Enclosure with locally-flexible regions
A force input/haptic output interface for an electronic device can include a force input sensor and a haptic actuator. In one example, the force input sensor and the haptic actuator are accommodated on a frame positioned below an input surface. In many examples, the frame includes relieved portions that redirect and/or concentrate compression or tension in the haptic actuator into the frame.
1. An electronic device comprising:
an enclosure having an external surface comprising:
a first region in which a keyboard is positioned, the keyboard having a length; and
a second region positioned adjacent to the keyboard and extending across at least the length of the keyboard, the second region being continuous and substantially planar, and the second region comprising a first set of locally-flexible areas and a second set of locally-flexible areas defined by openings in an internal surface of the enclosure opposite the external surface,
wherein the second region comprises a user input surface coinciding with at least one of the first set of locally-flexible areas or the second set of locally-flexible areas, the user input surface being visually continuous with a surface of the first region;
a set of sensors within the second region and extending across at least the length of the keyboard; and
a haptic output interface operable to provide haptic feedback at the user input surface via at least one of the first set of locally-flexible areas or the second set of locally-flexible areas in response to user input detected by the set of sensors.
2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first set of locally-flexible areas is more rigid than the second set of locally-flexible areas.
3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein there are more locally-flexible areas in the second set of locally-flexible areas than in the first set of locally flexible areas.
4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the set of sensors is sensitive to a change in capacitance across the second region.
5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the set of sensors positioned in the second region correspond to the first and second sets of locally-flexible areas of the second region.
6. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a frame defined into or coupled to an interior surface of the enclosure at the second region.
7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second region extends across an entirety of a width of the external surface.
8. A computing device, comprising:
an enclosure;
a keyboard positioned in the enclosure;
a display positioned in the enclosure on a first side of the keyboard;
a user interface surface positioned on the enclosure on a second side of the keyboard, the second side being opposite the first side, the user interface surface extending across an entirety of a width of the enclosure, and the user interface surface including a pair of locally movable regions positioned adjacent to opposing ends of the width of the enclosure and at least one additional locally movable region positioned between the pair of locally movable regions, at least one of the pair of locally movable regions or the at least one additional locally movable region comprising a recess in a material defining the user interface surface,
wherein the user interface surface and the enclosure share an unbroken, visually continuous outer surface; and
a set of sensors operable to receive user input via the user interface surface across the entirety of the width of the enclosure, at least some sensors of the set of sensors being disposed at the pair of locally movable regions and the at least one additional locally movable region.
9. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the set of sensors is configured to sense a change in capacitance in response to the user input.
10. The computing device of claim 8 , further comprising a haptic output device operable to provide haptic output in response to the user input.
11. The computing device of claim 10 , wherein the haptic output is provided across the entirety of the width of the enclosure.
12. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the pair of locally movable regions is different from the at least one additional locally movable region positioned between the pair of locally movable regions.
13. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the set of sensors is arranged in multiple rows.
14. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the set of sensors correlate to a set of deformable portions of the enclosure in the user interface surface.
15. A laptop computer, comprising:
an upper enclosure;
a display positioned in the upper enclosure;
a lower enclosure pivotally coupled with the upper enclosure via a hinge;
a keyboard positioned in the lower enclosure;
a trackpad area in the lower enclosure positioned on a side of the keyboard opposite the display, the trackpad area extending across at least a width of the keyboard parallel to the hinge, the trackpad area comprising a reduced-thickness section of the lower enclosure; and
a haptic output device directly coupled to the lower enclosure in the reduced-thickness section,
wherein an external surface of the lower enclosure covers the trackpad area, wherein the external surface and trackpad area are visually continuous and uninterrupted across the lower enclosure over and around the trackpad area, the external surface and the trackpad area being coplanar.
16. The laptop computer of claim 15 , further comprising locally-flexible regions formed into an interior surface of the lower enclosure below a portion of the external surface corresponding to the trackpad area, the locally-flexible regions comprising the reduced thickness section of the lower enclosure.
17. The laptop computer of claim 15 , wherein the external surface of the lower enclosure comprises a glass top surface, wherein the trackpad area is defined in the glass top surface.
18. The laptop computer of claim 15 , wherein the trackpad area comprises a capacitive touch sensor operable to detect a change in capacitance at the trackpad area.
19. The laptop computer of claim 15 , wherein the trackpad area comprises a set of force sensors operable to detect a force applied to the trackpad area of the lower enclosure.
20. The laptop computer of claim 15 , wherein the haptic output device is operable to provide haptic output through the trackpad area across at least the width of the keyboard.