A system and method which provide a keyboard with keys which are configured using a viscoelasticity model. More specifically, with the viscoelasticity model at least certain keys within the keyboard include an elastic component and a viscous component. The elastic component provides a component force which occurs substantially immediately upon application of a stress to the key and relaxes substantially immediately upon release of the stress from the key. In this way the elastic component functions similarly to a spring in a mechanical dashpot model key. The viscous component provides a component force which grows with time as long as a stress is applied to the key. In this way, the viscous component functions similarly to a dash in a mechanical dashpot model key.

An operating member including an actuating part movably mounted between a rest position and a switching position, a circuit board with an open contacting portion, a switching mat made of an elastic material disposed adjacent to the circuit board, and at least one contact pill formed on a side of the switching mat facing towards the circuit board, which cooperate in such a way that, in the switching position of the actuating part at the latest, the open contacting portion of the circuit board is closed by the contact pill, and where the switching mat moreover forms at least one tactile-feel dome which is associated with the contact pill, is elastically compressible by actuation of the actuating part in the direction of the switching position and which, in its initial position, defines a unilaterally open hollow volume in the switching mat, in order to cause a tactile feedback on the actuating part, where the contact pill is disposed outside the hollow volume defined by the tactile-feel dome.

A button assembly configured to be illuminated is provided. The button assembly includes a movable button having a viewing surface and a back side. The button has portions defining a window in the viewing surface. A flexible light conductor is disposed on the back side of the button. The flexible light conductor has an inlet end configured to receive light, and the flexible light conductor has a light-emitting portion disposed adjacent to the window. The flexible light conductor is configured to conduct light from the inlet end to the light-emitting portion. The light-emitting portion is configured to emit light so that the light is visible through the window.

Described is a system for producing an acoustic field from a plurality of ultrasonic transducer arrays, each of which has known relative positions and orientations. The acoustic field comprises a carrier wave and a modulated wave. The carrier wave has a plurality of modulated focal areas. A plurality of control points having a known spatial relationship relative to at least one of the plurality of ultrasonic transducer arrays is used. The plurality of ultrasonic transducer arrays are calibrated by using the relative position of each of the plurality of ultrasonic transducer arrays.

Modular button components are described that comprise a tactile switch coupled to a center portion of the modular button component and at least one electrical contact. A bracket extends beyond a length of the center portion of the modular component. In various embodiments, the tactile switch, the bracket and the at least one electrical contact are insert molded into a single assembly to form the modular button component that is detachably coupled to a printed circuit board.

A keyswitch structure includes a base, a keycap, a frame disposed between the base and the keycap for providing a supporting and moving mechanism to the keycap, and another frame interacting with the former frame through a magnetic attraction force. When the keycap is not pressed, the magnetic attraction force drives the two frames to stably stand on the base and form a stable supporting structure, so that the keycap is located at a farther position relative to the base. When the keycap is pressed with an external force to move toward the base, the magnetic attraction force is overcome so that the two frames depart from each other; that is, the above stable supporting structure is temporarily destroyed. Once the external force applied to the keycap is eliminated, the two frames will form the stable supporting structure again due to the magnetic attraction force.

A control panel for an appliance includes a tactile switch positioned on a PCB. An elastic spacer sheet is positioned over the PCB, and the tactile switch is disposed within an opening of the elastic spacer sheet. A rigid backer plate is positioned over the elastic spacer sheet, and a plastic film is positioned on the rigid backer plate. A related method for forming a control panel for an appliance is also provided.

The operating unit (10) for an electrical appliance, in particular a vehicle component such as a heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning system, is provided with an operating element (16) which can be pressed down in a direction of actuation (28), and a support element (24) which is mechanically coupled to the operating element (16) and on which the operating element (16) is elastically supported so as to be movable in the direction of actuation (28). The operating element (10) further comprises a sensor (30) for detecting the motion of the operating element (16) when the latter is pressed down, and/or for detecting a force applied to the operating element (16), an actuator (36) for moving the support element (24) and the operating element (16) coupled thereto, and an evaluation and drive unit (34) connected to the sensor (30) and to the actuator (36) for driving the actuator (36) when the sensor (30) detects the motion of the operating element (16) as a result of the latter being pressed down, and/or a force applied to the operating element (16). The support element (24) can be moved by the actuator (36) in at least one direction of movement (38) transverse to the direction of actuation (28) of the operating element (16).

A key-switch includes a keycap configured to be pressed down, a base member, and a link mechanism disposed between the keycap and the base member and configured to support the keycap such that the keycap is movable up and down relative to the base member, wherein the link mechanism includes four links arranged in a rectangular shape, and each of the links includes a sliding part configured to slide on the base member, a mounting part attached to the keycap, and joints connecting adjacent links among the four links together.

A haptic actuator may include a housing, at least one coil carried by the housing, and a field member having opposing first and second sides. The haptic actuator may also include a respective at least one flexure bearing mounting each of the first and second sides of the field member to be reciprocally movable within the housing responsive to the at least one coil. Each flexure bearing may include at least one flexible member having a wishbone shape with two diverging arms joined together at proximal ends and having spaced distal ends operatively coupled between adjacent portions of the field member and the housing.