Audio keyboard button with varying output
AssigneeFocusrite Audio Engineering Limited
InventorRyan Gray
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is provided a button for varying output based on force applied. The button comprises: a contact pad with at least two contacts, the contacts being arranged in a complementary pattern of interdigitated fingers with a separation therebetween; and an actuator and a conductive layer, the conductive layer being located between a base of the actuator and the contact pad and being independent of the actuator and contact pad, the base of the actuator being shaped to increase the surface area of the conductive layer in contact with the contacts as the actuator is pushed towards the contact pad. This increases current flow between the contacts in use as the force applied to the actuator increases.
Claims19
A button for varying output based on force applied, the button comprising:
- a contact pad with at least two contacts, the at least two contacts being arranged in a complementary pattern of interdigitated fingers with a first separation therebetween;
- an actuator and a conductive layer, the conductive layer being located between a base of the actuator and the contact pad and being independent of the actuator and contact pad, the base of the actuator being shaped to increase the surface area of the conductive layer in contact with the at least two contacts as the actuator is pushed towards the contact pad, thereby increasing current flow between the at least two contacts in use as a force applied to the actuator increases;
- wherein a shape and projections of each interdigitated finger form a continuous curve;
- wherein a longitudinal axis of each of the fingers of the contacts is radially orientated;
- and
- wherein, at a radial center of the base of the actuator, there is a coaxial aperture in each of the contact pad, the conductive layer, and the base of the actuator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.