Bistable mechanism for collapsing and elevating a keyboard in a portable computer

An electronic device comprising:

• a housing;
• a lid mounted on said housing for pivotal movement relative thereto between open and closed positions;
• and
• a collapsible keyboard carried by said housing and including:
• a plurality of keys supported for movement between elevated and retracted positions;
• a first structure operative to (1) shift said keys from said retracted positions to said elevated positions and (2) permit said keys to move from said elevated positions to said retracted positions in response to movement of said first structure respectively through (1) an elevation stroke and (2) a retraction stroke;
• and
• a second structure connected to said first structure and operative in response to a triggering movement of said first structure through an initial portion of either of said elevation and retraction strokes to (1) drive said first structure through the balance of the stroke, and then (2) releasably retain said first structure in the resulting stroke end position thereof.

A portable computer comprising:

• a base housing;
• a lid portion secured to said base housing for pivotal movement relative thereto between open and closed positions;
• a collapsible keyboard carried by said base housing and including:
• a plurality of keys supported for movement between elevated and retracted positions, and
• shifting means operative to (1) shift said keys from said retracted positions to said elevated positions and (2) permit said keys to move from said elevated positions to said retracted positions in response to movement of said shifting means respectively through (1) an elevation stroke and (2) a retraction stroke;
• triggering means for moving said shifting means through initial portions of said elevation and retraction strokes in respective response to movement of said lid portion toward said open and closed positions thereof;
• and
• final drive means for moving said shifting means through final portions of said elevation and retraction strokes in respective response to movement of said shifting means by said triggering means through said initial portions of said elevation and retraction strokes.

A portable computer comprising:

• a base housing;
• a lid housing mounted on said base housing for pivotal movement relative thereto between open and closed positions;
• a collapsible keyboard carried by said base housing and including:
• a plurality of keys supported for movement between elevated and retracted positions, and
• a shifting structure operative to (1) shift said keys from said retracted positions to said elevated positions and (2) shift said keys from said elevated positions to said retracted positions in respective response to movement of said shifting structure through elevation and retraction strokes;
• a linkage structure drivingly connected to said shifting structure and being engageable by said lid portion during an initial portion of its opening movement to drive said shifting structure through an initial portion of said elevation stroke, and engageable by said lid portion during a final portion of its closing movement to drive said shifting structure through an initial portion of said retraction stroke;
• and
• a bistable spring structure drivingly connected to said shifting structure for moving said shifting structure through final portions of said elevation and retraction strokes, and then releasably and resiliently retaining said shifting structure in the resulting stroke end position thereof, in respective response to movement of said shifting structure through said initial portions of said elevation and retraction strokes.