Claims
- 1. A keyboard device, comprising:
a plurality of webs stretchable in a first direction between a contracted position and an expanded position; and a plurality of keytops arranged on each web, a pitch between adjacent keytops expandable in accordance with expansion of the webs; wherein the webs are superposable in a second direction.
- 2. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the webs are superposable in the second direction at least when the webs are in the contracted position.
- 3. The keyboard device according to claim 1, further comprising a keyboard decoder device configured to receive output data from keyswitches corresponding to the keytops.
- 4. The keyboard device according to claim 3, further comprising a battery arranged to power the keyboard decoder device.
- 5. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein each web is formed of an elastomeric material.
- 6. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein each web is formed from an iso-linear stretch material.
- 7. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein each keytop includes at least one label woven into the web.
- 8. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of webs includes at least five webs arranged to form five keyboard rows.
- 9. The keyboard device according to claim 1, further comprising a flexible wiring harness arranged to electrically and logically interconnect the webs.
- 10. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein an overall width of the webs in the expanded position is between approximately 10.5 inches and 11 inches.
- 11. The keyboard device according to claim 1, further comprising interconnecting circuitry configured to electrically and logically interconnect the webs.
- 12. The keyboard device according to claim 12, wherein the interconnecting circuitry includes two sets of connectors.
- 13. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the webs are superposable to form a stacked arrangement of the webs.
- 14. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the keytops are arranged for single-finger data entry when the webs are in the contracted position.
- 15. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the keytops are arranged for touch-typing data entry when the webs are in the expanded position.
- 16. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the webs are formed from an expandable fabric.
- 17. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein each keytop includes at least one printed top.
- 18. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the keytops include contrasting colors.
- 19. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein each keytop includes a differing weave structure.
- 20. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein a designation is molded into the each keytop.
- 21. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein each web corresponds to a respective row of keys of the keyboard device.
- 22. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of webs includes at least three webs arranged to form five keyboard rows.
- 23. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein an overall width of the webs in the expanded position is between approximately 10 inches and 11 inches.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/337,458, filed on Dec. 6, 2001, which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60337458 |
Dec 2001 |
US |