Switch module for electronic crown assembly
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsSameer Pandya, Antonio Herrera, Colin M Ely
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A switch module for an electronic device detects translational inputs and defines at least portion of a conductive path from an input surface of the electronic device to a processing unit of the electronic device. The switch module may be a component of a crown assembly for detecting rotational inputs, translational inputs, touch inputs and/or biological signals such as electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. The switch module may include a conductive dome and a friction guard that is positioned between the conductive dome and the actuation member of the crown assembly. The conductive dome and/or the friction guard may define at least a portion of the conductive path from the input surface to the processing unit.
Claims20
An electronic watch comprising:
- a display;
- a cover over the display;
- an enclosure coupled to the cover and at least partially enclosing the display;
- a crown assembly comprising:
- an actuation member extending through an opening in the enclosure and comprising a knob positioned along an exterior side of the enclosure, the knob defining an input surface configured to receive a user input thereon;
- a collapsible dome positioned at an end of the actuation member and configured to collapse in response to a translational input at the actuation member;
- and
- a friction guard positioned between the end of the actuation member and the collapsible dome;
- and
- a processing system within the enclosure and conductively coupled to the input surface of the knob via a conductive path extending through the collapsible dome, the friction guard, and the actuation member, the conductive path persisting when the collapsible dome is collapsed and when the collapsible dome is uncollapsed.
A wearable electronic device comprising:
- an enclosure at least partially defining an internal volume;
- an input assembly configured to receive a rotational input and a translational input and comprising:
- a body portion external to the enclosure and defining an input surface;
- and
- a shaft extending from the body portion through a hole defined in the enclosure;
- a collapsible dome positioned in the internal volume and configured to transition from an uncollapsed state to a collapsed state in response to the translational input and configured to remain conductively coupled to the shaft when the collapsible dome is in the uncollapsed state and the collapsed state;
- and
- a processing system within the internal volume and conductively coupled to the input surface via a conductive path through the collapsible dome, the shaft, and the body portion, the processing system configured to determine a biological parameter of a user based at least in part on a voltage detected at the input surface.
A wearable electronic device comprising:
- an enclosure;
- an actuation member coupled to the enclosure and configured to receive a rotational input and a translational input, the actuation member comprising;
- a knob external to the enclosure;
- and
- a shaft coupled to the knob and extending through a hole defined in the enclosure;
- a conductive dome positioned at an end of the shaft and configured to transition from an uncollapsed state to a collapsed state in response to a translational input applied to the knob;
- and
- a friction guard positioned between the shaft and the conductive dome and conductively coupling the shaft to the conductive dome when the conductive dome is in the uncollapsed state and when the conductive dome is in the collapsed state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.