1. A key fob for use in a remote keyless entry system of a vehicle, the key fob comprising:
a transmitter housing having a user operable button thereon indicative of a remote keyless entry function associated with the vehicle for transmitting a function request when the user operable button is depressed;
a cover retained on the transmitter housing and slidably movable between an open position exposing the user operable button and a closed position wherein the user operable button is covered by the cover;
a biaser coupled between the transmitter housing and the cover such that the biaser urges the cover toward the open position; and
a catch mechanism selectively and releasably securing the cover in the closed position against the bias of the biaser.
2. The key fob of claim 1 wherein the catch mechanism includes a lock rib extending from the transmitter housing and a lock catch on the cover, with the lock catch located to be selectively engageable with the lock rib when the cover is in the closed position.
3. The key fob of claim 2 wherein the transmitter housing has a front side including a user release location located adjacent to the lock rib, with the user release location flexible such that, upon applying pressure thereto, the lock rib will disengage from the lock catch.
4. The key fob of claim 2 wherein the transmitter housing has a front side including a first user release location located adjacent to the lock rib and an opposed back side including a second user release location, with the first user release location flexible such that, upon applying pressure to the first and second user release locations, the lock rib will disengage from the lock catch.
5. The key fob of claim 1 further including a travel limiter that has a stop slot, with a stop end, located on a one of the cover and the transmitter housing and a stop pin located on an other of the cover and the transmitter housing, with the stop pin extending within and being slidable relative to the stop slot, and with the stop end engaging the stop pin against the bias of the biaser when the cover is in the open position.
6. The key fob of claim 1 wherein the transmitter housing includes a spring retention recess and the biaser is a compression spring mounted in the retention recess and extending between the transmitter housing and the cover.
7. The key fob of claim 1 wherein the transmitter housing includes a pair of spring retention recesses and the biaser is a pair of compression springs, each mounted in a respective one of the pair of spring retention recesses, and each of the compression springs extends between the transmitter housing and the cover.
8. The key fob of claim 1 wherein the transmitter housing includes a second user operable button thereon located adjacent to the user operable button such that the second user operable button is covered by the cover in the closed position and exposed when the cover is in the open position.
9. The key fob of claim 1 wherein the transmitter housing includes a second user operable button thereon spaced from the user operable button such that the second user operable button is exposed both when the cover is in the closed position and in the open position.
10. The key fob of claim 1 wherein the transmitter housing includes a LED located adjacent to the user operable button such that the LED is covered by the cover in the closed position and exposed when the cover is in the open position, and the cover includes a viewing window that is aligned with the LED when the cover is in the closed position.
11. The key fob of claim 1 wherein the transmitter housing includes an attachment flange extending therefrom, and a key ring mounted to the attachment flange.
12. A key fob for use in a remote keyless entry system of a vehicle, the key fob comprising:
a transmitter housing having a user operable button thereon indicative of a remote keyless entry function associated with the vehicle for transmitting a function request when the user operable button is depressed, and a spring retention recess;
a cover retained on the transmitter housing and slidably movable between an open position exposing the user operable button and a closed position wherein the user operable button is covered by the cover;
a compression spring mounted in the retention recess and extending between the transmitter housing and the cover such that the compression spring urges the cover toward the open position; and
a catch mechanism selectively and releasably securing the cover in the closed position against the bias of the compression spring.
13. The key fob of claim 12 wherein the transmitter housing includes a second spring retention recess and a second compression spring is mounted in the second retention recess and extends between the transmitter housing and the cover such that the second compression spring urges the cover toward the open position.
14. The key fob of claim 12 wherein the catch mechanism includes a lock rib extending from the transmitter housing and a lock catch on the cover, with the lock catch located to be selectively engageable with the lock rib when the cover is in the closed position, and the transmitter housing has a front side including a user release location located adjacent to the lock rib, with the user release location flexible such that, upon applying pressure thereto, the lock rib will disengage from the lock catch.
15. The key fob of claim 12 further including a travel limiter that has a stop slot, with a stop end, located on a one of the cover and the transmitter housing and a stop pin located on an other of the cover and the transmitter housing, with the stop pin extending within and being slidable relative to the stop slot, and with the stop end engaging the stop pin against the bias of the compression spring when the cover is in the open position.
16. The key fob of claim 12 wherein the transmitter housing includes a LED located adjacent to the user operable button such that the LED is covered by the cover in the closed position and exposed when the cover is in the open position, and the cover includes a viewing window that is aligned with the LED when the cover is in the closed position.
17. A key fob for use in a remote keyless entry system of a vehicle, the key fob comprising:
a transmitter housing having a user operable button thereon indicative of a remote keyless entry function associated with the vehicle for transmitting a function request when the user operable button is depressed;
a cover retained on the transmitter housing and slidably movable between an open position exposing the user operable button and a closed position wherein the user operable button is covered by the cover;
a biaser coupled between the transmitter housing and the cover such that the biaser urges the cover toward the open position;
a catch mechanism selectively and releasably securing the cover in the closed position against the bias of the biaser; and
a travel limiter that has a stop slot, with a stop end, located on a one of the cover and the transmitter housing and a stop pin located on an other of the cover and the transmitter housing, with the stop pin extending within and being slidable relative to the stop slot, and with the stop end engaging the stop pin against the bias of the biaser when the cover is in the open position.
18. The key fob of claim 17 wherein the catch mechanism includes a lock rib extending from the transmitter housing and a lock catch on the cover, with the lock catch located to be selectively engageable with the lock rib when the cover is in the closed position.
19. The key fob of claim 18 wherein the transmitter housing has a front side including a user release location located adjacent to the lock rib, with the user release location flexible such that, upon applying pressure thereto, the lock rib will disengage from the lock catch.
20. The key fob of claim 17 wherein the transmitter housing includes a second user operable button thereon spaced from the user operable button such that the second user operable button is exposed both when the cover is in the closed position and in the open position.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for fabricating a one-piece microfluidic package, comprising the steps of:
a) selecting a mold cavity with an inlet for injecting a molten polymer wherein the mold cavity has a first side and a second side that is opposite the first side;
b) defining a micro pattern of microfluidic channels on the first side of the mold cavity resulting in a plurality of interconnecting and interlocking ports, that include at least one set of an inlet port and an outlet port, the one set including one male port and one female port, so that the ports engage other ports via a male-female friction fit that is leak-free and adhesive free to permit interconnecting and interlocking and snapping together of a plurality of one-piece microfluidic packages in an extended series, and forming an interior microfluidic channel that connects the male port on a first end of the mold cavity to the female port on a second end of the mold cavity, wherein the interior channel has a diameter of less than approximately 1.00 mm;
c) defining a plurality of inletoutlet ports on the second side of the mold cavity, the second side having an inletoutlet port on a first end of the mold cavity and an inletoutlet port on a second end of the mold cavity and the plurality of inletoutlet ports is connected to one of a microfluidic channel and a combination of a microfluidic channel and a fluid reservoir defined on the first side of the mold cavity, and forming a male inletoutlet port at the first end of the mold cavity sized to connect and interlock with a female inletoutlet port at the second end of the mold cavity, the first side and the second side together solely providing the one-piece, integrally formed, microfluidic package;
d) injecting a molten polymer into the cavity;
e) allowing the mold to cool;
f) allowing the molten polymer to become a rigid substrate; and
g) removing the rigid substrate with a microfluidic channel on a first side and a plurality of inletoutlet ports on a second side, thereby providing a one-piece, integrally formed, microfluidic package capable of leak-free and adhesive-free interconnecting and interlocking in an extended series.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic channel is connected to a fluid reservoir.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inletoutlet ports has a first inletoutlet port that is smaller than a second inletoutlet port.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first inletoutlet port fits snugly and interlockingly into the larger second inletoutlet port of an interconnecting microfluidic package.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inletoutlet ports are connected to outlet tubes of a pre-selected tubing size.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the tubing sizes have diameters selected from at least one of approximately 1.58 millimeters (mm) ( 116 inch), approximately 0.79 mm ( 132 inch), and approximately 0.396 mm ( 164 inch).