Expandable and contractible keyboard with adjustable key sized

• US 20010028712A1
• Filed: 02/01/2001
• Published: 10/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAST Associates LLC
• Original Assignee: RAST Associates LLC
• Inventors: Lahr, Roy J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,810,119 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/368
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1666 Arrangements for reducing the size of the integrated keyboard for transport, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F1/1664 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0221 Arrangements for reducing keyboard size for transport or storage, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F3/0216 takes precedence; for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1666
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/052 reductible in size, e.g. for transportation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22

Abstract

A keyboard which may be utilized in either an expanded or contracted state. The keyboard is comprised of an expandable and compressible housing which supports a plurality of elastic belts. Keyswitch assemblies are fastened to the elastic belt. When the keyboard housing is expanded, the elastic belts are stretched, and the distance between the keys is increased. The keytops can be of variable size so that upon expansion, they increase in size. The keytops can also rotate upon expansion to increase the striking surface of the keytop.

Claims

1. A keyboard for use with electronic devices, comprising:

a fixed keyboard section with a first plurality of keyswitches,

a rotatable keyboard section with a second plurality of keyswitches;

the rotatable keyboard section being rotatable from a first position to a second position,

wherein the rotatable keyboard section is expandable and contractible.

2. A keyboard according to

claim 1

, wherein in the first position the rotatable keyboard section covers the fixed keyboard section.

3. A keyboard according to

claim 2

, wherein in the second position the fixed keyboard is exposed.

4. A keyboard according to

claim 1

, further comprising:

a protective door assembly which can cover the keyboard sections.

5. A keyboard according to

claim 4

, wherein the protective door assembly comprises a right protective door and a left protective door.

6. A keyboard according to

claim 1

, further comprising:

at least a pair of legs mounted on the rotatable keyboard section.

14. A phone according to

claim 3

, further comprising:

a movable display which may be adjusted so that it can be viewed from either the first side or the second side of the phone assembly.

15. A phone according to

claim 4

, wherein the display is rotatable.

7. A phone comprising:

a phone assembly with a housing, a speaker, a microphone, and a numeric keypad; and

an expandable keyboard attached to the phone assembly.

8. A phone according to

claim 7

, wherein the expandable keyboard is attached to the phone assembly so that it may be rotated.

9. A phone according to

claim 7

, wherein the expandable keyboard has an expandable portion and a fixed portion.

10. A phone according to

claim 9

, wherein the expandable portion of the expandable keyboard may be rotated.

11. A phone according to

claim 7

, further comprising:

a display which is movable between a first position and a second position.

12. A phone according to

claim 11

, wherein the display is rotatable.

13. A phone according to

claim 7

, wherein the numeric keypad is on a first side of the phone assembly, and the expandable keyboard is on a second side of the phone assembly.

16. A phone according to

claim 7

, further comprising:

at least a pair of legs mounted on the expandable keyboard.

17. An expandable keyboard comprising:

a keyboard housing which is extendible from a contracted position to an expanded position;

at least one elastic belt, the elastic belt attached to the housing; and

a plurality of keyswitch assemblies, each keyswitch assembly attached to the elastic belt so that when the keyboard housing is extended from a compressed position to an expanded position the key pitch is increased,

a plurality of keytops associated with the plurality of keyswitch assemblies, the keytops being rotatable between a vertical position and a horizontal position.

18. A keyboard according to

claim 17

, further comprising:

a plurality of elastic cords associated with the plurality of keytops for biasing the keytops into the vertical position.

19. A keyboard according to

claim 17

, further comprising:

a plurality of non-stretchable cords associated with the plurality of keytops for urging the keytops into the horizontal position when the keyboard is extended from the compressed position to the expanded position.