Camera with space-saving elastomeric switch
US5930545A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 13, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jul 27, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 13, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03B17/38
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A camera having an exposure system and including an electrical function board, such as a flash board, operatively coupled to the exposure system. A cover closely adjoins the electrical function board and has an opening that exposes a part of the board including a contact pad and a protruding subunit closely adjoins the contact pad. The opening has a rimless margin. An elastomeric button is disposed in the opening. The button has a bridge and a conductive puck connected to the bridge. The button is resiliently deformable from a non-actuated conformation, in which the puck is spaced apart from the contact pad, to an actuated conformation, in which the puck shorts the contact pad. The bridge overlies the protruding subunit in both conformations. The bridge has an excursion that is insufficient to substantially transmit force to the protruding subunit.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.