Flat-profile keypad assembly and label

1. A thin flat-profile keypad assembly consisting essentially of:

a printed circuit board having conductive traces disposed on a top surface thereof;

a plurality dome actuators above the printed circuit board in proximity to the conductive traces of the printed circuit board, the dome actuators including a conductive portion for electrically contacting the conductive traces when the dome is mechanically actuated;

a backlight having top and bottom major surfaces with apertures extending therethrough, the backlight positioned such that the dome actuators rest entirely within respective apertures in said backlight;

a retainer with substantially transparent portions positioned above the backlight; and

a label with substantially transparent portions disposed on top of the retainer, the label having key functions printed thereon.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit, backlight, and retainer are affixed together to form an integral assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the retainer includes projections on a bottom surface thereof, said projections for mechanically contacting said dome actuators.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the retainer and label are a unitary assembly.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the label includes an extended wraparound portion having a decoration printed thereon, when installed on a radiotelephone the label identifies key functions on top of the radiotelephone as well as covering another portion of the radiotelephone.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the label is configured to be replaceable.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the backlight is a segmented electroluminescent lamp.

8. A flat-profile keypad apparatus for a radiotelephone comprising:

a printed circuit having conductive traces disposed on a top surface thereof, the printed circuit including a plurality of electrical connections, the electrical connections including contacts coupled to the circuitry within the radiotelephone housing;

a plurality of individual respective dome actuators positioned on top of the printed circuit in proximity to the conductive traces of the printed circuit, each of the dome actuator including a conductive portion for electrically contacting respective conductive traces when each of the dome actuators is mechanically actuated;

a backlight having top and bottom major surfaces with a apertures extending therethrough, the backlight positioned around each of the dome actuators such that each of the dome actuator rests entirely within an aperture;

a retainer with substantially transparent portions positioned on top of the backlight, the retainer configured to mechanically contact and actuate each of the dome actuators;

a label with substantially transparent portions disposed on top of the retainer, the label having key functions printed thereon; and

wherein the keypad apparatus is disposed on an exterior of the housing.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the printed circuit, backlight, and retainer are affixed together to form an integral assembly.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the retainer includes at least one projection on a bottom surface thereof, the at least one projection for mechanically contacting the at least one dome actuator.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the retainer and label are a unitary assembly.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the label includes an extended wraparound portion having a decoration printed thereon, when installed on a radiotelephone the label identifies key functions on top of the radiotelephone as well as a decoration on the radiotelephone.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the label is configured to be replaceable.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the backlight is a segmented electroluminescent lamp.

15. A radiotelephone operable in a communication system, the radiotelephone including a flat-profile keypad assembly with an additional decorative function, the radiotelephone comprising:

a housing with circuitry disposed therein;

a well on an exterior of said housing;

a printed circuit being affixed to said exterior of the housing in said well, a bottom wall of said well supporting the printed circuit, the printed circuit having conductive traces disposed on a top surface thereof, the printed circuit including a plurality of electrical connections, the electrical connections include contacts coupled to the circuitry within the radiotelephone housing;

a plurality of dome actuators placed to the top of the printed circuit in proximity to the conductive traces of the printed circuit, each of the dome actuators including a conductive portion for electrically contacting the conductive traces when each dome actuator is mechanically actuated;

a backlight having top and bottom major surfaces with a plurality of apertures extending therethrough, the backlight around said dome actuators such that said dome actuators extend within the aperture;

a retainer with substantially transparent portions is placed on top of the backlight, the retainer is configured to mechanically contact and actuate the at least one dome actuator; and

a label with substantially transparent portions having key functions printed thereon and including an extended wraparound portion having a decoration printed thereon, the label affixed to the retainer with the key functions aligned thereon and wrapped around and affixed to the housing to provide the decoration on a rear wall of radiotelephone.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the retainer includes at least one projection on a bottom surface thereof, the at least one projection for mechanically contacting the at least one dome actuator.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the retainer and label are a unitary assembly having an adhesive thereon for securing the flat keypad assembly within the well.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the label adhesive removably secures the label over the keypad assembly.