Keyboard assemblies having reduced thickness and method of forming keyboard assemblies

• US 10,424,446 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2016
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Leong, Craig C., Zercoe, Bradford J., La, Thai Q., Cao, Robert Y., Lehmann, Alex J., Mathew, Dinesh C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jimenez, Anthony R
• Application Number:
  US15/154,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20160336128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 200 5 A, 200402, 200406, 200512, 200513, 200511, 200520
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/10 Bases; Stationary contacts mounted thereon
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/7065 characterised by the mechanism between keys and layered keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/807 characterised by the spatial arrangement of the contact sites, e.g. superimposed sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/88 Processes specially adapted for manufacture of rectilinearly movable switches having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2203/028 embedded in layer material
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2205/026 Adhesive sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/006 Only mechanical function
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/002 Calculator, computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/125 using a scissor mechanism as stabiliser

Abstract

Keyboard assemblies having reduced thicknesses and methods of forming the same. A keyboard assembly may include a printed circuit board (PCB) and a single membrane sheet adhered directly to the PCB. The single membrane sheet may substantially cover the PCB. The keyboard assembly may also include a group of dome switches coupled directly to the single membrane sheet. Another keyboard assembly may include a group of conductive pads and a group of membrane pads. Each of the group of membrane pads may be adhered directly to a corresponding one of the group of conductive pads. The keyboard assembly may also include a group of dome switches coupled directly to the membrane pads. Each of the group of dome switches may be coupled directly to a corresponding one of the group of membrane pads.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a casing; and

a keyboard assembly housed at least partially within the casing, the keyboard assembly comprising;

a printed circuit board (PCB) positioned within the casing;

a membrane layer attached to the PCB;

a switch housing affixed directly to the membrane layer or to the PCB; and

a dome switch coupled directly to the membrane layer.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein an anisotropic conductive film is bonded to the PCB and the membrane layer is attached to the PCB by the anisotropic conductive film.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein a film electrically couples the PCB and the membrane layer.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the membrane layer comprises one of:

a single membrane sheet substantially covering the PCB;

or

a group of membrane pads attached to the PCB.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the membrane layer is formed from a substantially flexible, electrically conductive material.

6. A keyboard assembly comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB);

a single membrane sheet substantially covering the PCB;

a conductive adhesive bonding the single membrane sheet to the PCB; and

a group of dome switches attached to the single membrane sheet, wherein the single membrane sheet comprises an electrical contact in electrical communication with the PCB.

7. The keyboard assembly of claim 6, wherein the conductive adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

8. The keyboard assembly of claim 6, wherein the group of dome switches is adhered to the single membrane sheet.

9. The keyboard assembly of claim 6, wherein:

the electrical contact comprises a group of electrical contacts; and

a set of two distinct electrical contacts of the group of electrical contacts are formed below each dome switch of the group of dome switches.

10. The keyboard assembly of claim 9, wherein a single dome switch of the group of dome switches contacts one of the set of two distinct electrical contacts when the single dome switch is in a compressed state.

11. A keyboard assembly comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB) including a group of conductive pads;

a group of membrane pads, each of the group of membrane pads including a conductive spacer that is adhered directly to a corresponding one of the group of conductive pads; and

a group of dome switches, each of the group of dome switches coupled directly to a corresponding one of the group of membrane pads.

12. The keyboard assembly of claim 11, wherein:

each of the group of membrane pads comprises;

an outer conductive ring; and

an inner conductive ring within the outer conductive ring; and

the conductive spacer separates, and is concentric with, the outer conductive ring and the inner conductive ring.

13. The keyboard assembly of claim 12, wherein each of the group of conductive pads comprises:

an outer conductive portion in contact with the outer conductive ring of a corresponding one of the group of membrane pads; and

an inner conductive portion spaced apart from and surrounded by the outer conductive portion, the inner conductive portion separated from the inner conductive ring and the conductive spacer of the membrane pad when a corresponding dome switch of the group of dome switches is in an uncompressed state.

14. The keyboard assembly of claim 13, wherein the conductive spacer of the membrane pad is in electrical communication with the outer conductive portion and the inner conductive portion of the conductive pad when the corresponding dome switch is in a compressed state.

15. The keyboard assembly of claim 11, wherein each of the group of membrane pads further comprises:

an upper portion comprising a first electrical contact; and

a lower portion comprising two distinct electrical contacts;

wherein

the lower portion is spaced apart from the upper portion when a corresponding dome switch of the group of dome switches is in an uncompressed state.

16. The keyboard assembly of claim 15, wherein the first electrical contact of the upper portion is displaced toward and contacts the two distinct electrical contacts of the lower portion when the corresponding dome switch is compressed.

17. The keyboard assembly of claim 15, wherein each upper portion is sealed to each corresponding lower portion at a perimeter of each of the group of membrane pads.