← Back to Patent Explorer
US4197586A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electronic calculator assembly

Assignee: HP Inc
•
Filing: 1978-04-24
•
Granted: 1980-04-08
•
Expires: 1998-04-24
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract An electronic calculator assembly is disclosed having a flexible printed circuit board bonded to a layer of resilient material mounted on a rigid backing plate. An integrated circuit package containing electronic calculator circuitry is held tightly against the flexible printed circuit board by a cradle assembly. Leads from the integrated circuit package make contact areas on the flexible printed circuit board and depress the flexible printed circuit board into the resilient layer. A keyboard assembly is mounted to the opposite side of the rigid member and the flexible printed circuit board is folded around the rigid member so that contact areas on the flexible printed circuit board also form fixed switch contacts for the keyboard.

Inventors

  • 👤 Charles A. Nidiffer

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 00:29
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/30; H05K3/32; H05K3/325; G; G06; G06F; G06F15/00; G06F15/02; G06F15/0216; H01; H01H; H01H13/00; H01H13/70; H01H13/702; H01H2207/00; H01H2207/004; H01H2207/026; H01H2229/00; H01H2229/038; H01H2231/00; H01H2231/002; H05K1/00; H05K1/02; H05K1/03; H05K1/0393; H05K2201/00; H05K2201/05; H05K2201/056

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim 296 words
An electronic calculator assembly comprising: an integrated electronic circuit having a first set of generally coplanar conductive leads; a visual display having a second set of generally coplanar conductive leads; a rigid support member having first and second plane surfaces; a layer of resilient material attached to the first plane surface of the rigid support member; a flexible printed circuit board having a first and a second portion, having on a first surface of the first and second portions a plurality of conductive paths and further having on the first surface of the first portion a plurality of conductive contact areas for engaging the first and second sets of conductive leads, the first portion of the flexible printed circuit board being situated on and attached to the layer of resilient material, the second portion of the flexible printed circuit board being situated on and attached to the second plane surface of the rigid support member, and a third portion of the flexible printed circuit board connecting the first and second portions and extending over an edge of the rigid support member; a cradle having a first recess for receiving the integrated electronic circuit and the first set of conductive leads and a second recess for receiving the second set of conductive leads, the cradle holding the first and second sets of conductive leads in alignment and contact with the corresponding contact areas on the flexible printed circuit board to deflect the contact areas into the resilient layer to ensure electrical contact between the conductive leads and the contact areas; a keyboard assembly connected to conductive paths on the second portion of the flexible printed circuit board; and a case enclosing the support member, the layer of resilient material, the flexible printed circuit board and the cradle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 296 words
An electronic calculator assembly comprising: an integrated electronic circuit having a first set of generally coplanar conductive leads; a visual display having a second set of generally coplanar conductive leads; a rigid support member having first and second plane surfaces; a layer of resilient material attached to the first plane surface of the rigid support member; a flexible printed circuit board having a first and a second portion, having on a first surface of the first and second portions a plurality of conductive paths and further having on the first surface of the first portion a plurality of conductive contact areas for engaging the first and second sets of conductive leads, the first portion of the flexible printed circuit board being situated on and attached to the layer of resilient material, the second portion of the flexible printed circuit board being situated on and attached to the second plane surface of the rigid support member, and a third portion of the flexible printed circuit board connecting the first and second portions and extending over an edge of the rigid support member; a cradle having a first recess for receiving the integrated electronic circuit and the first set of conductive leads and a second recess for receiving the second set of conductive leads, the cradle holding the first and second sets of conductive leads in alignment and contact with the corresponding contact areas on the flexible printed circuit board to deflect the contact areas into the resilient layer to ensure electrical contact between the conductive leads and the contact areas; a keyboard assembly connected to conductive paths on the second portion of the flexible printed circuit board; and a case enclosing the support member, the layer of resilient material, the flexible printed circuit board and the cradle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 24 words
An electronic calculator assembly as in claim 1 further comprising a "U" shaped spring clip for holding the cradle to the rigid support member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 16 words
An electronic calculator assembly as in claim 2 wherein portions of the resilient layer are recessed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 27 words
An electronic calculator assembly as in claim 2 further comprising switch contact areas for the keyboard assembly on the second portion of the flexible printed circuit board.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2881364A Cited
US3002169A Cited
US3818279A Cited
US3911234A Cited
US3885173A Cited
US4118102A Cited
US3967162A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1983-04-08 1983-10-08 1984-04-08 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1987-04-08 1987-10-08 1988-04-08 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1991-04-08 1991-10-08 1992-04-08 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag