FLEXIBLE KEYBOARD ASSEMBLY

• US 20140069791A1
• Filed: 03/31/2013
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Chu, Pai-Cheng, Lin, Tzu-Pin, Chen, Chih-Wei, Milhe, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 9,443,673 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/5.A
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/704 characterised by the layers, e.g. by their material or structure H01H13/703 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/86 characterised by the casing, e.g. sealed casings or casings reducible in size
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/88 Processes specially adapted for manufacture of rectilinearly movable switches having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2009/187 having symbols engraved or printed by laser
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2203/0085 Layered switches integrated into garment, clothes or textile
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/002 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/026 metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/068 Properties of the membrane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/006 Only mechanical function
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/036 Metallic disc
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/028 Printed information
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/05 Force concentrator; Actuating dimple
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/046 convertible
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/05 composed of hingedly connected sections
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/052 reductible in size, e.g. for transportation
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/006 Pad transfer printing
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/028 Adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/044 : Injection moulding
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2237/004 : Cantilever
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/125 : using a scissor mechanism as stabiliser
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 : Switch making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method of assembling a folio case. The method comprises molding a set of molded key caps over a flexible fabric layer to form a fabric key cap layer, where the key caps do not pass through the flexible fabric layer. The method further comprises affixing a first portion of the flexible key cap layer opposite the set of molded key caps to an interior portion of a housing, and affixing an intermediate layer between the interior portion of the housing and a second portion of the fabric key cap layer corresponding to the set of molded key caps opposite the first portion. The method further comprises attaching a first portion of a holder to the first portion of the flexible key cap layer configured to receive a computing device, wherein a second portion of the holder is not fixedly attached to the flexible key cap layer.

Claims

1. A method of assembling a folio case comprising:

molding a set of molded key caps over a flexible fabric layer to form a fabric key cap layer, wherein the key caps do not pass through the flexible fabric layer;

affixing a first portion of the flexible key cap layer opposite the set of molded key caps to an interior portion of a housing;

affixing an intermediate layer between the interior portion of the housing and a second portion of the fabric key cap layer corresponding to the set of molded key caps opposite the first portion; and

attaching a first portion of a holder to the first portion of the flexible key cap layer configured to receive a computing device, wherein a second portion of the holder is not fixedly attached to the flexible key cap layer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

placing an adhesive on a plurality of locations of the fabric key cap layer, wherein each of the plurality of locations corresponds to a center of a corresponding molded key cap on the intermediate layer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the placement of the adhesive for the corresponding set of keys disposed on the fabric key cap layer is limited to a threshold of less than half of the size of the corresponding set of keys disposed on the intermediate layer.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the placement of the adhesive for the corresponding set of keys disposed on the fabric key cap layer is limited to an area of approximately 5 mm in diameter.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the housing is attached to the fabric key cap layer with an adhesive along a portion of the housing and the fabric key cap layer opposite from the portion of the fabric key cap layer with the set of molded key caps disposed thereon.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer is composed of one or more of set of keys disposed on the intermediate layer, a circuit board, and a power source.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the set of keys have a scissor and dome structure.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the set of keys have a metal dome structure.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the placement of the adhesive on the plurality of locations of the fabric key cap layer corresponds to the placement of the set of molded key caps on the fabric key cap layer.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

molding the set of molded key caps over the flexible fabric layer to form the fabric key cap layer.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a set of input structures disposed on a support base fixedly attached to an intermediate layer;

a first set of molded key caps on each input structure in the set of input structures; and

a second set of molded key caps disposed on a flexible fabric, wherein the flexible fabric is bonded to the first set of molded key caps, wherein the placement of the second set of molded key caps on a flexible fabric corresponds to the placement of the first set of molded key caps on the intermediate layer.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the flexible fabric is bonded to the first set of molded key caps by an adhesive disposed on the flexible fabric at locations corresponding to each of the key caps in the first set of molded key caps, and wherein the flexible fabric is bonded with a top case to form a flexible fabric layer.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the flexible fabric layer is held in tension.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the flexible fabric layer deforms when the plastic keycap is depressed.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the surface of the flexible fabric layer is generally planar.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the input structures are input keys capable of providing instructions to a computing device.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the intermediate layer further includes one or more circuit boards, power sources, and magnets.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein an amount of adhesive disposed on the flexible fabric is sufficient to bond to the first set of molded key caps to the second set of molded key caps, and wherein pressing on one of the molded key caps in the second set of molded key caps does not affect more than the one of the molded key caps in the first set of molded key caps affixed to the pressed molded key cap.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second set of molded key caps disposed on the flexible fabric do not pass through the flexible fabric.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the intermediate layer is affixed to a housing.

21. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a holder affixed to the flexible fabric is configured to hold a computing device.

22. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second set of molded key caps disposed on a flexible fabric are comprised of a flexible material.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the flexible material of the second set of molded key caps disposed on a flexible fabric is a polyurethane (PU).

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the flexible material of the second set of molded key caps is made of a different material than the flexible fabric layer.