Carbon nanotube based keyboard

• US 8,905,659 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2011
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University
• Inventors: Jiang, Kai-Li, Fan, Shou-Shan, Cheng, Jia-Shyong, Liu, Liang
• Primary Examiner(s): COLILLA, DANIEL JAMES
• Application Number:
  US13/196,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20120193204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• Field of Search: 400/472, 400/477, 400/479.2, 400/479
• US Class Current: 400/479
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device

Abstract

A keyboard includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer. The first substrate includes a first upper surface and a first lower surface opposite the first upper surface. The second substrate is positioned apart from the first substrate and includes a second upper surface and a second lower surface. The second upper surface faces the first lower surface. The first electrode layer is positioned on the first lower surface and includes a number of first conductive layers disposed apart from each other and including a carbon nanotube layer structure. The second electrode layer is positioned on the second upper surface and includes a second conductive layer. A number of keys is positioned on the first upper surface or the second lower surface.

Claims

1. A keyboard comprising:

a first substrate comprising a first upper surface and a first lower surface opposite the first upper surface;

a second substrate located apart from the first substrate and comprising a second upper surface and a second lower surface opposite the second upper surface, the second upper surface facing the first lower surface;

a first electrode layer positioned on the first lower surface and comprising a plurality of first conductive layers positioned apart from each other, each of the plurality of first conductive layers comprising a first carbon nanotube layer structure, the plurality of first conductive layers is parallel with each other and oriented in a first direction;

a second electrode layer positioned on the second upper surface and comprising at least one second conductive layer; and

a plurality of rows of keys located on the first upper surface, each of the plurality of rows is parallel to the first direction, and an amount of the plurality of first conductive layers is larger than an amount of the plurality of rows,

wherein each key is detectable by at least one first conductive layer.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the first electrode layer further comprises a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes, one of the plurality of first electrodes and one of the plurality of second electrodes are positioned on two opposite ends of and are electrically connected with one of the plurality of first conductive layers.

3. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first conductive layers comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes oriented along the first direction.

4. The keyboard of claim 3, wherein the plurality of carbon nanotubes in each of the plurality of first conductive layers are joined end to end by van der Waals attractive force.

5. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the second conductive layer comprises a second carbon nanotube layer structure comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes oriented along a second direction, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

6. The keyboard of claim 5, wherein the second electrode layer further comprises a third electrode, positioned on one end of the at least one second conductive layer and oriented along the first direction;

and a plurality of fourth electrodes, positioned on another end of the at least one second conductive layer and arranged along the first direction.

7. The keyboard of claim 5, wherein the second electrode layer further comprises a plurality of third electrodes, positioned on one end of the at least one second conductive layer and arranged in the first direction;

and a plurality of fourth, electrodes positioned on another end of the at least one second conductive layer and arranged in the first direction.

8. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the second electrode layer comprises a plurality of second conductive layers positioned apart from each other and oriented along a second direction.

9. The keyboard of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of second conductive layers comprises a second carbon nanotube layer structure.

10. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the second electrode layer comprises a third electrode positioned on a surface of the at least one second conductive layer and symmetrically aligned with four sides of the second conductive layer.

11. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first conductive layers is positioned between a respective first electrode and a respective second electrode and defines a respective conductive passage.

12. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein materials of the first substrate and the second substrate are flexible.

13. The keyboard of claim 12, wherein the plurality of keys is positioned on the first upper surface of the first substrate, and a material of the second substrate is fabric.

14. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the plurality of protrusions are integrated with the first substrate or the second substrate on which the plurality of protrusions are located thereon.