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US 6,547,463 B1Granted
Collapsible keyboard
OwnerJyh-Yi Looinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A collapsible keyboard includes left and right subframes hinged to each other at proximate lateral sides by a hinge member. The hinge member includes a mounting member with front and rear mounting portions pivoted to the subframes, two wing members hinged to lateral edges of the mounting member, and couplers disposed to link the subframes and the wing members. As such, the subframes are turnable between deployed and collapsed positions, where the subframes are planar and face towards each other, respectively. A locking mechanism is disposed over the proximate lateral sides of the subframes to lock the subframes in the deployed position.
Claims12
A collapsible keyboard comprising:
- a mounting member including a backbone portion which extends in a transverse direction and which has left and right lateral edges opposite to each other in a longitudinal direction, and front and rear ends opposite to each other in the transverse direction, and front and rear mount portions extending respectively and upwardly from said front and rear ends and terminating respectively at front and rear uppermost surfaces;
- left and right subframes, each including
- a major base wall having proximate and distal lateral sides opposite to each other in the longitudinal direction, and front and rear sides opposite to each other in the transverse direction, and
- front and rear link walls extending respectively and upwardly from said front and rear sides and terminating respectively at front and rear upper edge portions, said front and rear link walls respectively including front and rear linking areas which are located adjacent to both said front upper edge portion and said proximate lateral side, and to both said rear upper edge portion and said proximate lateral side respectively, and which are pivoted to said front and rear mount portions about a pivot axis in the transverse direction respectively at front and rear pivotal points that are adjacent to said front and rear uppermost surfaces respectively;
- left and right wing members, each including proximate and distal edge portions opposite to each other in the longitudinal direction, and forward and rearward sides opposite to each other in the transverse direction, said proximate edge portions of said left and right wing members being hinged to said left and right lateral edges of said backbone portion respectively so as to place said left and right wing members in folded or spread positions where said distal edge portions of said left and right wing members are respectively close to or remote from each other;
- left and right couplers disposed to respectively link said front link walls of said left and right subframes at left and right coupled areas outboard to a respective one of said front linking areas, to said forward sides of said left and right wing members at left and right engaged areas outboard to said proximate edge portions, respectively, such that when said left and right wing members are in the folded or spread positions, said left and right subframes are placed in collapsed or deployed positions, where said distal lateral sides of said left and right subframes are respectively close to or remote from each other;
- and
- left and right sets of pluralities of keys respectively disposed on said left and right subframes in an arrangement standing unaltered when said left and right subframes change from the collapsed position to the deployed position.
5 more elements
A collapsible keyboard comprising:
- left and right subframes, each including a major base wall which has proximate and distal lateral sides opposite to each other in a longitudinal direction, and front and rear sides opposite to each other in a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal direction;
- a hinge member pivotally connected to said proximate lateral sides of said left and right subframes about a pivot axis in the transverse direction such that said left and right subframes are turnable about the pivot axis between a deployed position where said major base walls of said left and right subframes are planar, and a collapsed position, where said major base walls face towards each other;
- left and right sets of pluralities of keys respectively disposed on said left and right subframes in an arrangement standing unaltered when said left and right subframes change from the collapsed position to the deployed position;
- and
- a locking mechanism disposed over said proximate lateral sides of said left and right subframes, and including
- a pivotal mount disposed on said major base wall of said left subframe, and defining a pivoting axis in the transverse direction,
- a bar having an anchored end pivoted to said pivotal mount about said pivoting axis, and a slider end disposed opposite to said anchored end and extending over to said major base wall of said right subframe, such that said slider end is close to and remote from said proximate lateral side of said right subframe when said left and right subframes are in the deployed and collapsed positions respectively,
- a guiding keyway disposed on said major base wall of said right subframe to guide said slider end to slide, and
- a latch unit disposed to place said slider end in a locked or unlocked position where said slider end is close to or remote from said proximate lateral side of said right subframe.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.