Keyboard assemblies
First Claim
1. A keyboard assembly comprising a housing having an upper side and a bottom side located opposite from said upper side, said upper side having one or more openings in which a plurality of keys are located, said bottom side including a bottom surface upon which the keyboard assembly rests when a user strikes said keys;
- a circuit board located inside said housing and adjacent said plurality of keys, said circuit board having a plurality of switches, said plurality of keys for causing said switches to be switched; and
a liquid resistant barrier located between said plurality of keys and said circuit board, said liquid resistant barrier having a plurality of deformable members projecting from a surface of said barrier and that are disposed to resist movement of said plurality of keys, said housing having at least one drain channel that communicates an area external of said housing with an interior area of said housing, said drain channel being disposed at a lower level than at least a portion of said liquid resistant barrier as measured with respect to a planar and level surface when said bottom surface rests upon the planar and level surface, said surface of said liquid resistant barrier being inclined with respect to the planar and level surface when said bottom surface rests upon the planar and level surface such that liquid that has passed through said one or more openings is directed by said barrier to said drain channel when said bottom surface rests upon the planar and level surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A keyboard assembly having a housing with one or more openings in which keys are located. A circuit board is located inside the housing and adjacent said keys such that the keys for causing switches of the circuit board be switched when a user strikes the keys. A liquid resistant barrier is located between the keys and the circuit board and has deformable members disposed to resist movement of the keys. In one keyboard assembly, the liquid resistant barrier is configured and located to direct liquid that has passed through the key openings to a drain channel in the housing of the keyboard assembly. In another keyboard assembly, a seal is defined between the liquid resistant barrier and the housing to prevent liquid that has passed through the key openings from contacting the switches of the circuit board. In another keyboard assembly, the upper side of the housing includes a recess having protrusions that moveably receive the keys. Liquid spilled into the recess is drained away from the keyboard assembly by a drain channel in communication with the recess.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A keyboard assembly comprising
a housing having an upper side and a bottom side located opposite from said upper side, said upper side having one or more openings in which a plurality of keys are located, said bottom side including a bottom surface upon which the keyboard assembly rests when a user strikes said keys; -
a circuit board located inside said housing and adjacent said plurality of keys, said circuit board having a plurality of switches, said plurality of keys for causing said switches to be switched; and
a liquid resistant barrier located between said plurality of keys and said circuit board, said liquid resistant barrier having a plurality of deformable members projecting from a surface of said barrier and that are disposed to resist movement of said plurality of keys, said housing having at least one drain channel that communicates an area external of said housing with an interior area of said housing, said drain channel being disposed at a lower level than at least a portion of said liquid resistant barrier as measured with respect to a planar and level surface when said bottom surface rests upon the planar and level surface, said surface of said liquid resistant barrier being inclined with respect to the planar and level surface when said bottom surface rests upon the planar and level surface such that liquid that has passed through said one or more openings is directed by said barrier to said drain channel when said bottom surface rests upon the planar and level surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A keyboard assembly comprising
a housing having one or more openings in which a plurality of keys are located; -
a circuit board located inside said housing and adjacent said plurality of keys, said circuit board having a plurality of switches, said plurality of keys for causing said switches to be switched; and
a liquid resistant barrier located between said plurality of keys and said circuit board, said liquid resistant barrier having a plurality of deformable members disposed to resist movement of said plurality of keys, said liquid resistant barrier being sealed to said housing to prevent passage of liquid between said housing and said barrier. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A keyboard assembly comprising:
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a housing having one or more openings in which a plurality of keys are located;
a circuit board located inside said housing and adjacent said plurality of keys, said circuit board having a plurality of switches, said plurality of keys for causing said switches to be switched; and
a liquid resistant barrier located between said plurality of keys and said circuit board, said liquid resistant barrier having a plurality of deformable members disposed to resist movement of said plurality of keys, said liquid resistant barrier at least partially defining means for preventing liquid that has passed through said openings from contacting said switches.
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27. A keyboard assembly comprising:
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a housing having one or more openings in which a plurality of keys are located, said housing having at least one drain channel for draining liquid from said housing that has passed through said one or more openings;
a circuit board located inside said housing and adjacent said plurality of keys, said circuit board having a plurality of switches, said plurality of keys for causing said switches to be switched; and
a liquid resistant barrier located between said plurality of keys and said circuit board, said liquid resistant barrier having a plurality of deformable members disposed to resist movement of said plurality of keys, said liquid resistant barrier being configured and located to direct liquid that has passed through said one or more openings to said drain channel. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A keyboard assembly comprising:
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a housing having one or more openings in which a plurality of keys are located, said housing having at least one drain channel for draining liquid from said housing that has passed through said one or more openings;
a circuit board located inside said housing and adjacent said plurality of keys, said circuit board having a plurality of switches, said plurality of keys for causing said switches to be switched;
a liquid resistant barrier located between said plurality of keys and said circuit board, said liquid resistant barrier having a plurality of deformable members disposed to resist movement of said plurality of keys; and
means for directing liquid that has passed through said one or more openings to said drain channel via said liquid resistant barrier.
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31. A keyboard assembly comprising:
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a plurality of keys each having at least one protrusion; and
a housing having an upper side and a bottom side located opposite from said upper side and upon which the keyboard assembly rests when a user strikes said keys, said housing having a recessed surface that is recessed from said upper side to define a recess in said upper side of said housing, said upper side facing a user of said keyboard assembly when said keyboard assembly is resting upon said bottom side, said housing including a plurality of members that protrude from said recessed surface, each of said protruding members having an opening passing therethrough, at least some of said openings receiving said protrusions of said keys, said housing including a drain channel configured and located to direct liquid that has fallen into said recess to an area external of said housing when said keyboard assembly is resting upon said bottom side. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. A keyboard assembly comprising:
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a plurality of keys each having at least one protrusion; and
a housing having an upper side and a bottom side located opposite from said upper side and upon which the keyboard assembly rests when a user strikes said keys, said bottom side defining a lower most elevation of said housing when said keyboard assembly is resting upon said bottom side, said housing having a recessed surface that is recessed from said upper side to define a recess in said upper side of said housing, said upper side facing a user of said keyboard assembly when said keyboard assembly is resting upon said bottom side, said housing including a plurality of members that protrude from said recessed surface, each of said protruding members having an opening passing therethrough, at least some of said openings receiving said protrusions of said keys, said housing including a drain channel for draining liquid from said recess, a lower most surface of said drain channel being located at a lower elevation than said upper side when said keyboard assembly is resting upon said bottom side. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
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38. A keyboard assembly comprising:
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a plurality of keys each having at least one protrusion; and
a housing having an upper side and a bottom side located opposite from said upper side and upon which the keyboard assembly rests when a user strikes said keys, said bottom side defining a lower most elevation of said housing when said keyboard assembly is resting upon said bottom side, said housing having a recessed surface that is recessed from said upper side to define a recess in said upper side of said housing, said housing including a plurality of members that protrude from said recessed surface to an elevation located above said upper side as measured with respect to said recessed surface when said keyboard assembly is resting upon said bottom side, each of said protruding members having an opening passing therethrough, at least some of said openings receiving said protrusions of said keys.
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Specification