Magnetically biased retracting key assembly and keyboard
First Claim
1. A key assembly, comprising:
- a keycap having a touch surface for receiving a press input from a user;
a planar-translation-effecting (PTE) mechanism configured to guide the keycap in a press direction and a second direction orthogonal to the press direction in response to the press input as the keycap moves from an un-pressed position toward a press position;
a ready-return mechanism configured to bias the keycap in the un-pressed position, the ready-return mechanism including a slider mechanism positioned beneath the keycap and coupled to one of the keycap and the PTE mechanism, the slider mechanism being magnetically attracted toward a magnet positioned beneath the keycap and coupled to a substrate of the key assembly;
a processing system configured to determine an amount of translation of the slider mechanism from the magnet based upon a varying capacitance between the slider mechanism and the magnet as the keycap moves from the un-pressed position toward the press position; and
a capacitive sensing circuit coupled to the processing system and having a first sensor electrode positioned beneath the magnet and a second sensor electrode positioned beneath the slider mechanism in the un-pressed position,wherein, as the slider mechanism translates away from the magnet, the processing system is configured to determine a change in capacitance between the first sensor electrode and the second sensor electrode as the keycap moves from the un-pressed position toward the press position, andwherein, when the press surface receives a press input sufficient to overcome the magnetic attraction between the slider mechanism and the magnet, the slider mechanism translates away from the magnet as the PTE mechanism guides the keycap from the un-pressed position toward the pressed position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Magnetically biased retracting key assemblies and keyboards are provided. A key assembly includes a touch surface for receiving a press input from a user and a planar-translation-effecting (PTE) mechanism configured to guide as the keycap moves from an un-pressed position toward a pressed position. The key assembly also includes a ready-return mechanism configured to magnetically biased the keycap in the un-pressed position, the ready-return mechanism including a slider mechanism positioned beneath the keycap and coupled to the PTE mechanism. When the press surface receives a press input the slider mechanism translates away from the magnet as the PTE mechanism guides the keycap from the un-pressed position toward the pressed position. In some embodiments, the PTE mechanism and the ready-return mechanism translate with respect to a chassis layer providing a key retraction feature for the key assembly or keyboard.
19 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A key assembly, comprising:
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a keycap having a touch surface for receiving a press input from a user; a planar-translation-effecting (PTE) mechanism configured to guide the keycap in a press direction and a second direction orthogonal to the press direction in response to the press input as the keycap moves from an un-pressed position toward a press position; a ready-return mechanism configured to bias the keycap in the un-pressed position, the ready-return mechanism including a slider mechanism positioned beneath the keycap and coupled to one of the keycap and the PTE mechanism, the slider mechanism being magnetically attracted toward a magnet positioned beneath the keycap and coupled to a substrate of the key assembly; a processing system configured to determine an amount of translation of the slider mechanism from the magnet based upon a varying capacitance between the slider mechanism and the magnet as the keycap moves from the un-pressed position toward the press position; and a capacitive sensing circuit coupled to the processing system and having a first sensor electrode positioned beneath the magnet and a second sensor electrode positioned beneath the slider mechanism in the un-pressed position, wherein, as the slider mechanism translates away from the magnet, the processing system is configured to determine a change in capacitance between the first sensor electrode and the second sensor electrode as the keycap moves from the un-pressed position toward the press position, and wherein, when the press surface receives a press input sufficient to overcome the magnetic attraction between the slider mechanism and the magnet, the slider mechanism translates away from the magnet as the PTE mechanism guides the keycap from the un-pressed position toward the pressed position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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11. A key assembly, comprising:
- a keycap having a touch surface for receiving a press input from a user;
a planar-translation-effecting (PTE) mechanism configured to guide the keycap in a press direction and a second direction orthogonal to the press direction in response to the press input as the keycap moves from an un-pressed position toward a press position;
a ready-return mechanism configured to bias the keycap in the un-pressed position, the ready-return mechanism including a slider mechanism positioned beneath the keycap and coupled to one of the keycap and the PTE mechanism, the slider mechanism being magnetically attracted toward a magnet positioned beneath the keycap and coupled to a substrate of the key assembly; and
a processing system configured to determine an amount of translation of the slider mechanism from the magnet based upon a varying capacitance between the slider mechanism and the magnet as the keycap moves from the un-pressed position toward the press position, wherein the processing system is configured to determine a change in capacitance between the slider mechanism and a first sensor electrode and a second sensor electrode positioned at least partially beneath the slider mechanism as the keycap moves from the un-pressed position toward the press position.
- a keycap having a touch surface for receiving a press input from a user;
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16. A keyboard, comprising:
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a plurality of keycaps each having a touch surface for receiving a press input from a user; a plurality of magnets, each respective magnet of the plurality of magnets positioned on a substrate and beneath one of the plurality of keycaps; a plurality of planar-translation-effecting (PTE) mechanisms, each PTE mechanism of the plurality of PTE mechanisms is configured to guide a respective keycap of the plurality of keycaps in a vertical direction and a lateral direction in response to the press input as the respective keycap moves from an un-pressed position toward a press position; a plurality of ready-return mechanisms, each ready-return mechanism associated with a respective PTE mechanism and configured to bias the respective keycap in the un-pressed position, each ready-return mechanism including a respective slider mechanism positioned beneath the respective keycap and coupled to one of the respective keycap and the respective PTE mechanism, the respective slider mechanism being magnetically attracted toward the respective magnet positioned beneath the respective keycap; and a processing system configured to determine an amount of translation of the respective slider mechanism from the respective magnet based upon a varying capacitance between the respective slider mechanism and the magnet as the respective keycap that is moves from the un-pressed position toward the press position; and a capacitive sensing circuit coupled to the processing system and having a respective first sensor electrode positioned beneath each respective magnet and a respective second sensor electrode positioned beneath each respective slider mechanism in the un-pressed position, wherein, as the respective slider mechanism translates away from the respective magnet, the processing system is configured to determine a change in capacitance between the respective first sensor electrode and the respective second sensor electrode as the respective keycap moves from the un-pressed position toward the press position, and wherein, when the touch surface receives the press input sufficient to overcome a magnetic attraction between the respective slider mechanism and the respective magnet, the respective slider mechanism translates away from the respective magnet as the respective PTE mechanism guides the respective keycap from the un-pressed position toward the pressed position. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification