Button Assembly Sealing and Force Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electronic devices face damage from dust and liquid contaminants entering through openings for buttons, which can compromise the internal components like the processor circuit.

Innovation Solution

A button assembly with protrusions and sealing elements that fit through openings in the enclosure, creating liquid barriers to prevent ingress while allowing button actuation, and a bar mechanism to distribute force evenly and maintain the button's planarity during use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If openings are provided in the enclosure for button actuation, then button functionality is enabled, but liquid and dust contaminants can enter the enclosure and damage internal components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebutton functionalityVSAvoidliquid and dust ingress

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A membrane is positioned within the opening to seal the opening and prevent liquid and dust contaminants from entering the enclosure. The membrane is flexible enough to allow the button to be actuated through it, thus maintaining button functionality while providing protection against harmful contaminants.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The membrane acts as an intermediary element between the external environment and the internal components of the enclosure. It allows the button to transmit actuation forces while blocking the passage of liquid and dust particles, thus mediating between the need for button operation and the need for contamination protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a sealing element is added to the button assembly, then liquid resistance is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveliquid resistanceVSAvoidbutton assembly structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing element is integrated with the button assembly, merging the sealing function with the existing button structure. This combination approach provides liquid resistance while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity by utilizing the button assembly's existing components and geometry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10361044B1Button features and architecture of a portable electronic device

Publication Date: 2019.07.23 APPLE INC

AI summary

An electronic device having a button assembly fitted with an enclosure of the electronic device is disclosed. The button assembly may include a button connected to a first protrusion and a second protrusion, both of which extend through a first through hole and a second through hole, respectively, of the enclosure. The electronic device may include a liquid-resistant electronic device. The button assembly may include sealing elements fitted on the protrusions to plug, or seal, the through holes. The button assembly may include a clip that secures the button assembly with the enclosure. The button assembly may include a bar secured with the first protrusion and the second protrusion. When an “off-center” force is applied to an end of the button, the bar is designed to distribute the force so that the other end of the button is actuated and the button remains generally parallel with respect to the enclosure.