medium. The computer readable medium is any data storage device that can store data which can thereafter be read by a computer system. Examples of the computer readable medium include read-only memory, random-access memory, hard drive, flash memory, CD-ROMs, DVDs, magnetic tape, optical data storage devices, and carrier waves. 
     In yet another alternative embodiment of the invention, the plastic portion of the button may be implemented using rubber or other material that is more flexible than some types of injection-molded plastic. In such an embodiment, the more flexible material would not have to be injected-molded onto the other portion (hereinbefore referred to as the “non-plastic” portion) of the button. Rather, the material could be stretched onto the reverse flange of the other portion of the button providing that the flexible portion retained sufficient grip on the reverse flange of the other portion of the button to remain stationary with respect to the other portion of the button for an extended time. 
     It is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations, permutations, and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. The embodiments described herein-above are further intended to explain the best modes known of practicing the invention and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in such, or other embodiments and with the various modifications required by the particular applications or uses of the invention. 
     Accordingly, the description is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein. Also, it is intended that the appended claims be construed to include alternative embodiments.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20100727
Publication Date: 20111025
Grant Date: 20111025
Priority Date: 20060911
Inventors: WEBER DOUGLAS J.
MOOLSINTONG PINIDA JAN
ZADESKY STEPHEN P.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01H2025/048", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2229/048", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2025/048", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2233/078", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y10T29/49105", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2229/048", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H25/041", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H13/705", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H25/041", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2231/018", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2233/078", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2025/045", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2231/018", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2025/045", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2233/072", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H2233/072", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y10T29/49105", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H13/705", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 38926417