Collapsible computer keyboard structure with associated collapsible pointing stick

• US 5,621,610 A
• Filed: 06/04/1996
• Issued: 04/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Moore, Paul M., Sellers, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US08/658,001
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• Field of Search: 364/708.1, 345/160, 345/161, 345/168, 345/169, 345/184, 400/472, 400/479, 400/488-492, 400/682, 400/691-693, 200/5 A, 200/6 A, 361/680, 361/683
• US Class Current: 361/679.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1666 Arrangements for reducing the size of the integrated keyboard for transport, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F1/1664 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/705 characterised by construction, mounting or arrangement of operating parts, e.g. push-buttons or keys
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/068 having a not operable condition
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/125 using a scissor mechanism as stabiliser

Abstract

A notebook computer is provided with a collapsible keyboard structure in which, in response to closing of the computer housing lid, the key return spring portions of the keyboard are shifted away from their normal underlying relationships with the keys and the keys are forcibly retracted to a storage/transport orientation in which the overall thickness of the keyboard structure is reduced by an amount essentially equal to the stroke distance of the keys. When the lid is subsequently opened, the key return spring portions are shifted back to their normal underlying relationships with the keys, and the keys are forced outwardly by the return spring portions to their extended, operative orientations above the return spring portions. Incorporated into the collapsible keyboard structure is a cursor position control pointing stick device that is automatically retracted to a collapsed orientation in response to a corresponding collapsing of the keys, and automatically extended back to a use orientation in response to a corresponding return of the keys to their extended use orientations.

Claims

1. A keyboard structure for an electronic device having a screen upon which a movable cursor may be displayed, said keyboard structure comprising:

a keyboard support structure;

a mutually spaced series of keys each carried on said keyboard support structure for movement relative thereto, in a first direction between extended use and retracted storage/transport positions;

resilient means associated with said series of keys and operative to resiliently bias them toward said extended use positions thereof;

cursor positioning means operative to generate a signal useable to selectively vary the screen position of the cursor, said cursor positioning means including a manual force-receiving pointing stick device positioned and extending outwardly between a plurality of said keys, said pointing stick device being supported for shifting movement in said first direction between extended use and retracted storage/transport positions; and

shifting means operable to selectively and forcibly shift said pointing stick device between said extended use and retracted storage/transport positions thereof.

2. The keyboard structure of claim 1 wherein said keyboard structure is a computer keyboard structure.

3. The keyboard structure of claim 2 wherein said computer keyboard structure is a portable computer keyboard structure.

4. The keyboard structure of claim 1 wherein:

said shifting means are further operable to forcibly shift said keys to said extended positions thereof during shifting of said pointing stick device to its extended position, and to forcibly shift said keys to said retracted positions thereof during shifting of said pointing stick device to its retracted position.

5. The keyboard structure of Claim 4 wherein:

said resilient means and said series of keys are shiftable relative to one another between a first position in which said resilient means engage said series of keys and resiliently bias them toward said extended positions thereof, and a second position in which said resilient means are disengaged from said series of keys and permit them to be moved to said retracted positions thereof without deforming said resilient means; and

said shifting means are operable to selectively shift said resilient means and said series of keys between said first and second positions thereof.

6. The keyboard structure of claim 5 wherein:

said shifting means are further operative to forcibly move said series of keys to said retracted positions thereof in response to relative movement of said resilient means and said series of keys from said first position to said first position.

7. The keyboard structure of claim 5 wherein:

said shifting means are operable to create a relative positional shift between said resilient means and said series of keys in a second direction transverse to said first direction.

8. The keyboard structure of claim 5 wherein:

said resilient means have spaced apart deformable portions that are aligned with and underlie said series of keys when said resilient means and said series of keys are in said first position thereof.

9. The keyboard structure of claim 8 wherein:

said deformable portions of said resilient means are defined by a spaced series of elastomeric key return dome members.

10. The keyboard structure of claim 5 wherein:

said resilient means are operative to engage said series of keys, and drive them to said extended positions thereof, in response to a shift of said resilient means and said series of keys from said second position thereof to said first position thereof.

11. The keyboard structure of claim 1 wherein:

said pointing stick device has first and second relatively pivotable leg sections which, with said pointing stick device in said extended position thereof, are pivoted into a contiguous, generally parallel relationship and, with said pointing stick device in said retracted position thereof, are pivoted outwardly away from one another to a generally V-shaped relationship.

12. A collapsible keyboard structure for an electronic device having a screen upon which a movable cursor may be displayed, said keyboard structure comprising:

a key support structure having top and bottom sides;

a series of keys each carried on said top side of said key support structure for vertical movement relative thereto, through a vertical key stroke distance, between extended and retracted positions;

a base structure carried beneath said key support structure and having a top side facing said bottom side of said key support structure;

a spaced series of resilient key return members disposed on said top side of said base structure,

said key support structure and said base structure being horizontally shiftable relative to one another between a first position in which said key return members underlie and resiliently hold said keys in said extended positions thereof, and a second position in which said key return members permit said keys to be moved from said extended positions thereof to said retracted positions thereof without vertically compressing said resilient key return members;

cooperatively engageable means on said keys and said base structure for forcibly driving said keys from said extended positions thereof to said retracted positions thereof in response to shifting of said base and key support structures from said first position thereof to said second position thereof; and

cursor positioning means operative to generate a signal useable to selectively vary the screen position of the cursor, said cursor positioning means including a manual force-receiving pointing stick device positioned and extending outwardly between a plurality of said keys, said pointing stick device being connected to said key support structure and said base structure and being configured to be shifted between upwardly extended and downwardly retracted positions in response to the shifting of said base and key support structures respectively to said first and second positions thereof.

13. The collapsible keyboard structure of claim 12 wherein said collapsible keyboard structure is a collapsible computer keyboard structure.

14. The collapsible keyboard structure of claim 13 wherein said collapsible computer keyboard structure is a collapsible portable computer keyboard structure.

15. The collapsible keyboard structure of claim 12 wherein:

said pointing stick device has a top end portion, first and second leg sections having upper end portions pivotally connected to said top end portion of said pointing stick device, said first leg section having a bottom end portion pivotally connected to said key support structure, and said second leg section having a bottom end portion pivotally connected to said base structure.

16. A portable computer comprising:

a base housing portion having a top side;

a lid housing portion secured to said base housing portion for pivotal movement relative thereto between a closed position in which said lid housing portion extends across and covers said top side, and an open position in which said lid housing portion uncovers and exposes said top side, said lid housing portion having a screen thereon on which a movable cursor may be displayed; and

a collapsible keyboard structure extending along said top side of said lid housing portion and including;

a key support structure,

a series of keys each carried on said key support structure for vertical movement relative thereto, in a key stroke direction, between extended and retracted positions,

a cursor position control system including a manual force-receiving pointing stick device positioned and extending upwardly between a plurality of said keys and being vertically movable between extended and retracted positions, and

shifting means operative in response to movement of said lid housing portion to said closed position thereof to drive said keys and said pointing stick device to said retracted positions thereof, and operative in response to movement of said lid housing portion to said open position thereof to drive said keys and said pointing stick device to said extended positions thereof.

17. The portable computer of claim 16 wherein:

said portable computer further comprises a base structure underlying said key support structure and being shiftable relative thereto in a direction transverse to said key stroke direction,

each of said keys and said pointing stick device is interconnected between said key support structure and said base structure, and

said shifting means include means for forcibly creating a relative shifting between said key support structure and said base structure, in opposite directions transverse to said key stroke direction, in response to opening and closing said lid portion.

18. The portable computer of claim 17 wherein:

said pointing stick device has a top end portion, first and second leg sections having upper end portions pivotally connected to said top end portion of said pointing stick device, said first leg section having a bottom end portion pivotally connected to said key support structure, and said second leg section having a bottom end portion pivotally connected to said base structure.

19. The portable computer of claim 18 wherein:

said key support is a generally rectangular monoblock support structure.

20. The portable computer of claim 18 wherein:

said base structure is a multilayered signal pad structure.