The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Dec. 24, 2002

Filed:

Jun. 29, 2001
Applicant:
Inventors:

James R. Stewart, Woodinville, WA (US);

Hok-Sum Horace Luke, Mercer Island, WA (US);

Dick C. K. Liu, Seattle, WA (US);

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01H 9/00 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H01H 9/00 ;
Abstract

A highly legible key that is durable and suitable for electronic devices, including gaming consoles and controllers. The key includes an outer layer and an inner layer and may be formed by a two-shot injection molding process. The outer layer has a cavity delineating a negative form of a desired indicia or indicium. The inner layer is located interior to the outer layer filling the negative form with the desired indicium. The outer layer is formed of transparent or translucent material and the inner layer is formed of an opaque or darker material, such that, the indicium is visible through the outer layer material. The outer layer can be tinted. The outer layer protects and magnifies the indicium of the inner layer. The inner layer in the region of the indicium can be domed for increased visibility. The outer layer can have a dome surface, which is on a slope for improved finger-to-button contact. The outer layer can have a step and a tab for retaining the button in an electronic device housing.


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