Thin keyboard device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10090121-B2
Application number	US-201615270245-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2016
Priority date	Sep 20, 2016
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

A thin keyboard device is described herein. In one or more implementations, a keyboard device includes a plurality of keys, and a housing that includes a structural printed circuit board (PCB). The structural PCB includes, for each of the plurality of keys, a first conductive trace and a second conductive trace. The keyboard device further includes a key-switch mechanism for each of the plurality of keys. The key-switch mechanism includes a conductive material oriented towards the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace, and is configured to cause the conductive material to move downwards, when the key is depressed, to electrically connect the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace of the depressed key.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A keyboard device comprising:
a plurality of keys;
a housing comprising a structural printed circuit board (PCB), the structural PCB comprising, for each of the plurality of keys, a first conductive trace and a second conductive trace, each of the plurality of keys positioned above the respective first conductive trace and the second conductive trace; and
a key-switch mechanism for each of the plurality of keys, the key-switch mechanism including a conductive material oriented towards the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace, the key-switch mechanism configured to cause the conductive material to move downwards, when the key is depressed, to electrically connect the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace of the depressed key, the key-switch mechanism mounted to the structural PCB.

2. The keyboard device of claim 1 , wherein the keyboard device does not include:
a membrane;
a backlight;
a stiffener plate; and
a keyboard bracket.

3. The keyboard device of claim 1 , wherein the key-switch mechanism comprises a scissor mechanism that connects the key to the structural PCB and a dome switch mounted to the structural PCB beneath the key, the conductive material positioned on a plunger of the dome switch that moves downwards to make contact with the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace when the key is depressed.

4. The keyboard device of claim 1 , further comprising one or more light sources mounted to the structural PCB beneath each of the plurality of keys, the light sources configured to illuminate the plurality of keys of the keyboard device.

5. The keyboard device of claim 1 , wherein the keyboard device does not include one or more of a membrane, a backlight, a stiffener plate, or a keyboard bracket.

6. The keyboard device of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the housing comprises 0.7 millimeters to 1.0 millimeters.

7. The keyboard device of claim 1 , further comprising a keyboard controller configured to detect the electrical connection between the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace of the key, and to communicate a keypress signal identifying that the key has been depressed to a computing device.

8. The keyboard device of claim 7 , wherein the structural PCB comprises a single-layer or multiple-layer PCB.

9. The keyboard device of claim 7 , further comprising circuitry on the structural PCB that couple the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace to the keyboard controller and to a connection portion configured to transfer the keypress signal to the computing device.

10. The keyboard device of claim 7 , further comprising a trackpad, and wherein the keyboard controller is positioned beneath the trackpad of the keyboard device.

11. A keyboard device comprising:
a plurality of keys;
a housing comprising a structural printed circuit board (PCB) and a single-layer membrane positioned over the structural PCB, the single-layer membrane comprising, for each of the plurality of keys, a first conductive trace and a second conductive trace, each of the plurality of keys mounted directly to the housing above the respective first conductive trace and the second conductive trace of the single-layer membrane; and
a key-switch mechanism for each of the plurality of keys, the key-switch mechanism including a conductive material oriented towards the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace, the key-switch mechanism configured to cause the conductive material to move downwards, when the key is depressed, to electrically connect the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace of the depressed key.

12. The keyboard device of claim 11 , further comprising one or more light sources mounted to the structural PCB beneath each of the plurality of keys, the light sources configured to illuminate the respective keys of the keyboard device.

13. The keyboard device of claim 11 , wherein the key-switch mechanism comprises a scissor mechanism that connects the key to the housing and a dome switch mounted to the housing beneath the key, the conductive material positioned on a plunger of the dome switch that moves downwards to make contact with the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace when the key is depressed.

14. The keyboard device of claim 11 , further comprising a keyboard controller configured to detect the electrical connection between the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace of the key, and to communicate a keypress signal identifying that the key has been depressed to a computing device.

15. The keyboard device of claim 14 , further comprising a first flexible printed circuit board connector (FPC) coupled to the keyboard controller and a second FPC coupled to a connection portion configured to interface the keyboard device with a computing device, the structural PCB further comprising circuitry configured to connect the first FPC to the second FPC.

16. An input device comprising:
a plurality of keys;
a housing comprising a structural printed circuit board (PCB), the structural PCB comprising, for at least one key of the plurality of keys, a first conductive trace and a second conductive trace, the at least one key positioned above the respective first conductive trace and the second conductive trace; and
a key-switch mechanism for the at least one key, the key-switch mechanism including a conductive material oriented towards the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace, the key-switch mechanism configured to cause the conductive material to move downwards, when the at least one key is depressed, to electrically connect the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace of the depressed key, the key-switch mechanism mounted to the structural PCB.

17. The input device of claim 16 , further comprising a controller configured to detect the electrical connection between the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace of the at least one key, and to communicate a keypress signal identifying that the at least one key has been depressed to a computing device.

18. The input device of claim 17 , further comprising a trackpad, and wherein the controller is positioned beneath the trackpad of the input device.

19. The input device of claim 16 , further comprising at least one light source mounted to the structural PCB beneath the at least one key, the light source configured to illuminate the at least one key.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Winter Andrew E

Classifications

• H01H2227/036

  Minimise height · CPC title

• H01H2219/062

  Light conductor · CPC title

• H01H3/125

  using a scissor mechanism as stabiliser · CPC title

• H01H2203/028

  embedded in layer material · CPC title

• H01H2219/028

  Printed information · CPC title