Keyboard for electronic device
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsEric A. Knopf, Matthew P. Casebolt, Craig C. Leong, Robert Y. Cao, Bradford J. Zercoe, Dinesh C. Mathew, Zheng Gao, Ryan P. Brooks, Paul X. Wang, Bruce E. Berg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An input mechanism is disclosed. The input mechanism includes a dome support structure defining an opening that extends through the dome support structure, a collapsible dome positioned in the opening and engaged with the dome support structure, and a cover member coupled to the dome support structure and covering the collapsible dome, thereby retaining the collapsible dome within the opening of the dome support structure.
Claims14
An electronic input device, comprising:
- a keycap having a set of retention clips;
- a substrate positioned under the keycap, the substrate defining a set of openings below the keycap;
- a switch configured to be actuated by movement of the keycap relative to the substrate between an unactuated state and an actuated state;
- a support positioned between the substrate and the keycap;
- a mechanical support, comprising:
- a pair of wings each having a pair of keycap connections pivotably connected to the set of retention clips and having a pair of support connections pivotably connected to the support;
- a pair of hinges connecting the pair of wings to each other along a pivot axis of the mechanical support, wherein the pair of keycap connections and the pair of support connections are spaced from the pivot axis;
- wherein a hinge of the pair of hinges extends into an opening of the set of openings when the keycap is in an unactuated state;
- and
- wherein a retention clip of the set of retention clips extends into another opening of the set of openings when the keycap is in an actuated state.
An electronic device, comprising:
- a housing;
- a base plate in the housing, the base plate including a printed circuit board (PCB), wherein a set of openings extends through the base plate and the PCB;
- a set of keycaps positioned above the base plate;
- a set of mechanical supports operably coupled to the base plate, the set of mechanical supports positioned between the base plate and the set of keycaps, each mechanical support of the set of mechanical supports including:
- a pair of wings joined by a hinge, the pair of wings being pivotable relative to each other about a pivot axis extending through the hinge;
- wherein the pair of wings is movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position, the hinge being positioned in an opening of the set of openings when the pair of wings is in the unactuated position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.