Mechanical actuation of retractable keyboard

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10101774-B2
Application number	US-201715449864-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 3, 2017
Priority date	Mar 3, 2017
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

Embodiments provide mechanisms for actuating the retraction of the keys of a retractable keyboard based on the angle of the rotation of a coupled display, such as in a 2-in-1 IHS (Information Handling System) that may be operated as a tablet or a laptop. In a first mode, where the display of the IHS is in a laptop configuration, the provided mechanisms actuate the retractable keys to their extended positions allowing use of the IHS as a laptop. As the user rotates the display to various tablet configurations, the provided mechanisms actuate the keycaps to a second mode, in which the keycaps are retracted and may be further disabled to promote use of IHS as a tablet. Certain embodiments utilize a gear and cam mechanism to link the rotation of the display to the actuation of the keycaps. Certain other embodiments utilize a gear and crank mechanism.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An IHS (Information Handling System), comprising: a keyboard device comprising a plurality of retractable key caps, wherein: (i) in a first mode, the plurality of retractable key caps are in extended positions, and (ii) in a second mode, the plurality of retractable key caps are in retracted positions; and a display device coupled to the keyboard device, wherein a coupling allows the display device to be rotated around an edge of the keyboard device, wherein the keyboard device has a rectangular shape with a long side and a short side, wherein the edge is disposed along the long side, wherein the keyboard device is configured to switch from the first mode to the second mode based on the rotation, and wherein the switching comprises a displacement of a keyboard support plate relative to the plurality of retractable key caps, in a direction parallel to the edge, wherein the display device and the keyboard device are coupled via one or more hinges, and wherein rotating of the one or more hinges causes a gear mechanism to switch the keyboard device from the first mode to the second mode.

2. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the gear mechanism drives a cam that exerts a displacement force on the keyboard support plate.

3. The IHS of claim 2 , wherein the cam exerts the displacement force on the keyboard support plate by displacing a force on a follower coupled to the keyboard support plate.

4. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the gear mechanism drives a crank that exerts a displacement force on the keyboard support plate.

5. The IHS of claim 4 , the crank exerts the displacement force on the keyboard support plate by displacing a force on a pin used to couple the keyboard support plate to the crank.

6. The IHS of claim 5 , wherein the movement of the pin is restricted by a channel.

7. A keyboard device, comprising: a plurality of retractable key caps, wherein: (i) in a first mode, the plurality of retractable key caps are in extended positions, and (ii) in a second mode, the plurality of retractable key caps are in retracted positions; and a coupling to a display device, wherein the coupling allows the display device to be rotated around an edge of the keyboard device, wherein the keyboard device has a rectangular shape with a long side and a short side, wherein the edge is disposed along the long side, wherein the keyboard device is configured to switch from the first mode to the second mode based on the rotation of the coupling, and wherein the rotation causes a displacement of a keyboard support plate relative to the plurality of retractable key caps, in a direction parallel to the edge, wherein the keyboard device is configured to switch from the first mode to the second mode via a displacement force generated by a gear mechanism on the keyboard support plate.

8. The keyboard device of claim 7 , wherein the coupling comprises one or more hinges connecting the display device and the keyboard device.

9. The keyboard device of claim 8 , further comprising: the gear mechanism configured to translate the rotation of the coupling to a force that causes the keyboard device to switch from the first mode to the second mode.

10. The keyboard device of claim 7 , wherein the gear mechanism drives a cam that exerts the displacement force on the keyboard support plate.

11. The keyboard device of claim 10 , wherein the cam exerts the displacement force on the keyboard support plate by displacing a force on a follower coupled to the keyboard support plate.

12. The keyboard device of claim 7 , wherein the gear mechanism drives a crank that exerts the displacement force on the keyboard support plate.

13. The keyboard device of claim 12 , wherein the crank exerts the displacement force on the keyboard support plate by displacing a force on a pin used to couple the keyboard support plate to the crank.

14. The keyboard device of claim 13 , wherein the movement of the pin is restricted by a channel.

15. A method, comprising: driving a plurality of retractable key caps comprising a retractable keyboard device coupled to a display device via a coupling that allows the display device to be rotated around an edge of the retractable keyboard device, wherein the retractable keyboard device has a rectangular shape with a long side and a short side, and wherein the edge is disposed along the long side; and translating the rotation of the coupling to a force that switches the plurality of retractable keys from a first mode to a second mode, wherein in the first mode, the plurality of retractable key caps are in extended positions, and in the second mode, the plurality of retractable key caps are in retracted positions and wherein the rotation causes a displacement of a keyboard support plate relative to the plurality of retractable key caps, in a direction parallel to the edge, wherein the translation utilizes a gear mechanism that transfers the force to a displacement of the keyboard support plate, and wherein the displacement switches the retractable keys from the first mode to the second mode.

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• David Michael
• Ramirez Ernesto

Classifications

• G06F1/1664

  Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of the integrated keyboard · CPC title

• G06F1/1666 Primary

  Arrangements for reducing the size of the integrated keyboard for transport, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys (G06F1/1664 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/1643

  the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads (details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615) · CPC title

• G06F1/1618

  the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure · CPC title

• G06F1/1669

  Detachable keyboards · CPC title