Keyboard with tablet holder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016252971-A1
Application number	US-201615055071-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 26, 2016
Priority date	Feb 27, 2015
Publication date	Sep 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus for holding a touch screen device, the apparatus includes an elongated recess sized to receive a side edge of the touch screen device, a least one U-shaped resilient member disposed in the elongated recess, a first elastomer pad positioned on the at least one U-shaped resilient member, the first elastomer pad including a first touch screen device engaging surface, and in which the at least one U-shaped member includes at least one slot defining a first resilient portion that abuts the first elastomer pad.

First claim

1 . An apparatus for holding a touch screen device, the apparatus comprising:
an elongated recess sized to receive a side edge of the touch screen device; at least one U-shaped resilient member disposed in the elongated recess; and a first elastomer pad positioned on the at least one U-shaped resilient member, the first elastomer pad including a first touch screen device engaging surface, wherein the at least one U-shaped member comprises at least one slot defining a first resilient portion that abuts the first elastomer pad.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the U-shaped resilient member comprises a first upright portion, and the at least one slot comprises a first U-shaped slot defining the first resilient portion and the first resilient portion is part of the first upright portion.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the U-shaped resilient member includes an open end, the resilient portion includes a first end connected to a remaining portion of the U-shaped resilient member and a second end that is a free end, and the first end of the resilient portion is closer than the second end of the resilient portion to the open end of the U-shaped resilient member.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the first touch screen device engaging surface comprises at least one protruding line

5 . The of claim 4 , wherein
the at least one protruding line has a cross-sectional shape that includes a lower angled surface, an upper angled surface and an intermediate surface joining the lower angled surface and the upper angled surface.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein
the lower angled surface is angled at more than 45 degrees with respect to an insertion direction which is parallel to a vertical axis of the U-shaped resilient member and wherein the upper angled surface is angled less than 45 degrees with respect to the insertion direction.

7 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein
the at least one protruding line comprises a plurality of protruding lines.

8 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein
the at least one protruding line at least partially overlies the first resilient portion.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein
the at least one protruding line fully overlies the first resilient portion.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein
the at least one protruding line has a cross-sectional shape that includes a lower angled surface, an upper angled surface and an intermediate surface joining the lower angled surface and the upper angled surface.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein
the lower angled surface is angled more than 45 degrees with respect to an insertion direction which is parallel to a vertical axis of the U-shaped resilient member, and the upper angled surface is angled less than 45 degrees with respect to the insertion direction.

12 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein
the U-shaped resilient member comprises a first upright portion, and the at least one slot comprises a first U-shaped slot defining the first resilient portion and the first resilient portion is part of the first upright portion.

13 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the U-shaped resilient member comprises:
a second upright portion located opposite the first upright portion; and a second slot defining a second resilient portion of the U-shaped resilient member, wherein the second resilient portion is part of the second upright portion.

14 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the U-shaped resilient member comprises:
a first upright portion and a second upright portion and the first resilient portion is on the first upright portion and a second resilient portion is on the second upright portion and a second elastomeric pad abuts the second resilient portion.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein
the second elastomeric pad includes a second touch screen device engaging surface that includes a second protruding line.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein
the first protruding line is vertically aligned with the second protruding line.

17 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein
the first touch screen device engaging surface comprises a first plurality of protruding lines including the first protruding line.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein
the second touch screen device engaging surface comprises a second plurality of protruding lines including the second protruding line.

19 . A keyboard comprising:
an elongated recess sized to receive a side edge of a touch screen device; at least one U-shaped resilient member disposed in the elongated recess; and a first elastomer pad positioned on the at least one U-shaped resilient member, the first elastomer pad including a first touch screen device engaging surface, wherein the at least one U-shaped member comprises at least one slot defining a first resilient portion that abuts the first elastomer pad

20 . An apparatus for holding a touch screen device, the apparatus comprising:
an elongated recess sized to receive a side edge of the touch screen device; at least one U-shaped resilient member disposed in the elongated recess, the U-shaped resilient member including: a first upright portion, a second upright portion located opposite the first upright portion, and a base portion coupled to the first upright portion and the second upright portion; a first elastomer pad positioned on the first upright portion, the first elastomer pad including a first touch screen device engaging surface; and a second elastomer pad positioned on the second upright portion, the second elastomer pad including a second touch screen device engaging surface, wherein a local minimum distance between the first elastomer pad and the second elastomer pad is a monotonic increasing function of distance from the base portion.

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Shirata Atsushi
• Tamaki Hiroshi
• Nishino Tamio

Classifications

• G06F3/0231

  Cordless keyboards · CPC title

• G06F3/0219 Primary

  Special purpose keyboards · CPC title

• G06F3/041

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title

• G06F3/0202

  Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device · CPC title

• G06F1/1669

  Detachable keyboards · CPC title