Structure of computer keyboard (II)

• US 5,361,082 A
• Filed: 01/24/1994
• Issued: 11/01/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: EJT Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Silitek Corporation (Lite-On Technology Corporation)
• Inventors: Chung, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Weldon, Ulysses
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Application Number:
  US08/185,266
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 400/82, 400/472, 400/479, 400/486, 400/489, 345/168, 361/680, D14/115
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 5/10 Arrangements of keyboards , e.g. key button disposition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0216 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of a keyboard for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1664
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/028 on planes with different or alterable inclination, e.g. convex plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/034 Support for hands or arms
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/05 composed of hingedly connected sections

Abstract

A computer keyboard includes two symmetrical parts, each consisted of a bottom shell supported on a common base plate above a common bottom plate, and a top shell supported on the respective bottom shell, wherein the bottom shell has inverted T-rods made to slide in respective arched slots on the base plate, a locating block made to slide in a guide groove on the base plate; the base plate has a spring stop strip terminated to a projecting potion engaged into a serrated side wall of the locating block of the bottom shell; a lifting mechanism is connected between the top and bottom shells and controlled to turn the top shell on mounting lugs on the bottom shell permitting the top shell to be moved from a horizontal position to a sloping position or from the sloping position to the horizontal position.

Claims

1. A computer keyboard comprising a bottom plate, a base plate affixed to said bottom plate at the top, a bottom shell supported on said base plate, and a top shell supported on said bottom shell to hold a set of key switches, wherein said base plate comprises a plurality of arched slots, each arched slot having one end terminated to an expanded hole, an arched guide groove, and a spring stop plate having one end terminated to a projecting portion;

said bottom shell comprises two opposite mounting lugs spaced at one lateral outer side thereof pivoted to respective mounting lugs on said top shell for permitting said top shell to be turned above the mounting lugs on said bottom shell, a plurality of inverted T-rods made to slide in the arched slots on said base plate, and an arched locating block having a serrated side wall engaged with the projection portion of said spring stop plate;

moving said top shell horizontally causes said inverted T-rods of said bottom shell to slide in the arched slots on said base plate, and therefore the horizontal position of said top and bottom shells relative to said base plate is changed.

2. The computer keyboard of claim 1 wherein each arched slot of said base plate has one end terminated to an expanded hole through which either inverted T-rod of said bottom shell is inserted into the respective plurality of arched slots.

3. The computer keyboard of claim 2 wherein said bottom plate comprises a plurality of blocks raised from a top surface thereof respectively fitted into the expanded hole on either arched slot of said bottom shell.