Keyboard with moveable base plate providing key travel
AssigneeAssociate Technology Limited
InventorHau Chung Lam
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A keyboard, which may be made very thin and be suitable for notebook computers or personal digital assistants, has a substantially rigid base plate supported for movement between an extended position and a retracted position but biased to the extended position. The keyboard has a plurality of keys and a switch means associated with each key to register when the key has been pressed. When a key is pressed the base plate moves from the extended position to the retracted position, that movement providing for at least some travel of the pressed key. A sufficient degree of travel can be provided that the keyboard, even in a very thin form, can be used for touch-typing.
Claims21
A keyboard comprising:
- a substantially rigid base plate;
- supporting means for supporting the base plate so as to be movable between an extended position and a retracted position;
- biasing means biasing the base plate to the extended position;
- a plurality of keys arrayed over an outer surface of the base plate;
- and a switch means associated with each key;
- wherein, when any key is pressed sufficiently firmly, the supported base plate moves against the action of the biasing means substantially from the extended position to the retracted position thereby providing for at least some travel of the pressed key, and the switch means associated with the pressed key enables the registration of the pressed key, and wherein release of the pressed key allows the base plate to return to the extended position under the action of the biasing means;
- wherein the supporting means includes a frame supporting the base plate and the biasing means is connected between the base plate and the frame.
A keyboard comprising:
- a substantially rigid base plate;
- supporting means for supporting the base plate so as to be movable between an extended position and a retracted position;
- biasing means biasing the base plate to the extended position;
- a plurality of keys arrayed over an outer surface of the base plate;
- and a switch means associated with each key;
- wherein, when any key is pressed sufficiently firmly, the supported base plate moves against the action of the biasing means substantially from the extended position to the retracted position thereby providing for at least some travel of the pressed key, and the switch means associated with the pressed key enables the registration of the pressed key, and wherein release of the pressed key allows the base plate to return to the extended position under the action of the biasing;
- wherein the supporting means comprises a plurality of feet attached to the base plate at a side opposite that surface having the plurality of keys, so that placement of the feet on a supporting surface supports the base plate clear of the supporting surface, and the biasing means comprises the feet being resiliently compressible so that when a key is pressed sufficiently firmly the feet compress and the base plate thereby moves from its extended position to its retracted position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.