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US 2014/0176159 A1Published application
Inductive touch key switch system including a deflection translation mechanism
OwnerSorin Pintiliuc, Tony Dmytriw +1inventors
InventorsSorin Pintiliuc, Tony Dmytriw, Robert Alvord
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Abstract
A key switch assembly is provided wherein a spacer is used to isolate the key switch sensing circuit from the front panel of the device. A button assembly is provided to translate a deflection of the front panel of the device to a target coupled to a sensor of the sensing circuit.
Claims20
A key switch assembly, comprising:
- a panel having a front face and a rear face disposed opposite to said front face;
- a variable reactance sensor aligned with a portion of the panel;
- a spacer disposed between said portion and said sensor;
- a movable piece in contact with the rear face of said panel at said portion, said movable piece being displaceable between said portion and said sensor by a deflection of said portion, at least a portion of said movable piece passing through said spacer;
- a metal target disposed on a surface of said movable piece proximal to said sensor, the displacement of said movable piece changing the proximity of said metal target to said sensor and, resultantly, changing a reactance of said sensor.
2 more elements
A method of making a key switch assembly, comprising:
- providing a metal panel;
- affixing a spacer to said metal panel;
- disposing at least one movable button through a portion of said spacer, said movable button including a metal target on a portion thereof;
- and
- affixing a printed circuit board including at least one variable reactance sensor to said spacer, with said at least one metal target being disposed in a predetermined relationship to said at least one sensor.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.