Foldable keyboard
AssigneeThink Outside, Inc.
InventorsRobert Olodort, John Tang, Peter M. Cazalet, Sung Kim, Arturo Meuniot, Paul Martin Donovan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A foldable keyboard having a plurality of folding keyboard sections. Each keyboard section includes a frame carrying a key set having a plurality of keys. The key set may be movable laterally relative to the frame. The frame with the key set is foldable with respect to an adjacent frame. The frame provides a self-contained enclosure for the keyboard assembly when fully closed. When opened, the keyboard assembly can be a full-size standard QWERTY keyboard.
Claims43
A keyboard assembly comprising:
- a plurality of keyboard sections, said keyboard sections foldable with respect to each other between a folded position and an unfolded position, said keyboard sections being generally coplanar when in said unfolded position and stacked when in said folded position, wherein said plurality of keyboard sections comprises a first keyboard section, a second keyboard section, a third keyboard section, and a fourth keyboard section;
- at least one hinge connecting said second and said third keyboard sections;
- a first double hinge connecting said first and said second keyboard sections, said first double hinge including a first hinge member;
- and
- a second double hinge connecting said third and said fourth keyboard sections, said second double hinge including a second hinge member.
A keyboard assembly comprising:
- four keyboard sections, each keyboard section hingedly connected to an adjacent section, said keyboard sections foldable with respect to each other between a folded position and an unfolded position, said four keyboard sections being generally coplanar when in said unfolded position and stacked when in said folded position, each of said four keyboard sections including a frame, each frame having a side wall shaped to nest with an adjacent side wall when said keyboard sections are in said folded position.
A keyboard assembly comprising:
- a first section having a first frame and a first plurality of keys, said first plurality of keys coupled to a first base, said first base is slidable relative to said first frame;
- a second section coupled to said first section, said second section having a second frame and a second plurality of keys coupled to said second frame, said first plurality of keys and said first base are laterally movable relative to said second plurality of keys;
- a flexible circuit including a first panel disposed between said first plurality of keys and said first base, said flexible circuit further including a bridge portion extending from said first panel and between said second frame and said second plurality of keys.
A keyboard assembly comprising:
- four keyboard sections, said keyboard sections foldable with respect to each other between a folded position and an unfolded position, said four keyboard sections being generally coplanar when in said unfolded position and stacked when in said folded position;
- a connector associated with one of said keyboard sections, said connector adapted for electrical connection to an information appliance;
- and
- a slidable support coupled to at least one of said keyboard sections, said slidable support providing a docking connection for said information appliance.
A keyboard assembly comprising:
- a first section having a first set of keys;
- a second section having a second set of keys;
- a double hinge rotatably coupled to said first section and to said second section, wherein said first set of keys is movable over said double hinge relative to said second set of keys.
A keyboard assembly comprising:
- a first keyboard section including a first frame and a plurality of first keys on said first frame, each of said plurality of first keys having a first keytop and a biasing member below said first keytop, and a first pair of electrical contacts;
- a second keyboard section including a second frame and a plurality of second keys on said second frame, each of said plurality of second keys having a second keytop and a biasing member below said second keytop and a second pair of electrical contacts;
- and
- wherein said first keyboard section is attached in a plane to said second keyboard section in an operating position and is detachable to a storage position in which said first and second keytops contact each other such that said biasing members are compressed and said first pair of electrical contacts are shorted and said second pair of electrical contacts are shorted.
A keyboard assembly comprising:
- a first keyboard section;
- a second keyboard section foldable over said first keyboard section in a folding direction, wherein said keyboard assembly is foldable between a folded position and an unfolded position;
- and
- a mechanism that keeps said keyboard assembly generally flat when in an unfolded position, said mechanism providing resistance against folding of said first and second keyboard sections in a direction opposite said folding direction while allowing folding in said opposite direction when sufficient force is applied to overcome said resistance.
A method for activating a personal digital assistant (PDA) from a low power state, in which a software driver for a peripheral device is disabled in the low power state, said peripheral device being coupled to said PDA and said peripheral device being used to activate said PDA, said method comprising:
- transmitting a control signal from said peripheral to said PDA;
- storing a peripheral data for later transmission to said PDA;
- transmitting a peripheral identifier to said PDA;
- transmitting said peripheral data to said PDA.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.