Method of manufacturing a keyboard

• US 10,644,224 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2016
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Fukumoto, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tugbang, A. Dexter
• Application Number:
  US15/365,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20170084408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/14 Operating parts, e.g. push-button
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/703 characterised by spacers between contact carrying layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/704 characterised by the layers, e.g. by their material or structure H01H13/703 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/705 characterised by construction, mounting or arrangement of operating parts, e.g. push-buttons or keys
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/7057 characterised by the arrangement of operating parts in relation to each other, e.g. pre-assembled groups of keys
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/85 characterised by tactile feedback features
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2201/02 Piezo element
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/052 piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/042 mounted in conventional keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/002 Calculator, computer
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/964 Piezoelectric touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/967 having a plurality of control members, e.g. keyboard H03K17/969, H03K17/972, H03K17/98 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96054 Double function: touch detection combined with detection of a movable element
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96062 with tactile or haptic feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/01 Manufacture or treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/20 : with electrical input and mechanical output, e.g. functioning as actuators or vibrators
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/87 : Electrodes or interconnections, e.g. leads or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/42 : Piezoelectric device making

Abstract

Methods of making an electronic device and a keyboard are disclosed. One method including providing a flexible film; providing a first electrode underneath the flexible film, the first electrode coupled to a high voltage signal source; providing a second electrode located beneath the first electrode, the second electrode coupled to an input detector; providing a spacer configured to maintain at least a threshold distance between the first electrode and the second electrode; providing a piezoelectric actuator beneath the second electrode, a top surface of the piezoelectric actuator coupled to the second electrode, wherein contact between the first electrode and the second electrode couples the high voltage signal source to the input detector and the piezoelectric actuator; and providing a base plane beneath the piezoelectric actuator, the base plane coupled to a bottom surface of the piezoelectric actuator and a signal ground.

Claims

1. A method of making a keyboard comprising a plurality of keys beneath a flexible film, each of the plurality of keys made by the method comprising:

providing the flexible film;

providing a first electrode underneath the flexible film, the first electrode coupled to a voltage signal source;

providing a row electrode adjacent to the first electrode and underneath the flexible film;

providing a column electrode adjacent to the first electrode and underneath the flexible film;

providing a second electrode located beneath the first electrode, the second electrode coupled to an input detector;

providing an encoder electrode adjacent the second electrode, underneath the row electrode, the column electrode, and the flexible film, and not underneath the first electrode;

providing a spacer configured to maintain at least a first threshold distance between the first electrode and the second electrode, between the row electrode and the encoder electrode, and between the column electrode and the encoder electrode, the first threshold distance is maintained when there is less than a first threshold amount of touch pressure applied to a top surface of the flexible film above the first electrode;

providing a piezoelectric actuator beneath the second electrode and the encoder electrode, a top surface of the piezoelectric actuator coupled to the second electrode and the encoder electrode, wherein contact between the first electrode and the second electrode couples the voltage signal source to the input detector and the piezoelectric actuator, and wherein, when there is greater than or equal to the first threshold amount of touch pressure applied to the top surface of the flexible film above the first electrode, the piezoelectric actuator is configured to deform in response to contact between the first electrode and the second electrode; and

providing a base plane beneath the piezoelectric actuator, the base plane coupled to a bottom surface of the piezoelectric actuator and a signal ground.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the flexible film is configured to cause the first electrode to contact the second electrode in response to at least a second threshold amount of touch pressure applied to the top surface of the flexible film above the first electrode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric actuator is configured to provide haptic feedback in response to the first electrode contacting the second electrode.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an encoder connected to the row electrode and the column electrode, wherein the encoder being configured to detect when at least the first threshold amount of touch pressure applied to the top surface of the flexible film above the row electrode and the column electrode to cause a circuit to close between a row signal input and a column signal input of the encoder.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoder electrode is ring-shaped and surrounds the second electrode.

6. A method of making an electronic device, the method of making the electronic device comprising:

providing a flexible film;

providing a first electrode underneath the flexible film, the first electrode coupled to a voltage signal source;

providing a row electrode adjacent to the first electrode and underneath the flexible film;

providing a column electrode adjacent to the first electrode and underneath the flexible film;

providing a second electrode located beneath the first electrode, the second electrode coupled to an input detector;

providing an encoder electrode adjacent the second electrode, underneath the row electrode, the column electrode, and the flexible film, and not underneath the first electrode;

providing a spacer configured to maintain at least a first threshold distance between the first electrode and the second electrode, between the row electrode and the encoder electrode, and between the column the electrode and encoder electrode, the first threshold distance is maintained when there is less than a first threshold amount of touch pressure applied to a top surface of the flexible film above the first electrode;

providing a piezoelectric actuator beneath the second electrode and the encoder electrode, a top surface of the piezoelectric actuator coupled to the second electrode, wherein contact between the first electrode and the second electrode couples the voltage signal source to the input detector and the piezoelectric actuator, and wherein, when there is greater than or equal to the first threshold amount of touch pressure applied to the top surface of the flexible film above the first electrode, the piezoelectric actuator is configured to deform in response to contact between the first electrode and the second electrode; and

providing a base plane beneath the piezoelectric actuator, the base plane coupled to a bottom surface of the piezoelectric actuator and a signal ground.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the piezoelectric actuator is configured to provide tactile feedback in response to at least a second threshold amount of touch pressure applied to the flexible film.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

providing an encoder connected to the row electrode and the column electrode, wherein the encoder being configured to detect when at least the first threshold amount of touch pressure applied to the top surface of the flexible film above the row electrode and the column electrode to cause a circuit to close between a row signal input and a column signal input of the encoder.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the encoder electrode is ring-shaped and surrounds the second electrode.