Key operated apparatus having shield and method of making the same
AssigneeDarfon Electronics Corp.
InventorsChien-Shih Hsu, Chih-Hsiang Chiang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A key operated apparatus with a shield and a method of making the same are provided. The shield is used to block any undesired matters, such as water or dust, from entering an internal space formed by the shield and a bottom plate of the key operated apparatus. A plurality of keycaps positioned outside of the internal space are fixed on the shield and supported by a plurality of holders within the internal space, wherein the shield is elastically deformable when any one of the keycaps moves up and down.
Claims31
A key operated apparatus, comprising:
- a bottom plate;
- a keycap having a connecting portion;
- a shield having an opening, the shield being flexible and placed between the keycap and the bottom plate, the connecting portion passing the shield through the opening;
- and
- a holder having an upper end and a lower end;
- wherein the upper end is coupled to the connecting portion, and the lower end is coupled to the bottom plate so that the keycap is capable of moving up and down relative to the bottom plate.
A keyboard, comprising:
- a bottom plate;
- a plurality of keycaps, each keycap having a connecting portion;
- a plurality of holders, each holder having an upper end and a lower end so as to make each keycap capable of moving up and down relative to the bottom plate, the upper end being coupled to the connecting portion, and the lower end being coupled to the bottom plate;
- and
- a shield being flexible and placed between the plurality of keycaps and the bottom plate;
- wherein the shield has a plurality of openings, and the connecting portions pass the shield through the plurality of openings.
A key operated apparatus, comprising:
- a bottom plate;
- a keycap capable of moving up and down relative to the bottom plate;
- and
- a shield being flexible and placed between the keycap and the bottom plate.
A keyboard, comprising:
- a bottom plate;
- a plurality of keycaps capable of moving up and down relative to the bottom plate;
- and
- a shield being flexible and placed between the plurality of keycaps and the bottom plate.
A method of making a keyboard, comprising:
- providing a flexible shield having a plurality of openings;
- providing a plurality of keycaps, each keycap having a connecting portion;
- fixing the plurality of keycaps on the shield, and making the connecting portions pass the shield through the plurality of openings;
- providing a bottom plate having a plurality of holders, each holder having an upper end and a lower end, and the lower end being coupled to the bottom plate;
- and
- mounting the shield on the bottom plate to make the plurality of keycaps coupled to the upper ends through the connecting portions.
A method of making a keyboard, comprising:
- providing a flexible shield having a plurality of openings;
- providing a plurality of keycaps, each keycap having a plunger;
- fixing the plurality of keycaps on the shield, and making the plungers pass the shield through the plurality of openings;
- providing a bottom plate having a plurality of sleeves;
- and
- mounting the shield on the bottom plate, and making the plungers socket into the plurality of sleeves.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.