Touchsurface assembly utilizing magnetically enabled hinge

• US 9,324,515 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2013
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Krumpelman, Douglas M., Peterson, Cody G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke, Renee S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jimenez, Anthony R.
• Application Number:
  US13/960,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20140034471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/7065 characterised by the mechanism between keys and layered keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/85 characterised by tactile feedback features
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/04 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/058 to avoid tilting or skewing of contact area or actuator
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/07 transparent

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for a touchsurface assembly such as a key assembly are described. The touchsurface assembly includes a base, a keycap and a magnet physically coupled to the base near to the keycap. A keycap coupler has a first portion magnetically attracted to the magnet and a second portion cantilevered from the magnet to support the keycap in an unpressed position. When a press force applied to the keycap overcomes a magnetic force pulling the keycap coupler toward the magnet, the keycap coupler pivots away from the magnet to allow the keycap to move toward a pressed position.

Claims

1. A key assembly comprising:

a base;

a keycap;

a magnet physically coupled to the base near to the keycap; and

a keycap coupler having a first portion magnetically coupled to the magnet and a second portion cantilevered from the magnet and supporting the keycap in an unpressed position,

wherein the second portion of the keycap coupler includes a section that extends through an opening in the base,

wherein the second portion of the keycap coupler is longer than the first portion of the keycap coupler, and

wherein when a press force applied to the keycap overcomes a magnetic force pulling the keycap coupler toward the magnet, the keycap coupler pivots away from the magnet to allow the keycap to move toward a pressed position.

2. The key assembly of claim 1, wherein upon a release of the press force, the magnetic force attracts the keycap coupler and returns the keycap to the unpressed position.

3. The key assembly of claim 1, wherein all or part of the first portion of the keycap coupler comprises a magnetic or a non-magnetized ferrous material.

4. The key assembly of claim 1, wherein the magnet and the first portion of the keycap coupler are disposed on a same side of the base.

5. The key assembly of claim 1, wherein the keycap coupler pivots away from the magnet by pivoting on the magnet.

6. The key assembly of claim 1, wherein the keycap coupler pivots away from the magnet by pivoting about an axis located between the magnet and an edge of the keycap.

7. The key assembly of claim 1, wherein the keycap coupler pivots away from the magnet by pivoting about an axis, wherein the magnet is located between an edge of the keycap and the axis.

8. The key assembly of claim 1, wherein the keycap coupler pivots away from the magnet to allow the keycap to move toward the pressed position by pivoting into a configuration that allows the keycap to translate relative to the keycap coupler toward the pressed position.

9. The key assembly of claim 8, further comprising:

a key guide coupled to the base and configured to guide the keycap toward the pressed position responsive to the press force;

wherein when the press force overcomes the magnetic force pulling the keycap coupler toward the magnet, the keycap coupler pivots away from the magnet to allow the keycap to move toward the pressed position as guided by the key guide in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

10. The key assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a second magnet physically coupled to the base and spaced apart from the magnet along a first side of the keycap, wherein the first portion of the keycap coupler is magnetically coupled to the second magnet,

wherein when the press force overcomes the magnetic force pulling the keycap coupler toward the magnet and a second magnetic force pulling the keycap coupler toward the second magnet, the keycap coupler pivots away from both the magnet and the second magnet to allow the keycap to move toward the pressed position.

11. The key assembly of claim 1, wherein the keycap is attached to the keycap coupler, and wherein the keycap coupler pivots away from the magnet to allow the keycap to move toward the pressed position by causing the keycap to rotate with the keycap coupler to toward the pressed position.

12. The key assembly of claim 1, wherein the keycap coupler has an elongated cut-out that facilitates deformation of the keycap coupler as the keycap moves toward the pressed position.

19. The key assembly of claim 1, further comprising a component that is separate from the magnet and disposed laterally from the magnet, wherein the key coupler pivots on the component.

20. The key assembly of claim 1, wherein the magnet is disposed below the key coupler, and wherein the key coupler pivots on the magnet.

13. A keyboard, comprising:

a base;

a plurality of keycaps;

a plurality of magnets, each magnet of the plurality of magnets physically coupled to the base near a respective keycap of the plurality of keycaps; and

a plurality of keycap couplers, each keycap coupler of the plurality of keycap couplers having a first portion magnetically coupled to a respective magnet of the plurality of magnets and a second portion cantilevered from the respective magnet and supporting the respective keycap in a respective unpressed position,

wherein the second portion of the keycap coupler includes a section that extends through an opening in the base,

wherein, for each keycap coupler of the plurality of keycap couplers, the second portion of the keycap coupler is longer than the first portion of the keycap coupler, and

wherein, for each keycap coupler of the plurality of keycap couplers, when a press force applied to the respective keycap overcomes a respective magnetic force pulling the keycap coupler to the respective magnet, the keycap coupler pivots away from the respective magnet to allow the respective keycap to move toward a respective pressed position.

14. The key assembly of claim 13, wherein each keycap coupler pivots away from the respective magnet by pivoting on the respective magnet.

15. The keyboard of claim 13, wherein a keycap coupler of the plurality of keycap couplers pivots away from the respective magnet to allow the respective keycap to move toward the respective pressed position by pivoting into a configuration that allows the respective keycap to translate relative to the keycap coupler toward the respective pressed position.

16. The keyboard of claim 13, wherein the first portion of a keycap coupler of the plurality of keycap couplers is magnetically coupled to two respective magnets of the plurality of magnets, and wherein upon a release of the press force applied to the respective keycap, the respective magnetic forces pulling the keycap coupler toward the two respective magnets causes the keycap coupler to move the respective keycap to the unpressed position.

17. A method of effecting motion of a keycap of a key assembly, wherein the keycap is supported in an unpressed position by a keycap coupler having a first portion magnetically coupled to a magnet and a second portion cantilevered from the magnet and supporting the keycap in the unpressed position, the method comprising:

in response to a press input to the keycap, allowing a magnetic force pulling the keycap coupler and the magnet to be overcome to allow the keycap coupler to pivot away from the magnet and permit the keycap to move toward a pressed position; and

in response to a release of the press input, using the magnetic force to return the keycap to the unpressed position,

wherein the second portion of the keycap coupler includes a section that extends through an opening in the base, and

wherein the second portion of the keycap coupler is longer than the first portion of the keycap coupler.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the key assembly further comprises a key guide coupled to a base, the method further comprising:

guiding the keycap with the key guide in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction as the keycap moves toward the pressed position.