Deployable keyboard device including displaceable keybutton positions for portable miniature electronic devices

• US 20050042014A1
• Filed: 08/23/2004
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAST Associates LLC
• Original Assignee: RAST Associates LLC
• Inventors: Lahr, Roy J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,104,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 400/490
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• 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 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 13/86 characterised by the casing, e.g. sealed casings or casings reducible in size
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/052 reductible in size, e.g. for transportation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0237 Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts
• 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

In a miniature keyboard, keybuttons may shift their relative positions from a relatively smaller array when stored to deployment which results in a relatively larger array for active keyboard use. An application for this positional adjustment is the use of the keyboard for inputting data with fingertips when used with portable miniature electronic devices, e.g., small cellphones.

Claims

1. A keyboard adapted for use in connection with an electronic device, comprising:

a fabric elastically stretchable in a substantially single plane in at least one direction between an expanded position and a contracted position; and

a plurality of keycaps arranged on the fabric, each keycap corresponding to a respective key of the electronic device, a spacing between adjacent keycaps in the at least one direction expandable and contractible in accordance with and proportional to expansion and contraction of the fabric between the expanded position of the fabric and the contracted position of the fabric;

wherein the fabric in the contracted position is arranged to be substantially entirely received in a housing of the electronic device.

2. The keyboard according to claim 1, wherein each keycap includes an indication of a corresponding numeral.

3. The keyboard according to claim 1, wherein each keycap includes an indication of at least one corresponding alphanumeric character.

4. The keyboard according to claim 1, further comprising a frame including substantially rigid elements extendable and contractible in the at least one direction.

5. The keyboard according to claim 4, wherein the substantially rigid elements include a plurality of rigid elements configured to telescope in the at least one direction.

6. The keyboard according to claim 4, wherein the substantially rigid elements include a plurality of drawer elements, the drawer elements configured to be received in the housing of the electronic device in a storage position and extendable from the housing of the electronic device into a keyboard data entry position.

7. The keyboard according to claim 5, wherein the rigid elements are substantially tubular.

8. The keyboard according to claim 1, further comprising at least one substantially rigid panel arranged on a side of the fabric opposite the keycaps.

9. The keyboard according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of substantially rigid panels arranged on a side of the fabric opposite the keycaps, the panels configured to be stacked in the contracted position of the fabric, the panels movable relative to each other in the at least one direction in accordance with expansion and contraction of the fabric between the expanded position of the fabric and the contracted position of the fabric.

10. The keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the fabric is elastically stretchable in the substantially single plane in two perpendicular directions.

11. The keyboard according to claim 1, further comprising a connection layer arranged on a side of the fabric opposite the keycaps.

12. The keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the keycaps are elastically expandable and contractible in the at least one direction in accordance with and proportional to expansion and contraction of the fabric.

13. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing; and

a keyboard including;

a fabric elastically stretchable in a substantially single plane in at least one direction between an expanded position and a contracted position; and

a plurality of keycaps arranged on the fabric, each keycap corresponding to a respective key of the electronic device, a spacing between adjacent keycaps in the at least one direction expandable and contractible in accordance with and proportional to expansion and contraction of the fabric between the expanded position of the fabric and the contracted position of the fabric;

wherein the fabric in the contracted position is arranged to be substantially entirely received in the housing.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the fabric is elastically stretchable in the substantially single plane in two perpendicular directions.

15. The electronic device according to claim 13, further comprising an ambient light sensor and a light configured to illuminate the keycaps in the expanded position of the fabric based on an ambient light level determined by the ambient light sensor.

16. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein each keycap includes an indication of a corresponding numeral.

17. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein each keycap includes an indication of at least one corresponding alphanumeric character.

18. The electronic device according to claim 13, further comprising a frame including substantially rigid elements extendable and contractible in the at least one direction.

19. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the substantially rigid elements include a plurality of rigid elements configured to telescope in the at least one direction.

20. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the substantially rigid elements include a plurality of drawer elements, the drawer elements configured to be received in the housing in a storage position and extendable from the housing into a keyboard entry position.

21. The electronic device according to claim 19, wherein the rigid elements are substantially tubular.

22. The electronic device according to claim 13, further comprising at least one substantially rigid panel arranged on a side of the fabric opposite the keycaps.

23. The electronic device according to claim 13, further comprising a plurality of substantially rigid panels arranged on a side of the fabric opposite the keycaps, the panels configured to be stacked in the contracted position of the fabric, the panels movable relative to each other in the at least one direction in accordance with expansion and contraction of the fabric between the expanded position of the fabric and the contracted position of the fabric.

24. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the fabric is elastically stretchable in the substantially single plane in two perpendicular directions.

25. The electronic device according to claim 13, further comprising a connection layer arranged on a side of the fabric opposite the keycaps.

26. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the electronic device is configured as a wireless telephone.

27. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the keycaps are elastically expandable and contractible in the at least one direction in accordance with and proportional to expansion and contraction of the fabric

28. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing; and

a keyboard including;

a fabric elastically stretchable in a substantially single plane in at least one direction between an expanded position and a contracted position; and

a plurality of keycaps arranged on the fabric, each keycap corresponding to a respective key of the electronic device, a spacing between adjacent keycaps in the at least one direction expandable and contractible in accordance with and proportional to expansion and contraction of the fabric between the expanded position of the fabric and the contracted position of the fabric;

wherein the fabric in the contracted position has a width and a length in the substantially single plane not greater than a width and a length of the housing.