SPHERICAL OR HIGHLY CURVED TOUCH-SENSITIVE SURFACES

    公开(公告)号:US20210089170A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-03-25

    申请号:US16938544

    申请日:2020-07-24

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: A two dimensional touch sensor panel can be thermoformed or curved by another process to a three-dimensional touch sensor panel, and the three-dimensional touch sensor panel can be laminated to a three-dimension surface having a highly curved or spherical shape. In some examples, thermoforming a two-dimensional touch sensor panel into a three-dimensional touch sensor panel can result in strain of the touch electrodes, and can result in non-uniform three-dimensional touch electrodes (distortion of the two-dimensional touch electrode pattern). The strain can be a function of the curved touch-sensitive surface and/or process related mechanical strain from thermoforming. In some examples, a three-dimensional touch sensor panel can be formed with uniform area touch electrodes using a two-dimensional touch sensor panel pattern with non-uniform area touch electrodes in accordance with the strain pattern expected for a given curved surface and thermoforming technique.

    TOUCH SENSITIVE KEYBOARD WITH FLEXIBLE INTERCONNECTIONS

    公开(公告)号:US20200103981A1

    公开(公告)日:2020-04-02

    申请号:US16147384

    申请日:2018-09-28

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: Touch sensitive mechanical keyboards and processes for detecting touch events and key depressions on the touch sensitive mechanical keyboard are provided. The touch sensitive mechanical keyboard can include a set of individually depressible mechanical keys having a touch sensitive surface. A touch sensor layer can be disposed on top of a key mechanism and flexible interconnections provided between key segments of the touch sensor layer can allow for depression of the key mechanism of individual keys. In some examples, the flexible interconnections can be formed by patterning a spring-like structure into the touch sensor layer. In some examples, the touch sensor layer can be transparent or include openings to allow a backlight to shine through. In some examples, addressable LED backlighting with buckling interconnects can also be provided to illuminate keycaps of the mechanical keyboard.

Patent Agency Ranking