Keyboard switch assembly having foldable printed circuit board, integral spacer and preformed depression-type alignment fold

• US 4,066,851 A
• Filed: 07/01/1976
• Issued: 01/03/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Parker Intangibles LLC (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Chomerics, Inc. (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Inventors: Seeger, Richard E., White, James N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, James R.
• Application Number:
  US05/701,508
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 200/1 R, 200/5 R, 200/5 A, 200/16 A, 200/159 B, 200/292, 200/340, 200/86 R, 317/101 F, 361/398
• US Class Current: 200/5.00A
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/403 Contacts forming part of a printed circuit multilayer keyboard switches H01H13/702; thumbwheel switches H01H19/001; for rotary switches with axial contact pressure H01H19/585
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/703 characterised by spacers between contact carrying layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2207/02 Solder
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/002 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/01 Increasing rigidity; Anti-creep
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2211/004 Adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2213/002 with external pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2213/01 with internal pressure of other switch sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/008 Part of substrate or membrane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/014 Slide selector
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/034 Bezel
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2227/002 Layer thickness
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2227/018 Printed contacts; Metal foil
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/002 Screen printing
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/004 Conductive ink
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/028 Adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/038 Folding of flexible printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/016 combined with start switch, discrete keyboard

Abstract

Keyboard construction using a sheet of flexible and resilient non-conductive material preferably non-conductive plastic which is preformed in a predetermined manner for supporting both contact means and contactor means and which is adapted to be folded so that the contact and contactor means are positionable in spaced apart alignment whereby upon depression electrical contact may be made between said contact means and said contactor means.

Claims

1. A keyboard component for a keyboard comprising a unitary sheet of flexible and resilient insulator plastic having first and second sections supporting contactors and contacts respectively and a tail section supporting terminals, said first section having protrusions supporting at least some of said contactors, said sections being disposed to one another in an L configuration with said first section forming one leg of said "L" and said tail section and said second section forming the other leg of said "L," said first section being foldable over said second section to align said contactors with said contacts, a contactor of an on-off switch supported by said first section, a contact of an on-off switch supported by said second section, said contactor and contact spaced substantially equidistant from the intersection of the legs of the L, a first circuit line supported by said first, second and tail sections, and extending across said intersection of the legs of the L, a second circuit line adjacent said first circuit line and supported by said second and tail sections, said first circuit line coupled to said contactor and said second circuit line coupled to said contact, and terminals supported by said tail, one terminal coupled to each circuit line and actuator means movable between on and off positions to cause said contactor to engage said contact when said actuator is in said on position.

2. The keyboard component of claim 1 in which said sheet includes a spacer as a part thereof having a plurality of openings therethrough for selective alignment with said contacts and contactors when folded between said first and second sections.

3. The keyboard component of claim 1 in which alignment means is positioned in said sheet between said first and second sections.

4. The keyboard component of claim 1, said sheet having a plurality of snapable protrusions supporting at least some of said contactors.

5. A keyboard comprising the component of claim 1 with the first section folded over said second section to align said contactors with said contacts and a spacer positioned between said first and second sections and having a plurality of openings, one opening in register with each aligned contactorcontact pair.

6. A keyboard comprising a unitary sheet of flexible and resilient insulator plastic having first and second sections for supporting at least some of contactors and contacts, said sections being relatively foldable with respect to each other, said sheet haing a foldable button retaining section having a plurality of openings, and buttons retained in said openings and movable to selectively urge said contactors against said contacts.

7. The keyboard of claim 6 wherein one of said sections has a plurality of snappable protrusions supporting said contactors, said protrusions in engagement with said buttons, and a spacer positioned between said first and second sections and having a plurality of openings, a different opening in register with a different one of said protrusions.

8. The keyboard of claim 7 in which said sheet includes a spacer section foldable between said first and second sections and having a plurality of openings in selective register with said contacts and contactors.

9. A keyboard component for a keyboard comprising a unitary sheet of flexible and resilient plastic having first and second sections, said first section supporting contractors and said second section supporting contacts on the same surface of the sheet and a preformed fold depression alignment means in said sheet between said first and second sections to align said contactors and contacts to one another when said sections are folded about said depression.

10. The component of claim 9 in which said depression is concave with respect to said sheet surface supporting said contactors and contacts.

11. The component of claim 10 in which said sheet has snappable protrusions formed therein which support said contactors.

12. The component of claim 9 in which said sheet has snappable protrusions formed therein which support said contactors.

13. The component of claim 9 in which at least one circuit line is supported by said sheet and extends across said depression between said sections and has the contour of said depression.

14. A keyboard comprising a unitary sheet of flexible and resilient plastic having first and second sections, said first section supporting contactors and said second section supporting contacts on the same surface of the sheet, a preformed fold depression alignment means in said sheet between said first and second sections to align said contactors and contacts to one another when said sections are folded about said depression, a spacer having a plurality of openings in selective alignment with said contactors and contacts and positioned at the center of a sandwich with the first and second sections folded about said spacer, said spacer extending into said depression and against the surface thereof to selectively align said openings with respect to said contactors and contacts, and means for retaining said sheet in a folded condition with said spacer between said first and second sections.

15. The keyboard of claim 14 in which said spacer is part of said sheet.

16. The keyboard of claim 14 in which said sheet includes snapable protrusions formed therein.

17. The keyboard of claim 16 in which the depression is concave with respect to the surface of said sheet supporting said contactors and contacts.