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US 2024/0345664 A1Published application
Through Hole Keyboard
AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC
InventorsMasaaki FUKUMOTO, Paul Christopher KOS, Kelong ZHAO, Haiji SUN, Bin ZHAI, Mingjie WANG
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present description relates to devices, such as keyboards. One example can include a top portion and an opposing bottom portion and key switches that are mechanically retained in holes formed in the top cover. The example can also include electrical traces formed on the top cover that extend from the holes to a processing unit that is configured to receive electrical signals along the electrical traces when the key switches are closed.
Claims20
A keyboard (104), comprising:
- a top portion (106) defining opposing first and second major surfaces (110, 112) and a through hole (114) extending between the first and second major surfaces, the through hole defined by an inwardly-facing minor surface (116) of the top portion and an inwardly-facing electrical contact (202) positioned on the inwardly-facing minor surface;
- and,
- a key switch (118) positioned at least partially in the through hole and having a user-engagement surface (216) that is generally parallel to the first major surface and an outwardly-facing surface (120) and an outwardly-facing electrical contact (214) positioned on the outwardly-facing surface against the inwardly-facing electrical contact.
A device (102), comprising:
- a top portion (106) defining opposing first and second major surfaces (110, 112) and a through hole (114) extending between the first and second major surfaces, the through hole defined by an inwardly-facing minor surface (116) of the top portion and an inwardly-facing electrical contact (202) positioned on the inwardly-facing minor surface, the top portion further including an electrical trace (122) extending from the inwardly-facing electrical contact toward a processing unit (126);
- and,
- a self-contained key switch (118) positioned at least partially in the through hole and having an outwardly-facing surface (120) and an outwardly-facing electrical contact (214) positioned on the outwardly-facing surface against the inwardly-facing electrical contact.
A keyboard (104), comprising:
- a top portion (106) and an opposing bottom portion (108);
- key switches (118) that are mechanically retained in holes (114) formed in the top portion;
- and,
- electrical traces (122) formed on the top portion that extend from the holes to a processing unit (126) that is configured to receive electrical signals along the electrical traces when the key switches are closed.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.