...that "patent leather" got its name because the process of applying the polished black finish to leather was once patented?
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8084699 | Vehicle switch A vehicle switch includes a switch unit formed of a wiring board and an operating unit placed over the wiring board, a housing accommodating the wiring board, and a supporting member elastically deformable and placed in the housing for supporting the wiring board. T... | 12/27/2011 |
| 8071896 | Switch device generating analog output with click mechanism A switch device includes an electrical component having an operating unit and outputting a predetermined analog signal based on a position of the operating unit, and a detecting unit that detects operation of the operating unit on the basis of an output from the ele... | 12/06/2011 |
| 8058573 | Electronic apparatus with press panel An electronic apparatus comprises a main body, a front frame mounted on the main body, a transparent elastic press panel disposed between the main body and the front frame, a plurality of contacts beneath the elastic press panel, and a plurality of stop pieces dispo... | 11/15/2011 |
| 7999199 | Electric commutator with multiple switch ways An electric commutator (20) with multiple switch ways comprising a horizontal upper panel (24) with an upper face (24s) that can be contacted by a pointing element, a supporting frame (22) and means (26) for locating the poi... | 08/16/2011 |
| 7989715 | Vehicular operation switch and method for controlling the same An operation switch for a vehicle includes a light source and a grease. The light source is provided to illuminate a switch knob from a rear face side of the switch knob. The grease is applied to a sliding part. The light source is forcibly activated based on temper... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7964808 | Button apparatus and mobile appliance having the same A button apparatus and a mobile appliance having the same are provided. A button cover plate having button areas forms an external portion of a case of the appliance. The button areas may be flat on the surface of the button cover plate 36, and include compre... | 06/21/2011 |
| 7915546 | Multi-function light switch with extendable module A multi-function light switch unit mountable to an interior panel of an automotive vehicle has a rotatable outer ring controlling a main headlamp, two pushbutton panels within the outer ring controlling additional lights, and an extendable module within the outer ri... | 03/29/2011 |
| 7910843 | Compact input device Compact input devices formed on flexible substrates are disclosed. The input devices may be formed using three or more conducting layers. By including three or more conducting layers, the diameter of the input device may be minimized. In addition, to improve the fle... | 03/22/2011 |
| 7851714 | Switch A switch which can prevent detraction of insulation of fixed contacts and facilitate design, manufacturing and assembling works and can be miniaturized is disclosed. In a power window switch, an earth fixed contact 6e is provided at the center and a ma... | 12/14/2010 |
| 7820924 | Multi-direction switch for a cursor device A directional controller for a device is provided. The directional controller consists of keypad contacts, a keyboard, and a button. The keypad contacts are on a printed circuit board. The keyboard has more than four keys and each key is disposed adjacent to one of ... | 10/26/2010 |
| 7812271 | Complex button assembly and portable multimedia device using the same A complex button assembly and a portable multimedia device using the same. The complex button assembly is installed to an upper end of a case which defines an external appearance of the portable multimedia device. The complex button assembly is provided with a plura... | 10/12/2010 |
| 7778014 | Electronic equipment Electronic equipment according to the present invention includes a cursor key 8 disposed to be exposed partially from a casing, wherein the cursor key 8 includes: an operating portion 8a including a plurality of pressing portions that are... | 08/17/2010 |
| 7772507 | Switch assembly and associated handheld electronic device An improved switch assembly for use in a handheld electronic device comprises a capacitive sensing system employing a capacitive slider input device to detect navigational inputs, and further provides a pair of switches mounted to the slider on an underside thereof ... | 08/10/2010 |
| 7759589 | Power window switch apparatus The present invention relates to a power window switch apparatus (1) having a switch housing (5) supporting at least one actuation element (2) for user access at a first surface (4) of the switch housing (5). The actuation element ... | 07/20/2010 |
| 7745742 | Button assembly A button assembly includes a first-button assembly (70), and a second-button assembly (80). The first-button assembly comprises a first button (72), and a first-supporting frame (74) used for supporting the first button. The first support... | 06/29/2010 |
| 7745743 | Method and device for controlling switch between appliances This invention provides a method and a device for controlling switch between appliances. The method includes: setting a group of control signals according to operations to be performed by appliances involved in a switch between a current appliance and a target appli... | 06/29/2010 |
| 7737374 | Input device and mobile communication device having same An input device is provided. The input device includes a first input unit configured to provide at least two directional signals, a second input unit located in the first input unit, the second input unit being configured to provide at least two directional signals ... | 06/15/2010 |
| 7700886 | Rubber key device A rubber key device is provide with a key top member, multiple rubber keys, a click feel generating mechanism and a load transmitting mechanism. When a depression area of the key top member is depressed by a user, the key top member is rotated to depress a top face ... | 04/20/2010 |
| 7667148 | Method, device, and graphical user interface for dialing with a click wheel One aspect of the invention involves a computer-implemented method in which a portable communications device with a click wheel and a display detects a plurality of finger contacts with the click wheel. Each finger contact includes an angular displacement of the fin... | 02/23/2010 |
| 7663068 | Switch dome device A switch dome device for operating functions in electronic equipment includes a plurality of switch domes mounted in a circular pattern on a support structure. Outputs of adjacent switch domes are operatively connected to inputs of a common AND circuit. ... | 02/16/2010 |
| 7638719 | Operating element An operating element having an operating surface, particularly in a vehicle, for actuating an adjusting device which is in operative connection with a component to be adjusted. The operating surface is constructed as a pressure-sensitive surface. Thus, as a function... | 12/29/2009 |
| 7586050 | Ergonomic snow plow control system A housing can be mounted to a component in a cab of a vehicle; and a switch pad can have control keys, the pad mounted in the housing such that the keys are readily accessible to an operator of the vehicle during plowing operation such as shifting and/or steering. A... | 09/08/2009 |
| 7586051 | Switch assembly for vehicle A sunroof switch assembly for a vehicle includes a switch housing, a push switch, a first tilting switch, and a second tilting switch. The switch housing is installed in a cabin of the vehicle and has a plurality of contacts for respective operations of a sunroof. T... | 09/08/2009 |
| 7572989 | Information apparatus An information apparatus includes a first cover member that includes an input device capable of inputting data and may be capable of opening and closing with respect to a second cover member, and an opening/closing detection device that detects a status of the first... | 08/11/2009 |
| 7569781 | Switch assembly having non-planar surface and activation areas A switch assembly includes a central first switch with a concave surface, a plurality of second switches adjacent to and surrounding the central switch in an elliptical or circular shape, where the second switches form a convex surface, and a plurality of third swit... | 08/04/2009 |
| 7554044 | Self-configuring operator control An operator control assembly including at least one operator control mounted in a panel cover or dashboard with at least one opening for receivably mounting the operator control, and at least one printed circuit board mounted beneath the panel cover. A unique config... | 06/30/2009 |
| 7534973 | Device for detecting a mechanical actuation of an input element by using digital technology, and method for processing and converting the digital input signal into commands for controlling a load The aim of the invention is to develop a device for detecting and processing input pulses induced by a mechanical actuation of an input element, which is spring-suspended inside a plane and which can be actuated out of this plane both in a vertical direction as well... | 05/19/2009 |
| 7528330 | Device for controlling vehicle electronics A controller device having a rotary-push-button switch is arranged on a frame and the rotary-push-button switch is movable with respect to the frame between at least a first operating position and a second operating position. A position detecting element is used to ... | 05/05/2009 |
| 7525052 | Multifunction switch assembly for power adjusted vehicle passenger seat A multifunction six-way switch assembly having a plurality of sealed dome type or membrane switches disposed on a circuit board and arranged in pairs such that a single knob actuator may be slidably moved in opposite directions along a first axis for actuating eithe... | 04/28/2009 |
| 7518069 | Apparatus and method for providing a control panel that reduces overall size while providing integrated button protection for functional advantage An apparatus and method for providing a control panel that reduces overall size while providing integrated button protection for functional advantage. The control panel includes a function activator disposed at a fixed position on panel face of a device and a moveab... | 04/14/2009 |
| 7504595 | Switching signal input device for use with electronic apparatus A switching signal input device for use with an electronic apparatus is provided. The switching signal input device includes a switch part, an operating part and a resilience element, and is capable of performing four-directional switch control actions in response t... | 03/17/2009 |
| 7498527 | Compound operation input device The compound operation input device of the invention includes a case; a flexible substrate mounted on a bottom plate section of the case a first operation body moving operable in a direction orthogonal to the flexible substrate a second operation body tilting operab... | 03/03/2009 |
| 7488906 | Steering switch device A steering switch device has an operation member to be operated on a steering wheel of a vehicle. An operation condition of the operation member is controlled by a control unit when the steering wheel is rotated. The operation member is for example a cylindrical mem... | 02/10/2009 |
| 7476818 | Unified power window switch for vehicle The present invention relates to a unified power window switch for a vehicle that can open and close all the windows of the vehicle and further provide a window lock function. The unified power window switch comprises a substrate including on its top surface a rear ... | 01/13/2009 |
| 7462788 | Switch device A switch device includes an operation knob rotatably supported by a case, and switch mechanisms which can convert a switch circuit (not shown) disposed inside the case by performing a rocking operation on the operation knob. A cam member having a cam face which can ... | 12/09/2008 |
| 7459646 | Keypad assembly and portable electronic device with same A keypad assembly (10) for use in a portable electronic device (8), includes a housing (14) and a key (12). The housing is substantially a flat board, and defines a recess and a hole (143, 145) therein. The key is mounted in the re... | 12/02/2008 |
| 7442886 | Multi-directional input unit The present invention relates to a multi-directional input unit. A thin plate-type operating member having an elastic force is fixed to any one of first and second keytops, and the first and second keytops are elastically urged to a predetermined height whereby a re... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7439459 | Switch device and steering switch apparatus equipped with the switch device A switch device is provided. A switch device includes a housing. A circuit board is provided with fixed contacts. A rubber sheet is disposed on the circuit board and has protuberances, a tiltably-supported actuator, a rotatable knob, and a torsional coil spring serv... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7439460 | Vehicle window opening/closing switch apparatus A vehicle window opening/closing switch apparatus for opening/closing a plurality of windows provided on a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus has a first switch and a second switch. An arbitrary window can be electrically selected from among the windows by manually... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7439458 | Five-way directional push button on a rotary knob A rotary knob and push button assembly comprising a rotary knob being configured to rotate, a rotary actuated potentiometer actuated by rotation of the rotary knob, and at least four actuators within the rotary knob. Each actuator is configured to selectively activa... | 10/21/2008 |