Folding keyboard having key modules with asymmetrical connection points
AssigneeSilitek Corporation
InventorWinky Lin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A folding keyboard includes a fixed key module and one or more mobile key modules. The key modules are joined together by links between them. Two ends of the links between the key modules are joined at asymmetric positions. The mobile key module can turn 180 degrees to lie against the fixed key module. The folding keyboard is capable of being frontally folded, showing the whole arrangement of keys after unfolding, and being used immediately after unfolded. Moreover, the folding keyboard can be relatively shrunk by way of compression of the key units to reduce the thickness, and can be designed to be a triply-folded or quadruply-folded structure.
Claims4
A folding keyboard comprising:
- a first key module;
- a second mobile key module;
- a pair of spaced-apart links joining said first and second key modules for movement between an open state and a folded state, each of said links having two ends that are pivotably connected to said first and second key modules at asymmetrical connection points which have different heights when said keyboard is in its open state;
- and
- an outer cover that includes a first cover plate having a receiving space, a second cover plate having a receiving space, and a pivotal plate joined between said first and second cover plates, said first key module being fixed in the receiving space of said first cover plate and said second key module being movably disposed in the receiving space of said second cover plate.
A folding keyboard comprising:
- a fixed key module;
- more than one mobile key module;
- a plurality of links movably joining said key modules, each link having two ends, the ends of the links joining said fixed key module and one of said mobile key modules or joining two of said mobile key modules being disposed at asymmetrical positions;
- and
- an outer cover, said outer cover comprising a first cover plate, a second cover plate, and a pivotal plate, the insides of said first and second cover plates respectively forming receiving spaces, said fixed key module being fixed in said receiving space of said first cover plate, and said mobile key modules being movably disposed in said receiving space of said second cover plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.