Low-travel key mechanisms using butterfly hinges
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsJames J. Niu, Keith J. Hendren, Craig C. Leong, Thomas W. Wilson, Jr., John M. Brock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A key mechanism including one or more butterfly hinges. Each butterfly hinge may include a double wing design operative to move between a depressed position and non-depressed position. Hinged coupling mechanisms couple respective arms of the wings together. Additionally or alternatively, a key mechanism can include one or more half-butterfly hinges. Each half-butterfly hinge includes a double wing design operative to move between a depressed position and non-depressed position. A hinged coupling mechanism couples one set of corresponding arms of the wings together, while the other set of corresponding arms are not coupled together.
Claims20
A key mechanism, comprising:
- a keycap assembly;
- a support structure;
- a half-butterfly hinge comprising two wings positioned adjacent to each other such that a cavity is formed between the two wings, each wing comprising:
- a major arm;
- a minor arm shorter than the major arm;
- a pair of pivot pins coupled to the support structure;
- and
- a pair of keycap pins coupled to the keycap assembly;
- a switch coupled to the support structure and within the cavity such that the keycap assembly engages with the switch through the cavity when the keycap assembly is depressed;
- and
- a coupling mechanism coupling the major arms of the half-butterfly hinge together.
A key mechanism, comprising:
- a keycap assembly;
- a support structure;
- a half-butterfly hinge comprising two wings adjacent each other such that a cavity is formed between the two wings, each wing comprising:
- a keycap coupling member;
- a major arm extending from the keycap coupling member to a first pivot pin coupled to the support structure;
- and
- a minor arm extending from the keycap coupling member to a second pivot pin coupled to the support structure, the minor arm having a length shorter than the major arm;
- and
- a coupling mechanism coupling ends of the major arms of the half-butterfly hinge together.
A half-butterfly assembly, comprising:
- two separate wings positioned adjacent to each other such that a cavity is formed between the two wings, each wing comprising:
- a keycap coupling member;
- a major arm extending from the keycap coupling member to a first pivot member and defining a coupling end;
- and
- a minor arm shorter than the major arm extending from the keycap coupling member to a second pivot member;
- and
- a coupling mechanism coupling the coupling ends of the major arms of the half-butterfly assembly to one another.
A toggle switch, comprising:
- first and second wings;
- first and second hinges that couple the first and second wings together;
- a cavity formed between the first and second wings when the wings are hinged together;
- a first switch positioned under the first wing;
- and
- a second switch positioned under the second wing.
A method for producing a glyph for a top surface of a keycap, the method comprising:
- bonding a foil layer to an underlying first layer;
- forming an opening in the foil layer;
- and
- after bonding the foil layer to the underlying first layer, filling the opening with material of the underlying first layer to produce the glyph.
A method for producing a top surface for a keycap, the method comprising:
- bonding a top liner layer to a bottom foil layer;
- after bonding the top liner layer to the bottom foil layer, forming an opening in the foil layer;
- filling the opening with a material to produce the glyph;
- and
- removing the top liner layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.