Keyboard with liquid-draining function

Details Keyboard with liquid-draining function Keyboard with liquid-draining function

2002-01-04

2003-11-11

Evanisko, Leslie J. (Department: 2854)

Typewriting machines

Key-board or key lever-actuating mechanism

Key-cap or key-stem structure

C400S495000, C400S472000, C200S302100, C200S302200

Reexamination Certificate

active

06644874

ABSTRACT:

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a keyboard with liquid-draining function, more particularly, a keyboard for notebook computers, characterized in that, the liquid-draining space and liquid-draining hole are formed inside the keyboard to drain away liquid accidentally poured into the keyboard, thus preventing liquid from accumulating in the keyboard, and maintaining the normal operation of the keyboard.
2. Description of the Related Art
A general notebook computer
10
, as shown in
FIG. 1
, mainly comprises a screen
20
, a keyboard
30
and a casing
40
; wherein the screen
20
and the casing
40
are integrally connected via the hinge mechanism. The keyboard
30
is installed on the casing
40
, wherein a motherboard adhered on the surface with CPU and other electronic units is contained; the motherboard is located under the keyboard
30
.
As shown in
FIG. 2
to
FIG. 6
, the keyboard
30
includes a plurality of keys
31
; the elastic body layer
33
that, installed under a plurality of keys
31
, contains and fixates the keys
31
; the circuit board layer
34
under the elastic body layer
33
; the bottom board
35
that, installed under the circuit board layer
34
with upturning edge
37
along the sides thereof, is for fixating the elastic body layer
33
and the circuit board layer
34
; and the sealing layer
38
adhered onto the lower surface of the bottom board
35
.
The bottom board
35
is distributed with a plurality of apertures
36
formed via the means of pressure-punching (refer to FIG.
4
), and during the process of pressure-punching, lugs are also formed to lock and fix the elastic body layer
33
and the circuit board layer
34
(not shown in figures). The elastic body layer
33
and the circuit board layer
34
are respectively installed with apertures to correspond with apertures
36
on the bottom board
35
, thus lugs installed on the bottom board
35
can pierce through for buckling and fixating the keys
31
, the elastic body layer
33
and the circuit board layer
34
to form an integral part. The bottom board
35
is further installed with fixating bolt (not shown in figures), so as to fixate the keyboard
30
onto the casing
40
and keep certain distance between the keyboard
30
and the motherboard in the casing
40
.
The bottom board
35
that contains the keys
31
, the elastic body layer
33
and the circuit board layer
34
, since it has to absorb the force from the user's hitting the keys
31
, shall be made of rigid and durable material, e.g., metal, so as to prevent the keyboard
30
from being bent and deformed; as to the sealing layer
38
, it should especially be made of lamellar waterproofing material for the purpose of waterproofing. Since the composition of the keyboard
30
is of conventional art, it is no need to describe the detailed structure thereof here.
The notebook computer
10
(please refer to FIG.
1
), with the convenient features of lighter weight and smaller volume, thus easy to be carried around, demands higher prices than those of desktop computers. In order to avoid the situation that the expensive notebook computer being easily damaged when the user, while operating the notebook computer, accidentally pours liquid into the keyboard
30
, the conventional keyboard
30
is installed with the sealing layer
38
on the lower surface of the bottom board
35
, therefore making the keyboard
30
a waterproof keyboard, for the purpose of stopping the liquid poured in from flowing through the apertures
36
of the bottom board
35
down to the circuit board. By using the sealing layer
38
to seal the apertures
36
of the bottom board
35
, it is to be assured that the circuit board is not to be damaged by liquid dripping down from the aperture
36
of the bottom board
35
, and the normal operation of the notebook computer is to be maintained.
Nevertheless, even though the bottom board
35
is installed with upturning edges
37
to hold liquid accidentally poured inside, the holding volume is not without limit. Thus when too much liquid is poured inside the keyboard
30
, liquid would flow over the upturning edges
37
and reach the motherboard under the keyboard
30
, therefore causing damages to the motherboard and making the computer inoperable. Even if liquid poured into the keyboard
35
can be held within the confinement of the upturning edges
37
, liquid inside the keyboard
35
still cannot be removed out of the keyboard
35
by means of biasing the keyboard
35
(because the biasing of the keyboard
35
shall cause liquid to flow into the motherboard). The only way is to shut down the computer and wait for liquid to be naturally vaporized, a solution that is tremendously time-wasting.
In conclusion, the conventional waterproofing keyboard
30
can only be waterproofing without the function of draining away liquid accumulated inside, a design flaw that desperately needs to be improved upon.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard with liquid-draining function that, applied on notebook computers, utilizes the liquid-draining space and the liquid-draining hole formed inside the keyboard to drain away liquid accidentally poured into the keyboard, thus liquid can be drained away from the keyboard swiftly via the liquid-draining space and the liquid-draining hole, so as to prevent liquid from accumulating in the keyboard, and maintain the normal operational function of the keyboard.
For achieving the aforementioned object, the keyboard with liquid-draining function of the present invention at least includes a plurality of keys, the elastic body layer located under the plurality of key to contain the plurality of keys, the circuit board layer located under the elastic body layer, the bottom board that, located under the circuit board layer, is used for locking and fixating the keys, the elastic body layer and the circuit board layer, and the sealing layer that adheres to the lower surface of the bottom board. At least one liquid-draining hole is installed on the bottom board, and a liquid-draining space is formed between the circuit board layer and the bottom board by the dividing mechanism; the liquid-draining hole and the liquid-draining space are connected, so that liquid accidentally poured into the keyboard can be drained away through the liquid-draining space and the liquid-draining hole, thus liquid poured in from the keys can be swiftly drained away via the liquid-draining space and the liquid-draining hole, so as to prevent liquid from accumulating in the keyboard, and maintain the normal operational function of the keyboard.
The first embodiment of the dividing mechanism is formed and distributed on the lower surface of the circuit board layer, and comes into contact with the upper surface of the bottom board, thus forming the liquid-draining space between the circuit board layer and the bottom board.
The second embodiment of the dividing mechanism is formed and distributed on the upper surface of the bottom board, and comes into contact with the lower surface of the circuit board layer, thus forming the liquid-draining space between the circuit board layer and the bottom board.
The third embodiment of the dividing mechanism is formed and distributed on both the lower surface of the circuit board layer and the upper surface of the bottom board with interlocking installation, thus forming the liquid-draining space between the circuit board layer and the bottom board.
The dividing mechanism is integrally formed on the circuit board layer and/or the bottom board.
The upturning edges can also be formed during the forming of the liquid-draining hole through the pressure-punching method, so as to expedite the water-draining process.
The keyboard is biasly installed on the casing.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5613223 (1997-03-01), Ross et al.
patent: 5734136 (1998-03-01), Newcomer et al.
patent: 5810491 (1998-09-01), Muller et al.
patent: 6054939 (2000-04-01), Wei et al.
patent: 6443644 (2002-09-01), Takeda et al.
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