Reduced height keyboard structure for a notebook computer

• US 5,625,532 A
• Filed: 10/10/1995
• Issued: 04/29/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Sellers, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US08/541,460
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 364/708.1, 345/168, 345/169, 400/472, 400/479, 400/488-492, 400/682, 400/691-693, 200/5 A, 200/342, 200/344, 200/345, 361/680, 361/683
• US Class Current: 361/679.08
• 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 reduced height keyboard structure mounted on the top side of its base housing and including a horizontally oriented signal pad structure. Spaced apart separate key support and guide structures are individually supported on the top side of the signal pad structure beneath upwardly dished keys mounted thereon by scissored linkage mechanisms which permit the keys to be vertically moved through a stroke distance between upwardly extended and downwardly retracted positions. The keys are upwardly biased toward their extended positions by resilient key return dome members secured to the top side of the signal pad structure and extending upwardly through openings in the key support and guide structures. The keys and their associated key support and guide structures are relatively configured in a manner such that when a given key is downwardly moved to its retracted position its associated key support and guide structure is received in the upwardly dished interior of the key so that the bottom side edge periphery of the key is moved downwardly past the horizontal side edge periphery of the key support and guide structure and into close adjacency with the top side of the signal pad structure. This telescoping of the key support and guide structure and its associated key permits the vertical thickness of the keyboard to be reduced without reducing the key stroke distance.

Claims

1. Computer keyboard apparatus comprising:

a key pad structure having top and bottom sides;

a series of key cap members positioned above said top side of said key pad structure and mutually spaced apart from one another in a direction parallel to said top side, each of said key cap members having a bottom side edge periphery facing said top side of said key pad structure, and an upwardly dished interior portion bounded by said bottom side edge periphery;

a spaced apart series of individual key support and guide members supported on said top side of said key pad structure in an aligned, underlying relationship with said series of key cap members, each of said key support and guide members having a base wall with a top side and further having a side edge periphery spaced inwardly of the bottom side edge periphery of its associated key cap member in a direction parallel to said top side of said key pad structure, said side edge peripheries of said individual key support and guide members being spaced apart along, circumscribed by, and extending downwardly to top side areas of said key pad structure positioned lower than said top sides of said base walls of said individual key support and guide members;

linking means for securing each of said key cap members to its underlying key support and guide member for movement relative thereto, through a key stroke distance, between an upwardly extended position in which the key cap member is spaced upwardly apart from said top side of said key pad structure, and a downwardly retracted position in which the underlying key support and guide member is upwardly received in the interior of the key cap member with the bottom side edge periphery of the key cap member being adjacent its underlying top side area of said key pad structure and disposed lower than the top side of the base wall of the underlying key support and guide member; and

biasing means for resiliently biasing each of said key cap members toward said upwardly extended position thereof.

2. The computer keyboard apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

said key pad structure is a multilayer key pad structure having top and bottom layers, and

said biasing means include a spaced series of resilient key return members aligned with and underlying said key cap members, and projecting upwardly from said top layer.

3. The computer keyboard apparatus of claim 2 wherein:

said key support and guide members have central openings therein, and

said resilient key return members are elastomeric dome members projecting upwardly through said central openings.

4. The computer keyboard apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

said linking means include scissored linkage assemblies operatively interconnected between said key cap members and said key support and guide members.

5. The computer keyboard apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

said key support and guide members are supported on said key pad structure by cooperatively engaged locking means on said key support and guide members and said key pad structure.

6. Computer keyboard apparatus comprising:

a key pad structure having top and bottom sides;

a series of key cap members positioned above said top side said key pad structure and mutually spaced apart from one another in a direction parallel to said top side, each of said key cap members having a bottom side edge periphery facing said top side of said key pad structure, and an upwardly dished interior portion bounded by said bottom side edge periphery;

a spaced apart series of key support and guide members supported on said top side of said key pad structure in an aligned, underlying relationship with said series of key cap members, each of said key support and guide members having a top side and further having a side edge periphery spaced inwardly of the bottom side edge periphery of its associated key cap member in a direction parallel to said top side of said key pad structure;

linking means for securing each of said key cap members to its underlying key support and guide member for movement relative thereto, through a key stroke distance, between an upwardly extended position in which the key cap member is spaced upwardly apart from said top side of said key pad structure, and a downwardly retracted position in which the underlying key support and guide member is upwardly received in the interior of the key cap member with the bottom side edge periphery of the key cap member being adjacent said top side of said key pad structure; and

biasing means for resiliently biasing each of said key cap members toward said upwardly extended position thereof,

said key support and guide members being supported on said key pad structure by cooperatively engaged locking means on said key support and guide members and said key pad structure,

said key pad structure being a multilayer structure having a top layer and a bottom layer, and a spaced series of holes extending downwardly through said top layer to said bottom layer, and

said cooperatively engaged locking means including a spaced plurality of post members depending from said key support and guide members, extending downwardly through said holes, and being lockingly received in portions of said bottom layer.

7. The computer keyboard apparatus of claim 6 wherein:

said bottom layer is a metal base plate member having upturned flange portions, and

said post members have enlarged lower end portions snap-fitted into pairs of said upturned flange portions.

8. Computer keyboard apparatus comprising:

a multilayer key pad structure having top and bottom layers;

a series of key cap members positioned above said top layer of said key pad structure and mutually spaced apart from one another in a direction parallel to said top layer, each of said key cap members having a bottom side edge periphery facing said top side of said key pad structure, and an upwardly dished interior portion bounded by said bottom side edge periphery;

a spaced apart series of individual key support and guide members supported on said top side of said key pad structure in an aligned, underlying relationship with said series of key cap members, each of said key support and guide members having a base wall with a top side, a side edge periphery spaced inwardly of the bottom side edge periphery of its associated key cap member in a direction parallel to said top layer of said key pad structure, and a central opening extending therethrough transversely to said top layer, said side edge peripheries of said individual key support and guide members being spaced apart along, circumscribed by, and extending downwardly to top side areas of said key pad structure positioned lower than said top sides of said base walls of said individual key support and guide members;

a series of scissored linkage assemblies securing each of said key cap members to its underlying key support and guide member for movement relative thereto, through a key stroke distance, between an upwardly extended position in which the key cap member is spaced upwardly apart from said top layer of said key pad structure, and a downwardly retracted position in which the underlying key support and guide member is upwardly received in the interior of the key cap member with the bottom side edge periphery of the key cap member being adjacent its underlying top side area of said key pad structure and positioned lower than the top side of the base wall of the underlying key support and guide member; and

a spaced series of resilient key return members secured to said top layer of said key pad structure, extending upwardly through said central openings in said key support and guide members, and upwardly engaging said scissored linkage assemblies in a manner resiliently biasing said key cap members toward said upwardly extended positions thereof.

9. Computer keyboard apparatus comprising:

a multilayer key pad structure having top and bottom layers;

a series of key cap members positioned above said top layer of said key pad structure and mutually spaced apart from one another in a direction parallel to said top layer, each of said key cap members having a bottom side edge periphery facing said top side of said key pad structure, and an upwardly dished interior portion bounded by said bottom side edge periphery;

a spaced apart series of key support and guide members supported on said top side of said key pad structure in an aligned, underlying relationship with said series of key cap members, each of said key support and guide members having a top side, a side edge periphery spaced inwardly of the bottom side edge periphery of its associated key cap member in a direction parallel to said top layer of said key pad structure, and a central opening extending therethrough transversely to said top layer;

a series of scissored linkage assemblies securing each of said key cap members to its underlying key support and guide member for movement relative thereto, through a key stroke distance, between an upwardly extended position in which the key cap member is spaced upwardly apart from said top layer of said key pad structure, and a downwardly retracted position in which the underlying key support and guide member is upwardly received in the interior of the key cap member with the bottom side edge periphery of the key cap member being adjacent said top side of said key pad structure; and

a spaced series of resilient key return members secured to said top layer of said key pad structure, extending upwardly through said central openings in said key support and guide members, and upwardly engaging said scissored linkage assemblies in a manner resiliently biasing said key cap members toward said upwardly extended positions thereof,

said key pad structure having a spaced series of holes disposed therein and extending downwardly through said top layer to said bottom layer, and

said key support and guide members being supported on said key pad structure by cooperatively engaged locking means on said key support and guide members and said key pad structure, said cooperatively engaged locking means including a spaced plurality of post members depending from said key support and guide members, extending downwardly through said holes, and being lockingly received in portions of said bottom layer.

10. The computer keyboard apparatus of claim 9 wherein:

said bottom layer is a metal base plate member having upturned flange portions, and

said post members have enlarged lower end portions snap-fitted into pairs of said upturned flange portions.

11. A portable computer comprising:

a base housing 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; and

reduced height keyboard apparatus disposed along said top side and including;

a key pad structure having top and bottom sides;

a series of key cap members positioned above said top side of said key pad structure and mutually spaced apart from one another in a direction parallel to said top side, each of said key cap members having a bottom side edge periphery facing said top side of said key pad structure, and an upwardly dished interior portion bounded by said bottom side edge periphery;

a spaced apart series of individual key support and guide members supported on said top side of said key pad structure in an aligned, underlying relationship with said series of key cap members, each of said key support and guide members having a base wall with a top side and further having a side edge periphery spaced inwardly of the bottom side edge periphery of its associated key cap member in a direction parallel to said top side of said key pad structure, said side edge peripheries of said individual key support and guide members being spaced apart along, circumscribed by, and extending downwardly to top side areas of said key pad structure positioned lower than said top sides of said base walls of said individual key support and guide members;

linking means for securing each of said key cap members to its underlying key support and guide member for movement relative thereto, through a key stroke distance, between an upwardly extended position in which the key cap member is spaced upwardly apart from said top side of said key pad structure, and a downwardly retracted position in which the underlying key support and guide member is upwardly received in the interior of the key cap member with the bottom side edge periphery of the key cap member being adjacent its underlying top side area of said key pad structure and disposed lower than the top side of the base wall of the underlying key support and guide member; and

biasing means for resiliently biasing each of said key cap members toward said upwardly extended position thereof.

12. The portable computer of claim 11 wherein said portable computer is a notebook computer.

13. The portable computer of claim 11 wherein:

said key pad structure is a multilayer key pad structure having top and bottom layers, and

said biasing means include a spaced series of resilient key return members aligned with and underlying said key cap members, and projecting upwardly from said top layer.

14. The portable computer of claim 13 wherein:

said key support and guide members have central openings therein, and

said resilient key return members are elastomeric dome members projecting upwardly through said central openings.

15. The portable computer of claim 11 wherein:

said linking means include scissored linkage assemblies operatively interconnected between said key cap members and said key support and guide members.

16. The portable computer of claim 11 wherein:

said key support and guide members are supported on said key pad structure by cooperatively engaged locking means on said key support and guide members and said key pad structure.

17. A portable computer comprising:

a base housing 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; and

reduced height keyboard apparatus disposed along said top side and including;

a key pad structure having top and bottom sides;

a series of key cap members positioned above said top side of said key pad structure and mutually spaced apart from one another in a direction parallel to said top side, each of said key cap members having a bottom side edge periphery facing said top side of said key pad structure, and an upwardly dished interior portion bounded by said bottom side edge periphery;

a spaced apart series of key support and guide members supported on said top side or said keypad structure in an aligned, underlying relationship with said series of key cap members, each of said key support and guide members having a top side and further having a side edge periphery spaced inwardly of the bottom side edge periphery of its associated keycap member in a direction parallel to said top side of said key pad structure;

linking means for securing each of said key cap members to its underlying key support and guide member for movement relative thereto, through a key stroke distance, between an upwardly extended position in which the key cap member is spaced upwardly apart from said top side of said key pad structure, and a downwardly retracted position in which the underlying key support and guide member is upwardly received in the interior of the key cap member with the bottom side edge periphery of the key cap member being adjacent said top side of said key pad structure; and

biasing means for resiliently biasing each of said key cap members toward said upwardly extended position thereof,

said key support and guide members being supported on said key pad structure by cooperatively engaged locking means on said key support and guide members and said key pad structure,

said key pad structure being a multilayer structure having a top layer and a bottom layer, and a spaced series of holes extending downwardly through said top layer to said bottom layer, and

said cooperatively engaged locking means including a spaced plurality of post members depending from said key support and guide members, extending downwardly through said holes, and being lockingly received in portions of said bottom layer.

18. The portable computer of claim 17 wherein:

said bottom layer is a metal base plate member having upturned flange portions, and

said post members have enlarged lower end portions snap-fitted into pairs of said upturned flange portions.