A low-height key structure includes a keycap, a supporting plate, a connecting element, a circuit board and an elastic element. The circuit board is disposed on the supporting plate. A switch element is installed on the circuit board. The connecting element is connected with the keycap and the supporting plate. The keycap is movable upwardly or downwardly relative to the supporting plate through the connecting element. The elastic element is arranged between the keycap and the circuit board. The elastic element includes a contacting part and an elastic support part, which are connected with each other. The contacting part includes a bowl-shaped concave structure. A raised structure is protruded from a middle region of a bottom side of the bowl-shaped concave structure. A top surface of the raised structure is at a level lower than or equal to a top surface of the contacting part.

Provided are an input device and an electronic apparatus each including capacitive elements and being capable of allowing a plurality of information items to be separately input by simple operations. The input device includes: a capacitive element; a conductor that can be electrostatically coupled to the capacitive element; an operation portion that allows a load to be applied to the conductor; and a retaining portion that retains the conductor apart from the capacitive element. The retaining portion is capable of displacing the conductor with respect to the capacitive element in a stepwise manner in accordance with the load that is applied to the conductor through intermediation of the operation portion, and is capable of retaining the conductor at a plurality of positions with respect to the capacitive element.

A sensor includes a base layer and a pressing unit protruding with respect to the base layer. The pressing unit includes a first structure unit and a hollow second structure unit disposed on the first structure unit and having a bottom side opened. The second structure unit has a shape portion on a surface facing the base layer.

Implementations of a multi-pole dome switch configured to simultaneously, or nearly simultaneously, close or open two separate circuits are provided. In some implementations, a multi-pole dome switch may comprise a tactile metal dome and a conductive insert that are separated by an insulator. In some implementations, when the dome is depressed, the dome and the conductive insert are configured to simultaneously, or nearly simultaneously, make conductive contact with two traces of a first circuit and two traces of a second circuit, respectively, positioned thereunder on a PCB. In this way, the multi-pole dome switch is able to simultaneously, or nearly simultaneously, close two separate circuits. Succinctly put, in some implementations, the multi-pole dome switch may be configured to act as a double-pole, double-throw switch.

A computing device can include a housing defining an opening, a base layer, and a button mechanism positioned in the opening. The button mechanism can include a keycap movable relative to the base layer between an undepressed state and a depressed state, and a dome contacting the keycap, the dome including a first surface and a second surface, opposite the first surface. In the undepressed state, the first surface can be concave and the second surface can be convex. In a partially depressed state, a first portion of the first surface can be convex and a second portion of the first surface can be concave. In the depressed state, the first surface can be convex and the second surface can be concave.

A sensor includes a base layer and a pressing unit protruding with respect to the base layer. The pressing unit includes a first structure unit and a hollow second structure unit disposed on the first structure unit and having a bottom side opened. The second structure unit has a shape portion on a surface facing the base layer.

Implementations of a multi-pole dome switch configured to simultaneously, or nearly simultaneously, close or open two separate circuits are provided. In some implementations, a multi-pole dome switch may comprise a tactile metal dome and a conductive insert that are separated by an insulator. In some implementations, when the dome is depressed, the dome and the conductive insert are configured to simultaneously, or nearly simultaneously, make conductive contact with two traces of a first circuit and two traces of a second circuit, respectively, positioned thereunder on a PCB. In this way, the multi-pole dome switch is able to simultaneously, or nearly simultaneously, close two separate circuits. Succinctly put, in some implementations, the multi-pole dome switch may be configured to act as a double-pole, double-throw switch.

Provided are an input device and an electronic apparatus each including capacitive elements and being capable of allowing a plurality of information items to be separately input by simple operations. The input device includes: a capacitive element; a conductor that can be electrostatically coupled to the capacitive element; an operation portion that allows a load to be applied to the conductor; and a retaining portion that retains the conductor apart from the capacitive element. The retaining portion is capable of displacing the conductor with respect to the capacitive element in a stepwise manner in accordance with the load that is applied to the conductor through intermediation of the operation portion, and is capable of retaining the conductor at a plurality of positions with respect to the capacitive element.

A switch includes a case, fixed electrodes, a movable electrode and a pressing member. The fixed electrodes and the movable electrode are arranged inside the recess. The pressing member is arranged so as to cover at least a part of the recess, and displaces the movable electrode from the second position to the first position by a pressing force from the outside. The pressing member includes a first bent part and a second bent part, and a deforming part disposed therebetween. The deforming part is opposed to the movable electrode with a gap in a state where the movable electrode is in the second position. The deforming part is configured to be flexibly deformed toward the outside of the case in a state where the movable electrode is in the first position in which the fixed electrodes are in a conductive state.

A retractable snap dome in a keyboard, serving as a force resistor for a key in a conventional manner, includes an additional collapsed state wherein the key can be retracted by an electromechanical polymer (EMP) actuator to a persistent down position. In one embodiment, the EMP actuator is a bimorph EMP actuator that can be actuated to bring the key from down position to up position, ready for conventional keyboard operation, and vice versa. Such operations allow the keyboard to have a desirable decreased thickness relative to conventional keyboards. Thus, a keyboard of the present invention finds application in ultra-slim electronic devices. When provided in a notebook computer wherein the keyboard is folded against a video or graphic display, the keyboard keys may be placed in the retracted down position, thereby preventing the keys from pressing against the video or graphical display with a force that may damage the display.