Low travel switch assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9412533-B2
Application number	US-201414287915-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2014
Priority date	May 27, 2013
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A low travel switch assembly and systems and methods for using the same are disclosed. The low travel dome may include a domed surface having upper and lower portions, and a set of tuning members integrated within the domed surface between the upper and lower portions. The tuning members may be operative to control a force-displacement curve characteristic of the low travel dome.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A low travel dome comprising:
a domed surface having upper and lower portions;
an array of tuning members integrated within the domed surface between the upper and lower portions, the array of tuning members operative to control a force-displacement curve characteristic of the low travel dome; and
wherein the domed surface defines the tuning members and an array of radially-distributed arms separating each of the array of tuning members.

2. The low travel dome of claim 1 , wherein the force-displacement curve characteristic comprises a variation in a force required to displace the upper portion over a range of predefined distances.

3. The low travel dome of claim 1 , wherein the domed surface is formed from metal.

4. The low travel dome of claim 1 , wherein each one of the array of tuning members comprises a cutout of the domed surface.

5. The low travel dome of claim 4 , wherein the cutout is one of L-shaped and wedge-shaped.

6. The low travel dome of claim 1 , wherein the tuning members are further operative to provide tactile feedback to a user according to the force-displacement curve characteristic.

7. The low travel dome of claim 1 , wherein the upper portion comprises an uppermost point of the domed surface.

8. The low travel dome of claim 1 , wherein the lower portion comprises one of a circular, a polygonal, a square, and an elliptical shape.

9. The low travel dome of claim 1 , wherein the domed surface comprises a cross-shaped portion.

10. The low travel dome of claim 1 , wherein the array of radially-distributed arms each extend from the upper portion to the lower portion.

11. The low travel dome of claim 1 , wherein the cross-shaped portion is operative to buckle when a predefined force is applied to the upper portion.

12. A method for manufacturing a low travel dome, the method comprising:
providing a dome-shaped surface having an upper portion and a lower portion;
selectively removing an array of predefined portions of the dome-shaped surface between the upper portion and the lower portion, thereby defining an array of arms connecting the upper portion to the lower portion; and
wherein:
a shape of each of the array of the predefined portions defines a force-displacement curve characteristic of the low travel dome; and
the array of arms defines a cross-shaped portion of the dome-shaped surface.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the selectively removing comprises forming openings at the array of predefined portions, each of the openings having a predefined shape.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the selectively removing comprises one of cutting out and stamping out the array of predefined portions.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the predefined force-displacement curve characteristic comprises a variation in a force required to move the upper portion over a range of predefined distances.

16. A switch assembly comprising:
a key cap;
a support structure residing under the key cap;
a domed surface disposed beneath the key cap and having an array of openings formed therein defining an array of arms connecting a central portion of the domed surface to an outer edge of the domed surface, wherein one of the array of arms is disposed transverse to another of the array of arms; and
an electrical membrane situated below the domed surface and operative to trigger a switch event, wherein the array of openings are operative to:
maintain the switch assembly in position when the electrical membrane is not triggering the switch event; and
control the domed surface to behave according to a predefined force-displacement curve.

17. The switch assembly of claim 16 , wherein the support structure is operative to provide support for the key cap.

18. The switch assembly of claim 16 , wherein the support structure comprises one of a scissor mechanism and a butterfly mechanism.

19. The switch assembly of claim 16 , wherein the domed surface is operative to at least partially collapse according to the predefined force-displacement curve when the key cap presses onto an upper portion of the domed surface.

20. The switch assembly of claim 16 , wherein the key cap is operative to travel at most 0.5 millimeters.

21. The switch assembly of claim 16 , wherein the electrical membrane comprises a top layer and a bottom layer.

22. The switch assembly of claim 21 , wherein each one of the top layer and the bottom layer is coupled to a corresponding conductive gel that provides support to the key cap and the domed surface when the key cap displaces towards the electrical membrane.

23. The switch assembly of claim 21 , further comprising a support layer residing beneath the bottom layer and having a through-hole aligned with an upper portion of the domed surface.

24. The switch assembly of claim 16 , wherein the domed surface comprises a substantially square base.

25. The switch assembly of claim 24 , wherein the substantially square base includes at least one angled edge.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Hendren Keith J
• Wilson Jr Thomas W
• Brock John M
• Leong Craig C
• Niu James J
• Okuma Satoshi
• Watanabe Shinsuke

Classifications

• H01H13/70

  having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard (mounting together a plurality of independent switches H02B) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49204

  Contact or terminal manufacturing · CPC title

• H01H13/52

  the contact returning to its original state immediately upon removal of operating force, e.g. bell-push switch · CPC title

• H01H2215/004

  Collapsible dome or bubble · CPC title

• H01H13/85

  characterised by tactile feedback features · CPC title