Expandable Keyboard Device

• US 20120287562A1
• Filed: 04/27/2012
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Inventors: Wu, Wen-Chin, Chiu, Teng-Yi, Pan, Yen-Ting, Kao, Yi-Sheng, Dai, Hish-Bin
• Granted Patent: US 8,913,376 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• 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 1/1626 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 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/917 Video display screen support

Abstract

An expandable keyboard device includes a keyboard, and a supporting assembly having interconnected first and second panels. The second panel is adapted to connect with an electronic device. The supporting assembly is movable relative to the keyboard between an unfolded state, where the first panel extends upwardly relative to the keyboard for supporting the electronic device above the keyboard, and a folded state, where the second panel along with the electronic device cover the keyboard. An electrical connector is disposed in the housing for electrical connection with the electronic device. A connecting unit interconnects the supporting assembly and the keyboard.

Claims

1. An expandable keyboard device for used in conjunction with an electronic device, the electronic device having a display surface and a bottom end, said expandable keyboard device comprising:

a keyboard including a housing and a plurality of keys provided on said housing;

a supporting assembly including a first panel and a second panel connected to said first panel, said second panel being adapted to connect with the electronic device, said supporting assembly being movable relative to said keyboard between an unfolded state and a folded state, said first panel extending upwardly relative to said keyboard for supporting the electronic device above said keyboard when said supporting assembly is in said unfolded state so that the bottom end of the electronic device abuts against said keyboard rearwardly of said keys and so that the display surface faces frontwardly, said second panel and the electronic device covering said keyboard when said supporting assembly is in said folded state;

an electrical connector disposed in said housing for electrical connection with the electronic device; and

a connecting unit interconnecting said supporting assembly and said housing;

wherein said supporting assembly is movable relative to said keyboard through said connecting unit.

2. The expandable keyboard device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing has a top face, and a receiving groove extending downwardly from said top face rearwardly of said keys, said electrical connector being disposed movably in said receiving groove, said receiving groove being adapted to receive the bottom end of the electronic device when the electronic device abuts against said keyboard, said electrical connector being adapted to mate with the bottom end of the electronic device.

3. The expandable keyboard device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said keyboard further includes a bearing plate pivoted to said housing and disposed in said receiving groove for supporting the bottom end of the electronic device, said electrical connector being engaged to said bearing plate so that said bearing plate can move along with said electrical connector in said receiving groove.

4. The expandable keyboard device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said housing further includes a first inclined wall and a second inclined wall both connected to and disposed lower than said top face, said first and second inclined walls being connected to each other to form a substantially V-shaped structure that defines said receiving groove, said first inclined wall being proximate to said keys and including a first plate section connected to said second inclined wall, and a second plate section connected to said first plate section and said top face of said housing and having a slope smaller than that of said first plate section, said bearing plate having a substantially V-shaped structure and including interconnected first and second bearing plate portions, said first inclined wall facing said first bearing plate portion, said second inclined wall facing said second bearing plate portion, said electrical connector being engaged to said first bearing plate portion.

5. The expandable keyboard device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said keyboard further includes a magnetic element proximate to said electrical connector for magnetically attracting the bottom end of the electronic device.

6. The expandable keyboard device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connecting unit includes a flexible sheet connected to said housing and said first panel.

7. The expandable keyboard device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said flexible sheet is made of rubber, and has a wavy surface that includes a plurality of alternately arranged horizontally extending ridges and grooves.

8. The expandable keyboard device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said first panel includes a panel body and a pad body connected to said panel body, said pad body being formed integrally as one piece with said flexible sheet, said second panel being connected to said pad body through an insert injection molding process, said flexible sheet being connected to a portion of said housing through an insert injection molding process.

9. The expandable keyboard device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said second panel includes two clamping structures provided respectively on left and right sides of said second panel for clamping the electronic device therebetween.

10. The expandable keyboard device as claimed in claim 9, the electronic device further has two opposite sides each formed with an engaging slot, wherein each of said clamping structures includes a clamping arm and an auxiliary clamping arm extending frontwardly from said second panel and spaced apart from each other in a top-bottom direction, said clamping arm having an inner face adapted to face the electronic device, and a projection formed on the inner face for engaging the engaging slot in a respective side of the electronic device, said auxiliary clamping arm being adapted to abut against the respective side of the electronic device.

11. The expandable keyboard device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said flexible sheet has an inner side facing said keyboard, said connecting unit further including a stop piece provided on said inner side of said flexible sheet and adapted to abut against the bottom end of the electronic device when said supporting assembly is in said folded state.

12. The expandable keyboard device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connecting unit includes a slide plate slidable forward and rearward relative to said housing, said first panel being pivoted to and movable along with said slide plate.

16. The expandable keyboard device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said supporting assembly further includes an adhesive layer provided on said second panel, and a lower abutment piece and an upper abutment piece respectively provided on said first and second panels, said adhesive layer being adapted to connect releasably the electronic device to said second panel, said upper abutment piece being adapted to abut against a top end of the electronic device, said lower abutment piece being adapted to abut against the bottom end of the electronic device when said supporting assembly is in said folded state.

17. The expandable keyboard device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said second inclined wall is formed with an aperture, said connecting unit including a slide plate slidable forward and rearward relative to said housing, said first panel being pivoted to and movable along with said slide plate, said slide plate including a plate body and a protrusion protruding from said plate body toward said aperture, when said slide plate slides frontwardly relative to said housing, said protrusion extends through said aperture and abuts against said bearing plate.

13. The expandable keyboard device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said housing has a rear end, a slide groove extending frontwardly from said rear end, and left and right sidewalls cooperatively defining said slide groove, one of said sidewalls being provided with a through slot that communicates with said slide groove, said one of said sidewalls having an inner wall face facing said slide groove, and a plurality of positioning recesses formed on said inner wall face and arranged along said through slot, said connecting unit further including a resilient engaging element connected to said slide plate and extendable outwardly and resiliently through said through slot, said resilient engaging element being releasably retained in one of said positioning recesses to limit sliding movement of said slide plate relative to said housing.

14. The expandable keyboard device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said resilient engaging element includes a deformable portion fixed to said slide plate, and a press portion connected to said deformable portion, said press portion being exposed through said through slot.

15. The expandable keyboard device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said deformable portion is substantially annular in shape, said resilient engaging element further including a stud projecting from said deformable portion toward said press portion to limit an amount of distance that said press portion is moved when pressed.