Switch module for electronic crown assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11815860-B2
Application number	US-202217989057-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2022
Priority date	Jun 2, 2020
Publication date	Nov 14, 2023
Grant date	Nov 14, 2023

Abstract

A switch module for an electronic device detects translational inputs and defines at least portion of a conductive path from an input surface of the electronic device to a processing unit of the electronic device. The switch module may be a component of a crown assembly for detecting rotational inputs, translational inputs, touch inputs and/or biological signals such as electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. The switch module may include a conductive dome and a friction guard that is positioned between the conductive dome and the actuation member of the crown assembly. The conductive dome and/or the friction guard may define at least a portion of the conductive path from the input surface to the processing unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic watch comprising:
a display;
a cover over the display;
an enclosure coupled to the cover and at least partially enclosing the display;
a crown assembly comprising:
an actuation member extending through an opening in the enclosure and comprising a knob positioned along an exterior side of the enclosure, the knob defining an input surface configured to receive a user input thereon;
a collapsible dome positioned at an end of the actuation member and configured to collapse in response to a translational input at the actuation member; and
a friction guard positioned between the end of the actuation member and the collapsible dome; and

a processing system within the enclosure and conductively coupled to the input surface of the knob via a conductive path extending through the collapsible dome, the friction guard, and the actuation member, the conductive path persisting when the collapsible dome is collapsed and when the collapsible dome is uncollapsed.

2. The electronic watch of claim 1 , wherein:
the crown assembly further comprises a switch housing;
the collapsible dome is coupled to the switch housing; and
the crown assembly further comprises a conductive member at least partially encapsulated in the switch housing, the conductive path further extending through the conductive member.

3. The electronic watch of claim 2 , wherein:
the conductive member is a first conductive member;
the first conductive member is conductively coupled to the collapsible dome when the collapsible dome is collapsed and when the collapsible dome is uncollapsed;
the crown assembly further comprises a second conductive member;
the collapsible dome is conductively coupled to the second conductive member when the collapsible dome is collapsed; and
the collapsible dome is conductively decoupled from the second conductive member when the collapsible dome is uncollapsed.

4. The electronic watch of claim 3 , wherein the second conductive member is at least partially encapsulated in the switch housing.

5. The electronic watch of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is configured to determine a biological parameter of a user based at least in part on a voltage detected at the input surface via the conductive path.

6. The electronic watch of claim 1 , wherein the friction guard is configured to impart a biasing force to the actuation member to bias the actuation member towards an unactuated position.

7. The electronic watch of claim 6 , wherein:
the biasing force is a first biasing force; and
the collapsible dome is configured to impart a second biasing force to the actuation member to bias the actuation member towards the unactuated position.

8. A wearable electronic device comprising:
an enclosure at least partially defining an internal volume;
an input assembly configured to receive a rotational input and a translational input and comprising:
a body portion external to the enclosure and defining an input surface; and
a shaft extending from the body portion through a hole defined in the enclosure;

a collapsible dome positioned in the internal volume and configured to transition from an uncollapsed state to a collapsed state in response to the translational input and configured to remain conductively coupled to the shaft when the collapsible dome is in the uncollapsed state and the collapsed state; and
a processing system within the internal volume and conductively coupled to the input surface via a conductive path through the collapsible dome, the shaft, and the body portion, the processing system configured to determine a biological parameter of a user based at least in part on a voltage detected at the input surface.

9. The wearable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the wearable electronic device is a watch.

10. The wearable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the wearable electronic device further comprises a friction guard defining an interposing portion positioned between the shaft and the collapsible dome.

11. The wearable electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the friction guard conductively couples the shaft to the collapsible dome when the collapsible dome is in the uncollapsed state and the collapsed state.

12. The wearable electronic device of claim 10 , wherein:
the wearable electronic device further comprises a switch housing positioned in the internal volume;
the collapsible dome is coupled to the switch housing; and
the friction guard is coupled to the switch housing.

13. The wearable electronic device of claim 12 , further comprising a conductive member at least partially encapsulated in the switch housing and defining at least a portion of the conductive path.

14. The wearable electronic device of claim 12 , wherein:
the friction guard further includes a flexure coupling the interposing portion to the switch housing;
the flexure is configured to impart a biasing force on the shaft via the interposing portion; and
the biasing force biases the input assembly towards an unactuated position.

15. A wearable electronic device comprising:
an enclosure;
an actuation member coupled to the enclosure and configured to receive a rotational input and a translational input, the actuation member comprising;
a knob external to the enclosure; and
a shaft coupled to the knob and extending through a hole defined in the enclosure;

a conductive dome positioned at an end of the shaft and configured to transition from an uncollapsed state to a collapsed state in response to a translational input applied to the knob; and
a friction guard positioned between the shaft and the conductive dome and conductively coupling the shaft to the conductive dome when the conductive dome is in the uncollapsed state and when the conductive dome is in the collapsed state.

16. The wearable electronic device of claim 15 , further comprising a processing system at least partially within the enclosure and configured to determine a biological parameter of a user based at least in part on a voltage detected at an input surface of the knob via a conductive path extending through the knob, the shaft, the conductive dome, and the friction guard.

17. The wearable electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the processing system is configured to determine the biological parameter when the conductive dome is in the collapsed state and when the conductive dome is in the uncollapsed state.

18. The wearable electronic device of claim 15 , further comprising a switch housing at least partially within the enclosure and comprising:
a body; and
a conductive member coupled to the body and configured to conductively couple to the conductive dome when the conductive dome is in the collapsed state and when the conductive dome is in the uncollapsed state.

19. The wearable electronic device of claim 18 , wherein:
the conductive member is a first conductive member;
the switch housing further comprises a second conductive member coupled to the body; and
the conductive dome is configured to conductively couple to the second conductive member in response to the collapse of the conductive dome.

20. The wearable electronic device of claim 19 , wherein:
the switch housing further comprises a third conductive member coupled to the body and configured to conductively couple to the conductive dome when the conductive dome is in the collapsed state and when the conductive dome is in the uncollapsed state; and
a bias voltage is provided to the conductive dome via the third conductive member.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Pandya Sameer
• Herrera Antonio
• Ely Colin M

Classifications

• G04C3/002 Primary

  Position, e.g. inclination dependent switches · CPC title

• A61B5/332

  Portable devices specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• A61B5/681

  Wristwatch-type devices · CPC title

• G04G21/025

  for measuring physiological data · CPC title

• G04G21/08

  Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces · CPC title