Typewriting machines – Key-board or key lever-actuating mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-29
2001-07-24
Hilten, John S. (Department: 2854)
Typewriting machines
Key-board or key lever-actuating mechanism
C400S691000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264385
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a keyboard device and particularly to the construction of a spacer which is for partitioning keys different in function and shape such as ordinary input keys, ten keys and function keys.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional keyboard generally has a keyboard body with a large number of key tops attached thereto and a case which accommodates and holds the keyboard body therein. The case is of a combined structure comprising an upper case which covers the upper surface side of the keyboard body and a lower case which covers the lower surface side of the keyboard body, the upper case having window portions through which a large number of key tops are exposed. The reason for adopting this structure is that this structure facilitates the keyboard assembling work. The keyboard body has several kinds of key groups of different functions such as ordinary input keys, ten keys and function keys. Usually, adjacent key groups are partitioned and somewhat spaced from each other by a beam portion positioned between upper case windows.
Recently, in the field of information processors such as personal computers, there has been an increasing demand for the reduction of size, thickness and weight from the standpoint of space saving and portability improvement. With such a demand as background, also in the field of keyboard as an input device of an information processor, a demand has been being raised to the effect that the keyboard itself should be reduced in size, thickness and weight. In this connection, for reducing the size of conventional keyboards having the above structure, there has been proposed a keyboard in which the number of beam portions for partitioning key groups is decreased, the spacing between adjacent key groups is narrowed, and the width of an outer frame portion of the case is reduced.
According to this keyboard, the reduction in size of the keyboard can be realized in comparison with the other conventional keyboards of the foregoing structure because the key group-to-key group spacing is narrowed and the external frame is reduced in width.
Recently, as an example of a keyboard with importance attached to design there has been proposed a keyboard in which the components constituting an appearance such as an upper case, a lower case and key tops are formed using a transparent resin. In this keyboard having a transparent appearance, for example if the lower case is colored in blue, the outer frame portion which surrounds the key tops is seen through in a light blue color, thus giving a refreshing and cheerful feeling to the user. Also in point of design this keyboard is of a smart design meeting the requirement for reduced size and weight.
Even in the keyboard having a reduced number of beam portions each for defining a partition between adjacent key groups it is sometimes required to ensure a space between keys of different functions or between keys of different shapes and sizes, and as the case may be it is required that a certain projection (spacer) for partitioning be disposed in the space. On this regard, in the conventional keyboard, when a housing (a key top support), which is positioned below a large number of key tops to support the key tops, is formed by molding with a resin, the resin is molded so that the portion to serve as the space is raised, and the raised portion is used as a spacer. Thus, the spacer has been formed integrally with the housing.
In the above transparent keyboard, the upper surface of the housing portion is covered with a large number of key tops and the housing is accommodated within a case and is usually not visible from the outside. For this reason, a transparent resin which gives a good appearance is not used as the material of the housing. Therefore, in the case where the above conventional spacer forming method is applied to a transparent keyboard, although the components visible from the outside such as the case and the key tops are formed using a transparent resin, an opaque resin used as the material of the housing is exposed to only the spacer portion and spoils the appearance even if the design is good.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished for solving the above-mentioned problems and it is an object of the present invention to provide a transparent keyboard device including appearance-constituting components such as a case and key tops formed of a transparent resin and which keyboard device is superior in design synthetically as a whole including the spacer portions.
According to the present invention, for achieving the above-mentioned object, there is provided a keyboard device having a keyboard body with a plurality of key tops attached to the upper surface thereof, the key tops being formed of a transparent resin and at least the upper surface of the keyboard body being formed of an opaque resin, and a case which accommodates the keyboard body therein, characterized in that key-shaped spacers formed of the same transparent resin as the transparent resin of the plural key tops are mounted on the upper surface of the keyboard body.
In the conventional keyboard device, a portion of the housing (a constituent of the keyboard body) corresponding to the space portion is raised to form a spacer integral with the housing, while in the keyboard device of the present invention, spacers separate from the keyboard body are formed and attached to the keyboard body. Further, the spacers used in the present invention are formed in a key shape of a similar appearance to the other key tops and using the same transparent resin as that of the key tops. For example, a transparent resin colored in a blackish color is used as the material of the key tops in the transparent keyboard. According to the above construction of the present invention, the components located in the key top area, including the spacer portions, are all unified in shape, color and texture and a keyboard device superior in design can be obtained easily and less expensively.
As an example of a more concrete mode, there may be adopted a construction wherein the keyboard body comprises a plurality of key tops, a key top support formed of an opaque resin and which supports the plural key tops, a membrane switch, and a plate member which holds and supports the membrane switch between it and the key top support, with box-shaped key-like spacers being inserted into holes of the key top support so that their upper surfaces are exposed to the exterior.
This construction contributes to the saving of time and labor because the fabrication of the key-shaped spacers can be done simultaneously with the fabrication of the key tops with use of a mold. Further, the mounting of the key-shaped spacers can also be done easily by merely inserting the spacers into holes formed in the key top support.
In this case, the lower end of each key-shaped spacer may be formed with a flange portion and this flange portion may be held between the key top support and the plate member, whereby the key-shaped spacers are fixed positively to the keyboard body without the fear of dislodgment thereof from the keyboard body.
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patent: 4447681 (1984-05-01), Desmarais
patent: 4489227 (1984-12-01), Lamarche
patent: 4701579 (1987-10-01), Kurachi et al.
patent: 4892999 (1990-01-01), Wai-Kwan
patent: 5172114 (1992-12-01), Bedoya et al.
patent: 5544020 (1996-08-01), Loeber et al.
patent: 5565865 (1996-10-01), So
Alps Electric Co. ,Ltd.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Hilten John S.
Nguyen Anthony H.
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