Tactile keyboard for electrical appliances and equipment
AssigneeMarking Specialists/Polymer Technologies, Inc.
InventorMichael J. Sullivan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A soft tactile urethane transparent plastic membrane structure printed keyboard is disclosed which provides a soft tactile individual membrane over each separate printed indicia wherein each individual membrane structure is clear, raised, domed, visually transparent and soft to the touch. The soft tactile urethane membrane structures provide raised key tip contact means which permit keyboard operation by feel of the keyboard. The urethane plastic membrane structures, when compressed, activate respective membrane switches in an electrical control circuit.
Claims9
An individual membrane keyboard apparatus for use in controlling electrical apparatus wherein individual membrane structures provide tactile sensitivity to the user to determine by touch an individual key of the keyboard to facilitate rapid operation of the keyboard, said individual membrane structure keyboard comprising:
- a) a thin polycarbonate sheet with printed indicia thereon in predetermined locations wherein said individual indicia is in the form of numbers, letters and icons to designate an operation element of controlled electrical apparatus, wherein a means of controlling said electrical apparatus comprises an integral electrical switch matrix therein, including actuating switch members to control said electrical apparatus, which is positioned and in alignment with said individual indicia to provide operation elements of said controlled electrical apparatus, said matrix secured to said thin polycarbonate sheet:
- b) a printed ink outline located to outline each printed indicia and enclose each printed indicia, said printed ink outline printed on said thin polycarbonate sheet:
- c) individual soft tactile transparent urethane plastic dome membrane structures located within barriers of each printed ink outline, each said membrane structure over each individual indicia in predetermined locations on said thin polycarbonate sheet wherein said soft tactile transparent urethane dome membrane structures are manually compressable to activate an electrical switch of said integral electrical switch matrix:
- d) a plastic substrate whereon said thin polycarbonate sheet with printed indicia is mounted thereon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.