Clickpad structures may be attached to surfaces of an information handling system using material stacks comprising an elastic material, such as a sponge, which can preload a force on the clickpad surface. The preloaded force reduces a gap between the clickpad switch and contact point, which reduces instability, rattling, and other negative experiences with the clickpad surface experienced by a user. According to an embodiment, an input device for an information handling system includes a clickpad surface having a first side configured to receive user input and a second side opposite the first side; a first coupling stack comprising a first elastic material with a first thickness; and a second coupling stack comprising a second elastic material with a second thickness, wherein each of the coupling stacks is attached to the clickpad surface and a surface of the information handling system by adhesives.

A switch assembly including a socket, a top cap, and an intermediate cart located in the socket. The intermediate cart is slidable with the socket. The top cap is in a spherical or pivot engagement with the intermediate cart. An activation force of the sliding movement is lower than an activation force of the spherical or pivot movement.

Particular embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device that can include a key height activation engine and a keyboard. The keyboard can include a plurality of keys and one or more of the plurality of keys can include a key height mechanism. The key height mechanism includes a shape memory material and when the key height mechanism is activated by the key height activation engine, the shape memory material raises the one or more of the plurality of keys that includes the key height mechanism from a first height to a second height.

A switch assembly including a socket, a top cap, and an intermediate cart located in the socket. The intermediate cart is slidable with the socket. The top cap is in a spherical or pivot engagement with the intermediate cart. An activation force of the sliding movement is lower than an activation force of the spherical or pivot movement.

A switch assembly including a socket, a top cap, and an intermediate cart located in the socket. The intermediate cart is slidable with the socket. The top cap is in a spherical or pivot engagement with the intermediate cart. An activation force of the sliding movement is lower than an activation force of the spherical or pivot movement.

A keyswitch assembly includes a switch module, a support mechanism, and a blocking mechanism. The switch module includes a substrate, a signal generator, and a signal sensor. The signal generator provides a sensing signal. The signal sensor receives the sensing signal to obtain a sensing intensity. The support mechanism is disposed on the substrate. A top portion of the support mechanism moves in response to a pressing force. The blocking mechanism includes a pivoting portion rotatably disposed on the substrate, a connecting piece extending from the pivoting portion and movably connected to the support mechanism to be driven by the top portion to swivel relative to the substrate, and a blocking piece extending from the pivoting portion and driven by the connecting piece to be inserted into or escape from the gap between the signal generator and the signal sensor to change the magnitude of the sensing intensity.

Described herein are input devices for registering a translational input as a button is moved along any of a first set of different directions. In general, the input devices comprise a switch assembly including a switch that is actuated as the button moves along the first set of directions. The switch assembly may include additional components, such as a rotatable member or a cavity that are configured to engage the switch to actuate the switch. The switch assembly may be configured to provide a uniform pressing experience when moving the button along the first set of different directions.

An electrical switch includes a base, an actuating rod comprising a lateral wall guided in a bore of the base, a return spring for the rod which moves with respect to the base. The return spring comprises a last elastic turn which, during the actuating travel of the rod, bears against an abutment surface of the base and which cooperates with a ramp formed in the side wall which deforms it radially. The bore has a series of axial ribs projecting into the bore, each of which is slidably received in a complementary axial groove formed in the side wall. A radial upper end facet of each axial rib forms a portion of the abutment surface.

In an input device in which an electromagnetic force generated by applying current to a coil acts on an operation knob as a reaction force of an operation force, a repulsion magnet is disposed at one of a coil side yoke, a first yoke, or a second yoke to generate a repulsive force to a first magnet or a second magnet so as to offset the resultant of a first attraction force of the first magnet to the coil side yoke or the first yoke and a second attraction force of the second magnet to the coil side yoke or the second yoke.

A keyswitch assembly includes a base, a pressable plate, a first magnetic acting member and a second magnetic acting member. An accommodating space is defined within the base, and an upper surface of the base is provided with a connecting portion. The pressable plate includes a pressing portion, an acting portion and a pivotal connection portion located between the pressing portion and the acting portion and pivotally connected to the connecting portion. The first magnetic acting member is disposed on the acting portion; the second magnetic acting member is disposed on the base corresponding to the first magnetic acting member. The keyswitch assembly is configured such that the first magnetic acting member and the second magnetic acting are attracted or repulsed each other by a magnetic force, so as to provide or change a pressing resistance of the pressing portion.