Mobile wireless communications device with elastomeric sealing membrane covering switch and related methods
View Patent ↗A mobile wireless communications device may include a housing having an opening therein and an inwardly extending housing ring adjacent the opening, and a switch carried by the housing and being aligned with the opening. The mobile wireless communications device may further include a backing member within the housing adjacent the opening, and an elastomeric switch membrane comprising a body covering the switch, and a flange coupled to the body and compressed between the backing member and the housing ring to define a seal therewith. The flange may include a flange base, and a pair of flange rings extending inwardly from the flange base and defining a valley therebetween aligned with the housing ring. In another embodiment, the flange may include a flange base and a first flange ring on a first surface thereof, and a pair of second flange rings on a second surface of the flange base and defining a valley therebetween aligned with the first flange ring.
1. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:
a housing having an opening therein and an inwardly extending housing ring adjacent said opening;
at least one switch carried by said housing and being aligned with said opening;
a backing member within said housing adjacent said opening; and
an elastomeric switch membrane comprising a body covering said at least one switch, and a flange coupled to said body and compressed between said backing member and said housing ring to define a seal therewith;
said flange comprising
a flange base, and
a pair of flange rings extending inwardly from said flange base and defining a valley therebetween aligned with said housing ring.
2. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1 wherein said flange being compressed between said backing member and said housing ring defines the seal without adhesive material.
3. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1 wherein said pair of flange rings comprises an inner flange ring and an outer flange ring, each having a respective height; and wherein said outer flange ring has a height greater than a height of said inner flange ring.
4. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1 wherein said pair of flange rings comprises an inner flange ring and an outer flange ring, each having respective identical heights.
5. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1 wherein said housing ring has a rounded tip compressing said flange.
6. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1 wherein said housing ring has a plateaued tip compressing said flange.
7. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1 wherein said flange base has a rounded corner portion; and wherein said housing has a recess shaped to receive the rounded corner portion therein.
8. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1 wherein said elastomeric switch membrane comprises an integrally molded monolithic unit.
9. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1 wherein said at least one switch comprises an array thereof.
10. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1 wherein said at least one switch comprises at least one push-to-talk (PTT) switch.
11. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:
a housing having an opening therein and an inwardly extending housing ring adjacent said opening, said housing ring having a rounded tip;
at least one switch carried by said housing and being aligned with said opening;
a backing member within said housing adjacent said opening; and
an elastomeric switch membrane comprising a body covering said at least one switch, and a flange coupled to said body and compressed between said backing member and said housing ring to define a seal therewith;
said flange comprising
a flange base, and
an inner and an outer flange ring extending inwardly from said flange base and defining a valley therebetween aligned with said housing ring,
said outer flange ring having a height greater than a height of said inner flange ring.
12. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 11 wherein said flange being compressed between said backing member and said housing ring defines the seal without adhesive material.
13. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 11 wherein said flange base has a rounded corner portion; and wherein said housing has a recess shaped to receive the rounded corner portion therein.
14. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 11 wherein said elastomeric switch membrane comprises an integrally molded monolithic unit.
15. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:
a housing having an opening therein;
at least one switch carried by said housing and being aligned with said opening;
a backing member within said housing adjacent said opening; and
an elastomeric switch membrane comprising a body covering said at least one switch, and a flange coupled to said body and compressed between said backing member and adjacent portions of said housing to define a seal therewith;
said flange comprising
a flange base and a first flange ring on a first surface thereof, and
a pair of second flange rings on a second surface of said flange base and defining a valley therebetween aligned with said first flange ring.
16. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 15 wherein said flange being compressed between said backing member and the adjacent portions of said housing defines the seal without adhesive material.
17. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 15 wherein said first flange ring contacts said backing member; and wherein said pair of second flange rings contacts the adjacent portions of said housing.
18. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 15 wherein said pair of second flange rings contacts said backing member; and wherein said first flange ring contacts the adjacent portions of said housing.
19. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 15 wherein each flange ring has a respective identical height.
20. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 15 wherein said at least one switch comprises an array thereof.
21. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 15 wherein said at least one switch comprises at least one push-to-talk (PTT) switch.
22. A method of making a mobile wireless communications device comprising:
forming a housing having an opening therein and an inwardly extending housing ring adjacent the opening;
forming an elastomeric switch membrane comprising a body to cover at least one switch aligned with the opening, and a flange coupled to the body and comprising a flange base, and a pair of flange rings extending inwardly from the flange base and defining a valley therebetween aligned with the housing ring; and
compressing the flange between a backing member and the housing ring to define a seal therewith.
23. The method according to claim 22 wherein compressing of the flange between the backing member and the housing ring further comprises defining the seal without adhesive material.
24. The method according to claim 22 wherein forming the elastomeric switch membrane comprises forming the pair of flange rings to comprise an inner flange ring and an outer flange ring; and wherein a height of the outer flange ring is greater than a height of the inner flange ring.
25. The method according to claim 22 wherein forming the elastomeric switch membrane comprises forming the pair of flange rings to comprise an inner flange ring and an outer flange ring, each having respective identical heights.
26. The method according to claim 22 wherein forming the elastomeric switch membrane comprises integrally molding the elastomeric switch membrane as a monolithic unit.
27. The method according to claim 22 wherein forming the housing comprises forming the housing ring having a rounded tip for compressing the flange.
28. The method according to claim 22 wherein forming the housing comprises forming the housing ring having a plateaued tip for compressing the flange.
29. A method of making a mobile wireless communications device comprising:
forming a housing having an opening therein;
forming an elastomeric switch membrane comprising a body to cover at least one switch aligned with the opening, and a flange coupled to the body and comprising a flange base and a first flange ring on a first surface thereof, and a pair of second flange rings on a second surface of the flange base and defining a valley therebetween aligned with the first flange ring; and
compressing the flange between a backing member and adjacent portions of the housing to define a seal therewith.
30. The method according to claim 29 wherein compressing of the flange between the backing member and the adjacent portions of the housing further comprises defining the seal without adhesive material.
31. The method according to claim 29 wherein compressing of the flange between the backing member and the adjacent portions of the housing further comprises the first flange ring contacting the backing member, and the pair of second flange rings contacting the adjacent portions of the housing.
32. The method according to claim 29 wherein compressing of the flange between the backing member and the adjacent portions of the housing further comprises the pair of second flange rings contacting the backing member, and the first flange ring contacting the adjacent portions of the housing.
33. The method according to claim 29 wherein forming the elastomeric switch membrane comprises integrally molding the elastomeric switch membrane as a monolithic unit.
34. The method according to claim 29 wherein forming of the elastomeric switch membrane comprises forming each flange ring to have a respective identical height.