Stabilizer mechanism for a keyboard and a keyboard having the stabilizer mechanism

A keyboard comprising:

• a plurality of keys, each having a keycap, supported on a switch plate;
• each of the keys having a lifting mechanism configured and disposed to bias its keycap from the switch plate;
• at least one of the keys having a stabilizer mechanism configured and disposed to stabilize its keycap, the stabilizer mechanism comprising:
• a first housing slidingly receiving a first slider;
• a second housing slidingly receiving a second slider;
• the switch plate holding the first housing and the second housing, wherein the first housing is spaced from the second housing;
• the keycap is attached to the first slider and the second slider and traverses the space between the sliders;
• a wire having a first arm extending through an opening in the first housing and into the first slider, a second arm extending through an opening in the second housing and into the second slider, and a rotatable length extending between the first arm and the second arm;
• a first wire holder extending from the first housing configured and disposed to rotatingly hold the rotatable length of wire proximate its first arm;
• a second wire holder extending from the second housing configured and disposed to rotatingly hold the rotatable length of wire proximate its second arm;
• and
• wherein the rotatable length is cylindrical proximate each of the arms and each of the wire holders has three contact surfaces spaced about the rotatable length, each of the contact surfaces being configured and disposed to maintain contact with the rotatable length throughout a depression of the keycap.

A keyboard comprising:

• a plurality of keys, each having a keycap, supported on a switch plate;
• each of the keys having a keycap and lifting mechanism configured and disposed to bias the keycaps from the switch plate;
• and
• at least one of the keys having a stabilizer mechanism configured and disposed to stabilize its keycap, the stabilizer mechanism comprising:
• a first housing slidingly receiving a first slider;
• a second housing slidingly receiving a second slider;
• the switch plate holding the first housing and the second housing, wherein the first housing is spaced from the second housing;
• the keycap is attached to the first slider and the second slider and traverses the space between the sliders;
• a wire having a first arm extending through an opening in the first housing and into the first slider, a second arm extending through an opening in the second housing and into the second slider, and a rotatable length extending between the first arm and the second arm;
• the first slider having a first extension and the first housing having a first vertical slot configured to slidingly receive the first extension;
• the second slider having a second extension and the second housing having a second vertical slot configured to slidingly receive the second extension;
• and
• wherein the extensions and the first and the second slots are configured and disposed to substantially eliminate rotational movement of the keycap and its lateral movement away from, and toward, the rotatable length, upon depression of the keycap.