Tactile switch for an electronic device

• US 9,620,312 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2016
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ely, Colin M., Morrell, John B., Kerr, Duncan, Moussette, Camille
• Primary Examiner(s): LEON MUNOZ, EDWIN A
• Application Number:
  US15/261,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20170011873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 213 Days
• Field of Search: 200 4, 368 69, 368185-187, 368289, 368308, 368319
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 27/002 The setting apparatus being crown shaped G04B27/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/08 Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/006 Force isolators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/006 Only mechanical function
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/01 also rotatable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/002 sealed
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/008 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being perpendicular to the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/06 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being along the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/122 with enlarged actuating area, e.g. of the elongated bar-type; Stabilising means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/16 Indicators for switching condition, e.g. "on" or "off"

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to a watch having a rotatable and translatable input member. In one aspect, the watch includes a housing defining a watch body. The watch may include a crown positioned within an aperture of the housing and a shaft coupled with the crown at a first end of the shaft. To measure input at the crown, the watch may include a tactile dome positioned at a second end of the shaft that is configured to detect translation of the crown and a sensing element positioned within the housing that is configured to detect rotation of the crown.

Claims

1. A watch, comprising:

a button configured to receive translational and rotational input from a user;

a coupling connected to the button;

a set of sensing elements configured to detect;

a translational motion of the coupling resulting from the translational input; and

a rotational motion of the coupling about a direction of the translational motion and resulting from the rotational input;

a display configured to depict a graphical output of the watch; and

a processing element configured to manipulate the graphical output based on one or both of the rotational or translation input.

2. The watch of claim 1, wherein:

the watch further comprises a translatable structure positioned between the coupling and a first of the set of sensing element, the translatable structure configured to prevent the coupling from contacting the first sensing element; and

the translatable structure transmits the translation of the coupling to the first sensing element while isolating the first sensing element from rotational forces of the coupling.

3. The watch of claim 1, wherein the translatable structure is a disc-shaped shear plate.

4. The watch of claim 1, wherein:

the first sensing element is a tactile dome switch having a deformable portion that collapses in response the translational input; and

a second of the set of sensing elements is an optical sensor.

5. The watch of claim 4, wherein:

the first sensing element generates an output corresponding to the translational input when the deformable portion collapses; and

the second sensing element generates an output corresponding to the rotational input using at least one optical element positioned around the coupling.

6. The watch of claim 1, wherein the indicia depicted at the display correspond to a time-keeping function of the watch.

7. A wearable electronic device, comprising:

an input structure configured to both laterally translate and rotate about a direction of the lateral translation;

a non-contact based sensor positioned along a portion of the input structure and configured to measure the rotation of the input structure using trackable elements arranged around the input structure;

a contact-based sensor positioned at an end of the shaft and configured to measure the translation of the input structure; and

a processing element configured to;

control a first function of the electronic device using the measured rotation; and

control a second, distinct function of the electronic device using the measured translation.

8. The wearable electronic device of claim 7, wherein one of the first or second functions is a time-keeping function of the wearable electronic device.

9. The wearable electronic device of claim 7, further comprising:

a display having a graphical output that is selectively modifiable based on the first or second functions.

10. The wearable electronic device of claim 9, wherein:

the first function is configured to modify the graphical output on the display in a first manner based on the measured rotation; and

the second function is configured to modify the graphical output on the display in a second manner based on the measured translation.

11. The wearable electronic device of claim 7, wherein:

the non-contact based sensor is an optical sensing element; and

the contact-based sensor is a dome switch comprising a collapsible dome and a conductive contact pad coupled with the dome.

12. The wearable electronic device of claim 11, wherein:

the wearable electronic device further comprises a shear plate; and

the shear plate prevents rotational forces on the input structure from being applied to the collapsible dome.

13. The wearable electronic device of claim 12, wherein:

the input structure comprises;

a crown; and

a shaft coupled with the crown and extending between the crown and the shear plate; and

the shear plate extends beyond a cylindrical surface of the shaft.

14. A watch, comprising:

a housing defining a watch body;

a crown positioned within a first aperture of the housing and configured to receive rotational and translational input from a user;

a shaft coupled with the crown at a first end of the shaft;

a tactile dome positioned at a second end of the shaft and configured to generate a first output in response to translation of the crown;

a sensing element positioned along a side of the shaft and configured to generate a second output in response to rotation of the crown about a longitudinal axis of the shaft; and

a display positioned within a second aperture and configured to depict a graphical output of the watch in response to at least one of the rotational or translational input.

15. The watch of claim 14, wherein the graphical output corresponds to a time-keeping function of the watch.

16. The watch of claim 15, further comprising:

a processing element configured to control the time-keeping function of the watch using at least one of the first or second outputs.

17. The watch of claim 14, wherein:

the shaft extends into the housing; and

the rotational and translational input received from the user at the crown causes the shaft to correspondingly rotate and translate.

18. The watch of claim 17, further comprising:

a shear plate positioned between the second end of the shaft and a top portion of the tactile dome.

19. The watch of claim 18, wherein the sensing element measures rotation of the crown using a portion of the shaft positioned between the shear plate and the crown.

20. The watch of claim 19, wherein:

the shear plate is configured to transmit the translation of shaft to the tactile dome such that the tactile dome collapses to produce the first output; and

the shear plate is configured to prevent transmission of the rotation of the shaft to the tactile dome.