Keybar keyboard

• US 4,440,515 A
• Filed: 06/01/1982
• Issued: 04/03/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IBM Information Products Corp. (Ninestar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Nassimbene, Ernie G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wiecking, David A.
• Application Number:
  US06/383,921
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 400/472, 400/473, 400/474, 400/477, 400/478, 400/479, 400/479.1, 400/479.2, 400/485, 400/490, 400/492, 400/496, 178/17 C, 178/101-110, 200/5 R, 200/5 A, 235/145 R, 340/365 R, 340/365 C, 340/365 P, 340/365 L
• US Class Current: 400/479
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/70 having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard mounting together a plurality of independent switches H02B
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/807 characterised by the spatial arrangement of the contact sites, e.g. superimposed sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/034 Separate snap action
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/044 Elastic part on actuator or casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/022 other then row-column disposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/024 Common site to all actuators, e.g. auxiliary
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/026 above actuator
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2233/004 One molded part
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/006 Containing a capacitive switch or usable as such
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/022 with opto-electronic switch

Abstract

A keyboard (61) includes plural keybar actuators (11) each including plural keys (19, 23, 27, 31) hingedly interconnected (25, 29, 33) and a sensing device (13). The keys of a keybar actuator are all actuated by a common finger (45) in touch typing and therefore are not jointly actuated. Depression of one key causes the keybar actuator (11) to pivot and the sensing device (13) indicates which key is depressed depending upon the amount of keybar actuator rotation. Alternate sensing devices include individual contact switches (79-81) associated with each key.

Claims

1. A keyboard comprising:

a plurality of keybar actuators, said keybar actuators each comprising;

at least three keys interconnected one to the other and jointly movable in the same common direction about at least one common pivot upon depression of any key of a given keybar actuator, said remaining keybar actuators being independently pivoted to remain stationary during such movement of said given keybar actuator;

switch actuation means responsive to the movement in said common direction of any depressed key of said given keybar actuator to indicate which one of said at least three keys of said given keybar actuator was depressed upon movement of said given keybar actuator in said common direction.

2. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein each of said keys in each of said keybar actuators are hingedly connected to at least one other key in said keybar actuator.

3. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein said switch actuation means includes individual switches corresponding to each individual key of a keybar actuator, operator depression of a key actuating the associated individual switch.

4. The keyboard of claim 3 wherein each of said keys in each of said keybar actuators are hingedly connected to at least one other key in said keybar actuator and wherein said individual switches are located under each individual key.

5. The keyboard of claim 3 wherein said individual switches are located on top of each key and wherein said switch actuation means further includes a common switch actuated upon depression of any of said keys of a keybar actuator.

6. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein each of said keybar actuators has a single integral return spring for opposing key depression and for returning a depressed keybar actuator to an initial position.