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US5990874A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Protective cover for a portable apparatus touch panel

Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1997-07-28
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Granted: 1999-11-23
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Expires: 2017-07-28
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Abstract

Abstract A portable apparatus including a transparent and flexible protective lid which openably and closably covers a touch pad which also serves as a display screen. The lid has a U-shaped slit portion formed therein and has a protrusion on a surface of the U-shaped slit portion facing the touch panel. When the protective lid is closed, the slit portion may be pushed down to actuate the touch panel. When the protective lid is open, the touch panel may be directly actuated.

Inventors

  • 👤 Toshiyuki Tsumura
  • 👤 Yoshihisa Naito

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-10 01:12
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/16; G06F1/1613; G06F1/1626; G06F2200/00; G06F2200/16; G06F2200/163; G06F2200/1634

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 114 words
A portable apparatus with a touch panel comprising: a transparent and flexible protective lid, said lid being movable between an open position exposing said touch panel and a closed position covering said touch panel, said touch panel also serving as a display screen, said lid having a U-shaped slit portion formed in a part of said lid and having a protrusion provided on a surface of said U-shaped slit portion facing said touch panel, wherein, when said protective lid is in the closed position, said slit portion may be pushed down to thereby actuate said touch panel and, when said protective lid is in the opened position, said touch panel may be directly actuated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 114 words
A portable apparatus with a touch panel comprising: a transparent and flexible protective lid, said lid being movable between an open position exposing said touch panel and a closed position covering said touch panel, said touch panel also serving as a display screen, said lid having a U-shaped slit portion formed in a part of said lid and having a protrusion provided on a surface of said U-shaped slit portion facing said touch panel, wherein, when said protective lid is in the closed position, said slit portion may be pushed down to thereby actuate said touch panel and, when said protective lid is in the opened position, said touch panel may be directly actuated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 126 words
A portable apparatus with a touch panel comprising: a protective lid, said lid being movable between an open position exposing said touch panel and a closed position covering said touch panel, said touch panel also serving as a display screen, said lid having a transparent lid-movable portion which is movable up and down partially and having a protrusion provided on a surface of said transparent lid-movable portion facing said touch panel, wherein, when said protective lid is in the closed position, said touch panel is visible through said transparent lid-movable portion of said protective lid and said lid-movable portion may be pushed down to thereby actuate said touch panel and, when said protective lid is in the open position, said touch panel may be directly actuated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 126 words
A portable apparatus with a touch panel comprising: a protective lid, said lid being movable between an open position exposing said touch panel and a closed position covering said touch panel, said touch panel also serving as a display screen, said lid having a transparent lid-movable portion which is movable up and down partially and having a protrusion provided on a surface of said transparent lid-movable portion facing said touch panel, wherein, when said protective lid is in the closed position, said touch panel is visible through said transparent lid-movable portion of said protective lid and said lid-movable portion may be pushed down to thereby actuate said touch panel and, when said protective lid is in the open position, said touch panel may be directly actuated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 115 words
A portable apparatus with a touch panel comprising: means for inputting data through said touch panel, and a protective lid, said protective lid being movable between an open position exposing said touch panel and a closed position covering said touch panel, said touch panel also serving as a display screen, wherein at least a portion of said protective lid is transparent to permit a user to view said touch panel when said lid is in said closed position, said transparent portion of said lid being flexibly deformable to permit a user to push the transparent portion toward said touch panel and thereby actuate said touch panel when said protective lid is in the closed position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 115 words
A portable apparatus with a touch panel comprising: means for inputting data through said touch panel, and a protective lid, said protective lid being movable between an open position exposing said touch panel and a closed position covering said touch panel, said touch panel also serving as a display screen, wherein at least a portion of said protective lid is transparent to permit a user to view said touch panel when said lid is in said closed position, said transparent portion of said lid being flexibly deformable to permit a user to push the transparent portion toward said touch panel and thereby actuate said touch panel when said protective lid is in the closed position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 42 words
A portable apparatus with a touch panel according to claim 3, wherein a surface of said protective lid facing said touch panel includes a protrusion which engages and actuates said touch panel when said transparent portion is pushed toward said touch panel.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4899137A Cited
US5341154A Cited
US5233502A Cited
US5584054A Cited
US5646649A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2002-11-22 2003-05-24 2003-11-23 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2006-11-22 2007-05-24 2007-11-23 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2010-11-22 2011-05-24 2011-11-23 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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