Touchsurface assembly having key guides formed in a sheet metal component
AssigneeSynaptics Incorporated
InventorsChristopher Todd Weber, Brad Lee Telin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for a touchsurface assembly such as a key assembly are described. The touchsurface assembly includes a sheet metal component having ramps formed therein and a keycap having ramp contacting features and a touchsurface for receiving a press force that moves the keycap toward a pressed position. The ramp contacting features contact at least one of the ramps in the sheet metal component while the keycap moves toward the pressed position, the ramps guiding the keycap to move in a second direction orthogonal to the press direction as the keycap moves from the unpressed position toward the pressed position.
Claims16
A key assembly, comprising:
- a sheet metal component having ramps formed therein,
- wherein the ramps comprise compound folds;
- and
- a keycap having ramp contacting features and a touchsurface for receiving a press force that moves the keycap toward a pressed position,
- wherein the ramp contacting features contact at least one of the ramps while the keycap moves toward the pressed position, the ramps guiding the keycap to move in a second direction orthogonal to the press direction as the keycap moves from the unpressed position toward the pressed position.
A keyboard, comprising:
- a sheet metal component having a plurality of ramps formed therein,
- wherein the ramps comprise compound folds;
- and
- a plurality of keycaps each having ramp contacting features and a touchsurface for receiving a press force,
- wherein the ramp contacting features of a pressed keycap contacts at least one of the plurality of ramps associated with the pressed keycap while the pressed keycap moves toward the pressed position, the at least one of the plurality of ramps guiding the pressed keycap to move in a second direction orthogonal to the press direction as the pressed keycap moves from the unpressed position toward the pressed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.