Compressible/expandable keyboard with adjustable key spacing

• US 5,141,343 A
• Filed: 07/09/1991
• Issued: 08/25/1992
• 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): Crowder, Clifford D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Funk, Stephen R.
• Application Number:
  US07/727,198
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 400/472, 400/477, 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 contractible keyboard assembly comprising:

a keyboard comprising a plurality of means for selectively, manually entering digital information, said means collectively occupying a given space, and

means for simultaneously adjusting each of said means to increase or decrease the space occupied by the digital information entering means including means to dimensionally shrink or enlarge the keyboard to collectively change at least one peripheral dimension of said given space without reorientation relative to each other of the plurality of means for entering digital information.

2. The extendible and contractible keyboard assembly according to claim 1 wherein the selectively, manually digital information entering means comprise keys and associated electrical switches.

3. The extendible and contractible keyboard assembly according to claim 2 wherein the adjusting means comprise means for maintaining a proportionally constant spacing between the keys as the keyboard is extended and contracted.

4. The extendible and contractible keyboard assembly according to claim 2 wherein the adjusting means comprise locking means whereby spacing between the keys is selectively fixed in an extended predetermined arrangement.

5. The extendible and contractible keyboard assembly according to claim 2 wherein the selectively, manually entering means further comprise means for electronically transmitting entered digital information from the keyboard.

6. The extendible and contractible keyboard assembly according to claim 5 wherein the electronic transmitting means comprise means for communicating with the associated electrical switches.

7. A method for collectively changing the size of a keyboard comprising the steps of:

providing for selectively manual entry of digital information into the keyboard at digital information entry sites forming an array at the keyboard;

linearly changing the size of the digital information entering array while substantially maintaining proportionally constant spacing between the digital information entry sites;

thereafter, selectively manually entering digital information into the keyboard at said entry sites.

8. A linearly adjustable assembly for manual entry of digital data comprising:

a keyboard comprising a plurality of digital input keys and switches having a predetermined relative switch-to-switch ordination disposed generally in a two dimensional plane for selectively, manually entering digital information into the keyboard and, further comprising, means for extending and contracting the plurality of digital input keys and switches as a unit and at the same time thereby respectively increasing and decreasing inter-switch distances such that the side of the keyboard is changed generally within said two dimensional plane.

9. A linearly adjustable assembly for manual entry of digital data comprising:

a keyboard comprising;

means disposed generally in a two dimensional plane for selectively, manually entering digital information into the keyboard;

means for collectively extending and contracting the digital inflation entering means solely in at least one linear direction such that the size of the keyboard is changed generally within said two dimensional plane;

the digital information entering means comprising means for disabling the keyboard in the contracted state and means enabling the keyboard in the extended state.

10. The assembly according to claim 9 wherein the entering means comprise keys and associated electrical switches.

11. A linearly adjustable assembly for manual entry of digital data comprising:

a keyboard comprising;

means disposed generally in a two dimensional plane for selectively, manually entering digital information into the keyboard;

means for collectively extending and contracting the digital inflation entering means solely in at least one linear direction such that the size of the keyboard is changed generally within said two dimensional plane, said entering means comprising keys and associated electrical switches;

the extending and contracting means further comprising means for substantially maintaining proportionally constant spacing between the keys as the keyboard is extended and contracted.

12. The assembly according to claim 11 wherein the extending and contracting means comprise locking means whereby spacing between the keys is fixed after being adjusted to a predetermined position.

13. The assembly according to claim 11 further comprising electronic transmitting means which comprise means in communication with the electrical switches and for maintaining the digital information entering means in a selected position.

14. The assembly according to claim 11 further comprising means for electronically transmitting digital information entered at the keys and communicated across the electrical switches.

15. A method for collectively changing the generally two dimensional, generally planar extending array of digital entry sites of a keyboard between a contracted smaller generally planar size and an expanded, substantially larger generally planar size comprising the steps of:

providing for manual entry of digital information at the entry sites into the keyboard;

collectively physically enlarging the two dimensional, generally planar size of the array of digital entry sites whereby the relative, proportional distance between juxtaposed entry sites remains substantially the same as the general planar size of the array is substantially increased;

selectively manually entering digital information into the keyboard at the entry sites.

16. A method for contracting an extendible and contractible substantially planar oriented keyboard from occupying an extended, substantially planar, relatively large space to a contracted, substantially planar, relatively small space, comprising the steps of:

providing means for entering digital information into the keyboard which means further comprise means for individually, selectively digitally entering information and electrical switches associated therewith;

compressing the means for entering digital information in at least one dimension while preserving said substantially planar orientation whereby the relative, proportional distance between the digital information entering means remains substantially the same and the inter-switch distance thereof and the space required therefor is substantially decreased.

17. A combination comprising:

a housing comprising a storage and transport compartment;

a dimensionally variable keyboard means comprising means which selectively accommodate reduced size storage of the keyboard means entirely within said compartment and selectively accommodate enlarged size utilization of the keyboard means;

said keyboard means further comprising means for digitally entering data comprising an array of keys, spacings between the keys, and means by which the spacings are proportionally varied as the keyboard means are expanded and compressed.