Multi-functional touch actuator in electronic devices
View Patent ↗A joystick has a dome facing a flat position sensitive detector for use an electronic device. The dome is elastically mounted so that the apex of the dome rests on the detector. As the joystick is deflected, the dome and the detector roll against each other such that the apex of the dome moves to a different location of the detector surface. The joystick can be depressed to cause the dome to buckle in order to select a function of the electronic device. When the joystick is depressed, the contact area between the dome and the detector increases abruptly. After the dome is buckled, the user can exert an uneven pressure to the joystick to allow the electronic device to carry out another function.
1. A pointing device comprising:
a keytop;
a circuit board spaced from the keytop;
a dome-shaped flexible device disposed between the keytop and the circuit board, the dome-shaped flexible device having an apex and a shape;
a position sensitive detector positioned in relationship to the dome-shaped flexible device such that
the apex of the dome has a contact area with the position sensitive detector at a contact position, that
when the keytop is deflected, the contact position between the apex of the dome and the position sensitive detector is caused to shift while maintaining the shape of the dome-shaped flexible device and maintaining the contact area within a predetermined size, and that
when the keytop is depressed toward the circuit board, the shape of the dome-shaped flexible device is caused to change and the contact area is caused to increase beyond the predetermined size.
2. The pointing device of claim 1 , wherein when the keytop is depressed, the dome-shaped flexible device is caused to buckle, causing the contact area to increase beyond the predetermined size.
3. The pointing device of claim 1 , wherein the dome-shaped flexible device is attached to keytop and the position sensitive detector is disposed on the circuit board.
4. The pointing device of claim 1 , wherein the dome-shaped flexible device is disposed on the circuit board and the position sensitive detector is attached to the keytop.
5. The pointing device of claim 1 , wherein the position sensitive detector comprises a device for providing a signal indicative of the contact position.
6. The pointing device of claim 1 , wherein the position sensitive detector comprises a detection device for detecting an uneven pressure applied to the position sensitive detector after the keytop is depressed to cause the dome-shaped flexible device to buckle.
7. The pointing device of claim 6 , wherein the position sensitive detector comprises means for providing a signal indicative of the uneven pressure.