Keyboards have keys of varying sizes. The alphanumeric keys (A, B, C, 1, 2, 3, etc.) typically are relatively small. Other keys, such as the tab key, shift key, the space bar, etc.) are wider than the alphanumeric keys. Such wider keys often have a leveling mechanism that causes the entire key to move down in a level fashion when pressed, not just in the center of the key, but also at one side of the key or the other. Without such a leveling mechanism, a wide key may rock about its center electrical contact, similar to the motion of a teeter totter, when pressed off-center.
Leveling mechanisms for keyboard keys unfortunately involve two metal surfaces contacting each other and may result in a metallic “clicking” sound that may be bothersome. Further, manufacturing at least some metal-based leveling mechanisms can be problematic due to the relatively small dimensions involved.
For a detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular system components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, computer companies may refer to a component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function. In the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . ” Also, the term “couple” or “couples” is intended to mean either an indirect, direct, optical or wireless electrical connection. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that connection may be through a direct electrical connection, through an indirect electrical connection via other devices and connections, through an optical electrical connection, or through a wireless electrical connection.
The terms “key” and “key cap” are synonymous in this disclosure. The terms “keyboard” and “keyboard assembly” are also synonymous.
The following discussion is directed to various embodiments of the invention. Although one or more of these embodiments may be preferred, the embodiments disclosed should not be interpreted, or otherwise used, as limiting the scope of the disclosure, including the claims. In addition, one skilled in the art will understand that the following description has broad application, and the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be exemplary of that embodiment, and not intended to intimate that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to that embodiment.
The keyboard assembly 10 comprises a base surface 40 from which various features are formed or otherwise attached. Surface 40 is made from metal in accordance with various embodiments. In
The leveling mechanism of various embodiments comprises the leveling wire 30 and two plastic inserts 42 provided on the base metal surface 40. The angled ends 36 of the leveling wire 30 hook into corresponding grooves in the plastic inserts 42. Accordingly, as one side of the space bar 14 is pressed downward, the opposite end will tend to lift upward due to the rocking motion about the actuator 44. However, the opposing, upwardly lifting end is held in place by the leveling wire whose angled end 36 inserted into the plastic insert 42 prevents such opposing end from actually lifting up, or from lifting up more than a predetermined amount.
The inserts 42 are molded from plastic to thereby form a molded body in at least some embodiments. The angled end 36 of the leveling wire is metal. As the angled ends 36 contacts and presses against the insert's plastic material, the sound of the metal angled end 36 is muffled against the plastic of the insert. From a manufacturing perspective, tolerances for a plastic part can be more tightly controlled than for a metal part so the clearance can be minimized between the metal wire angled end 36 and the groove 56 in the insert 42.
Each lower groove 54 extends at least a portion of the way along length L of side 52. In some embodiments, each groove 54 extends the entire length L of side 52. Similarly, each groove 56 extends at least a portion of the way along length L of side 52. In some embodiments, each groove 56 extends the entire length L of side 52.
Opposing grooves 54 are used to retain the plastic insert in place on the base metal surface 40 of the keyboard assembly 10. Each of the opposing grooves 56 is configured to receive an angled end 36 of a leveling wire 30. In various embodiments, when the plastic insert 42 is in use and mated to a keyboard 10, only one of the grooves 56 is used to receive an angled end 36 of a leveling wire 30. Two grooves 56 are provided on opposing sides 52 of the plastic insert 42 to enable the plastic insert to be usable on either side of the key to thereby receive either angled end 36 of the leveling wire. That is, two identical plastic inserts 42 can be mated to the keyboard 10 for receiving the angled ends 36 of the leveling wire 30.
In some embodiments, only a single key on the keyboard 10 contains a plastic insert 42, or pair of plastic inserts. In other embodiments, more than one key comprises one or more plastic insets 42. In still other embodiments, all keys on the keyboard comprise one or more plastic inserts.
The above discussion is meant to be illustrative of the principles and various embodiments of the present invention. Numerous variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such variations and modifications.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/US2009/036055 | 3/4/2009 | WO | 00 | 9/6/2011 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2010/101567 | 9/10/2010 | WO | A |
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4412754 | Sparks | Nov 1983 | A |
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2444273 | Aug 2001 | CN |
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Entry |
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International Search Report and Written Opinion, Appln. No. PCT/US2009/036055, date of mailing, Dec. 7, 2009, 10 p. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20120001775 A1 | Jan 2012 | US |