Keyboard for electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10741344-B2
Application number	US-201816140300-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2018
Priority date	May 13, 2015
Publication date	Aug 11, 2020
Grant date	Aug 11, 2020

Abstract

An input mechanism is disclosed. The input mechanism includes a dome support structure defining an opening that extends through the dome support structure, a collapsible dome positioned in the opening and engaged with the dome support structure, and a cover member coupled to the dome support structure and covering the collapsible dome, thereby retaining the collapsible dome within the opening of the dome support structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic input device, comprising:
a keycap having a set of retention clips;
a substrate positioned under the keycap, the substrate defining a set of openings below the keycap;
a switch configured to be actuated by movement of the keycap relative to the substrate between an unactuated state and an actuated state;
a support positioned between the substrate and the keycap;
a mechanical support, comprising:
a pair of wings each having a pair of keycap connections pivotably connected to the set of retention clips and having a pair of support connections pivotably connected to the support;
a pair of hinges connecting the pair of wings to each other along a pivot axis of the mechanical support, wherein the pair of keycap connections and the pair of support connections are spaced from the pivot axis;
wherein a hinge of the pair of hinges extends into an opening of the set of openings when the keycap is in an unactuated state; and
wherein a retention clip of the set of retention clips extends into another opening of the set of openings when the keycap is in an actuated state.

2. The electronic input device of claim 1 , wherein the pair of hinges are living hinges.

3. The electronic input device of claim 1 , wherein the pair of keycap connections are spaced further from the pivot axis than the pair of support connections.

4. The electronic input device of claim 1 , wherein each wing of the pair of wings shares an outer width dimension, the outer width dimension being parallel to the pivot axis.

5. The electronic input device of claim 1 , wherein the pair of keycap connections comprise a set of pins retained by the set of retention clips and the pair of support connections comprise a set of pins retained by the support.

6. The electronic input device of claim 1 , wherein the pair of wings collectively form a central opening in which the switch is positioned.

7. The electronic input device of claim 1 , wherein a wing of the pair of wings includes a pivot pin with a non-circular profile.

8. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing;
a base plate in the housing, the base plate including a printed circuit board (PCB), wherein a set of openings extends through the base plate and the PCB;
a set of keycaps positioned above the base plate;
a set of mechanical supports operably coupled to the base plate, the set of mechanical supports positioned between the base plate and the set of keycaps, each mechanical support of the set of mechanical supports including:
a pair of wings joined by a hinge, the pair of wings being pivotable relative to each other about a pivot axis extending through the hinge;
wherein the pair of wings is movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position, the hinge being positioned in an opening of the set of openings when the pair of wings is in the unactuated position.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the hinge is positioned out of the opening of the set of openings when the pair of wings is in the actuated position.

10. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein a keycap of the set of keycaps includes a top surface and the housing includes a top surface, the top surfaces of the keycap and the housing being aligned when the pair of wings is in the actuated position and being unaligned when the pair of wings is in the unactuated position.

11. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the set of keycaps is configured to at least partially extend into the set of openings when actuated.

12. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the pair of wings comprises at least one recess facing the base plate.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the at least one recess is aligned with an opening of the set of openings.

14. The electronic device of claim 8 , further comprising a set of switches actuatable by movement of the set of keycaps relative to the baseplate.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Knopf Eric A
• Casebolt Matthew P
• Leong Craig C
• Cao Robert Y
• Zercoe Bradford J
• Mathew Dinesh C
• Gao Zheng
• Brooks Ryan P
• Wang Paul X
• Berg Bruce E

Classifications

• G06F3/0202 Primary

  Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device · CPC title

• H01H2219/062

  Light conductor · CPC title

• H01H2219/056

  Diffuser; Uneven surface · CPC title

• H01H2221/07

  transparent · CPC title

• H01H2203/038

  to be bridged by a dome shaped contact · CPC title