Flexible gaskets for wireless terminals with sliding members

Abstract

Gaskets and wireless terminals with gaskets for sealing a space between sliding members in wireless terminals. The wireless terminals include: (a) a first member; (b) a second member overlying the first member, wherein at least one of the first and second members is configured to slide between open and closed configurations; and (c) a gasket attached to the first and second members, the gasket having an elongate body portion with opposing first and second end portions affixed to a respective one of the first and second members. The gasket is configured to provide an electrical path between at least one component in the first member to at least one component in the second member. The elongate body portion is configured to snugly abut the first and second members to inhibit dust from entering a target interior space when the wireless terminal is in the open configuration.

1 . A wireless terminal, comprising:
 a first member;   a second member attached to the first member so that the first or second member slidably travels about the other member in one direction, between open and closed configurations, with the closed configuration being when the second member overlies the first member and with the open configuration being when at least of part of a surface of the first member is revealed which is covered by the second member in the closed configuration; and   a gasket attached to a cavity defined between the first and second members, the gasket having a main body portion which is resiliently deformable to repetitively compress as the first and second members slide between the open and closed configurations,   wherein the gasket has the main body portion with opposing first and second end portions, one affixed to a respective one of the first and second members,   wherein the main body portion of the gasket is an elastic member having an elastic force, in order to fill the cavity when the wireless terminal is in the open and the closed configurations, wherein the gasket main body portion includes opposing first and second outwardly extending leg portions residing on opposing sides of a fold region, with the first leg portion of the gasket extending in one direction from the fold region of the main body and abutting an inner surface of the first member inside the cavity and the second leg portion extending in the other direction away from the fold region and abutting an inner surface of the second member inside the cavity,   wherein the gasket is configured to provide an electrical path for electrically connecting between at least one component in the first member to at least one component in the second member, and   wherein the gasket main body portion is configured to compress to allow the first and second members to slide between the open and closed configurations while the gasket abuts both the inner surfaces of first and second members to inhibit dust from entering from the cavity to a target interior space of the second member when the wireless terminal is in the open configuration.   
     
     
         2 . A wireless terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein the fold region resides at a forwardmost location of the cavity in a opening sliding direction of the first or second member, wherein the fold portion location is changed as the first or second member slides to the open configuration and the first and second leg portions vary in length in response thereto, and wherein the second leg portion is longer than the first leg portion in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         3 . A wireless terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein the gasket is tubular and compressible. 
     
     
         4 . A wireless terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein the first member has a keypad and a power source in communication with a transceiver that transmits and receives wireless communications signals, wherein the second member has a display overlying and slidably attached to the first member, wherein in the closed configuration the second member covers the keypad on the first member, wherein in the open configuration the second member resides above and axially beyond a top portion of the first member to reveal the keypad on the first member, and wherein the gasket first end portion is statically affixed to the first member and the gasket second end portion is statically affixed to the second member. 
     
     
         5 . A wireless terminal according to  claim 4 , wherein the gasket comprises a sliding lock or zipper attachment mechanism. 
     
     
         6 . A wireless terminal according to  claim 1 , further comprising a sliding plate mounted to the first member, the plate having a contoured perimeter portion for closing against a perimeter shape of the gasket, wherein the gasket is attached to the sliding plate and is compressed or extended in response to movement of the sliding plate. 
     
     
         7 . A wireless terminal according to  claim 6 , wherein the gasket has first and second electrical connection end portions, and wherein the second electrical connection end portion is configured to engage a laterally extending channel formed though a rear surface of the second member. 
     
     
         8 . A wireless terminal according to  claim 3 , wherein the interior surface of the tubular gasket includes a flex film circuit as the electrical path. 
     
     
         9 . A portable communication device with a wireless terminal, comprising:
 a first member and a second member attached to the first member so that the first or second member slidably travels about the other member in one direction, between open and closed configurations, with the closed configuration being when the second member overlies the first member and with the open configuration being when at least of part of a surface of the first member is revealed which is covered by the second member in the closed configuration; and   a flexible gasket having a main body portion and electrical connections on spaced apart opposing first and second end portions of the main body portion, the gasket defining an electrical path therebetween,   wherein the gasket is configured to reside in a cavity defined between the first and second members and be in abutting contact against the first and second members, wherein the gasket is sized and configured to occupy the cavity between the first and second members to seal the cavity thereby inhibiting dust from entering the gap space,   wherein the main body portion of gasket has a sliding lock or zipper attachment mechanism,   wherein the gasket is configured to snugly thread through an aperture in the first member and both lock the aperture closed when the open configuration and unlock the aperture while sliding between the open configuration and the closed configuration by the sliding lock or zipper attachment mechanism.