U.S. patent application number 10/900625 was filed with the patent office on 2006-02-02 for multidirectional switch actuator and a personal digital assistant using the same.
Invention is credited to Kwan Wee Anthony Chew.
Application Number | 20060021859 10/900625 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35517798 |
Filed Date | 2006-02-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060021859 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chew; Kwan Wee Anthony |
February 2, 2006 |
MULTIDIRECTIONAL SWITCH ACTUATOR AND A PERSONAL DIGITAL ASSISTANT
USING THE SAME
Abstract
An actuator suitable for multi-directional actuation of a push
button switch is disclosed. This actuator has an actuation button
attached to a plunger to define a predetermined angle therebetween.
The actuation button has a surface for multi-directional
activation. The actuator also has a pair of hinge pins that is
attached to the actuation button for pivotably mounting the
actuator about a pivoting axis. Activation on any point on the
surface of the actuation button results in a unidirectional moment
about the pivoting axis to tilt the plunger to releasably actuate
the push button switch. Also disclosed is a personal digital
assistant that uses the actuator for actuating a notification
switch from between two orthogonal directions.
Inventors: |
Chew; Kwan Wee Anthony;
(Singapore, SG) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HEWLETT PACKARD COMPANY
P O BOX 272400, 3404 E. HARMONY ROAD
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ADMINISTRATION
FORT COLLINS
CO
80527-2400
US
|
Family ID: |
35517798 |
Appl. No.: |
10/900625 |
Filed: |
July 27, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
200/4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 1/1671 20130101;
H01H 2221/016 20130101; H01H 13/705 20130101; G06F 1/1626 20130101;
H01H 2221/07 20130101; H01H 2217/002 20130101; H01H 2221/03
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
200/004 |
International
Class: |
H01H 9/00 20060101
H01H009/00 |
Claims
1. An actuator suitable for multi-directional actuation of a push
button switch, the actuator comprising: an actuation button having
a curved surface for multi-directional activation; a plunger
fixedly attached to the actuation button to define a predetermined
angle therebetween; and two lateral hinge pins for pivotably
mounting the actuator to a housing so that the actuator is
pivotable about a pivoting axis that extends through the hinge
pins; whereby actuation on any point on the surface of the
actuation button results in a unidirectional moment about the
pivoting axis to tilt the plunger to releasably actuate the push
button switch.
2. An actuator according to claim 1, wherein the curved surface is
distal from the hinge pins and is configured to allow actuation
from any direction between a first direction that is substantially
parallel to the plunger and a second direction that is
substantially orthogonal to the first direction.
3. (canceled)
4. An actuator according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined
angle between the actuation button and the plunger is substantially
a right angle.
5. (canceled)
6. (canceled)
7. (canceled)
8. A personal digital assistant (PDA) that is suitable for keeping
appointments and tasks and that is able to remind a user of an
upcoming appointment and task by generating a reminder alert, the
personal digital assistant comprising: a controller board for
controlling functions of the PDA, said controller board comprising
software operable to keep appointments and other tasks assigned by
the user; a touch-screen display mounted above the controller board
and electrically coupled to and controlled by the controller board;
a housing for containing the controller board and the display, the
display being viewable on a surface of the housing and the housing
having a wall adjacent the surface of the housing; a push button
switch mounted on a side of the controller board adjacent the
display for activation to acknowledge that a reminder alert is
received; and an actuator pivotably mounted on the wall of the
housing along a pivoting axis, the actuator comprising: an
actuation button having a curved surface that allows
multi-directional activation from outside of the housing; and a
plunger member fixedly attached to the actuation button and
oriented substantially orthogonal to the actuation button; and two
lateral hinge pins extending along the pivoting axis for pivotably
mounting the actuator to the wall; whereby actuation on any point
on the surface of the actuation button results in a unidirectional
moment about the pivoting axis to tilt the plunger to releasably
actuate the push button switch.
9. A personal digital assistant (PDA) according to claim 8, further
comprising light indicator means, electrically coupled to the
controller board, which is activated during a reminder and wherein
the actuator further functions as a light guide to provide a visual
alert.
10. A personal digital assistant according to claim 8, further
comprising at least one guide pin which laterally extends from the
actuation button for restricting the tilting movement of the
actuator.
11. A personal digital assistant according to claim 8, wherein the
push button switch is a dome switch.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to an actuator for actuation of a
switch from at least two orthogonal directions. This invention also
relates to a personal digital assistant that uses the actuator for
actuating a notification switch.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Devices such as personal digital assistants (PDA) or
palm-sized personal computers (P/PC) are fast becoming popular for
keeping track of appointments and a list of to-do tasks ("to-dos")
in our modern world. The applications on these devices support
capturing of these appointments and tasks. These applications also
provide a reminder feature for alerting a user of an upcoming
appointment, event or task. The reminder feature usually causes a
visual as well as an audio alert to be generated on the device. A
light indicator that is strategically located on the device
provides the visual alert. The visual and audio alerts can be
generated periodically until a user has acknowledged the reminder.
The user acknowledges the reminder by pressing a button on the
device or by tapping on a touch-screen display. Such a method of
acknowledging a reminder is sometimes cumbersome to a user,
especially so when the device is stored away. It is therefore
desirable to provide the user with a notification switch that is
accessible from the outside of the device which the user can simply
activate to acknowledge a reminder.
[0003] As these devices are usually small and easily stored in a
shirt pocket, this notification switch should preferably be located
on an accessible side of the device when the device is stored in
the shirt pocket. This side of the device is usually a back wall of
the device due to other design constraints. However, if located on
such a back wall of the device, this notification switch will be
hidden from view and difficult to access when the device is in use.
A second notification switch can be introduced on the device but
space being a major constraint on such a device does not always
permit such an option.
[0004] From the foregoing, the prior art therefore has a need for
an actuator of a notification switch that can be actuated from two
orthogonal directions. This switch should preferably fit into a
personal digital assistant without taking up too much valuable
space.
SUMMARY
[0005] In accordance with a preferred embodiment, an actuator
suitable for multi-directional actuation of a push button switch
has an actuation button and a plunger. The actuation button has a
surface for multi-directional activation. The plunger is attached
to the actuation button to define a predetermined angle
therebetween. The actuator also has a hinge means that is attached
to either the actuation button or the plunger for pivotably
mounting the actuator about a pivoting axis. Activation on any
point on the surface of the actuation button results in a
unidirectional moment about the pivoting axis to tilt the plunger
to releasably actuate the push button switch.
[0006] In another aspect of the invention, the actuator described
above is used in a device such as a personal digital assistant for
actuating a notification switch. Preferably this actuator also
serves to provide a visual alert.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0007] The Invention will be better understood with reference to
the following drawing, in which:
[0008] FIG. 1A is an isometric view of a palm-sized personal
computer (P/PC) that has an actuator according to the present
invention for multidirectionally actuating a switch.
[0009] FIG. 1B is a side view of the P/PC of FIG. 1A showing a
first portion of the actuator that is accessible from a first side
of the P/PC.
[0010] FIG. 1C is a plan view of the P/PC of FIG. 1A showing a
second portion of the actuator in FIG. 1A. This second portion is
accessible from a second side of the P/PC that is substantially
orthogonal to the first side of the P/PC.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a sectional isometric view of a portion of the
P/PC showing the assembly of the actuator and the switch on the
P/PC.
[0012] FIG. 3A is an isometric view of the actuator in FIG. 1A
shown mounted for actuating the switch.
[0013] FIG. 3B is a side view of the actuator and the switch in
FIG. 3A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0014] Hereafter, a preferred embodiment will be described in the
context of a palm-sized personal computer (P/PC) that has an
actuator according to the present invention for multidirectionally
actuating a notification switch. However, it is to be understood
that the invention is equally applicable to other types of devices
such as electronic organizers, handheld personal computers,
notebook computers, laptop computers and the like.
[0015] FIG. 1A is an isometric view of a palm-sized personal
computer 2 (P/PC) that has an actuator 4 for multidirectionally
actuating a switch 6 (FIG. 2). FIG. 2 is a sectional isometric view
of a portion of the P/PC showing the actuator 4 assembled on the
P/PC 2 for accessibility from two substantially orthogonal
surfaces. This P/PC 2 has a housing 7 that contains a printed
circuit board assembly 8 (PCBA) and a touch-screen display module
10. The PCBA has electronics and appropriate software that allow it
to function as a controller board for controlling the operations of
the P/PC 2. The software includes an operating system (OS) such as
the Windows CE OS and personal information management applications
such as Tasks and Calendar available from Microsoft. The Tasks
application allows a user to maintain a list of to-dos. The Tasks
application captures information such as task descriptions, due
dates and other information. The Calendar application allows a user
to maintain a list of appointments, each of which logs information
such as appointment description, date, time and venue. These
applications provide the user with an option of setting a reminder
for each task or appointment entered. The reminder can be in the
form of an audio alert, a visual alert or both. In this preferred
embodiment, a light emitting diode (LED) on the controller board
emits light to provide the visual alert. The actuator 4 is
preferably of a diffused translucent plastic such as polycarbonate.
Such an actuator 4 functions as a light guide to illuminate the
actuator 4 so that emitted light is viewable from outside of the
housing 7. The reminder can be a one-time reminder or it can be
periodically generated until acknowledged by a user. The user
acknowledges a reminder by sending an appropriate signal to the
controller board 8. This signal can be sent by actuating any switch
on the P/PC, including the notification switch 6, or by touching
the touch-screen display module 10.
[0016] When the P/PC 2 is placed in a shirt pocket or a side pocket
of a bag, the actuator 4 remains accessible for a user to receive a
visual alert and to respond to it. FIG. 1B shows a side view of the
P/PC showing that the actuator 4 is accessible in this view. FIG.
1C is another view of the P/PC 2 orthogonal to the view in FIG. 1B
wherein the actuator remains accessible. This view is what a user
sees when using the P/PC 2. Although when using the P/PC 2, the
user can respond to a reminder in many other ways, it is intuitive
for the user to want to depress the actuator 4 for turning off an
alert. This intuition is especially so when the user is accustomed
to turning off the alert by actuating the actuator 4 when only the
view of the P/PC 2 in FIG. 1B is seen.
[0017] The housing 7 of the P/PC 2 has a frame 12. The PCBA 8 is
mounted to a bottom of this frame 12. On one end of the PCBA 8 is
mounted the notification switch 6. The actuator 4 is pivotably
mounted about a pivoting axis on a back wall 14 of the frame 12.
The actuator 4 sits on the notification switch 6 and can be tilted
to actuate the notification switch 6. This notification switch 6 is
preferably a low profile dome switch. The display module 10 is
mounted on the PCBA 8 to sandwich a plunger 16 of the actuator 4
therebetween. Such an assembly is space economical since the
thickness of the plunger 16 need not be any more than the height of
the electronic components on the PCBA 8.
[0018] FIG. 3A is an isometric view of the actuator 4. FIG. 3B is a
side view of the actuator 4 and the dome switch 6 as seen in the
direction of an arrow B in FIG. 3A. The actuator 4 has an actuation
button 18 that is attached to the plunger 16. In the preferred
embodiment, the angle between the actuation button 18 and the
plunger 16 is substantially orthogonal. Attached to an outer corner
19 of an intersection of the actuation button 18 and the plunger 16
is a pair of laterally extending hinge pins 20 that have a common
pivoting axis. The actuation button 18 has an actuation surface 22
that has a curved surface 23 at a distal end from the hinge pins
20. A force applied to any portion of this surface 22 will result
in a unidirectional moment, indicated by an arrow A in FIG. 3B,
about the pivoting axis to tilt the plunger 16 against the dome
switch 6 to actuate it. As a result, this actuator 4 allows
actuation of the dome switch 6 from any direction between two
substantially orthogonal directions indicated by arrows C and D in
FIG. 3B. The direction of activation indicated by arrow C is
substantially parallel to a plane 25 (FIG. 3A) of the plunger
16.
[0019] The assembly of the actuator 4 on the frame 12 of the P/PC 2
is next described with the aid of FIG. 2. On the back wall 14 of
the frame 12 is a groove 24. This groove 24 has a U-shape
cross-section. An opening 26 on one side of the groove 24 allows
the plunger 16 to protrude into the confines of the frame 12.
Another opening on an opposing side of the groove 24 exposes the
surface 22 of the actuation button 18. The actuator 4 is inserted
into this groove 24 to allow the hinge pins 20 to rest on the
bottom of the groove 24 and to rock therein.
[0020] The actuator 4 preferably has at least one guide pin 28 that
is attached to a side of the actuation button 18. This guide pin 28
prevents the actuator 4 from tilting over the pivoting axis during
assembly of the P/PC 2 by restricting the actuation button 18 to
rock only within the groove 24. The diameter of the guide pin 28 is
smaller than the diameter of the hinge pins 20 to allow the
actuator to be tilted sufficiently within the groove 24 to actuate
the dome switch 6.
* * * * *