A touch key assembly is structured to operate with a cover having at least one touch key, which is defined by an optically transmissive region of the cover. A touch pad is coupled to the cover and is shaped to define at least one aperture which forms a light guide that is associated with the touch key. A light source is positioned relative to the bottom side of the touch pad, and is further positioned relative to the light guide to provide light to the touch key. The assembly may also include an optical waveguide positioned relative to the bottom side of the touch pad, the optical waveguide being structured to transmit light. A reflection element operatively associated with the bottom side of the optical waveguide may be used to enhance refection of the light. The touch key assembly may be implemented in a portable electronic device, such as a mobile terminal or a personal digital assistant (PDA).

Systems and methodologies are provided for fabrication of a self contained key pad module having a top cover and a bottom cover. The top cover and the bottom cover encapsulate and/or sandwich a stack of keypad components via an over mold procedure that is performed around the stack. The packed stack between the top cover and the bottom cover can include a flex member, an electro luminous panel, and a silicone membrane with a plurality of keys thereupon.

An interchangeable hearing aid control panel with at least one activation zone arranged in connection with a layered structure. The layered structure has an electrically nonconducting substrate (20), an electrically conducting path (31) arranged in connection with the substrate, and an electrically conducting member (40), such as a conducting foil, arranged at a predetermined distance from the activation zone. The activation zone can be either in a deactuated or in an actuated state. In the actuated state the conducting member and the conducting path are electrically connected while disconnected in the deactuated state. Electrical connection to an associated hearing aid is by means of a connector, such as a plug, enabling the control panel to be easily changed. Preferably, the connector is formed by a piece of flexprint. The layered structure may comprise a second conducting path (32). In preferred embodiments activation zones are indicated by "poppel domes" formed by a surface layer covering the layered structure. The activation zones may form an MTO control or a volume control. To fit BTE hearing aids, the layered structure preferably has an elongated structure with a length of 1-4 cm. Other shapes can be formed to fit ITE, ITC and CIC hearing aids. In preferred embodiments, the control panel comprises one or more Silicon-based microphones protected behind a surface layer of the control panel.

Es wird ein Eingabegerät vorgeschlagen, das sich dadurch auszeichnet, dass eine Wasserabdichtung durch eine flexible Dichtung über einen Stecker erreicht wird, wobei der Stecker auf einen Folienausgang aufgecrimpt wird. Das Eingabegerät wird dabei mit einem Montagerahmen in eine Kammer eingebaut, die wenigstens einen Stift und/oder eine Buchse zur Aufnahme des Steckers aufweist.

An input device allowing reduction in the number or parts, thinning, down sizing and easy assembly, and a method for fabricating thereof are provided. The input device for entering a desired command by user's operation has an enclosure 12 having a slit portion 40; a sheet-type switch portion 140 located within the enclosure 12 so as to be aligned with the slit portion 140; a board 170 located within the enclosure 12; and electrical connection portion 190 which establishes electrical connection between the board 170 and the switch portion 140 by elastic deformation caused by assembly process of the enclosure 12.

An equipment operation panel (1) capable of being readily mounted on an outer surface of an equipment (3) and facilitating connection thereof to a control unit (300) in the equipment. A first flexible circuit board (7) is formed on a front surface thereof with contacts (W11) of switches and a contact (21) of a variable resistor and provided thereon with light emitting diodes (LED1-LED9). The first flexible circuit board includes a lead-out section (7B) from which a connection wire pattern is led out. A spacer layer (33) is laminated on the circuit board. A second flexible circuit board (9) is laminated on the spacer layer and provided thereon with contacts (SW21) of switches and a movable-side electrode (29) of the variable resistor. A cover sheet member (39) is laminated on the second flexible circuit board. Thus, the equipment operation panel is constructed into a laminate structure and mounted on an outer surface of a casing (5) of the equipment through an adhesive layer. The lead-out section of the first flexible circuit board extending from the laminate is inserted into the casing, resulting in being connected to the control unit.

Zum Kontaktieren von Betätigungs- und Anzeigemitteln mit auf Leiterplatten angeordneten Baugruppen in Gehäusen von Endgeräten der elektrischen Nachrichtentechnik wird vorgeschlagen, die Leiterzüge (11) und Anschlußkontakte (12) der Betätigungs- und Anzeigemittel auf einer Distanzplatte (10) oder direkt auf Gehäuseteilen anzuordnen . Über Leitfolien (15) oder Leitgummis werden die Leiterzüge (11) und Anschlußkontakte (12) mit der Leiterplatte (20) verbunden.

Zum Kontaktieren von Betätigungs- und Anzeigemitteln mit auf Leiterplatten angeordneten Baugruppen in Gehäusen von Endgeräten der elektrischen Nachrichtentechnik wird vorgeschlagen, die Leiterzüge (11) und Anschlußkontakte (12) der Betätigungs- und Anzeigemittel auf einer Distanzplatte (10) oder direkt auf Gehäuseteilen anzuordnen . Über Leitfolien (15) oder Leitgummis werden die Leiterzüge (11) und Anschlußkontakte (12) mit der Leiterplatte (20) verbunden.

In order to accommodate relative movement between the movable button 7 and the fixed part 1 of the switch, a plurality of leads 14 connecting a display 10 mounted in the button 7 to the fixed part 1 follow an S-shaped path 15 with first ends extending into the button 7 and second ends extending into the fixed part 1. The leads 14 may be in the form of conductive tracks on a flexible printed circuit board. Such a switch may be used in a typewriter or computer keyboard, for example, and may be controlled to display different legends corresponding to different selectable functions of the switch.

Conductors (19) of a flexible printed circuit (16,18) routed through a hollow two axis articulated hinge (7) allow a calculator (1) with rotating case halves (2,3) to possess a keyboard portion (4,5) in each half of the case. The conductors (19) routed through the hollow articulated hinge (7) are generally centered about one axis of hinge rotation for approximately half the length of the axis, whereupon they transition by either a U-turn or a jog to continue as centered about the other axis of hinge rotation. The conductors (19) may be an integral part of a flexible membrane keyboard assembly having portions located in both halves of the calculator's case. Strain reliefs at the locations (28-31) where the conductors traverse the case halves, and two in the hinge, at about the center thereof, limit and apportion the torsional flexing experienced by the conductors. The torsional flexing experienced by the flexible conductors increases the number of cycles of rotation they can undergo without breaking, as compared to conventional bending. The hollow articulated hinge (7) allows one case half (2) to rotate one full revolution about the other (3), so that the calculator (1) can be opened and held in one hand. By being within the hollow hinge the conductors (19) are protected from injury.

Membrane type circuit comprises an insulating support (8) having terminal sites (36, 38) thereon and circuit conductors (1-4, 1'-4') extending between and among the terminal sites. A tail (12) extends from the support and the conductors extend onto the tail and have output terminals (1-27, 4-27, 1'-27, 4'-27) on the tail. The tail (12) is folded so that the output terminals on each side of the fold line (20) are against each other and are connected to each other. Each pair of conductors which extends from two opposed output terminals are therefore a dual conductor. This arrangement simplifies circuit design and avoids the need for crossovers in many circumstances.

The present invention is a low cost electronic apparatus construction method which may be employed for hand held calculators, electronic learning aids and electronic games. The primary electrical circuit interconnection pattern of the electronic apparatus is printed upon a part of the case of the apparatus (11) which must be nonconducting. This printed circuit pattern (12) together with the construction of the back case (11) includes connection portions (21. 22 and 23) for electrical connection to the major components of the apparatus which may include an integrated circuit (15), a display device (16) and an electrical power source (17). The primary circuit pattern printed on the back case includes a plurality of interleaved comb key switch positions (17). The keyboard is constructed employing a plurality of keys aligned in registration with the key switch portions (26), each key having a shorting bar (104) for causing electrical connection across the key switch portion when the key is depressed. The top case (13) of the apparatus has an aperture for viewing the display device and a plurality of apertures for the keys. The keyboard may alternatively be constructed of a flexible membrane (12) in wnich pressure on a key switch position (163) causes electrical contact with a conductive ink (153) disposed in a depression (152) in the case (150) of the apparatus. In an alternative embodiment, the top case also includes an aperture enabling light to shine on a photovoltic power cell (19) employed to generate the electric power needed to ooerate the apparatus.