Fully clickable trackpad

• US 9,477,328 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2015
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Clayton, Joseph Edward, Rivera, Felix Jose Alvarez, Han, Amy
• Primary Examiner(s): Sharifi-Tafreshi, Koosha
• Application Number:
  US14/752,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20150293617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 178/18.01, 178/18.03
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means

Abstract

According to one general aspect, an apparatus includes a trackpad that includes a cover member having a top surface and a switch coupled to the cover member. At least two spring members are coupled to the trackpad and are each disposed at a non-zero distance from each other and are each configured to collectively bias the trackpad in a first position in which the top surface of the cover member is in a first plane. The trackpad is movable to a second position in which the top surface of the cover member is in a second plane substantially parallel to the first plane when an input force is exerted on the top surface of the cover member. The switch is configured to trigger an electrical signal within a computer when the trackpad is moved to its second position.

Claims

1. A computing device including an input device comprising:

a housing including;

a bottom wall disposed in a first plane;

a first end disposed perpendicular to the bottom wall; and

a second end disposed perpendicular to the bottom wall and opposite to the first end; and

a trackpad including;

an arm member coupled to the housing at the first end and the second end, the arm member being disposed above the bottom wall of the housing and in a second plane parallel to the first plane;

a cover member having a top surface configured to receive an input force, the cover member being disposed above the arm member and in a third plane parallel to the second plane; and

an actuation member coupled to the arm member, the actuation member being disposed between the arm member and the cover member.

2. The computing device of claim 1,

wherein the trackpad further includes a switch coupled to the cover member, the switch configured to trigger an electrical signal within the computing device when an input force exerted on the top surface of the cover member causes the switch to make contact with the actuation member.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the trackpad further includes:

a base member disposed between the arm member and the cover member, the base member being disposed below the cover member, above the arm member, and in a fourth plane parallel to the second plane and the third plane.

4. The computing device of claim 3,

wherein the base member includes a bottom surface;

and

wherein the trackpad further includes a first support member including a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end portion of the first support member coupled to the first end of the housing and the second end portion of the first support member in contact with the bottom surface of the base member.

5. The computing device of claim 4,

wherein the trackpad further includes a second support member including a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end portion of the second support member coupled to the second end of the housing and the second end portion of the second support member in contact with the bottom surface of the base member.

6. The computing device of claim 5,

wherein the first support member is a first spring member;

and

wherein the second support member is a second spring member.

7. The computing device of claim 6,

wherein the second end portion of the first support member is cantilevered from the first end portion of the first support member;

and

wherein the second end portion of the second support member is cantilevered from the first end portion of the second support member.

8. The computing device of claim 3,

wherein the base member further includes at least two legs, each leg including an alignment pin;

wherein the housing further includes at least two channels, each channel including a bushing disposed within the channel; and

wherein each alignment pin is slidably received within a respective bushing, coupling the trackpad to the housing.

9. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the at least two legs each extend beyond an outer perimeter of the base member.

10. A trackpad comprising:

a cover member including a top surface and having a cover member outer perimeter;

an arm member parallel to and disposed below the cover member;

an actuation member coupled to the arm member, the actuation member being disposed between the arm member and the cover member;

a base member parallel to the arm member and the cover member, and disposed between the cover member and the arm member, the base member including;

a base member outer perimeter greater than the cover member outer perimeter; and

at least two legs located along the base member outer perimeter, the at least two legs extending beyond the base member outer perimeter and beyond the cover member outer perimeter; and

a switch disposed between the cover member and the base member, the actuation member being configured to make contact with the switch.

11. The trackpad of claim 10, wherein the switch is configured to trigger an electrical signal within a computing device when an input force exerted on the top surface of the cover member causes the actuation member to make contact with the switch.

12. The trackpad of claim 11, wherein causing the actuation member to make contact with the switch includes pressing the switch against the actuation member.

13. The trackpad of claim 10,

wherein the base member further includes a bottom surface;

and

wherein the trackpad further includes a first support member including a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end portion of the first support member coupled to a first side of a housing and the second end portion of the first support member in contact with the bottom surface of the base member.

14. The trackpad of claim 13,

wherein the trackpad further includes a second support member including a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end portion of the second support member coupled to a second side of the housing opposite to the first side of the housing, and the second end portion of the second support member in contact with the bottom surface of the base member.

15. The trackpad of claim 10,

wherein each leg includes an alignment pin;

and

wherein each alignment pin is configured to be slidably received within a corresponding channel included in a housing.

16. An input device comprising:

a housing including;

a bottom wall disposed in a first plane;

a first side disposed perpendicular to the bottom wall; and

a second side disposed perpendicular to the bottom wall and opposite to the first side; and

a trackpad including;

an arm member coupled to the housing at the first side and the second side, the arm member being disposed above the bottom wall of the housing and in a second plane parallel to the first plane;

a cover member disposed above the arm member and in a third plane parallel to the second plane, the cover member including;

a top surface; and

a cover member outer perimeter;

an actuation member coupled to the arm member, the actuation member being disposed between the arm member and the cover member;

a base member disposed between the cover member and the arm member and in a fourth plane parallel to the second plane and the third plane, the base member including a base member outer perimeter greater than the cover member outer perimeter; and

a switch disposed between the cover member and the base member, the switch configured to trigger an electrical signal within a computing device when an input force exerted on the top surface of the cover member causes the switch to make contact with the actuation member.

17. The input device of claim 16, wherein the base member further includes at least two legs located along the base member outer perimeter, the at least two legs extending beyond the base member outer perimeter and beyond the cover member outer perimeter.

18. The input device of claim 17,

wherein each of the at least two legs include an alignment pin;

wherein the housing further includes at least two channels, each channel including a bushing disposed within the channel; and

wherein each alignment pin is slidably received within a respective bushing, coupling the trackpad to the housing.

19. The input device of claim 16,

wherein the base member further includes a bottom surface;

and

wherein the trackpad further includes a first support member including a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end portion of the first support member coupled to the first side of the housing and the second end portion of the first support member in contact with the bottom surface of the base member.

20. The input device of claim 19,

wherein the trackpad further includes a second support member including a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end portion of the second support member coupled to the second side of the housing and the second end portion of the second support member in contact with the bottom surface of the base member.