Expandable keyboard for portable computers

• US 20030147205A1
• Filed: 02/01/2002
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Murphy, Stephen C.
• Granted Patent: US 6,707,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/680
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• 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

Abstract

An expandable keyboard with at least one keyboard sections stored in a nested manner inside a default keyboard such that the at least one keyboard sections can be extended in a telescoping manner from a housing of the default keyboard. The default keyboard comprises all the necessary keys to operate the computer so that the computer can be used even when the at least one keyboard sections is in a stored position. The expandable keyboard disclosed is particularly desirable for a portable computer in that it offers users a larger keyboard area comprising a more user friendly keypad layout yet does not add to the computer'"'"'s thickness or lateral dimension so the computer remains easily portable.

Claims

1. A portable computer comprising:

a housing having an opening formed in a first surface of the housing;

a display attached to the housing;

a first keyboard positioned on a second surface of the housing;

a second keyboard movably mounted to the housing so that the second keyboard can be moved between a storage configuration and a deployed configuration, wherein the second keyboard in the stored configuration is recessed within the opening of the housing and wherein the second keyboard in the deployed configuration extends out of the opening so as to extend outward from the first surface of the housing.

2. The computer of claim 1, wherein the first keyboard is positioned on an upper surface of the housing and wherein the opening in the housing is positioned on a side surface of the housing so that the second keyboard extends outward from the side surface.

3. The computer of claim 1, wherein the first keyboard comprises a QWERTY keyboard.

4. The computer of claim 3, wherein the second keyboard comprises a movement keyboard

5. The computer of claim 1, wherein the second keyboard includes a second keyboard housing having an opening in a first surface in the second keyboard housing.

6. The computer of claim 5, further comprising a third keyboard that is movably mounted to the second keyboard housing so as to be movable between a storage configuration and a deployed configuration wherein the third keyboard in the storage configuration is stored within the second keyboard housing and wherein the third keyboard in the deployed configuration extends out from the first surface of the second keyboard housing.

7. The computer of claim 6, wherein the second and third keyboards are respectively mounted so that when the second and the third keyboards are respectively in the storage configuration, an outer surface of the third keyboard and the outer surface of the second keyboard are co-planar with the first surface of the housing.

8. The computer of claim 1 further comprising a latch mechanism which secures the second keyboard in place when the second keyboard is in the stored configuration inside the housing.

9. The computer of claim 8, wherein the latch mechanism comprises a hook member positioned inside a cavity region formed on a first inner surface of the housing.

10. The computer of claim 6, wherein the second keyboard comprises cursor keys.

11. The computer of claim 6, wherein the third key board comprises numeric keys arranged in a 10-key configuration.

12. The computer of claim 1, wherein a plurality of drop-down leg members are formed on a bottom surface of the second keyboard so as to support the second keyboard when it is in a deployed configuration.

13. The computer of claim 1, wherein the first keyboard is operable when the second keyboard is in a stored configuration inside the housing.

14. A computer keyboard assembly comprising:

at least one keyboard member that is expandable wherein at least one keyboard section is housed in a nested fashion within the at least one keyboard member such that the at least one keyboard section telescopes out when a latch member is released.

15. The computer keyboard assembly of claim 14 further comprises a plurality of drop-down leg members formed on a bottom surface of the at least one keyboard section to support the at least one keyboard section when it is telescoped out from the at least one keyboard member.

16. The computer keyboard assembly of claim 14 wherein a first keyboard section remains operable when at least one other keyboard section is stored inside at least one keyboard housing.

17. The computer keyboard assembly of claim 14 wherein the at least one keyboard member comprises a QWERTY keyboard.

18. The computer keyboard assembly of claim 14 wherein the at least one keyboard section comprises cursor keys.

19. The computer keyboard assembly of claim 14 wherein the at least one keyboard section comprises numeric keys arranged in a 10-key configuration.

20. A computer keyboard comprising:

a keyboard housing having an opening formed in a first surface of the housing;

a first keyboard positioned on a second surface of the keyboard housing;

at least one keyboard section wherein the at least one keyboard section can be moved back into the opening of the keyboard housing so as to reduce the keyboard'"'"'s overall lateral dimension without increasing its thickness.

21. The keyboard in claim 20 further comprising a second keyboard section and a third keyboard section wherein the second keyboard section and the third keyboard section can be retracted back into the keyboard housing so as to be concealed from view.

22. The keyboard in claim 20, wherein the first keyboard comprises a QWERTY keyboard.

23. The keyboard in claim 20, wherein a plurality of latch mechanisms secures the second keyboard section and the third keyboard section inside the keyboard housing.

24. The keyboard in claim 20, wherein the first keyboard can operate the computer while the second and third keyboard sections are stored within the housing.

25. A method of operating a computer comprising:

operating a first keyboard formed on a first surface of a first housing;

deploying a second housing from an opening formed on a second surface of the first housing;

operating a second keyboard formed on a first surface of the second housing.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprises deploying a third housing from an opening from on a second surface of the second housing and operating a third keyboard formed on a first surface of the third housing.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the first keyboard comprises a QWERTY keyboard.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the second keyboard comprises a movement keyboard.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein the third keyboard comprises numeric keys arranged in a 10-key configuration.

30. The method of claim 25 further comprises disengaging a latch mechanism to deploy the second keyboard from the opening formed on the second surface of the first housing.

31. The method of claim 25 further comprises storing the second housing inside the first housing in a manner such that the second keyboard is inside the first housing and concealed from view.