Generator button for electronic devices
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsColin M. Ely, Eric G. de Jong
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
One embodiment of the present disclosure includes an electronic device. The electronic device includes an enclosure and a button connected to the enclosure and movable relative thereto. The button includes a button cap defining a user input surface, a first magnetic element operably associated with one of the button cap or the enclosure, and a coil operably associated with the other of the button cap or the enclosure. Movement of the button cap relative to the enclosure, such as due to a user input force, causes the first magnetic element to induce a current in the coil and the induced current is correlated to a user input to the button cap.
Claims20
An electronic device comprising:
- an enclosure;
- a button connected to the enclosure and movable relative thereto, the button comprising:
- a button cap defining a user input surface;
- a first magnetic element operably associated with the button cap;
- and
- a coil operably associated with the enclosure;
- and
- a seal surrounding the button cap and positioned between the first magnetic element and the coil;
- wherein movement of the button cap in a first direction relative to the enclosure causes the first magnetic element to induce a current in the coil;
- and the induced current is correlated to a user input to the button cap.
An input assembly for a computing device comprising:
- a housing;
- a user input surface operably connected to the housing and movable relative thereto;
- a magnetic element connected to the user input surface;
- an induction component operably connected to the housing and in communication with the magnetic element;
- and
- a gasket connected to the housing and the user input surface and positioned between the induction component and the magnetic element;
- wherein in a first mode, when a user force is applied to the user input surface, the user input surface moves in a first direction causing the magnetic element to move relative to the induction component, inducing a first signal in the induction component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.