Did You Know...
...that two musicians were responsible for the invention of color print film? Fascinated by photography, Leopold Godowsky and Leopold Mannes worked together to produce an easy-to-use, practical color film. They worked full time as music teachers and gave concerts while experimenting during their off hours in Mannes' kitchen. Their success earned them full-time, well-paying jobs at Kodak and their efforts resulted in Kodachrome film, which was introduced in 1935.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8089018 | Movable contact unit and method of manufacturing the same A movable contact unit, of which an upper surface of a movable contact made of a conductive metal plate is adhesively fixed to an adhesive layer formed on the underside of a base film, an upper surface of a separator is affixed to the adhesive layer in a manner to s... | 01/03/2012 |
| 7960667 | Movable contact element and switch using the same A movable contact element includes a cover sheet to which a movable contact having a dome shape is bonded and which is stacked on a top surface of a pressure sensitive conductive sheet. The movable contact element is bonded to a top surface of a substrate having a f... | 06/14/2011 |
| 7910851 | Padstacks capable of receiving domes of dome keypads in a plurality of locations and printed circuit boards utilizing the padstacks Disclosed is a printed circuit board configured for a dome-utilizing keypad configuration including at least one padstack having a plurality of dome switch targets and a plurality of target rings capable of accommodating different key dome locations of a dome keypad... | 03/22/2011 |
| 7902474 | Button assembly with inverted dome switch A portable electronic device may have an inverted dome switch assembly. The switch assembly may have an inverted dome that has a base and a conductive underside. The base may be attached to a button member. Two electrical contacts in the button member may face the c... | 03/08/2011 |
| 7816614 | Switch using elastic sheet A sheet switch includes an elastic sheet (4) and a circuit board (5). The elastic sheet has a first sheet (10) having a metal sheet (11) plated on an upper surface thereof, a bending portion (12) bent toward the circuit board from ... | 10/19/2010 |
| 7679016 | Panel switch A panel switch includes an insulating substrate, a resist layer provided on an upper surface of the insulating substrate, a cover sheet, an adhesive layer bonded onto an upper surface of the resist layer, and plural push switches activated upon being pressed via the... | 03/16/2010 |
| 7619176 | Switch and electronic equipment having the same A switch according to the present invention has a plurality of protruding parts and a plurality of support sections both of which are formed on a surface of a thin metal sheet by press molding. The switch includes a plurality of switch sections formed by elastic def... | 11/17/2009 |
| 7485824 | Electrical switch component An electrical switch, in the form of a short-stroke key is provided, including a housing having a base and a cover fixed to the base. A contact system is located in the housing, and an actuating member acts on the contact system in a switching manner. The base has a... | 02/03/2009 |
| 7442894 | Electrical switch having a variable return force An electrical switch system may include a contact-bearing support configured to delimit a recess in a substantially horizontal bottom, wherein at least two fixed electrical contacts are positioned in the recess. Additionally, the electrical switch system may include... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7435922 | Over-molded keypad and method of manufacture Described is a keypad and its method of manufacture. In one embodiment, a keypad is provided that includes a substrate having a plurality of donut-shaped recesses located at each site of a button for inputting user information, a plurality of cushions each filled wi... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7429707 | Push switch A push switch which includes a switch case, a first movable contact, and a second movable contact. The switch case has a central fixed contact on an inner bottom face of its recess that has an open top, and a peripheral fixed contact. The first movable contact is cu... | 09/30/2008 |
| 7399937 | Movable-contact unit and panel switch using the same A movable-contact unit to be used in an operating panel of various electronic devices is disclosed. The movable-contact unit is formed of movable contacts directly held on an inorganic EL sheet. To obtain adequate tactile feedback from the movable contacts even in a... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7378609 | Metal dome switch assembly with enhanced snap ratio A metal dome switch assembly with a good snap ratio and having a desired click characteristic near to that of an isolated metal dome includes a carrier base layer and adhesive layer which have a plurality of holes bounded by annular sections which engage the lower o... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7350285 | Method of manufacturing a switch panel to be disposed close to a magnetic sensor A method of manufacturing a movable contact unit includes manufacturing a movable contact, sticking the movable contact to a base sheet made of insulating resin, and applying demagnetization to the movable contact so that the residual magnetic flux density is smalle... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7329823 | Movable contact element and panel switch formed using the same A movable contact element includes a base sheet provided on its bottom surface with adhesive portions which are dotted around; an adhesive portion with a predetermined width which surrounds the entire edges of the base sheet; adhesive portions with a predetermined w... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7321103 | Key sheet and manufacturing method for key sheet As a key sheet for fixing a base sheet and key tops to be arranged on the base sheet using adhesive layers, a key sheet where the key tops and the base sheet are fixed, is obtained by forming printed adhesive layers of the key tops on facing surfaces of at least eit... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7312411 | Electronic apparatus Electronic apparatus that can be disposed in a small space and allows multidirectional input without impairment of a click feeling. A cross key including a plurality of pins is elastically held by an operating member holding mat including a plurality of holes into w... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7301114 | Movable contact unit A movable contact unit includes a first movable contact stuck on an adhesive layer beneath a lower face of an insulating film, and a second movable contact placed on the insulating film such that it is overlaid on the first movable contact via the insulating film in... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7301113 | Diaphragm for use in switch, method for manufacturing thereof, membrane switch, and input device A dome-shaped diaphragm includes a convex portion; a base portion provided on an outer periphery of the convex portion; and a pressing force reducing portion provided in at least one of the convex portion and the base portion. Examples of the pressing force reducing... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7279652 | Push button switch assembly A switch assembly includes a unitary push button housing including an actuable button, a retainer having a first surface and a second surface, in which the retainer is secured within the push button housing, a snap dome secured on the first surface of the retainer, ... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7273993 | Keypad for data entry A keypad (102) for entering data in an electronic device (100) is disclosed. The keypad includes a first carrier (302), a key panel (202), and a backlighting module (204). The key panel is coupled to a first side of the first carri... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7253368 | Pin anchoring structure for button switches A pin anchoring structure for button switches has a wiring space in an insulation seat to hold a first pin and a second pin that are separated. Through a pressing action, the first pin and the second pin form an electric connection via a conductive connection member... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7241957 | Two-in-one button structure A two-in-one button structure includes a casing, a grounded plate, two signal plates, and two button bodies. The casing has two containing spaces and a plurality of guiding grooves respectively communicating with the two containing spaces. The grounded plate is cont... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7230197 | Movable contact, moveable contact unit including the same, and switch including the same movable contact A movable contact is made of a resilient and electrically conductive thin metal plate so that a depressing operation onto the top thereof allows turning over of the central section thereof. The movable contact is shaped like a dome bowing upward and open downward, a... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7217893 | Two-stage button structure A two-stage button structure includes: a silver paste PCB, a metal dome, a film, a flexible contact body, and a button body. When the button body is pressed to a first stage, the pair of conductive blocks of the flexible contact body respectively passes through the ... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7205491 | Membrane for key switch and the key switch The present invention provides a key switch diaphragm capable of obtaining a good click feeling and capable of avoiding contact failure and having a high durability. A key switch diaphragm 30 comprises a thin plate having flexibility and conductivity, and the... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7199321 | Metal dome switch A metal dome switch includes a touch element protruding from a center of the metal dome switch, a connecting element integrally extended from a periphery of the touch element and a mountable surface integrally formed on the touch element. Since the touch element, th... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7196282 | Movable contact unit arrangement including a movable contact unit and a magnetic sensor A movable contact unit arrangement includes a movable contact disposed close to a magnetic sensor. The movable contact unit includes a base sheet made of insulating resin, and a movable contact made of elastic metal plate material and having a downwardly opening dom... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7186939 | Movable contact unit and panel switch A small movable contact unit and a panel switch which prevent peeling from an edge even though the width between the edge of a base sheet and a movable contact is narrowed. The movable contact unit includes the movable contact and base sheet. The movable contact has... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7186938 | Membrane switch, method for manufacturing membrane switch, and contact switch A pressure detection switch includes a membrane switch and a key pad arranged on the membrane switch. The membrane switch includes first and second insulation sheets arranged to face each other. An electric circuit, which includes a first electrode and a voltage-div... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7178223 | Method of manufacturing a movable contact unit to be disposed close to a magnetic sensor A method of manufacturing a movable contact unit includes manufacturing a movable contact, sticking the movable contact to a base sheet made of insulating resin, and applying demagnetization to the movable contact so that the residual magnetic flux density is smalle... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7173206 | Sealed soft switch assemblies A switch assembly is provided which includes a holder defining at least a pair of eyelets extending completely therethrough; an electrically conductive lead-frame supported on the holder, the lead-frame defining at least a pair of openings therein; and at least a pa... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7157657 | Mobile electronic device and button assembly thereof A mobile electronic device is disclosed. The device includes a printed circuit board, a first button module, a second button module and an actuator module. The printed circuit board has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first bu... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7151236 | Push-button electrical switch with deformable actuation and method for making same A switching device intended for assembly on an electric printed circuit mounting plate includes contacts to be electrically connected when a switching operation is performed. The switching device includes a switch component associated with an actuator, which allows ... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7146701 | Control housing and method of manufacturing same A control housing is provided which encases a control board. The housing has a cover and a backing which are fixed together to secure the control board within the housing. The control board includes a plurality of switches, and the housing includes a plurality of co... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7145092 | Keyboard structure A keyboard is disclosed comprising a rigid base member including at least a first surface; the base member including electrical circuitry structures, which structures define a plurality of connection zones on the first surface; the first surface of the base member i... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7138588 | Operating member The operating member is constructed by supporting the button members with the thin sheet member without integrally constructing the button members, and therefore, the device can be downsized and slimmed. The key tops of the button members can be individually surface... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7121581 | Switch assembly for an airbag module attachment A vehicle steering wheel assembly having a molded armature with outwardly extending spokes for mounting on a steering column. Airbag module engagement members extend from an airbag module housing to engage corresponding armature engagement members. The airbag module... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7119289 | Push button keypad and knob for motor vehicle control panel The invention relates to a keypad (10) for a control panel, in particular for a motor vehicle instrument system, comprising a front (30) provided with openings (32) through which a number of push-buttons (20) are placed, each positioned f... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7105761 | Push switch A push switch includes a case having a bottom face, first and second fixed contacts provided on the bottom face of the case, a movable contact made of metal thin plate, an elastic body, and an operating body. The elastic body includes a cylindrical portion having a ... | 09/12/2006 |
