Keycap assembly

Details Keycap assembly Keycap assembly

2001-07-18

2003-10-14

Nguyen, Judy (Department: 2853)

Typewriting machines

Key-board or key lever-actuating mechanism

Key-cap or key-stem structure

C400S492000, C400S495000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06632039

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a keycap assembly, and more particularly to a keycap assembly for using in a keyboard.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIGS.
1
(
a
)~(
e
) are schematic diagrams illustrating the typical assembling flow charts of a keycap assembly. Please refer to FIG.
1
(
a
), a lever
2
is assembled with a lever fitting slot
11
disposed in an inner wall of a keycap
1
, thereby forming a freely rotating pivot
21
. The lever
2
can freely rotate around the pivot
21
. Therefore, the keycap
1
should be inclined to form a inclined angle with respect to the surface of a keyboard
3
in order to insert the lever
2
into a sliding slot
32
of the keyboard
3
when the keycap
1
is assembled with the keyboard
3
. There is a projection
31
on the entrance of the sliding slot
32
of the keyboard
3
to form a guiding slot
33
of the keyboard
3
. The guiding slot
33
of the keyboard
3
makes the lever
2
easily insert into the sliding slot
32
of the keyboard
3
. As shown in FIG.
1
(
b
) and FIG.
1
(
c
), the lever
2
is inserted into the guiding slot
33
of the keyboard
3
and the sliding slot
32
of the keyboard
3
. As shown in FIG.
1
(
d
), the keycap
1
is turned to a position for well connecting the keycap
1
and the keyboard
3
. Please refer to FIG.
1
(
e
), the keycap
1
is pressed down so as to finish the assembly. During the assembling process, the most important step is how to make the lever
2
be inserted into the sliding slot
32
of the keyboard
3
. In the prior art, the lever
2
is assembled with the lever fitting slot
11
of the keyboard
3
, thereby forming the freely rotating pivot
21
. The lever
2
freely rotates around the pivot
21
. Therefore, the disadvantage is that the lever
2
can not be held at a preset angle with respect to the inner wall of the keycap
1
to be inserted into the sliding slot of the keyboard
3
easily. Thus, the structure of the keycap assembly needs to be improved to overcome the above problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to propose a keycap assembly for using in a keyboard. The keycap assembly includes a keycap having a lever fitting slot disposed in an inner wall thereof, and a lever having a curved portion in contact with the inner wall of the keycap for forming a downward slanting angle with respect to the inner wall of the keycap when the lever is assembled with the lever fitting slot of the keycap, thereby causing the keycap assembly to be assembled with the keyboard easily.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the lever includes a first bar, two second bars, and two third bars. The first bar is formed in a C-shape having a first and a second holding end. Each of the two second bars has one end connected to the first and the second holding ends of the first bar respectively so as to form the curved portion of the lever. And each of the third bars has one end connected to the other end of a respective second bar, wherein the curved portion is in contact with the inner wall of the keycap for causing the lever to form a downward slanting angle with respect to the inner wall of the keycap when the lever is assembled with the lever fitting slot of the keycap.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the lever includes a first bar, two second bars, and the third bars. The first bar has at least a protuberance for forming a curved portion. Each of the second bars has one end connected to a first end and a second end of the first bar respectively. And each of the third bars has one end connected to the other end of a respective second bar, wherein the curved portion is in contact with the inner wall of the keycap for causing the lever to form a downward slanting angel with respect to the inner wall of the keycap when the lever is assembled with the lever fitting slot of the keycap.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a lever adapted to be assembled with a keycap, wherein the keycap having a lever fitting slot disposed in an inner wall thereof. The lever includes a first bar, two second bars, and the third bars. The first bar is formed in a C-shape having a first and a second holding end. Each of the second bars has one end connected to the first and the second holding ends of the first bar respectively so as to form a curved portion of the lever. And each of the third bars has one end connected to the other end of a respective second bar, wherein the curved portion is in contact with the inner wall of the keycap for causing the lever to form a downward slanting angle with respect to the inner wall of the keycap when the lever is assembled with the lever fitting slot of the keycap.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a lever adapted to be assembled with a keycap, wherein the keycap has a lever fitting slot disposed in an inner wall thereof. The lever includes a first bar, two second bars, and two third bars. The first bar has at least one protuberance for forming a curved portion. Each of the second bars has one end connected to a first end and a second end of the first bar respectively. And each of the third bars has one end connected to the other end of a respective second bar, wherein the curved portion is in contact with the inner wall of the keycap for causing the lever to form a downward slanting angel with respect to the inner wall of the keycap when the lever is assembled with the lever fitting slot of the keycap.
The present invention may best be understood through the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:


REFERENCES:
patent: 4468145 (1984-08-01), Denley
patent: 4771146 (1988-09-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 5350244 (1994-09-01), Büttner
patent: 6022157 (2000-02-01), Shih-Hung
patent: 6428223 (2002-08-01), Chen

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