Reduced height keyboard structure for a notebook computer

Computer keyboard apparatus comprising:

• a key pad structure having top and bottom sides;
• a series of key cap members positioned above said top side said key pad structure and mutually spaced apart from one another in a direction parallel to said top side, each of said key cap members having a bottom side edge periphery facing said top side of said key pad structure, and an upwardly dished interior portion bounded by said bottom side edge periphery;
• a spaced apart series of key support and guide members supported on said top side of said key pad structure in an aligned, underlying relationship with said series of key cap members, each of said key support and guide members having a top side and further having a side edge periphery spaced inwardly of the bottom side edge periphery of its associated key cap member in a direction parallel to said top side of said key pad structure;
• linking means for securing each of said key cap members to its underlying key support and guide member for movement relative thereto, through a key stroke distance, between an upwardly extended position in which the key cap member is spaced upwardly apart from said top side of said key pad structure, and a downwardly retracted position in which the underlying key support and guide member is upwardly received in the interior of the key cap member with the bottom side edge periphery of the key cap member being adjacent said top side of said key pad structure;
• and
• biasing means for resiliently biasing each of said key cap members toward said upwardly extended position thereof,
• said key support and guide members being supported on said key pad structure by cooperatively engaged locking means on said key support and guide members and said key pad structure,
• said key pad structure being a multilayer structure having a top layer and a bottom layer, and a spaced series of holes extending downwardly through said top layer to said bottom layer, and
• said cooperatively engaged locking means including a spaced plurality of post members depending from said key support and guide members, extending downwardly through said holes, and being lockingly received in portions of said bottom layer.

Computer keyboard apparatus comprising:

• a multilayer key pad structure having top and bottom layers;
• a series of key cap members positioned above said top layer of said key pad structure and mutually spaced apart from one another in a direction parallel to said top layer, each of said key cap members having a bottom side edge periphery facing said top side of said key pad structure, and an upwardly dished interior portion bounded by said bottom side edge periphery;
• a spaced apart series of individual key support and guide members supported on said top side of said key pad structure in an aligned, underlying relationship with said series of key cap members, each of said key support and guide members having a base wall with a top side, a side edge periphery spaced inwardly of the bottom side edge periphery of its associated key cap member in a direction parallel to said top layer of said key pad structure, and a central opening extending therethrough transversely to said top layer, said side edge peripheries of said individual key support and guide members being spaced apart along, circumscribed by, and extending downwardly to top side areas of said key pad structure positioned lower than said top sides of said base walls of said individual key support and guide members;
• a series of scissored linkage assemblies securing each of said key cap members to its underlying key support and guide member for movement relative thereto, through a key stroke distance, between an upwardly extended position in which the key cap member is spaced upwardly apart from said top layer of said key pad structure, and a downwardly retracted position in which the underlying key support and guide member is upwardly received in the interior of the key cap member with the bottom side edge periphery of the key cap member being adjacent its underlying top side area of said key pad structure and positioned lower than the top side of the base wall of the underlying key support and guide member;
• and
• a spaced series of resilient key return members secured to said top layer of said key pad structure, extending upwardly through said central openings in said key support and guide members, and upwardly engaging said scissored linkage assemblies in a manner resiliently biasing said key cap members toward said upwardly extended positions thereof.

Computer keyboard apparatus comprising:

• a multilayer key pad structure having top and bottom layers;
• a series of key cap members positioned above said top layer of said key pad structure and mutually spaced apart from one another in a direction parallel to said top layer, each of said key cap members having a bottom side edge periphery facing said top side of said key pad structure, and an upwardly dished interior portion bounded by said bottom side edge periphery;
• a spaced apart series of key support and guide members supported on said top side of said key pad structure in an aligned, underlying relationship with said series of key cap members, each of said key support and guide members having a top side, a side edge periphery spaced inwardly of the bottom side edge periphery of its associated key cap member in a direction parallel to said top layer of said key pad structure, and a central opening extending therethrough transversely to said top layer;
• a series of scissored linkage assemblies securing each of said key cap members to its underlying key support and guide member for movement relative thereto, through a key stroke distance, between an upwardly extended position in which the key cap member is spaced upwardly apart from said top layer of said key pad structure, and a downwardly retracted position in which the underlying key support and guide member is upwardly received in the interior of the key cap member with the bottom side edge periphery of the key cap member being adjacent said top side of said key pad structure;
• and
• a spaced series of resilient key return members secured to said top layer of said key pad structure, extending upwardly through said central openings in said key support and guide members, and upwardly engaging said scissored linkage assemblies in a manner resiliently biasing said key cap members toward said upwardly extended positions thereof,
• said key pad structure having a spaced series of holes disposed therein and extending downwardly through said top layer to said bottom layer, and
• said key support and guide members being supported on said key pad structure by cooperatively engaged locking means on said key support and guide members and said key pad structure, said cooperatively engaged locking means including a spaced plurality of post members depending from said key support and guide members, extending downwardly through said holes, and being lockingly received in portions of said bottom layer.

A portable computer comprising:

• a base housing having a top side;
• a lid housing portion secured to said base housing portion for pivotal movement relative thereto between a closed position in which said lid housing portion extends across and covers said top side, and an open position in which said lid housing portion uncovers and exposes said top side;
• and
• reduced height keyboard apparatus disposed along said top side and including:
• a key pad structure having top and bottom sides;
• a series of key cap members positioned above said top side of said key pad structure and mutually spaced apart from one another in a direction parallel to said top side, each of said key cap members having a bottom side edge periphery facing said top side of said key pad structure, and an upwardly dished interior portion bounded by said bottom side edge periphery;
• a spaced apart series of individual key support and guide members supported on said top side of said key pad structure in an aligned, underlying relationship with said series of key cap members, each of said key support and guide members having a base wall with a top side and further having a side edge periphery spaced inwardly of the bottom side edge periphery of its associated key cap member in a direction parallel to said top side of said key pad structure, said side edge peripheries of said individual key support and guide members being spaced apart along, circumscribed by, and extending downwardly to top side areas of said key pad structure positioned lower than said top sides of said base walls of said individual key support and guide members;
• linking means for securing each of said key cap members to its underlying key support and guide member for movement relative thereto, through a key stroke distance, between an upwardly extended position in which the key cap member is spaced upwardly apart from said top side of said key pad structure, and a downwardly retracted position in which the underlying key support and guide member is upwardly received in the interior of the key cap member with the bottom side edge periphery of the key cap member being adjacent its underlying top side area of said key pad structure and disposed lower than the top side of the base wall of the underlying key support and guide member;
• and
• biasing means for resiliently biasing each of said key cap members toward said upwardly extended position thereof.

A portable computer comprising:

• a base housing having a top side;
• a lid housing portion secured to said base housing portion for pivotal movement relative thereto between a closed position in which said lid housing portion extends across and covers said top side, and an open position in which said lid housing portion uncovers and exposes said top side;
• and
• reduced height keyboard apparatus disposed along said top side and including:
• a key pad structure having top and bottom sides;
• a series of key cap members positioned above said top side of said key pad structure and mutually spaced apart from one another in a direction parallel to said top side, each of said key cap members having a bottom side edge periphery facing said top side of said key pad structure, and an upwardly dished interior portion bounded by said bottom side edge periphery;
• a spaced apart series of key support and guide members supported on said top side or said keypad structure in an aligned, underlying relationship with said series of key cap members, each of said key support and guide members having a top side and further having a side edge periphery spaced inwardly of the bottom side edge periphery of its associated keycap member in a direction parallel to said top side of said key pad structure;
• linking means for securing each of said key cap members to its underlying key support and guide member for movement relative thereto, through a key stroke distance, between an upwardly extended position in which the key cap member is spaced upwardly apart from said top side of said key pad structure, and a downwardly retracted position in which the underlying key support and guide member is upwardly received in the interior of the key cap member with the bottom side edge periphery of the key cap member being adjacent said top side of said key pad structure;
• and
• biasing means for resiliently biasing each of said key cap members toward said upwardly extended position thereof,
• said key support and guide members being supported on said key pad structure by cooperatively engaged locking means on said key support and guide members and said key pad structure,
• said key pad structure being a multilayer structure having a top layer and a bottom layer, and a spaced series of holes extending downwardly through said top layer to said bottom layer, and
• said cooperatively engaged locking means including a spaced plurality of post members depending from said key support and guide members, extending downwardly through said holes, and being lockingly received in portions of said bottom layer.