Patent ID: 11950761
Assignee: KARL STORZ SE & CO. KG
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  G  H | IPC A  G

Claim 0:
1. A keypad including one or more keys for an endoscopic instrument, comprising:
a support;
a snap disk on a first side of the support and transformable from a released state to a loaded state;
a cover forming a seal over the first side to prevent fluids entering;
an undercut pocket in the cover;
a magnet disposed in the pocket;
a plunger disposed in the pocket, wherein the plunger is adapted to engage the snap disk to transform the snap disk to the loaded state, where at least one portion each of the magnet, the plunger, and the snap disk, are in vertical alignment;
a magnetic field sensor on a second side of the support, the second side opposite the first side; and
logic circuitry adapted to
obtain a value of a strength of a magnetic field from the sensor,
compare the value against a predetermined threshold value that corresponds at least approximately to the strength of a magnetic field,
and when the plunger has transformed the snap disk to the loaded state and the value reaches or exceeds the threshold value, output a signal indicating that a key press occurred.