Actuator button for mobile device protectors

Abstract

A mobile device protector (e.g., a mobile phone case) has an edge wall portion including at least one region covering a mobile device capacitive actuator button on a mobile device. The mobile device capacitive actuator button is adjacent an at least partially electrically conductive region with a conductivity sufficient to transmit a change in capacitance due to a user’s digit or stylus approaching the mobile device capacitive actuator button on the mobile device for actuating the mobile device capacitive actuator button as a result of a change in capacitance. The conductive materials may be integrated into the mobile device protectors themselves or may be conductive material-based button insert that is placed within a mobile device protector. The conductive buttons may have numerous internal conductive configurations including uniform conductor distribution, non-uniform conductor distribution, layered conductor distribution, or discontinuous conductor distribution caused by apertures or insulator regions in the conductive polymer.

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