US 12,066,795 B2
Tri-axis force sensor
Colin M. Ely, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Erik G. de Jong, San Francisco, CA (US); and Steven P. Cardinali, Campbell, CA (US)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 26, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/187,573.
Application 17/187,573 is a continuation of application No. 15/879,223, filed on Jan. 24, 2018, granted, now 10,962,935.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/533,994, filed on Jul. 18, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0255590 A1, Aug. 19, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G04G 21/00 (2010.01); G04G 9/00 (2006.01)
CPC G04G 21/00 (2013.01) [G04G 9/0005 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wearable electronic device comprising:
a display;
a housing at least partially enclosing the display;
a crown positioned along a side of the housing and comprising:
a crown cap configured to receive an axial force input along an axis of the crown cap and a lateral force input that is transverse to the axis of the crown cap; and
a force sensor coupled to the crown cap and configured to provide a signal in response to either or both of the axial force input or the lateral force input; and
a processing unit positioned within the housing and configured to, based on the signal of the force sensor, estimate an amount of axial force caused by the axial force input or an amount of lateral force caused by the lateral force input.