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US 10,139,922 B2Granted
Spring configuration for touch-sensitive input device
AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC
InventorFeng-Hsiung Hsu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are systems and methods associated with a touch-sensitive input device including a plurality of keys, wherein each key of the plurality of keys includes at least one spring. Such a spring may include a substantially planar peak located at a central portion of the spring, a first substantially arcuate leg extending from the peak in a first direction, and a second substantially arcuate leg extending from the peak in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. In one embodiment, a resistive force provided by the at least one spring decreases after the peak travels a first distance from an initial position of the peak. In such an embodiment, the first distance is less than or equal to approximately ⅕ of a range of travel of the peak.
Claims24
A system, comprising:
- a processor;
- a computer-readable media operably connected to the processor;
- and
- a touch-sensitive input device operably connected to at least one of the processor or the computer-readable media, the touch-sensitive input device including a plurality of keys, wherein each key of the plurality of keys includes at least one spring comprising:
- a substantially planar peak located at a central portion of the at least one spring,
- a first substantially arcuate leg extending from the peak in a first direction, and
- a second substantially arcuate leg, separate from the first leg, extending from the peak in a second direction, wherein
- a resistive force provided by the at least one spring decreases after the peak travels a first distance from an initial position of the peak, and wherein the first distance is less than or equal to ⅕ of a range of travel of the peak,
- the range of travel of the peak extends from the initial position to a final position,
- the range of travel extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the peak,
- the at least one spring has a height, extending in the direction substantially perpendicular to the peak, from a top surface of the peak to a bottom surface of the first leg,
- the range of travel is greater than the height, and
- the at least one spring is configured to provide the resistive force in response to application of a key stroke force proximate the peak.
10 more elements
A touch-sensitive input device, comprising:
- a substantially planar substrate;
- and
- a plurality of springs supported on the substrate, wherein at least one spring of the plurality of springs comprises:
- a peak spaced from the substrate,
- a central longitudinal axis extending substantially perpendicular to the substrate,
- a first substantially arcuate leg integral with and extending from the peak toward the substrate, the first leg being oriented in a first direction relative to the peak, and
- a second substantially arcuate leg integral with and extending from the peak toward the substrate, the second leg being separate from the first leg and oriented in a second direction relative to the peak substantially perpendicular to the first direction, wherein
- the peak includes a substantially planar bottom surface facing the substrate,
- the substantially planar bottom surface extending substantially parallel to the substrate from the first leg to the second leg, and
- the central longitudinal axis passing through the substantially planar bottom surface, and
- a resistive force provided by the at least one spring increases as the peak travels a first distance, toward the substrate, from an initial position of the peak, the resistive force increasing until a maximum resistive force is provided by the at least one spring, and the resistive force decreasing after the peak travels the first distance,
- wherein the at least one spring has a height, extending along the central longitudinal axis, from a top surface of the peak to a bottom surface of the first leg, and
- a range of travel of the at least one spring, along the central longitudinal axis, is greater than the height.
10 more elements
A method of manufacturing a touch-sensitive input device, comprising:
- providing a substantially planar substrate;
- forming a plurality of springs from a single sheet of material;
- a central longitudinal axis extending substantially perpendicular to the substrate, and
- supporting the sheet of material on the substrate, wherein at least one spring of the plurality of springs comprises:
- a substantially planar peak spaced from the substrate,
- a first substantially arcuate leg extending from the peak toward the substrate, the first leg being oriented in a first direction relative to the peak, and
- a second substantially arcuate leg extending from the peak toward the substrate, the second leg being separate from the first leg and oriented in a second direction relative to the peak substantially perpendicular to the first direction, wherein
- a resistive force provided by the at least one spring decreases after the peak travels a first distance, toward the substrate, from an initial position of the peak, the first distance being less than or equal to ⅕ of a range of travel of the peak,
- wherein the at least one spring has a height, extending along the central longitudinal axis, from a top surface of the peak to a bottom surface of the first leg, and
- the range of travel of the at least one spring, along the central longitudinal axis, is greater than the height.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.