# US 10,120,418 B2 · Portable keyboard > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,120,418 B2 - Document ID: US10120418B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/204,712 - Filed: 2016-07-07 - Published: 2016-11-03 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2011-10-31 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Seungjin Lee; Keetae Kim; Dongguk Kang; Hojung Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10120418B2 ## CPC - 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)} - G06F 1/1698: {the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone (details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266)} - 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)} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A portable keyboard is disclosed, by which portability can be enhanced with a simple configuration. The present invention includes a plurality of key assemblies, a body part and a flexible connecting member. When the portable keyboard is carried, a plurality of the key assemblies are rolled up around an outer circumference of the body part in a manner that the flexible connecting member between a plurality of the key assemblies is folded. When the portable keyboard is used, a plurality of the key assemblies are unfolded by being rolled down centering on the body part in a manner that the flexible connecting member between a plurality of the key assemblies is unfolded. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A portable keyboard comprising: a plurality of key assemblies, each key assembly including a frame and a corresponding plurality of keytops; a body part provided adjacent to a first one of the key assemblies located at a first end among the plurality of key assemblies, the body part has a plurality of side surfaces arranged in a polygonal cylinder shape; a connecting member to couple the plurality of key assemblies and the body part, wherein the plurality of keytops of each separate one of the key assemblies contacts a separate corresponding one of the side surfaces of the body part in a first transform state, wherein the portable keyboard is provided in a polygonal cylinder shape in the first transform state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The portable keyboard of claim 1, further comprising: an unfolding protrusion protruding outward at a second one of the key assemblies located at a second end among the plurality of key assemblies. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The portable keyboard of claim 1, wherein a bottom of each one separate one of the plurality of key assemblies and a separate corresponding side surface of the body part are provided at same plane in a second transform state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The portable keyboard of claim 1, further comprising: a first magnet provided at each of the plurality of key assemblies; and a second magnet provided at a portion of the body part corresponding with the first magnet when the connecting member folds and one of the plurality of the key assemblies covers at least a portion of the side surface of the body part, wherein a magnetic pole of the second magnet is opposite a magnetic pole of the first magnet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The portable keyboard of claim 4, wherein the key assembly includes: a pair of horizontal sidewalls respectively attached to horizontal top edges of the frame; and a pair of vertical sidewalls respectively attached to vertical top edges of the frame. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The portable keyboard of claim 5, wherein the first magnet provided to an inside of one of the vertical sidewalls, and wherein the plurality of key assemblies are folded and attached by a magnetic force of the first magnet when the connecting member is rolled up to cover at least two portions of the body part. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The portable keyboard of claim 6, wherein the key assembly further includes a magnetic force shield member provided in the one of the vertical sidewalls, and the magnetic force shield member is spaced apart from the first magnet toward a center of the frame. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The portable keyboard of claim 6, wherein the vertical sidewall includes a magnet receiving part having a bottom to open to have the first magnet arranged therein, and the frame includes a frame cover to detach from a bottom of the frame to open/close the bottom of the magnet receiving part. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The portable keyboard of claim 5, wherein the horizontal sidewall is spaced from a top of the frame at a prescribed height to enable the connecting member to be inserted in and/or drawn from the key assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The portable keyboard of claim 5, wherein the horizontal sidewall includes an inclining portion to incline outward. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The portable keyboard of claim 5, wherein the key assembly further includes an elastic member provided to a top of the frame to elastically support each of the plurality of keytops. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The portable keyboard of claim 1, wherein the body part comprises: a housing having a hollow cylinder shape corresponding to a horizontal length of the key assemblies; and a circuit board provided within the housing, the circuit board to electrically connect to the connecting member, the circuit board having a control unit provided on the circuit board to receive a input signal, wherein the housing includes an insertion slot to receive the connecting member and to be connected to the circuit board. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The portable keyboard of claim 12, wherein the body part further comprises a wireless communication module on the circuit board to transmit the input signal to a mobile terminal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The portable keyboard of claim 12, wherein the body part further comprises a display unit, wherein the control unit controls the display unit to display information on a status of the portable keyboard. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The portable keyboard of claim 14, wherein the information on the status of the portable keyboard includes at least one of information on a power level of a battery, information on a signal strength of the wireless communication module or information on a type of a mobile terminal connected to the portable keyboard by wireless communication. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The portable keyboard of claim 1, wherein a total number of the plurality of key assemblies is n, wherein the body part has an n-polygonal cylinder shape. ### Claim 17 A keyboard comprising: a plurality of key assemblies, each key assembly including a corresponding plurality of keytops; a body part provided adjacent to a first one of the key assemblies located on a first end of the plurality of key assemblies, the body part has a plurality of periphery surfaces of a polygonal cylinder; and a flexible connecting member to electrically connect the body part to each of the plurality of key assemblies, wherein a top of each of the plurality of keytops of each separate one of the key assemblies face a separate corresponding periphery surface of the body part in a first-transform state, and the top of each of the plurality of keytops is exposed to outside of the keyboard in a second transform state, wherein the portable keyboard is provided in a polygonal cylinder shape in the first transform state. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The keyboard of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of key assembly includes: a frame having the flexible connecting member and the corresponding plurality of keytops provided thereon; first sidewalls respectively attached to first top edges of the frame; and second sidewalls respectively attached to second top edges of the frame. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The keyboard of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of key assembly further includes a magnet provided at an inside of one of the second sidewalls, and wherein the plurality of key assemblies are folded and attached by a magnetic force of the magnet when the key assemblies are rolled up to cover the body part. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The keyboard of claim 19, wherein the second sidewall includes a magnet receiving part having a bottom to open to have a magnet arranged therein, and the frame includes a frame cover to detach from a bottom of the frame to open/close the bottom of the magnet receiving part.