Sensing keys for keyboard
First Claim
1. A key sensing device for a keyboard key comprising:
- a first conductive contact and a second conductive contact spaced from one another by a low-force spacer element which includes a low-force aperture disposed between the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact; and
a third conductive contact and a fourth conductive contact spaced from one another by a high-force spacer element which includes a high-force aperture disposed between the third conductive contact and the fourth conductive contact;
wherein the low-force aperture and the high-force aperture are configured to be aligned with a keyboard key so that a pressing of the keyboard key with a sufficient force causes contact between the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact through the low-force aperture and contact between the third conductive contact and the fourth conductive contact through the high-force aperture, and wherein the low-force aperture is larger in size than the high-force aperture so that a lower force is required to cause contact between the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact than to cause contact between the third conductive contact and the fourth conductive contact.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A key sensing device comprises a first conductive contact and a second conductive contact spaced from one another by a low-force spacer element which includes a low-force aperture disposed between the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact. A third conductive contact and a fourth conductive contact are spaced from one another by a high-force spacer element which includes a high-force aperture disposed therebetween. The low-force aperture and the high-force aperture are configured to be aligned with a keyboard key so that a pressing of the keyboard key with a sufficient force causes contact between the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact through the low-force aperture and contact between the third conductive contact and the fourth conductive contact through the high-force aperture. The low-force aperture is larger in size than the high-force aperture.
57 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A key sensing device for a keyboard key comprising:
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a first conductive contact and a second conductive contact spaced from one another by a low-force spacer element which includes a low-force aperture disposed between the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact; and a third conductive contact and a fourth conductive contact spaced from one another by a high-force spacer element which includes a high-force aperture disposed between the third conductive contact and the fourth conductive contact; wherein the low-force aperture and the high-force aperture are configured to be aligned with a keyboard key so that a pressing of the keyboard key with a sufficient force causes contact between the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact through the low-force aperture and contact between the third conductive contact and the fourth conductive contact through the high-force aperture, and wherein the low-force aperture is larger in size than the high-force aperture so that a lower force is required to cause contact between the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact than to cause contact between the third conductive contact and the fourth conductive contact. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A key sensing device for keyboard keys comprising:
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a first layer comprising at least one first conductive contact; a second layer comprising at least one second conductive contact; a low-force spacer layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer to space the at least one first conductive contact from the at least one second conductive contact, the low-force spacer layer including at least one low-force aperture disposed between one of the at least one first conductive contact and one of the at least one second conductive contact; a third layer comprising at least one third conductive contact; a fourth layer comprising at least one fourth conductive contact; and a high-force spacer layer disposed between the third layer and the fourth layer to space the at least one third conductive contact from the at least one fourth conductive contact, the high-force spacer layer including at least one high-force aperture disposed between one of the at least one third conductive contact and one of the at least one fourth conductive contact; wherein the at least one low-force aperture and the at least one high-force aperture are configured to be aligned with a keyboard key, and wherein the at least one low-force aperture is larger in size than the at least one high-force aperture. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A key sensing device for keyboard keys comprising:
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a first layer comprising at least one first conductive contact; a second layer comprising at least one second conductive contact disposed on one side and at least one third conductive contact disposed on another side opposite from the at least one second conductive contact; a low-force spacer layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer to space the at least one first conductive contact from the at least one second conductive contact, the low-force spacer layer including at least one low-force aperture disposed between one of the at least one first conductive contact and one of the at least one second conductive contact; a third layer comprising at least one fourth conductive contact; and a high-force spacer layer disposed between the second layer and the third layer to space the at least one third conductive contact from the at least one fourth conductive contact, the high-force spacer layer including at least one high-force aperture disposed between one of the at least one third conductive contact and one of the at least one fourth conductive contact; wherein the at least one low-force aperture and the at least one high-force aperture are configured to be aligned with a keyboard key, and wherein the at least one low-force aperture is larger in size than the at least one high-force aperture.
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16. A key sensing device for a keyboard key comprising:
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a first conductive contact and a second conductive contact spaced from one another by a low-force spacer element which includes a low-force aperture disposed between the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact; and a third conductive contact and a fourth conductive contact spaced from one another by a high-force spacer element which includes a high-force aperture disposed between the third conductive contact and the fourth conductive contact; wherein the low-force aperture and the high-force aperture are configured to be aligned with a keyboard key so that a pressing of the keyboard key with a sufficient force causes contact between the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact through the low-force aperture and contact between the third conductive contact and the fourth conductive contact through the high-force aperture, and wherein the low-force spacer with the low-force aperture and the high-force spacer with the high-force aperture are configured so that a lower force is required to cause contact between the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact than to cause contact between the third conductive contact and the fourth conductive contact; wherein the low-force aperture is larger in size than the high-force aperture so that a lower force is required to cause contact between the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact than to cause contact between the third conductive contact and the fourth conductive contact; and wherein the low-force aperture is at least about 25% larger in size than the high-force aperture. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A key sensing device for a keyboard key comprising:
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a first conductive contact and a second conductive contact spaced from one another by a spacer element which includes an aperture disposed between the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact; and a force sensor configured to generate a signal corresponding to a force applied thereon; wherein the aperture and the force sensor are configured to be aligned with a keyboard key so that a pressing of the keyboard key with a sufficient force causes contact between the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact through the aperture and the pressing of the keyboard key with different forces produces different signals in the force sensor; wherein the first and second conductive contacts are spaced from one another by a low-force spacer element which includes a low-force aperture disposed between the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact, wherein the force sensor comprises a third conductive contact and a fourth conductive contact spaced from one another by a high-force spacer element which includes a high-force aperture disposed between the third conductive contact and the fourth conductive contact;
wherein the low-force aperture and the high-force aperture are configured to be aligned with a keyboard key so that a pressing of the keyboard key with a sufficient force causes contact between the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact through the low-force aperture and contact between the third conductive contact and the fourth conductive contact through the high-force aperture, and wherein the low-force aperture is larger in size than the high-force aperture so that a lower force is required to cause contact between the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact than to cause contact between the third conductive contact and the fourth conductive contact. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification