Force-detecting input structure
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsColin M. Ely, Erik G. de Jong, Fletcher R. Rothkopf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An input mechanism, such as a crown, detects amounts of applied force. In various examples, an assembly including an input mechanism has an enclosure; a stem coupled to the enclosure such that the stem is rotatable, translatable, and transversely moveable with respect to the enclosure; a sensor, coupled between the stem and the housing, to which force is transferred when the stem moves with respect to the housing; and a processing unit coupled to the sensor. The processing unit is operable to determine a measurement of the force, based on a signal from the sensor.
Claims20
An electronic device, comprising:
- a housing;
- a collar, coupled to the housing, comprising:
- a moveable conductor;
- and
- a conductive element;
- and
- a crown, comprising:
- a cap;
- and
- a shaft positioned partially within an aperture defined by the collar and attached to the cap;
- wherein:
- the movable conductor and the conductive element are separated by a distance;
- and
- movement of the shaft in response to an input force on the cap reduces the distance, thereby changing a capacitance between the moveable conductor and the conductive element.
A crown assembly, comprising:
- an enclosure;
- a stem coupled to the enclosure, such that the stem is:
- rotatable with respect to the enclosure;
- translatable with respect to the enclosure;
- and
- transversely moveable with respect to the enclosure;
- a sensor, coupled between the stem and the enclosure, the stem configured to compress the sensor when the stem moves transversely with respect to the enclosure;
- and
- a processing unit, coupled to the sensor, operable to determine a measurement of the force, based on a signal from the sensor.
An electronic device, comprising:
- a body;
- a coupler positioned at least partially within the body;
- a crown, connected to the coupler, and operable to move with respect to the body;
- a capacitive sensor coupled to the crown, and configured to deform in response to a force being applied to the crown;
- and
- a processing unit operable to ascertain an amount of the force based on a change in a capacitance of the capacitive sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.