Retractable keyboard keys

• US 9,213,372 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2014
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Krumpelman, Doug, Weber, Chris, Tan, Yeh-Cheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Colilla, Daniel J
• Application Number:
  US14/171,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20140311880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• 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: 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 13/14 Operating parts, e.g. push-button
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/7065 characterised by the mechanism between keys and layered keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/85 characterised by tactile feedback features
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/86 characterised by the casing, e.g. sealed casings or casings reducible in size
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/036 Return force
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/052 reductible in size, e.g. for transportation
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/042 Briefcase; Note-book
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/975 using a capacitive movable element
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches

Abstract

A keyboard includes a bezel having a plurality of key openings and a plurality of key holding features configured adjacent to the plurality of key openings on a bottom side of the bezel. A plurality of keycaps are positioned within the plurality of key openings. A chassis is included that has a plurality of planar-translation effecting mechanisms each supporting a respective one of the plurality of keycaps to guide the respective keycap in a press direction and a second direction as the keycap moves from the unpressed position toward the pressed position. The keypad or keyboard includes a key retraction mechanism configured to move the chassis relative to the bezel wherein the key holding features of the bezel limit movement of the keycaps in the second direction during movement of the chassis relative to the bezel, while the planar-translation effecting mechanisms move the plurality of keycaps toward a retracted position.

Claims

1. A keyboard, comprising:

a bezel having a plurality of key openings and a plurality of key holding features configured adjacent to the plurality of key openings on a bottom side of the bezel;

a plurality of keycaps each positioned within a respective one of the plurality of key openings and each having a touch surface for receiving a press force that moves the keycap from an unpressed position toward a pressed position, the unpressed position and pressed position separated in a press direction and a second direction orthogonal to the press direction;

a chassis having a plurality of planar-translation effecting mechanisms each supporting a respective one of the plurality of keycaps to guide the respective keycap in the press direction and the second direction as the keycap moves from the unpressed position toward the pressed position; and

a key retraction mechanism configured to move the chassis relative to the bezel;

wherein the key holding features of the bezel are configured to limit movement of the keycaps in the second direction during movement of the chassis relative to the bezel, while the planar-translation effecting mechanism move the plurality of keycaps toward a retracted position.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of keycaps includes a first magnetic component;

the chassis includes a second magnetic component for each respective keycap of the plurality of keycaps; and

the first and second magnetic components form a ready-return mechanism that biases the respective keycap toward the unpressed position.

3. The keyboard of claim 2, wherein one of the first and second magnetic components comprises a non-magnetized ferrous material.

4. The keyboard of claim 1, further comprising a biasing mechanism coupled to the chassis and configured to bias the plurality of keycaps toward the retracted position.

5. The keyboard of claim 4, wherein a magnitude of a biasing force provided by the biasing mechanism is slightly larger than a magnetic force provided by the ready-return mechanisms.

6. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein each of the planar-translation effecting mechanisms comprise ramp features on the chassis for each respective keycap and the plurality of keycaps include ramp contacting features that move along the ramp features as the respective keycap moves from the unpressed position toward the pressed position.

7. The keyboard of claim 6, wherein the planar-translation effecting mechanism further comprises inverted ramp features on the chassis for each respective keycap and the plurality of keycaps include inverted ramp contacting features, the key holding features of the bezel hold the plurality of keycaps during movement to a retracted position.

8. The keyboard of claim 7, wherein movement of the keycaps toward the retracted position comprises movement substantially in the press direction relative to the key holding features.

9. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of keycaps are substantially flush with a top surface of the bezel when the plurality of keycaps are in the retracted position.

10. The keyboard of claim 1, further comprising a lid coupled to the key retraction mechanism, wherein movement of the lid toward the bezel causes the key retraction mechanism to move the chassis relative the bezel thereby moving the plurality of keys to the retracted position.

11. The keyboard of claim 10, wherein the lid comprises a display.

12. The keyboard of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of capacitive sensors each for sensing when the respective keycap is in the pressed position.

13. The keyboard of claim 12, wherein signals from the plurality of capacitive sensors are not processed when the key retraction mechanism moves the chassis relative to the bezel.

14. A keyboard, comprising:

a bezel having a plurality of key openings and a plurality of key holding features configured adjacent to the plurality of key openings on a bottom side of the bezel;

a plurality of keycaps each positioned within a respective one of the plurality of key openings and each having a touch surface for receiving a press force that moves the keycap from an unpressed position toward a pressed position, the unpressed position and pressed position separated in a press direction and a second direction orthogonal to the press direction;

a chassis having a plurality of ramp features each interacting with ramp contacting features of a respective one of the plurality of keycaps to guide the respective keycap in the press direction and the second direction as the keycap moves from the unpressed position toward the pressed position, the chassis also including a plurality of inverted ramp features each interacting with inverted ramp contacting features of a respective one of the plurality of keycaps; and

a key retraction mechanism configured to cause movement between the chassis and the bezel;

wherein the key holding features of the bezel are configured to limit movement of the keycaps in the second direction in response to movement of the chassis relative to the bezel while the inverted ramps and inverted ramp contacting features move the plurality of keycaps toward a retracted position.

15. The keyboard of claim 14, wherein:

each of the plurality of keycaps includes a first magnetic component;

the chassis includes a second magnetic component for each respective keycap of the plurality of keycaps; and

the first and second magnetic components form a ready-return mechanism that biases the respective keycap toward the unpressed position.

16. The keyboard of claim 15, wherein one of the first and second magnetic components comprises a non-magnetized ferrous material.

17. The keyboard of claim 14, further comprising a biasing mechanism coupled to the chassis and configured to bias the plurality of keycaps toward the retracted position.

18. The keyboard of claim 17, wherein a magnitude of a biasing force provided by the biasing mechanism is slightly larger than a magnetic force provided by the ready-return mechanisms.

19. The keyboard of claim 14, further comprising a display coupled to the key retraction mechanism, wherein movement of the display toward the bezel causes the key retraction mechanism to effect the movement between the chassis and the bezel thereby moving the plurality of keys to the retracted position.

20. The keyboard of claim 14, wherein the plurality of keycaps are substantially flush with a top surface of the bezel when the plurality of keycaps are in the retracted position.

21. The keyboard of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of capacitive sensors each for sensing when the respective keycap is in the pressed position.

22. A method of effecting motion of a plurality of keycaps positioned in a bezel of a keyboard, wherein each of the plurality of keycaps are supported in an unpressed position by a planar-translation effecting mechanism of a chassis, each of the plurality of keycaps configured to move between the unpressed position and a pressed position, wherein the unpressed and pressed positions are separated in a press direction and in a second direction orthogonal to the press direction, the method comprising:

in response to movement between the chassis and the bezel, the planar-translation effecting mechanism moves each of the plurality of keycaps toward the press direction to a retracted position and guides the plurality of keycaps in the press direction and the second direction; and

key holding features configured adjacent to the plurality of key openings on a bottom side of the bezel limit movement of the keycaps in the second direction during movement of the chassis relative to the bezel.