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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 02, 2003
Filed:
Nov. 15, 2000
Applicant:
Inventor:
Donald Edward Sutter, Martinsville, IN (US);
Assignee:
Thomson Licensing, S.A., Boulogne-Billancourt, FR;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01H 3/12 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H01H 3/12 ;
Abstract
A button ball and alignment rib formed to a bezel mates with an aperture on a floating button cluster to align and secure the floating button cluster such that the buttons of the floating button cluster are aligned with their corresponding apertures formed in the bezel. The alignment rib has a tapered rib disposed upon it and upon the tapered rib is formed a semi-spherical ball reinforced by an enlarged post that is formed from the bezel to the semi-spherical ball. A plurality of apertures are formed in the floating button cluster, one of which receives the semi-spherical ball and retains it once it has passed through the aperture.