Coded data generation or conversion – Bodily actuated code generator – Including keyboard or keypad
Patent
1996-04-24
1998-05-05
Hofsass, Jeffery
Coded data generation or conversion
Bodily actuated code generator
Including keyboard or keypad
341 23, 36470901, 36470908, 361749, 200 5A, H03K 1794, H03M 1100
Patent
active
057481148
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a flat input keyboard for data processing machines or the like, which, starting on the side facing away from the operation side, has the following successive layers: a supporting layer, an electric switching system with electric contact spots corresponding to a keyboard pattern, a buffer layer and a flexible elastic covering layer having a keyboard pattern and provided on the operation side facing away from the electric switching system, whereby the supporting layer, the electric switching system, the buffer layer and the covering layer are interconnected at least along their circumference, characterized in that, by being made up of segments of at least one sheet, the switching system is formed permanently flexible around the roll axis(axes); and that, by having the supporting layer and buffer layer interconnected at their edges, by having flow openings provided in the switching system and by having the buffer layer and the covering layer being interconnected over their whole surface, the electric switching system is provided with a one-piece seamless casing; also disclosed is a process for producing such a flat input keyboard.
The electric switching system, to which is assigned an evaluation logic, consists generally of three sheets laminated onto each other, namely a first contact sheet, a second contact sheet and a spacer sheet between these, whereby the latter is generally punched and has openings at the contact spots provided. On the sides facing towards the spacer sheet, the two contact sheets preferably have printed layers of electroconductive lacquer. It may be provided that one of the two contact sheets can carry all of the electric conductors- These are then frequently embodied with the contact spots in such a way that here two conductor ends reach into each other in a comb-like manner. The other contact sheet then has at its contact spots a complete print-on of electroconductive lacquer. However, it may also be provided that both contact sheets carry conductors, with the result that the number of conductor crossings can be reduced on one of the contact sheets, if need be. The contact sheets and the spacer sheet generally consist of plastic material.
When force is applied to the covering layers at a contact spot defined by the keyboard pattern, i.e. when a "key" is pressed, at the point of pressure the contact sheet nearest to the covering layer bends over the edges of the corresponding cut-outs in the contact sheet and comes into contact with the contact spot of the lower contact sheet. This contact provides an electrically conducting connection between the upper and lower contact spots. In this configuration, while connected an electric current can flow through the conductors in the upper contact sheet to provide a signal from which it is then possible to evaluate the key pressed.
Besides flat keyboards of the above described type, other types of keyboards comparable with typewriter keyboards with respect to their key form and key arrangement may be used for entering data on data processing units, such as, for example, so-called notebooks. Thereby provision may be made for keys with a relatively large key stroke. All keyboards used hitherto have a hard housing or at least a rigid baseplate.
Rubber keyboards are an exception from this; however, these do not follow the principle of the membrane keyboard used here.
Conventional keyboards have a number of disadvantages. particularly the fact that when transporting such keyboards, especially in conjunction with portable computers (notebooks), the keyboard requires a great deal of space compared with the other function units of the computer, and it is relatively heavy. However, if the size of the keyboard is reduced such that it is adapted to the size of the portable computer, it becomes ergonomically disadvantageous. Conventional keyboards are rigid and thus bulky when transported, moved and stored. On membrane keyboards contact reliability is generally assured through the use of domelike formed design membrane keyboards. Th
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IBM (Technical Disclosure Bulletin) vol. 33 No. 9 Enlarged Cursor Key with Trackball, p. 428, Feb. 1991.
Edwards, Jr. Timothy
Hofsass Jeffery
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