Computer keyswitch with accurately positioned rubber domes

• US 6,288,353 B1
• Filed: 05/01/2000
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BenQ Corporation (Qisda Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Acer American Holdings (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chiang, Chih-Hsiang
• Primary Examiner(s): FRIEDHOFER, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US09/562,119
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5.A, 200/512, 200/517, 200/341, 200/344, 200/345, 400/490, 400/491, 400/491.2, 400/495, 400/495.1, 400/496
• US Class Current: 200/512
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/012 Positioning of individual dome
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/125 using a scissor mechanism as stabiliser

Abstract

A computer keyswitch with accurately positioned rubber domes. The computer keyswitch includes a base plate, a membrane circuit board installed on the base plate, and a rubber sheet positioned on the membrane circuit board. The membrane circuit board has a plurality of pressure sensors. The rubber sheet has a plurality of upwardly protruding rubber domes each above a corresponding pressure sensor, and a plurality of rubber pegs around each of the rubber domes. The base plate and the membrane circuit board have a plurality of fastening holes positioned corresponding to the rubber pegs. The rubber pegs will engage with the fastening holes to accurately position the rubber domes of the rubber sheet on the pressure sensors of the membrane circuit board.

Claims

1. A computer keyswitch comprising:

a keycap;

a base plate;

a membrane circuit board positioned above the base plate having a pressure sensor for generating a key-pressing signal, a plurality of membrane penetrating holes formed around the pressure sensor, and a membrane fastening hole;

a rubber sheet positioned on the membrane circuit board having an upwardly protruding rubber dome on an upper surface of the rubber sheet for elastically supporting the keycap upwardly, and a plurality of straps and rubber penetrating holes formed around the rubber dome wherein the rubber dome is positioned above the pressure sensor of the membrane circuit board;

a rubber peg formed on a bottom surface of one of the straps of the rubber sheet; and

a connecting device having an upper end and a lower end wherein the upper end of the connecting device is connected to a bottom surface of the keycap, while the lower end of the connecting device is installed on the base plate through the rubber penetrating holes and the membrane penetrating holes to fasten the keycap to the base plate in an up-and-down movable manner;

wherein the rubber peg is inserted into the membrane fastening hole in order to accurately position the rubber dome of the rubber sheet above the pressure sensor of the membrane circuit board.

2. The computer keyswitch of claim 1 wherein the connecting device further comprises two connecting pieces pivotally coupled to each other at center portions of the two connecting pieces wherein the upper ends of the two connecting pieces are connected to the bottom surface of the keycap and the lower ends of the two connecting pieces are connected to the base plate through the rubber penetrating holes and the membrane penetrating holes.

3. The computer keyswitch of claim 2 wherein the base plate is a thin metal plate with a plurality of holding legs protruding upwardly through the rubber penetrating holes and the membrane penetrating holes around the pressure sensor wherein the lower ends of the two connecting pieces of the connecting device are connected to the holding legs.

4. The computer keyswitch of claim 1 wherein the base plate further comprises a plate fastening hole formed under the membrane fastening hole, and the rubber peg is fastened to both the membrane fastening hole and the plate fastening hole.

5. The computer keyswitch of claim 4 wherein a size of the membrane fastening hole is greater than a size of the plate fastening hole.

6. The computer keyswitch of claim 1 wherein the rubber peg is formed along a circumference of a bottom surface of the rubber dome.

7. The computer keyswitch of claim 1 wherein the rubber peg has a solid structure.

8. The computer keyswitch of claim 1 wherein the rubber peg has a cylindrical shape.

9. The computer keyswitch of claim 1 wherein the rubber peg comprises a recess on a lower end of the rubber peg.

10. The computer keyswitch of claim 1 wherein the rubber peg comprises a downwardly protruding ring-shaped structure.

11. A computer keyswitch comprising:

a keycap;

a base plate having a plate fastening hole;

a membrane circuit board positioned above the base plate having a pressure sensor for generating a key-pressing signal, a plurality of membrane penetrating holes formed around the pressure sensor, and a membrane fastening hole formed above the plate fastening hole, the membrane fastening hole having a size greater than a size of the plate fastening hole;

an upwardly protruding rubber dome positioned above the pressure sensor of the membrane circuit board for elastically supporting the keycap upwardly;

a rubber peg formed on a bottom surface of the rubber dome; and

a connecting device having an upper end and a lower end wherein the upper end of the connecting device is connected to a bottom surface of the keycap, while the lower end of the connecting device is installed on the base plate through the membrane penetrating holes to fasten the keycap to the base plate in an up-and-down movable manner;

wherein the rubber peg is inserted into the membrane fastening hole and the plate fastening hole in order to accurately position the rubber dome above the pressure sensor of the membrane circuit board.

12. The computer keyswitch of claim 11 wherein the connecting device further comprises two connecting pieces pivotally coupled to each other at center portions of the two connecting pieces wherein the upper ends of the two connecting pieces are connected to the bottom surface of the keycap and the lower ends of the two connecting pieces are connected to the base plate through the membrane penetrating holes.

13. The computer keyswitch of claim 12 wherein the base plate is a thin metal plate with a plurality of holding legs protruding upwardly through the membrane penetrating holes around the pressure sensor wherein the lower ends of the two connecting pieces of the connecting device are connected to the holding legs.

14. The computer keyswitch of claim 11 wherein the rubber peg is formed along a circumference of a bottom surface of the rubber dome.

15. The computer keyswitch of claim 11 wherein the rubber peg has a solid structure.

16. The computer keyswitch of claim 11 wherein the rubber peg has a cylindrical shape.

17. A computer keyswitch comprising:

a keycap;

a base plate;

a membrane circuit board positioned above the base plate having a pressure sensor for generating a key-pressing signal, a plurality of membrane penetrating holes formed around the pressure sensor, and a membrane fastening hole;

an upwardly protruding rubber dome positioned above the pressure sensor of the membrane circuit board for elastically supporting the keycap upwardly;

a rubber peg formed on a bottom surface of the rubber dome, the rubber peg having a recess on a lower end of the rubber peg; and

a connecting device having an upper end and a lower end wherein the upper end of the connecting device is connected to a bottom surface of the keycap, while the lower end of the connecting device is installed on the base plate through the membrane penetrating holes to fasten the keycap to the base plate in an up-and-down movable manner;

wherein the rubber peg is inserted into the membrane fastening hole in order to accurately position the rubber dome above the pressure sensor of the membrane circuit board.

18. A computer keyswitch comprising:

a keycap;

a base plate;

a membrane circuit board positioned above the base plate having a pressure sensor for generating a key-pressing signal, a plurality of membrane penetrating holes formed around the pressure sensor, and a membrane fastening hole;

an upwardly protruding rubber dome positioned above the pressure sensor of the membrane circuit board for elastically supporting the keycap upwardly;

a rubber peg formed on a bottom surface of the rubber dome, the rubber peg having a downwardly protruding ring-shaped structure; and

a connecting device having an upper end and a lower end wherein the upper end of the connecting device is connected to a bottom surface of the keycap, while the lower end of the connecting device is installed on the base plate through the membrane penetrating holes to fasten the keycap to the base plate in an up-and-down movable manner;

wherein the rubber peg is inserted into the membrane fastening hole in order to accurately position the rubber dome above the pressure sensor of the membrane circuit board.