Input device
AssigneeElectrotextiles Company Limited
InventorsDavid Lee Sandbach, Christopher Chapman, Stuart Mark Walkington, John Burkitt, Andrew Deakin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tactile feedback simulating fabrication for use with an input device provides flexible mouldings (801) locatable above detection positions. Flexible mouldings (801) provide tactile feedback simulating a key-press. Each of the mouldings (801) defines a top portion (802) and a flexible side wall (803). A flexible fabric layer (804) is attached to the flexible mouldings thereby significantly enhancing the durability of these mouldings.
Claims17
A flexible manual input device arranged to supply input data to a processing device in response to manual operation, comprising
- position detection means arranged to identify a contact position;
- and
- flexible means positioned above said position detection means, wherein
- said flexible means has a plurality of flexible mouldings such that each of said mouldings defines a top portion and flexible side wall,
- said flexible side walls are configured to deform on application of manual pressure during a key-press, and
- a flexible outer fabric layer is attached to the top portions of a plurality of said mouldings.
A method of fabricating a flexible tactile feedback simulating flexible means for operation with a position detector, comprising the steps of
- applying a layer of mouldable material to a flexible fabric cover;
- and
- moulding said mouldable material to form a plurality of flexible mouldings with said flexible fabric cover attached thereto, wherein
- said flexible mouldings have a flexible side wall configured to deform on application of manual pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.