Tactile switch for an electronic device
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsColin M. Ely, John B. Morrell, Duncan Kerr, Camille Moussette
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic watch may include a tactile switch and/or one or more sensors for detecting rotational and translational inputs. The watch may include a display configured to produce graphical outputs that may change in response to rotational inputs, translational inputs, and/or touch inputs received at the display. The watch include a crown positioned along an exterior of the watch enclosure and a shaft coupled to the crown and extending into the enclosure. The tactile switch and/or the one or more sensors may be used to detect rotational and/or translational inputs provided at the crown.
Claims11
A switch assembly comprising:
- an input member;
- a tactile switch operably connected to the input member;
- and
- an electrical contact operably connected to the tactile switch and in electrical communication with the input member.
An input module comprising:
- a switch;
- an input button operably connected to the switch and configured to activate the switch;
- a shear plate positioned between the switch and the input button;
- wherein the shear plate transmits translational forces applied to the input button to the switch;
- the shear plate prevents rotational forces applied to the input button from being transmitted to the switch.
An input module comprising:
- a switch;
- a rotatable and translatable input member operably connected to the switch and configured to actuate the switch;
- and
- an electrical contact operably connected to the switch and in electrical communication with the input member;
- wherein
- the electrical connection between the input member and the electrical contact is maintained during translation and rotation of the input member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.