HINGED INPUT DEVICE

• US 20140035866A1
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Tan, Yeh-Cheng, Chiu, Su-Chuan
• Granted Patent: US 9,921,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0393 Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

An input device for use with an electronic system includes a deflectable component having an input surface configured to be touched by input objects and a capacitive sensor layer configured to sense positional information of the input objects. A hinge pivotably mounts a first edge of the deflectable component to the electronic system and facilitates deflection of the deflectable component in response to force applied by an input object to the input surface. A spring mechanism is spaced apart from the hinge and configured to resiliently couple a second edge of the deflectable component to the electronic system and to provide a restoring force responsive to the applied force.

Claims

1. An input device for use with an electronic system, comprising:

a deflectable component including an input surface configured to be touched by input objects and a capacitive sensor layer configured to sense positional information of the input objects;

a hinge configured to pivotably mount a first edge of the deflectable component to the electronic system and to facilitate deflection of the deflectable component in response to force applied by an input object to the input surface; and

a spring mechanism spaced apart from the hinge, the spring mechanism configured to resiliently couple a second edge of the deflectable component to the electronic system and to provide a restoring force responsive to the applied force.

2. The input device of claim 1, wherein the spring mechanism and the hinge are formed from a single piece of material.

3. The input device of claim 1, wherein the deflectable component further comprises a stiffener coupled to the capacitive sensor layer.

4. The input device of claim 3, wherein the stiffener and the hinge are formed from a single piece of material.

5. The input device of claim 3, wherein the stiffener and the spring mechanism are formed from a single piece of material.

6. The input device of claim 3, wherein the spring mechanism, the stiffener, and the hinge are formed from a single piece of material.

7. The input device of claim 3, wherein at least one of the spring mechanism and the hinge is coupled to a chassis associated with the electronic system by one of:

screws;

adhesive;

riveting;

crimping; and

swaging.

8. The input device of claim 3, wherein at least one of the spring mechanism, the stiffener, and the hinge comprises an electrostatic discharge (ESD) path for the input device.

9. The input device of claim 3, wherein the spring mechanism is adjacent to the deflectable component, the spring mechanism and the deflectable component having a combined thickness in the range of about 0.5 millimeters (mm) to about 2.5 mm.

10. The input device of claim 1, wherein the second edge is disposed opposite the first edge.

11. The input device of claim 1, wherein the spring mechanism is substantially planar and includes at least one of an embossed segment and a leaf spring.

12. The input device of claim 1, wherein the hinge is further configured to provide a restoring force responsive to the applied force.

13. The input device of claim 1, wherein the hinge is not configured to provide a restoring force responsive to the applied force.

14. The input device of claim 1, further comprising an actuation element configured to detect deflection of the deflectable component.

15. The input device of claim 14, wherein the actuation element is mounted to the electronic system proximate the second edge of the deflectable component.

16. The input device of claim 14, wherein:

the capacitive sensor layer comprises one of;

an FR4 composite circuit board; and

a sheet of polyethelyne terephthalate (PET); and

the actuation element is mounted to the capacitive sensor layer.

17. The input device of claim 14, wherein the actuation element comprises at least one of:

a mechanical switch;

an electronic switch;

a resistive sensor;

a capacitive sensor;

a contact switch;

a haptic sensor;

a piezoelectric switch;

a force sensor;

a proximity switch; and

a proximity sensor.

18. The input device of claim 14, further comprising a processing system communicatively coupled to the actuation element and the capacitive sensor layer, the processing system configured to determine positional information for the input objects and deflection of the deflectable component.

19. An input device comprising:

a deflectable component including a proximity sensor configured to sense positional information for an input object;

a hinge configured to pivotably mount a first edge of the deflectable component to a chassis of an electronic system and to facilitate deflection of the deflectable component in response to force applied by the input object to the cover layer;

a spring mechanism configured to resiliently couple a second edge of the deflectable component to the chassis and to provide a restoring force responsive to the applied force; and

a processing system configured to determine positional information for the input objects and deflection of the deflectable component.

20. An input device comprising:

a deflectable component including a proximity sensor configured to sense positional information for an input object;

a hinge configured to pivotably mount a first edge of the deflectable component to a chassis of an electronic system and to facilitate deflection of the deflectable component in response to force applied by the input object to the cover layer;

a spring mechanism configured to resiliently couple a second edge of the deflectable component to the chassis and to provide a restoring force responsive to the applied force, the second edge being disposed opposite the first edge;

an actuation element mounted to the electronic system proximate the second edge of the deflectable component and configured to detect deflection of the deflectable component; and

a processing system communicatively coupled to the actuation element and the proximity sensor, the processing system configured to determine positional information for the input objects and deflection of the deflectable component.