Autoclavable keypad with haptic feedback for video endoscopes

A keypad for an endoscope, comprising

• a logic circuitry;
• an elastic watertight cover including an undercut pocket;
• a support;
• and
• a plurality of keys arranged under the elastic watertight cover,
• each key comprising an actuator section arranged over the support and a sensor section arranged below the support,
• the actuator section comprising a magnet held in the undercut pocket in the cover, wherein the magnet is held vertically above and horizontally aligned with at least a portion of a snap disk, and the actuator section further comprising a plunger comprising the magnet, the plunger adapted to press onto the snap disk, and
• the sensor section comprising a sensor adapted to detect a strength of a magnetic field of the magnet at the sensor,
• wherein the actuator section is adapted to press against the snap disk and transform the snap disk from a released state into a loaded state when the key is pressed by a user and is adapted to move away from the snap disk to allow the snap disk to return from the loaded state back to the released state when the key is released by the user, and
• wherein the logic circuitry is adapted to
• obtain a value of the strength of the magnetic field from the sensor,
• compare the value against a predetermined threshold value that corresponds at least approximately to the strength of a magnetic field when the actuator section has transformed the snap disk, and
• output a signal indicating that the key is pressed when the value reaches or exceeds the threshold value.