Patent · US Expired

Force sensing pointing device with click function

US7176889B2 · kind B2 · utility

16Cited by
14References
34Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 21, 2004
Grant dateFeb 13, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 29, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH05K3/3442
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An input device for an electronic system includes a force sensor having conductive interdigitated traces on a bottom substrate and a flexible substrate spaced apart from the bottom substrate. The flexible substrate has a resistive layer deposited on a bottom side facing the interdigitated traces. A snap dome is positioned over a portion of the force sensor flexible substrate. A flexible keymat membrane is positioned over the force sensor and the snap dome. The keymat membrane bottom surface faces the force sensor flexible substrate. The keymat membrane bottom surface has a protruding region surrounding the snap dome and spaced above the force sensor flexible substrate. A center keycap on the keymat membrane top surface is positioned over the snap dome. A surrounding keycap on the keymat membrane encloses the center keycap and is positioned over the keymat membrane protruding region.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.