Embodiments described herein relate generally to a keyboard and an electronic device.
Conventionally, there has been known an electronic device which comprises a housing equipped with a keyboard.
It is beneficial to obtain a keyboard which can reduce disadvantage such as a keyboard with a novel configuration in which the concentration of stress on the constituent elements is likely to be relieved.
A general architecture that implements the various features of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate embodiments of the invention and not to limit the scope of the invention.
Generally, according to an embodiment, a keyboard comprises, for example, a baseplate, a cover, and operable keys. The baseplate includes a first end and a second end. The first end extends along a first direction. The second end extends along the first direction and is positioned opposite to the first end. A first cutout is disposed at the first end. A second cutout is disposed at the second end. The second cutout is aligned with the first cutout in a second direction with a partial offset in the first direction. The second direction intersects the first direction. The cover covers the baseplate. The cover includes a third end and a fourth end. The third end extends along the first direction and is aligned with the first end in a third direction. The third direction intersects the first direction and the second direction. The fourth end extends along the first direction and is aligned with the second end in the third direction. The third end and the fourth end include first hooks. A part of the first hook is positioned within the first cutout or the second cutout.
Exemplary embodiments and modification examples of a keyboard and an electronic device are described below. In the embodiments described below, the technical features such as configurations and control as well as the working and effects attributed to the configurations and the control are only exemplary. In a plurality of embodiments described below, identical constituent elements are included. Hence, in the following explanation, identical constituent elements are referred to by the same reference numerals, and the redundant explanation is not repeated. In the accompanying drawings, for the purpose of illustration, the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction are illustrated. Herein, the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction are mutually orthogonal directions.
The housing 3 has a flat and cuboid exterior. An opening 3b is disposed on a face 3a of the housing 3. The display 31 and the camera 32 are exposed through the opening 3b.
The housing 2 has a flat and cuboid exterior. The housing 2 has a face 2a and a face 2b. The face 2a extends in the X direction and the Y direction. The face 2a is a flat, quadrilateral, and rectangular face. An opening 2p is disposed on the face 2a. The face 2a can be called a top face, an upper face, or an front face. The face 2a is a part of a wall 2k. The wall 2k can be called a top wall or an upper wall. The opening 2p is an example of a second opening.
The face 2b is positioned on the opposite side of the face 2a, and extends in the X direction and the Y direction. The face 2b is a flat, quadrilateral, and rectangular face. The face 2b can be called a bottom face, a lower face, or a back face. The face 2b is a part of a wall 2m. The wall 2m can be called a bottom wall or a lower wall.
The housing 2 includes four ends 2c to 2f and includes four corners 2g to 2j. The end 2c extends in the X direction. The end 2d is positioned opposite to the end 2c and extends in the X direction. The ends 2c and 2d can be called long sides. The end 2e extends in the Y direction. The end 2f is positioned opposite to the end 2e and extends in the Y direction. The ends 2e and 2f can be called short sides. The ends 2c to 2f can also be called sides or rims. The ends 2c to 2f are a part of a wall 2n. The wall 2n can be called a side wall or a peripheral wall. The corners 2g to 2j are disposed between two neighboring ends among the four ends 2c to 2f.
The level difference in the Z direction between the face 2a and the face 2p1, that is, the depth of the depression as the opening 2p is substantially equal to the height of the keyboard 100 or, specifically, the height from the bottom face (the back face) of the keyboard 100 to keys 102. Hence, while the keyboard 100 is installed in the opening 2p, there is no significant level difference between the top surface of the keys 102 and the face 2a.
Through holes 2p3 and 2p4 are disposed at the portion forming the face 2p1 in the wall 2k. Herein, a fastener such as a screw (not illustrated) is inserted through the through hole 2p4 from the back side of the wall 2k, that is, from the inside of the housing and is fastened with a female screw (not illustrated) disposed on the bottom face of the keyboard 100. As a result, the keyboard 100 is fixed to the housing 2.
As illustrated in
The base 101 includes four ends 101c to 101f and includes four corners 101g to 101j. The end 101c extends in the X direction. The end 101d is positioned opposite to the end 101c and extends in the X direction. The ends 101c and 101d can be called long sides. The end 101e extends in the Y direction. The end 101f is positioned opposite to the end 101e and extends in the Y direction. The ends 101e and 101f can be called short sides. The ends 101c to 101f can also be called sides or rims. Each of the corners 101g to 101j is disposed between two neighboring ends among the four ends 101c to 101f. The ends 101c to 101f of the base 101 are also the ends of the keyboard 100. The corners 101g to 101j of the base 101 are also the corners of the keyboard 100. The X direction is an example of a first direction, the Y direction is an example of a second direction.
The keys 102 on the circuit board 104 are positioned opposite to the baseplate 103. The keys 102 are exposed through the openings 101k disposed on the cover 105. When the key 102 is pressed in the opposite direction to the Z direction, switch that is disposed on the circuit board 104 corresponding to the key 102 is closed, and electrical signal corresponding to the concerned key 102 flow in the circuit board 104. In other words, electrical signal corresponding to the key 102 is sent from the circuit board 104 to the control unit (not illustrated) of the electronic device 1. Other elements such as support mechanisms for the keys 102 are disposed between the keys 102 and the circuit board 104
The baseplate 103 includes four ends 103c to 103f and includes four corners 103g to 103j. The end 103c extends in the X direction. The end 103d is positioned on the opposite side of the end 103c and extends in the X direction. The ends 103c and 103d can be called long sides. The end 103e extends in the Y direction. The end 103f is positioned opposite to the end 103e and extends in the Y direction. The ends 103e and 103f can be called short sides. The ends 103c to 103f can be called sides or rims. Each of the corners 103g to 103j is disposed between two neighboring ends among the four ends 103c to 103f. The end 103c is an example of a first end. The end 103d is an example of a second end. The end 103e is an example of a fifth end. The end 103f is an example of a sixth end.
The circuit board 104 illustrated in
The cover 105 illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The cutouts 107c2 are positioned closer to the center line Cy of the keyboard 100 than to the ends 103e and 103f. The cutouts 107 include two cutouts 107c2. One of the two cutouts 107c2 is positioned away from the center line Cy in the X direction while the other cutout 107c2 is positioned away from the center line Cy in the opposite direction to the X direction. For example, the two cutouts 107c2 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center line Cy.
The cutout 107c3 is disposed on the end 103c and is positioned between a pair of the cutouts 107c1 and 107c2. The cutouts 107 include two cutouts 107c3. One of the two cutouts 107c3 is positioned away from the center line Cy in the X direction while the other cutout 107c3 is positioned away from the center line Cy in the opposite direction to the X direction. For example, the two cutouts 107c3 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center line Cy.
The cutouts 107d1 are positioned closer to the ends 103e and 103f than to the center line Cy of the keyboard 100. The cutouts 107d1 are positioned at the corners 103i and 103j of the baseplate 103. The cutouts 107 include two cutouts 107d1. One of the two cutouts 107d1 is positioned away from the center line Cy in the X direction while the other cutout 107d1 is positioned away from the center line Cy in the opposite direction to the X direction. For example, the two cutouts 107d1 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center line Cy. The cutouts 107d1 are examples of third cutouts.
The cutouts 107d2 are positioned closer to the center line Cy of the keyboard 100 than to the ends 103e and 103f. The cutouts 107 include two cutouts 107d2. One of the two cutouts 107d2 is positioned away from the center line Cy in the X direction while the other cutout 107d2 is positioned away from the center line Cy in the opposite direction to the X direction. For example, the two cutouts 107d2 are positioned symmetrically with respect to the center line Cy. The cutouts 107d2 are examples of fourth cutouts.
The cutout 107d3 is disposed on the end 103d and is positioned between a pair of the cutouts 107d1 and 107d2. The cutouts 107 include two cutouts 107d3. One of the two cutouts 107d3 is positioned away from the center line Cy in the X direction while the other cutout 107d3 is positioned away from the center line Cy in the opposite direction to the X direction. For example, the two cutouts 107d3 are positioned symmetrically with respect to the center line Cy.
As illustrated in
The center line Cd (the center in the X direction) of the cutout 107d1 is approximately aligned in the Y direction with the center line Cc (the center in the X direction) of the cutout 107c1. However, edges 7d of the cutout 107d1 are out of alignment with edges 7c of the cutout 107c1 in the Y direction. The edges 7d of the cutout 107d1 are the edges in the X direction and the opposite direction of the X direction. The edges 7c of the cutout 107c1 are the edges in the X direction and the opposite direction of the X direction. The edges 7d have a slight offset with edges 7c in the X direction. The cutout 107d1 is an example of a fifth cutout.
As apparent from
As illustrated in
As described above, in the keyboard 100, the cutouts 107d2 are aligned with the cutouts 107c2 in the Y direction, with the partial offset δ2 in the X direction. Moreover, the cutouts 107d3 are aligned with the cutouts 107c3 in the Y direction, with the partial offset δ3 in the X direction. Hence, for example, in case the keyboard 100 is deformed by an external force or heat and in case the faces 101a and 101b of the base 101 are warped, that is, in case the faces 101a and 101b are warped concavely or convexly in the state that the central part in the X direction of the baseplate 103 and the ends 103e and 103f are separated away in the Z direction, the concentration of stress in the vicinity of the cutouts 107c2, 107c3, 107d2, and 107d3 of the baseplate 103 can be relieved unlike the configuration in which the cutouts disposed on the end 103c and the cutouts disposed on the end 103d are aligned in the Y direction with no offset therebetween in the X direction.
Meanwhile, the further the cutouts 107c1 and 107d1 are away from the corners 103g to 103j, the more easily the corners 103g to 103j lift off the housing 2. In this regard, in the keyboard 100, the nearer to the corners 103g to 103j the partial offsets δ1 (not illustrated), δ2, and δ3 are, the smaller the partial offsets δ1, δ2, and δ3 are. The partial offsets δ1, δ2, and δ3 are the offsets between the cutouts 107c1, 107c2, and 107c3 and the cutouts 107d1, 107d2, and 107d3 arranged in the Y direction. Hence, the cutouts 107c1 and 107d1 can be positioned closer to the corners 103g to 103j. Thereby, the corners 103g to 103j are unlikely to lift off the housing 2.
In the keyboard 100, although the cutouts 107d1 are aligned with the cutouts 107c1 in the Y direction, the edges 7d of the cutouts 107d1 in the X direction are not aligned in the Y direction with the edges 7c of the cutouts 107c1 in the X direction. Hence, for example, in case the keyboard 100 is deformed by an external force or heat and in case the faces 101a and 101b of the base 101 are warped, the concentration of stress in the vicinity of the cutouts 107c1 and 107d1 of the baseplate 103 can be relieved unlike the configuration in which the edges of the cutouts disposed on the end 103c and the edges of the cutouts disposed on the end 103d are aligned in the Y direction.
In the baseplate 103A, the cutouts 107c1, 107c2, and 107c3 are disposed on the end 103c while the cutouts 107d1, 107d2, and 107d3 are disposed on the end 103d. The number of the cutouts 107c1, 107c2, and 107c3 disposed on the end 103c is equal to the number of the cutouts 107d1, 107d2, and 107d3 disposed on the end 103d.
However, between the keyboard 100A and the keyboard 100, there is a difference of the offset in the X direction between the cutouts 107c1, 107c2, and 107c3 and the cutouts 107d1, 107d2, and 107d3. The offset δ2 between the cutouts 107c2 and the cutouts 107d2 in the X direction is relatively large and is equal to or greater than the width of the cutouts 107c2 and the cutouts 107d2, for example. In other words, the cutouts 107c2 and the cutouts 107d2 are out of alignment in the Y direction. In other words, the cutouts 107c2 and the cutouts 107d2 are (completely) offset in the X direction.
With such a configuration as the first embodiment, for example, in case the keyboard 100A is deformed by an external force or heat and in case the faces 101a and 101b of the base 101A are warped, that is, in case the faces 101a and 101b are warped concavely or convexly in the state that the central part in the X direction of the baseplate 103 and the ends 103e and 103f of the baseplate 103 are separated away in the Z direction, the concentration of stress in the vicinity of the cutouts 107c2 and 107d2 of the baseplate 103A can be relieved unlike the configuration in which the cutouts disposed on the end 103c and the cutouts disposed on the end 103d are aligned in the Y direction with no offset therebetween in the X direction. Moreover, since the number of cutouts 107c1, 107c2, and 107c3 is the same as the number of cutouts 107d1, 107d2, and 107d3, that is, the number of hooks 106 disposed on the end 101c of the base 101A is the same as the number of hooks 106 disposed on the end 101d of the base 101A, it becomes possible to reduce the difference in the spacing between the cutouts 107 on the end 103c and the cutouts 107 on the end 103d of the baseplate 103A. This can prevent a portion in one of the ends 103c, 103d lifting off easily from the housing 2.
While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.
Moreover, the configurations and the shapes can be partially interchanged among the embodiments and the modifications. Furthermore, the specifications about the configurations and the shapes (structure, type, direction, shape, size, length, width, thickness, height, number, arrangement, position, material, etc.) can be suitably modified. For example, the specifications of the cutouts such as the size of the cutouts, the number of the cutouts, the size of the offsets, the direction of the offsets are not limited to the embodiments described above.
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/252,978, filed on Nov. 9, 2015; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62252978 | Nov 2015 | US |