No-impact keyboard

• US 6,497,521 B1
• Filed: 12/17/1999
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daniel James Lohr
• Original Assignee: Daniel James Lohr
• Inventors: Lohr, Daniel James
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Anthony H.
• Application Number:
  US09/465,720
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 400/491, 400/491.1, 400/493.1, 400/495.1, 400/495, 400/491.3, 400/491.2, 400/48, 400/472, 341/22, 341/21, 200/5.R, 200/5.A
• US Class Current: 400/491
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/70 having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard mounting together a plurality of independent switches H02B
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/84 characterised by ergonomic functions, e.g. for miniature keyboards; characterised by operational sensory functions, e.g. sound feedback legends H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/02 pneumatic
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/062 Damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2227/034 Regulation of operating force
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/024 with inductive switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/052 Strain gauge

Abstract

A no-impact keyboard for decreasing the risk of a repetitive stress injury to the user. The keyboard comprises a plurality of keys having a key cap and a stem, an impact absorbing mechanism which prevents any part of a key from striking a hard surface during a keystroke, and a sensor for sending an actuation signal from each key when the key passes a defined point in the keystroke. The impact absorbing mechanism may be a spring, a magnetic mechanism, or a hydraulic-pneumatic mechanism.

Claims

1. A no-impact keyboard comprising:

a plurality of keys, each of the keys comprising a key cap having a bottom surface, and a stem;

a key cap strike plate mounted under the key cap of each key, the strike plate having a hard top surface and a plurality of apertures therethrough, the stem of each key passing vertically through an aperture in the strike plate;

an impact eliminating mechanism which prevents any part of a key from striking a hard surface during a keystroke by a typist'"'"'s finger, said mechanism comprising an impact eliminating spring mounted between the hard top surface of the strike plate and the bottom surface of the key cap, the impact eliminating spring having a spring tension sufficient to prevent the bottom surface of the key cap from striking the hard top surface of the strike plate; and

means for sending an actuation signal from each key when the key passes a defined point in the keystroke, said means for sending an actuation signal including a compression gauge mounted on the impact eliminating spring, the compression gauge reporting actuation of the key when the gauge senses a degree of compression of the impact eliminating spring which is greater than a predefined level.

2. A no-impact keyboard comprising:

a plurality of keys, each of the keys comprising a key cap having a bottom surface, and a stem;

a key cap strike plate mounted under the key cap of each key, the strike plate having a hard top surface and a plurality of apertures therethrough, the stem of each key passing vertically through an aperture in the strike plate;

an impact eliminating mechanism which prevents any part of a key from striking a hard surface during a keystroke by a typist'"'"'s finger, said mechanism comprising an impact eliminating spring mounted between the hard top surface of the strike plate and the bottom surface of the key cap, the impact eliminating spring having a spring tension sufficient to prevent the bottom surface of the key cap from striking the hard top surface of the strike plate; and

means for sending an actuation signal from each key when the key passes a defined point in the keystroke, said means for sending an actuation signal including a pressure sensor mounted on the top surface of the strike plate under the impact eliminating spring, the pressure sensor reporting actuation of the key when the gauge senses a pressure from the impact eliminating spring which is greater than a predefined level.

3. A no-impact keyboard comprising:

a plurality of keys, each of the keys comprising a key cap having a bottom surface, and a stem;

a circuit board mounted under the plurality of keys, said circuit board including a plurality of contact disks mounted thereon, each disk being mounted under the stem of a key;

an impact eliminating mechanism which prevents any part of a key from striking a hard surface during a keystroke by a typist'"'"'s finger; and

means for sending an actuation signal from each key when the key passes a defined point in the keystroke, said means for sending an actuation signal including a spring cup mounted on the circuit board in a position that covers one of the contact disks, the spring cup having an apex and a conductive wire descending from an inside surface of the apex, the apex having sufficient height above the contact disk to prevent the conductive wire from striking the disk when the spring cup is in a raised position, and to allow the wire to contact the disk when the spring cup is in a depressed position, whereby depression of the key causes the key stem to depress the spring cup, thereby causing the conductive wire to contact the contact disk and to send an actuation signal from the key without the stem striking the contact disk.

4. A no-impact keyboard comprising:

a plurality of keys, each of the keys comprising a key cap having a bottom surface, and a stem;

a circuit board mounted under the plurality of keys, said circuit board including a plurality of contact disks mounted thereon, each disk being mounted under the stem of a key;

an impact eliminating mechanism which prevents any part of a key from striking a hard surface during a keystroke by a typist'"'"'s finger; and

means for sending an actuation signal from each key when the key passes a defined point in the keystroke, said means for sending an actuation signal including a spring cup mounted on the circuit board in a position that covers one of the contact disks, the spring cup having an apex and a conductive spring descending from an inside surface of the apex, the apex having sufficient height above the contact disk to prevent the conductive spring from striking the disk when the spring cup is in a raised position, and to allow the spring to contact the disk when the spring cup is in a depressed position, whereby depression of the key causes the key stem to depress the spring cup, thereby causing the conductive spring to contact the contact disk and to send an actuation signal from the key without the stem striking the contact disk.