Expandable and compressible keyboard

• US 5,951,178 A
• Filed: 08/03/1998
• Issued: 09/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lim, Byung-gul
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ANTHONY H
• Application Number:
  US09/127,872
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 400/472, 400/486, 400/489, 400/490, 400/491.2, 400/492, 400/495, 400/495.1, 341/22, 341/21, 361/680
• US Class Current: 400/472
• 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

A keyboard is provided having a lower frame with an elastic member installed on the surface thereof. An elevation plate is installed on the lower frame capable of ascending or descending by an elastic force of the elastic member. A pair of guide plates are separately installed above the elevation plate capable of moving toward or away from each other in a horizontal direction and having a plurality of key holes and guides. Switch units are respectively installed on the lower frame, above the elevation plate and on the bottom surface of the guide plate, and a linkage of key pad assemblies are each installed, capable of compressing or extending by being guided by a guide of the guide plate and having a key for operating a switch of the switch unit directly or by inserting in a key hole of the guide plate.

Claims

1. A keyboard comprising:

a lower frame having an elastic member installed on the surface thereof;

an elevation plate installed on said lower frame capable of ascending or descending by an elastic force of said elastic member;

a pair of guide plates separately installed above said elevation plate capable of moving toward or away from each other in a horizontal direction and, said guide plates having a plurality of key holes and guides;

switch units each having switches and respectively installed on said lower frame, above said elevation plate and on a bottom surface of said guide plates; and

a linkage of key pad assemblies each installed to be capable of compressing or extending by being guided by said guides of said guide plates and having a key for operating a switch of said switch units directly or by inserting in said key holes of said guide plates.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said lower frame has rising portions at both sides thereof, and a mid-rising portion and a sunken area formed between the rising portions, and said switch unit installed on said lower frame is installed on said mid-rising portion.

3. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said switch unit installed on said lower frame is maintained on the same plane as that of said switch unit installed on the bottom surface of said guide plates.

4. The keyboard of claim 2, wherein said switch unit installed on said lower frame is maintained on the same plane as that of said switch unit installed on the bottom surface of said guide plates.

5. The keyboard of claim 2, wherein a plurality of parallel slots are formed on said side rising portions of said lower frame and a plurality of parallel protrusions corresponding to said slots are formed on said switch unit on the bottom surface of said guide plates so that said protrusions are guided by said slots when said guide plates move in the horizontal direction.

6. The keyboard of claim 1, further comprising a guide for preventing upward separation of said elevation frame and said guide plates and guiding a horizontal movement of said guide plates formed longitudinally on said lower frame.

7. The keyboard of claim 6, wherein a switch for detecting a horizontal movement of said lower frame is installed at one side of said guide which is installed on said lower frame.

8. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the profile of each of said guides formed on said guide plates are T-shaped.

9. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said switch unit, installed on said elevation plate and exposed to a space formed between said switch units installed on said lower frame and said guide plates when said guide plates are separated away from each other, rises to be arranged on the same plane of said switch units of said lower frame and on the bottom surface of said guide plates.

10. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said switch unit installed on said guide plates, comprises:

a lower surface plate forming the bottom surface of said guide plates;

a printed circuit board supported by said lower surface plate, and having printed circuits and contact switches for operating said printed circuits; and

a rubber plate for protecting said printed circuit board and having a plurality of embossed portions formed on a portion for operating contact switches on said printed circuit board.

11. The keyboard of claim 10, wherein said key holes are formed on said guide plates corresponding to the embossed portions of said rubber plate.

12. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said key pad assembly comprises:

a housing having a connector and an insertion portion formed on the opposite outer surfaces and a stopper formed on the inner side thereof;

a key pad having a key penetrating a bottom surface of said housing and a hook for latching said stopper, said key and said hook being formed integrally; and

a spring for elastically biasing said key against said housing.

13. The keyboard of claim 12, wherein said key pad assembly linkage is formed by inserting said connector of said key pad assembly in said insertion portion of another adjacent key pad assembly.

14. The keyboard of claim 13, wherein a hook is formed at an end portion of said connector to prevent separation of said connector from said insertion portion.

15. The keyboard of claim 12, wherein a separation portion is formed on one side of said housing so that a distance can be maintained between said key pad assemblies being close to each other.

16. The keyboard of claim 12, wherein a flange is formed on the opposite side surfaces of said housing to be guided by said guides of said guide plates.

17. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein key pad assemblies, corresponding to said key holes formed on both end portions of said guide plates and to said switch unit of said lower frame, are maintained in a fixed state, and other key pad assemblies correspond to key holes or switches at different positions when said guide plates move to separate away from or approach each other.

18. The keyboard of claim 17, wherein the key pad assemblies corresponding to said switch unit of said lower frame comprise:

a housing having an insertion portion formed on the outer surface and a stopper formed on the inner side thereof;

a key pad having a key penetrating the bottom surface of said housing and a hook for latching said stopper, said key and said hook being formed integrally; and

a spring for elastically biasing said key against said housing.