Keyboard of a personal digital assistant

• US 20040005184A1
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cha, Kwang-hwan, Kim, Young-ki
• Granted Patent: US 6,976,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 400/472
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1618 the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683

Abstract

A keyboard attached to a personal digital assistant (PDA) set having: a hinge unit including a connector to transfer a keyboard input signal to the PDA, and upper and lower hinge covers; a connection unit placed inside of the hinge unit, and can be attached in the front direction or the back direction to the PDA; and a keyboard body connected with the hinge unit, folded and unfolded about the hinge unit, having a typing board on an upper side and a front panel controller (FPC) keypad to input a key pressed on the typing board. Therefore, the keyboard of the PDA can not only be attached in the front direction or the back direction to the PDA, but also separated from the PDA, thus making the usage and maintenance of the keyboard convenient.

Claims

1. A keyboard attached to a personal digital assistant (PDA) set, comprising:

a hinge unit having a connector to transmit a keyboard input signal to the PDA, and upper and lower hinge covers;

a connection unit placed inside of the hinge unit and attachable in the front direction and the back direction to the PDA; and

a keyboard body connected with the hinge unit, folded and unfolded about the hinge unit, having a typing board on an upper side and a keypad formed therein to input a key pressed on the typing board.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the connection unit comprises:

a bracket hinge inserted into the PDA in order to fix the hinge unit;

a spring to elastically bias the bracket hinge toward a side so that the bracket hinge is automatically locked to the PDA when the bracket hinge is inserted into the PDA; and

an ejector to release the lock of the bracket hinge by compressing the spring.

3. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the connector is a pin contact connector connected with the keypad.

4. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the upper hinge cover has a guide protrusion to inform an attaching position to the PDA.

5. The keyboard of claim 1, further comprising a pipe hinge to prevent the keyboard body from being worn by the friction with the fixed hinge unit when the keyboard body is folded and unfolded about the hinge unit.

15. The keyboard of claim 2, further comprising a pipe hinge to prevent the keyboard body from being worn by the friction with the fixed hinge unit when the keyboard is folded and unfolded about the hinge unit.

16. The keyboard of claim 3, further comprising a pipe hinge to prevent the keyboard body from being worn by the friction with the fixed hinge unit when the keyboard is folded and unfolded about the hinge unit.

17. The keyboard of claim 4, further comprising a pipe hinge to prevent the keyboard body from being worn by the friction with the fixed hinge unit when the keyboard is folded and unfolded about the hinge unit.

6. A keyboard attached to a personal digital assistant (PDA) set, comprising:

a hinge unit having a connector to provide a keyboard input signal to the PDA, and upper and lower hinge covers;

a connection unit placed inside of the hinge unit and attachable in the front direction and the back direction to the PDA;

a keyboard body having a typing board, and a keypad formed therein to input a key pressed on the typing board; and

a keyboard rotation unit to connect the hinge unit and the keyboard body as one side of the rotation unit is connected with the hinge unit and the other side of the rotation unit is connected with the keyboard body, and the keyboard rotation unit having a flexibility to fold and unfold the keyboard body for 360°

about the hinge unit.

7. The keyboard of claim 6, wherein the keyboard body is made of plastic and the keyboard rotation unit is made of leather having appropriate flexibility and durability.

8. The keyboard of claim 6, wherein the keyboard rotation unit is made of cloth.

9. The keyboard of claim 6, wherein the connector is a pin contact connector connected with the keypad through a connection member.

10. The keyboard of claim 9, wherein the connection member comprises a conductive tape placed therein and a protective film to wrap and protect the conductive tape.

11. The keyboard of claim 10, wherein the protective film is urethane foam.

12. The keyboard of claim 6, wherein the lower hinge cover has a guide protrusion to inform an attaching position to the PDA.

13. The keyboard of claim 6, wherein the connection unit comprises a hook hinge to be inserted into the PDA and locked, and a spring or a plate spring to lock the hook hinge by pushing the hook hinge to a side.

14. The keyboard of claim 6, further comprising a magnet is disposed at right and left corners of the keyboard body in order to allow the keyboard body to be attached to the PDA when the keyboard body is folded or rotated by 360°

to be contacted with the screen of the PDA or with the back of the PDA.

18. The keyboard of claim 9, wherein the connection member passes through the inside of the keyboard rotation unit.

19. The keyboard of claim 7, wherein a magnet is disposed at right and left corners of the keyboard body in order to allow the keyboard body to be attached to the PDA when the keyboard is folded or rotated by 360°

to be contacted with the screen of the PDA or with the back of the PDA.

20. The keyboard of claim 8, further comprising a magnet disposed at right and left corners of the keyboard body in order to allow the keyboard body to be attached to the PDA when the keyboard is folded or rotated by 360°

to be contacted with the screen of the PDA or with the back of the PDA.

21. The keyboard of claim 9, wherein a magnet is disposed at right and left corners of the keyboard body in order to allow the keyboard body to be attached to the PDA when the keyboard is folded or rotated by 360°

to be contacted with the screen of the PDA or with the back of the PDA.

22. The keyboard of claim 12, wherein a magnet is disposed at right and left corners of the keyboard body in order to allow the keyboard body to be attached to the PDA when the keyboard is folded or rotated by 360°

to be contacted with the screen of the PDA or with the back of the PDA.

23. The keyboard of claim 13, wherein a magnet is disposed at right and left corners of the keyboard body in order to allow the keyboard body to be attached to the PDA when the keyboard is folded or rotated by 360°

to be contacted with the screen of the PDA or with the back of the PDA.

24. A keyboard and personal digital assistance (PDA) detachably connectable to each other in a forward and rearward direction such that the personal digital assistance can face toward or away from the keyboard.