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US 12,079,043 B2Granted
Computer with keyboard
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsPaul X. Wang, Alex J. Lehmann, Zheng Gao
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device may include a display portion that includes a display housing and a display at least partially within the display housing. The device may also include a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion and including a bottom case, a top case coupled to the bottom case and defining an array of raised key regions, and a sensing system below the top case and configured to detect an input applied to a raised key region of the array of raised key regions.
Claims20
A keyboard for a portable electronic device, comprising:
- a housing;
- a glass top case coupled to the housing and defining a base surface and a protruding key region extending above the base surface, the glass top case configured to locally deform at the protruding key region in response to a user input applied to the protruding key region;
- a lower member below the glass top case;
- and
- a biasing system positioned between the lower member and the glass top case and below the protruding key region, the biasing system configured to bias the protruding key region in an undeformed configuration.
2 more elements
A laptop computer comprising:
- a housing;
- a unitary glass top case coupled to the housing and defining:
- a trackpad region;
- a keyboard region;
- and
- a key within the keyboard region, the key protruding from a base surface of the unitary glass top case, the key having:
- an unactuated state;
- and
- an actuated state corresponding to a deformation of the key in response to a downward input force applied to the key;
- and
- a biasing structure below the key configured to bias the key in the unactuated state and to detect a transition from the unactuated state to the actuated state.
8 more elements
A portable computing device comprising:
- a display portion comprising a display configured to produce a graphical output;
- and
- a base portion rotatably coupled to the display portion and comprising:
- a base structure;
- a glass member coupled to the base structure and defining:
- a base surface;
- and
- a key having:
- an undepressed position in which the key protrudes from the base surface;
- and
- a depressed position in which the key is deformed, resulting in a local deformation of the glass member;
- and
- a key mechanism comprising:
- a sensing system positioned below the key and configured to detect the local deformation of the glass member;
- and
- a support mechanism configured to bias the key in the undepressed position.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.