Compressible/expandable keyboard with adjustable key spacing

• US 5,044,798 A
• Filed: 10/09/1990
• Issued: 09/03/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James R. Lang, RAST Associates LLC
• Original Assignee: William H. Roylance
• Inventors: Roylance, William H., Roylance, Byron D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Funk, Stephen R.
• Application Number:
  US07/594,875
• Time in Patent Office: 329 Days
• Field of Search: 400/472, 400/477, 400/479, 400/488, 400/489, 400/492, 400/495, 340/711, 340/712, 235/145 A, 235/145 R, 235/146, 200/5 R
• US Class Current: 400/472
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 5/10 Arrangements of keyboards , e.g. key button disposition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0221 Arrangements for reducing keyboard size for transport or storage, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F3/0216 takes precedence; for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1666
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/052 reductible in size, e.g. for transportation

Abstract

An extensible and compressible keyboard for application in computer, calculator, typewriter, and other similar applications where storage space is a premium. The keyboard provides adjustable spacing between the keys whereby a compact storage unit is expanded to a full-size, full function, and normally spaced standard keyboard or, as importantly, to a size which best fits the fingers of an individual user.

Claims

1. An extendible and contractable keyboard, comprising:

a housing which is extensible and compressible in at least one dimension;

frame means which attach to and extend and compress with said housing;

a plurality of keyboard switching means attached to and positionally dependent upon the extension and compression of said frame means whrein the keyboard switching means intercomponent spacing varies as the frame means extends and compresses;

means for electrically interconnecting said keyboard switching means to a keyboard electronic control and timing circuit means;

said interconnecting means being capable of retaining a predetermined juxtaposed position at each connection to said keyboard switching means as the frame means extends and compresses.

2. An extendible and contractable keyboard according to claim 1 wherein said keyboard switching means comprise a plurality of keypads, stems, and switches wherein vertical travel of each keypad during switching is a distance greater than the thickness of said keypad.

3. An extendible and contractable keyboard according to claim 2 wherein selected keypads are shaped to steer adjacent keypads under the selected keypads as adjoining keypads contact during compaction such that the keyboard is able to contract to a surface space substantially less than the total surface area of all said keypads.

4. An extendible and contractable keyboard according to claim 1 wherein said keyboard switching means comprise a plurality of keypads, stems and switches wherein each keypad is hinged on an associated stem such that any key of the keyboard may be returnably canted from the horizontal.

5. An extendible and contractable keyboard according to claim 4 wherein said keypads comprise vertical offsetting means which steer adjacent keypads upon contact during compaction to at least partially nest under an adjoining keypad and provide a keyboard having a surface space less than the sum of the area of all of the keypads.

6. An extendible and contractable keyboard according to claim 1 wherein the change in intercomponent spacing is proportional to the change in the dimensions of said frame means.

7. An extendible and contractable keyboard according to claim 1 wherein the intercomponent spacing is adjustable within dimensions determined by the maximum outer protraction of the keyboard and the dimension reached during compaction whereat contact is made between at least two separate switching means.

8. An extendible and contractable keyboard according to claim 1 further comprising integral dust cover protecting means.

9. An extendible and contractable keyboard according to claim 1 wherein said frame means comprise means for determining alignment of the switching means at all extended and compressed positions.

10. An extendible and contractable keyboard according to claim 1 wherein said frame means comprise switch attachment means which interconnect said keyboard switching means to said frame means.

11. An extendible and contractable keyboard according to claim 10 wherein said switch attachment means further comprise means which provide strain relief for the interconnecting means.

12. An extendible and contractable keyboard according to claim 1 wherein said frame means comprise means for achieving a relatively uniform intercomponent spacing in one direction as the frame means is moved in that direction, while maintaining a substantially constant intercomponent spacing in other dimensions.

13. An extendible and contractable keyboard according to claim 1 wherein said keyboard switching means comprise keypads which have a nesting relationship with each other.

14. An extendible and contractable keyboard according to claim 1 wherein said keyboard switching means comprise keypads having finger contact dimensions which are essentially standard in the keyboard industry.

15. An extendible and contractable keyboard according to claim 14 wherein the surface area of the keyboard when the switching means are compacted is substantially less than the total combined surface area of the keypads.

16. An extendible and contractable keyboard according to claim 1 wherein said interconnecting means comprise a single printed wiring sheet having parts selectively removed such that during compaction of an assembled keyboard, only simple or unidirectional bending or folding occurs.

17. An extendible and contractable keyboard according to claim 1 wherein said interconnecting means comprise at least one area which does not fold or move relative to at least one part of said housing and whereat the electronic control and timing circuit means are housed.

18. An extendible and contractable keyboard comprising:

a housing which is extendible and compressible in two dimensions while remaining substantially unchanged in a third dimension;

frame means which attach to and extend and compress with said housing;

a plurality of keyboard switching means attached to and positionally dependent upon the extension and compression of said frame means wherein the keyboard switching means intercomponent spacing varies as the frame means extends and compresses;

means for electrically interconnecting said keyboard switching means and electronic control and timing circuit means

said interconnecting means pliably unfolding and gathering whereby a predetermined juxtaposed position at each connection to said keyboard switching means is retained as the frame means extends and compresses.

19. A method for adjusting the spacing of an extendible and contractible keyboard to match the desired finger travel of a user, comprising the following steps:

a. providing an extendible and contractable keyboard housing comprising the extendible and contractible keyboard;

b. extending or compressing the housing of the keyboard laterally until inter-column keypad distances match a desired inter-column keypad distance;

c. extending or compressing the housing of the keyboard in a direction normal to the direction of extending or compressing of step b until the inter-row keypad distances match a desired row-to-row distance.

20. A method according to claim 19 further comprising the step of repeating steps b and c.

21. An extendible and contractible frame for a keyboard comprising:

a plurality of keyboard switching means attached to and positionally dependent upon the extension and compression of said frame and means providing for extension and contraction of the space between each pair of adjacent keyboard switching means responsive to extension and contraction of the keyboard;

means for electrically interconnecting said keyboard switching means to a electronic control and timing circuit means

said interconnecting means pliably unfolding and gathering whereby a predetermined juxtaposed position at each connection to said keyboard switching means is retained as the frame extends and compresses.

22. An extendible and contractable keyboard comprising:

a housing which is extendable and compressible in two dimensions while remaining unchanged in a third dimension;

frame means which attach to and extend and compress with said housing;

a plurality of keyboard switching means attached to and positionally dependent upon the extension and compression of said frame means wherein the keyboard switching means intercomponent spacing varies as the frame means extends and compresses;

means for electrically interconnecting said keyboard switching means to a electronic control and timing circuit means

said interconnecting means pliably unfolding and gathering whereby a predetermined juxtaposed position at each connection to said keyboard switching means is retained as the frame means extends and compresses.

23. An extendible and contractible keyboard for varying the spacing between the keys without requiring individual adjustment of the keys, said keyboard comprising:

a plurality of keyboard switching means and means providing for extension and contraction of the space between each pair of adjacent keys responsive to extension and contraction of the keyboard;

electrical interconnection means which retain electrical connection between the keyboard switching means as the spacing of keys varies.