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US 10,262,814 B2Granted
Low travel switch assembly
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsKeith J. Hendren, Thomas W. Wilson, Jr., John M. Brock, Craig C. Leong, James J. Niu, Satoshi Okuma, Shinsuke Watanabe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A low travel switch assembly and systems and methods for using the same are disclosed. The low travel dome may include a domed surface having upper and lower portions, and a set of tuning members integrated within the domed surface between the upper and lower portions. The tuning members may be operative to control a force-displacement curve characteristic of the low travel dome.
Claims20
A switch assembly, comprising:
- a key cap;
- a domed surface disposed below the key cap and defined by an array of arms connecting a central portion of the domed surface to an outer edge of the domed surface;
- and
- an electrical membrane coupled to the domed surface opposite the key cap and operative to trigger a switch event, the electrical membrane comprising a top layer and a bottom layer, each of the top and bottom layers being coupled to a corresponding conductive gel, the conductive gel providing support to the key cap and the domed surface when the key cap displaces toward the electrical membrane,
- wherein the array of arms is operative to:
- maintain an offset between the central portion and the electrical membrane when the electrical membrane is not triggering the switch event;
- and
- control the domed surface to operate according to a predefined force-displacement curve.
5 more elements
A low travel dome, comprising:
- a domed surface having upper and lower portions, the domed surface comprising:
- an array of radially-distributed arms extending between the upper and lower portions, the array of radially-distributed arms operative to control a force-displacement curve characteristic of the low travel dome, each of the arms of the array of radially-distributed arms having a length and a lateral thickness that is constant along at least a portion of the length.
A method for manufacturing a low travel dome, comprising:
- providing a dome-shaped surface having a top portion and a bottom portion;
- and
- selectively removing an array of predefined portions of the dome-shaped surface between the top portion and the bottom portion, thereby defining an array of arms connecting the top portion and the bottom portion,
- wherein:
- a shape of each of the array of arms defines a force-displacement curve characteristic of the low travel dome;
- and
- the array of arms defines a cross-shaped portion of the dome-shaped surface, the array of arms each having substantially straight side edges in the cross-shaped portion of the dome-shaped surface.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.