Capacitive Keyboard With Elastomer Keypad for Sealed Tactile Input
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional keyboards face issues with adaptability, durability, sealing, and user ergonomics, particularly in portable and industrial settings, where they may wear out, allow foreign matter ingress, and lack tactile feedback.
Innovation Solution
A capacitive sensing keyboard with a deformable elastomer keypad and an array of driver and sense elements that detect changes in dielectric values to determine key presses, allowing for easy reconfiguration and sealing without moving parts, providing tactile feedback and robustness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional keyboards with moving parts are used, then tactile feedback is provided, but the keyboard wears out over time and requires maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical switch system with a capacitive sensing system. The keyboard uses an array of capacitive sensors that detect key presses through changes in capacitance values, eliminating moving parts while maintaining key detection functionality. This substitution resolves the contradiction by providing durability without mechanical wear while still enabling key input detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes changes in dielectric constant as a parameter to detect key presses. When a key is pressed, the dielectric constant between the capacitive plates changes, which is detected by the sensing system. This parameter-based detection method provides tactile feedback capability without requiring mechanical movement, resolving the contradiction between durability and operational feedback.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If membranes are used to seal the keyboard, then foreign matter ingress is prevented, but tactile feedback is lost and user performance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the membrane sealing system with a capacitive sensing array that can detect key presses through non-contact means. The capacitive sensors are positioned such that they can detect dielectric changes when keys are pressed, eliminating the need for a physical membrane that would block tactile feedback. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining sealing integrity while preserving user interaction quality.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple keyboards are manufactured for different applications, then adaptability to different uses is achieved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal capacitive keyboard platform where the same hardware architecture can support multiple keyboard layouts and configurations. The capacitive sensing array can be programmed with different key maps and detection patterns to accommodate various applications (numeric, alphabetic, alphanumeric, special purpose) without requiring physical reconfiguration or additional hardware. This resolves the contradiction by providing adaptability through software flexibility rather than manufacturing multiple physical variants.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic key mapping where the functional assignment of keys can be changed through software configuration. The capacitive sensing system can dynamically adjust which sensor elements correspond to which keys based on the selected keyboard layout, allowing a single physical keyboard to adapt to different applications. This dynamic reconfiguration capability eliminates the need for manufacturing multiple specialized keyboards.
4Reliability
If touchscreens with virtual keyboards are used, then sealing is improved and no moving parts are present, but ergonomic performance deteriorates and tactile feedback is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the touchscreen interface with a physical capacitive keyboard that provides tactile feedback through dielectric sensing. The capacitive sensors detect key presses through changes in the electrical field, enabling a physical keyboard layout that maintains the sealing integrity of the device while restoring tactile feedback and ergonomic performance. This resolves the contradiction by combining the sealing benefits of touchscreen designs with the ergonomic advantages of physical keyboards.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables a versatile, ergonomic, and durable keyboard that can be easily reconfigured and maintained, preventing foreign matter ingress while offering tactile feedback, suitable for various environments and layouts.
Implementation Method 1
A capacitive sensing keyboard with a deformable elastomer keypad and an array of driver and sense elements that detect changes in dielectric values to determine key presses
Implementation Method 2
detect changes in the dielectric value of materials about the driver/sense element pairs when a key on the keypad is pressed
Implementation Method 3
a voltage source; a selector to selectively apply voltage from the voltage source to at least one of the at least two driver elements to induce an electric field about the respective driver element
Data Source
AI summary
A novel capacitive sensing keyboard allows for keypads to be easily changed for repair or reconfiguration purposes. The keypads can be made of a deformable and resilient material, such as an elastomer, which can provide tactile feedback to a user and which are relatively inexpensive to manufacture. An array of overlying pairs of driver elements and sense elements are located adjacent the keypad and changes in the dielectric value of materials about the driver/sense element pairs are detected when a key on the keypad is pressed by a user. These detected changes are processed in view of a defined key map to determine which key or keys have been pressed by the user.