System and method for integrating components of an electro-permanent magnet key switch assembly

A method for assembling an electro-permanent magnet (EPM) key assembly of an information handling system comprising:

• disposing a pair of scissor plate mounts framed onto a base contact assembly and a portion of an EPM within the base contact assembly upward through a cap support plate opening within a cap support plate;
• the cap support plate comprising a printed circuit board for mounting the EPM key assembly and the printed circuit board having a pressure sensor to record keystrokes;
• operably connecting the base contact assembly with the EPM to the cap support plate;
• disposing a ferromagnetic flange operably coupled to rotate with at least one scissor plate about a scissor plate hinge mounts protruding through the cap support plate opening;
• coupling a current source to a conductor coiled about a low-coercivity magnet of the EPM to switch the EPM from an on state to an off state via direction of current applied to around the low-coercivity magnet of the EPM;
• operably connecting the pair of scissor plates to the base contact assembly via the scissor plate hinge mounts such that each of the pair of scissor plates may rotate away from one another in the presence of downward force on a key cap to engage the pressure sensor;
• and
• situating the key cap atop the pair of scissor plates.

An electro-permanent magnet (EPM) key assembly of an information handling system comprising:

• a cap support plate comprising a printed circuit board with a pressure sensor to record keystrokes for mounting the EPM key assembly;
• a pair of scissor plates operably connected to a base contact assembly including an EPM such that each of the pair of scissor plates may rotate away from one another in the presence of downward force on a key cap;
• the key cap situated atop the pair of scissor plates for actuation of the EPM key assembly;
• the EPM comprising a low-coercivity magnet and a high coercivity magnet switchable via application of a first direction of current applied to an electrically conductive wire coiled around the low-coercivity magnet to place the EPM in an on state to assert a magnetic field on a ferromagnetic flange operatively coupled to rotate with at least one scissor plate about a hinge or a second direction of current applied to the electrically conductive wire to place the EPM in an off state to release the ferromagnetic flange from the magnetic field and retract the key cap;
• and
• a cap support plate opening through which a scissor plate hinge mount of the base assembly is disposed from under a first side of the cap support plate and the base contact assembly is operatively coupled to the pair of scissor plates mounted on scissor plate hinge mount above the second side of the cap support plate.