Keyboard elastomeric cover with buttons having changeable legends
First Claim
1. In a keyboard assembly having a printed circuit board with conductive paths and dome switches coacting with said paths, and a cover member for said board, wherein said board includes fastening means for mounting the assembly on a support panel, the improvement being in the cover member which comprises an elastomeric boot overlying the board and sealing said board to said support panel against the entry of contaminants, said boot having coacting button and dome actuating portions aligned with said dome switches, sealing means disposed peripherally of the board and between the board and panel, and alignemnt bosses matingly received in sockets formed in the board to maintain the dome actuating portions in alignment with said dome switches.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A keyboard elastomeric cover which includes buttons or keys having changeable legends, sealing means for sealing the cover to a switch subassembly and alignment bosses or posts coacting with the subassembly to maintain proper alignment between the buttons or keys and the switches on the subassembly.
52 Citations
12 Claims
- 1. In a keyboard assembly having a printed circuit board with conductive paths and dome switches coacting with said paths, and a cover member for said board, wherein said board includes fastening means for mounting the assembly on a support panel, the improvement being in the cover member which comprises an elastomeric boot overlying the board and sealing said board to said support panel against the entry of contaminants, said boot having coacting button and dome actuating portions aligned with said dome switches, sealing means disposed peripherally of the board and between the board and panel, and alignemnt bosses matingly received in sockets formed in the board to maintain the dome actuating portions in alignment with said dome switches.
- 8. In a keyboard having a printed circuit board with conductive paths and dome switches coacting with said paths, and a cover member for said board, wherein said board includes fastening means for mounting the assembly on a support panel, the improvment being in the cover member which includes a body of elastomeric material coacting with the board having means for actuating said dome switches and means for sealing the board to the panel against contaminants, said body having a panel portion in parallel spaced relation to said board and a peripheral portion engaging the edges of the board and extending between the board and the support panel, said panel portion having buttons and dome actuating portions aligned with said dome switches and a plurality of alignment bosses or posts matingly received in openings formed in the board to maintain the dome actuating portions in alignment with said dome switches, and said peripheral portion having O-ring sealing means disposed between the board and the panel.
- 11. A keyboard cover for a switch subassembly having a plurality of dome switches on a printed circuit board, said cover comprising a one-piece body of elastomeric material having a panel portion disposed in parallel relation to said printed circuit board and a peripheral portion extending over and under the periphery of said board, said panel portion including a plurality of combination button-dome actuating portions, one for each dome switch and in alignment therewith, each dome actuating portion being on the side of the panel portion facing said board and in engagement with a dome switch for actuating same, each button being on the other side of the panel portion and having a socket means for removably receiving a changeable legend insert, and seal means on said peripheral portion for sealing the switch subassembly to a support panel against environmental contamination.
Specification