An electronic device includes an enclosure and a keyboard positioned within the enclosure. The keyboard includes a substrate and a key mechanism. The key mechanism includes a keycap support mechanism, a keycap supported by the keycap support mechanism and movable relative to the substrate, a ferromagnetic component attached to the keycap support mechanism, and a selectively magnetizable magnet. The selectively magnetizable magnet system may include a magnetizable material and a coil configured to selectively magnetize and demagnetize the magnetizable material. The key mechanism may include a collapsible dome biasing the keycap toward the extended position.

A keyboard finger guide device includes an elongated divider this is positionable horizontally between two rows of a keyboard, and a plurality of curvilinear guides that are secured to the divider perpendicularly and are positionable vertically between a plurality of individual keys of the keyboard. The guides are constructed from a malleable and resilient material and can extend above the top surface of the keyboard keys to provide a constant guide for the first two fingers of a user's left and right hands in the typing position at rest. The guides can also extend level with the top surface of the keyboard keys at rest to selectively guide the first two fingers of a user's left and right hands while typing.

A key device for a keyboard includes a circuit board, a keycap located over the circuit board, a supporting plate disposed under the circuit board, a first stabilizing member, a second stabilizing member and two supporting members. The supporting plate includes two first mounting seats cooperatively defining a rotating axis extending in a first direction. Each of the first stabilizing member and the second stabilizing member is made of a plastic material, slidably engages the keycap, and is rotatably mounted to the first mounting seats. When the keycap is pressed toward the supporting plate, the first stabilizing member and the second stabilizing member rotate relative to the supporting plate about the rotating axis.

A microswitch includes a contact chamber that accommodates a contact mechanism that opens and closes an electrical circuit; an enclosure that accommodates the contact chamber; and a pressing component that accepts a pressure external to the enclosure. The pressing component may include an insertion part that is inserted into an insertion hole in the contact chamber and acts on the contact mechanism, the insertion part receiving a pressure external thereto and moving from a first side that is outward of the enclosure to a second side that is inward of the enclosure. The pressing component may include a shielding part that shields the insertion hole from the contact chamber side, the shielding part being larger than the insertion hole in a direction orthogonal to an insertion direction to block the insertion hole.

An interface device includes a movable button connected to a frame structure by resilient structures positioned laterally between the button and the frame structure. Multiple layers or diaphragms of material can be used to make the button, frame, and resilient structures. Movement of the button can trigger a switch or sensor in a manner allowing an electronic device to detect interaction with the button. The interface device can be implemented in an electronic device such as a keyboard that has a low number of parts yet also providing tactile, stabilized key travel, support for various sensor or switch types for the keys, and, in some cases, haptic feedback.

A light-emitting keyboard includes a bracket, a keycap, a circuit layer, a composite light-emitting layer and a spacing layer. The bracket has an opening. The keycap is disposed on the bracket and connected to the bracket via a support assembly. The circuit layer is disposed between the keycap and the bracket. The composite light-emitting layer is disposed under the bracket, and includes a substrate, a circuit disposed on the substrate and a light source located under the keycap and electrically connected to the circuit, wherein light emitted from the light source is transmitted upwardly to the keycap. The spacing layer is disposed between the composite light-emitting layer and the bracket, wherein the spacing layer includes a hole corresponding to the opening of the bracket, and the light source is located in the hole of the spacing layer.

A portable information handling system integrates a keyboard having plural sensors configured at each of keyboard key positions to detect key inputs made with presses at the key positions by deflection of a glass cover having a reduced thickness at each key position. Haptic devices, such as piezo actuators, actuate at sensor sensed inputs to reinforce end user input touch feedback over the feedback provided by deflection of the glass cover. In one embodiment, the plural sensors are incorporated in a membrane having OLED illumination that identifies the key value at each key position.

An activation assembly is configured to be assembled with a substrate and a keycap. The activation assembly includes a flexible guiding component and an elastic component. The flexible guiding component includes a covering portion, a first contact portion, and a second contact portion. The covering portion has a plurality of openings. The covering portion is configured to be mounted on the substrate. The first contact portion and the second contact portion are respectively located at two opposite sides of the covering portion. The elastic component includes a coupling portion and a plurality of support portions. The coupling portion is connected to the covering portion. The support portions are connected to the coupling portion and are respectively located in the openings.

An input device includes a display unit that displays an aerial image, and a detection unit that detects a user operation related to the aerial image. The display unit includes a light guide plate disposed between a half mirror and a retroreflective plate and a light source irradiating the light guide plate. The display unit displays the aerial image of a light diffusion surface formed on the light guide plate in response to incident light. When the user operation related to the aerial image is detected, the display unit turns off the light source to notify a user of input confirmation.

A touchpad module includes a base plate, a touch member and an elastic structure between the touch member and the base plate. The elastic structure includes a supporting frame and a swingable resilience piece. There are a first fixing point and a second fixing point between the swingable resilience piece and the base plate. The swingable resilience piece includes a first resilience arm and a second resilience arm. The first resilience arm is connected between the first fixing point and a first inner side of the supporting frame. The second resilience arm is connected between the second fixing point and a second inner side of the supporting frame. When an external force is exerted on a first end of the touch member, the first resilience arm is correspondingly swung toward the base plate by using the first fixed point as a fulcrum.