Low-travel key mechanisms using butterfly hinges

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10211008-B2
Application number	US-201815914780-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2018
Priority date	Oct 30, 2012
Publication date	Feb 19, 2019
Grant date	Feb 19, 2019

Abstract

A key mechanism including one or more butterfly hinges. Each butterfly hinge may include a double wing design operative to move between a depressed position and non-depressed position. Hinged coupling mechanisms couple respective arms of the wings together. Additionally or alternatively, a key mechanism can include one or more half-butterfly hinges. Each half-butterfly hinge includes a double wing design operative to move between a depressed position and non-depressed position. A hinged coupling mechanism couples one set of corresponding arms of the wings together, while the other set of corresponding arms are not coupled together.

First claim

We claim:

1. A key mechanism, comprising:
a keycap assembly comprising:
a keycap;
an electronic component coupled to the keycap and comprising a flexible printed circuit; and
a clip;

a support structure below the keycap assembly and comprising a pin retention member extending towards the keycap;
a support mechanism configured to allow the keycap assembly to move relative to the support structure and comprising:
a first pin engaged with the clip to retain the support mechanism to the keycap assembly; and
a second pin engaged with the pin retention member to retain the support mechanism to the support structure; and

a dome switch between the keycap and the support structure and configured to collapse in response to actuation of the keycap assembly.

2. The key mechanism of claim 1 , wherein:
the keycap assembly further comprises a substructure; and
the clip is secured to the substructure.

3. The key mechanism of claim 2 , wherein the first pin is rotatably engaged with the clip.

4. The key mechanism of claim 2 , wherein the substructure further comprises a pin retaining mechanism operative to slidably engage a third pin of the support structure.

5. The key mechanism of claim 2 , wherein the substructure is coupled to the keycap.

6. The key mechanism of claim 2 , wherein the substructure is coupled to the electronic component.

7. The key mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the support mechanism is a butterfly hinge mechanism comprising two wings coupled together by a coupling mechanism.

8. An electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a support structure at least partially within the housing and comprising a first set of pin retaining members; and
a key mechanism comprising:
a keycap assembly comprising:
a key member defining an exterior surface for receiving user input;
electronic circuitry comprising a flexible printed circuit coupled to the key member; and
a second set of pin retaining members; and

a support mechanism coupled to the keycap assembly via the first set of pin retaining members, coupled to the support structure via the second set of pin retaining members, and configured to guide the keycap assembly between a depressed and an undepressed position.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the support mechanism comprises a first set of pins coupled to the first set of pin retaining members and a second set of pins coupled to the second set of pin retaining members.

10. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein:
the keycap assembly further comprises a substructure; and
the second set of pin retaining members is integrally formed with the substructure.

11. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the support structure comprises a circuit board.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the electronic circuitry is electrically coupled to the circuit board.

13. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the support mechanism comprises a butterfly hinge assembly comprising:
a first wing;
a second wing; and
a living hinge flexibly coupling the first wing to the second wing.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein:
the first wing and the second wing define a cavity in the support mechanism; and
the key mechanism further comprises a dome switch positioned at least partially in the cavity.

15. A keyboard comprising:
a base comprising a pin retention member;
a keycap assembly comprising:
a keycap;
an electronic component coupled to the keycap;
a substructure coupled to the keycap and comprising an integral pin retention feature;

a hinge coupled to the base via the pin retention member and to the substructure via the integral pin retention feature, the hinge configured to allow the keycap, the electronic component, and the substructure to move in unison relative to the base when a key of the keyboard is actuated.

16. The keyboard of claim 15 , wherein the hinge comprises a first pin rotatably coupled to the integral pin retention feature and a second pin rotatably coupled to the pin retention member.

17. The keyboard of claim 15 , wherein the hinge is a butterfly hinge.

18. The keyboard of claim 17 , wherein the butterfly hinge comprises two wings coupled together by a flexible coupling mechanism.

19. The keyboard of claim 15 , wherein the electronic component is secured to the substructure.

20. The keyboard of claim 15 , wherein the substructure is integrally formed with the keycap.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Niu James J
• Hendren Keith J
• Leong Craig C
• Wilson Jr Thomas W
• Berg Bruce E
• Brock John M

Classifications

• B32B38/10

  Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically · CPC title

• H01H11/00

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches (processes specially adapted for manufacture of rectilinearly movable switches having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboards, H01H13/88) · CPC title

• H01H2229/016

  Selective etching · CPC title

• H01H3/02

  Operating parts, i.e. for operating driving mechanism by a mechanical force external to the switch · CPC title

• H01H13/46

  two separate blade springs forming a toggle · CPC title