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US 3,941,953 AGranted
Keyboard having switches with tactile feedback
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorsWilliam W. Misson, Clarence K. Studley, William J. West, Edward T. Liljenwall
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An array of curved metal strips is supported over an array of conductors, and a key is supported over each intersection of a metal strip and a conductor. When a user depresses a key, a metal strip is pressed against a conductor to make an electrical connection. As the metal strip is deflected by the key, it snaps or buckles, providing tactile feedback to the user.
Claims13
A switching apparatus comprising:
- a rigid substrate;
- first conductive means comprising at least one conductor supported on the substrate;
- second conductive means comprising at least one conductive strip having at least a portion thereof arched about an axis substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate and supported over the first conductive means to form one or more intersections of the arched portion of the second conductive means and the first conductive means;
- and
- actuator means supported over the second conductive means comprising an actuator for each intersection of the first and second conductive means for deflecting the arched portion of the second conductive means into contact with the first conductive means and for causing the resilience of the arched portion of the second conductive means to change abruptly in response to deflection by an actuator, whereby tactile feedback is provided to a user actuating an actuator.
2 more elements
A push button switching apparatus comprising:
- a base;
- a plurality of bearings attached by means to the base;
- a plurality of electrical contacts mounted on the base;
- a bridging electrical conductor supported by the base over selected ones of the electrical contacts and movable into and out of contact with the selected ones of the electrical contacts;
- and a plurality of key bodies, each having a button portion, a protrusion on the button portion for engaging the bridging electrical conductor, a lateral tab portion extending from the button portion and a shaft portion attached to the lateral tab portion and rotatably mounted in one of the bearings, for deflecting the bridging electrical conductor into contact with a corresponding electrical contact in response to a user pushing the button portion.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.