Apple has been granted a patent (quantity US 11817275 B2) for a “Membrane Sealed Keyboard” that exhibits it needs to make the keyboards of its varied units extra proof against mud and moisture.
In regards to the patent
The patent relates typically to keyboards and enter units for computer systems and different electrical units. Extra significantly, it includes versatile buildings utilized in keyboards.
Clearly,keyboards sometimes have quite a lot of transferring keys. Liquid ingress across the keys and into the keyboard can injury inside electronics. Residues from such liquids, equivalent to sugar, could corrode or block electrical contacts, forestall key motion by bonding transferring components, and so forth. Strong contaminants (equivalent to mud, grime, meals crumbs, and the like) could lodge below keys, block electrical contacts, and impede key motion. These units can be undesirably costly to make and assemble.
The keys on a standard keyboard are spaced aside to offer key definition. Key definition is a property of a keyboard that describes how simply a person can inform the place a secret’s situated by sight or contact. Sometimes, sturdy key definition correlates with massive gaps or grooves between the keycaps since these gaps or grooves assist orient the person’s fingers on the keyboard.
Nonetheless, spacing aside the keys produces gaps by which liquid and particles can go into the keyboard. Moreover, as a result of manufacturing tolerances, keycaps could be barely misaligned after they every are supported by separate switches, domes and associated key mechanisms, thereby resulting in an imprecise and noisy visible look.
Apple says there are clearly challenges and areas for enhancements in enter units equivalent to keyboards. Its patent includes such potential enhancements.
Abstract of the patent
Right here’s Apple’s summary of the patent: “Keyboards and different enter units are supplied with at the least one versatile layer that extends over or below the keycaps. The versatile layer spans interkey areas and lies between interior and outer keycaps. The versatile layer prevents intrusion of invasive materials to the keyboard mechanisms and simplifies the looks of the keyboard space.
“Some versatile layers assist align keycaps by connecting interior and outer keycaps or by offering a mechanical connection interface for the keycaps. Some membranes used within the versatile layer have a layered or composite development that will increase sturdiness and tear resistance by attaching or infusing a mesh materials or different robust materials to a much less sturdy, elastic materials.”
