Keyboard device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9165729-B2
Application number	US-201314054817-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2013
Priority date	Feb 7, 2013
Publication date	Oct 20, 2015
Grant date	Oct 20, 2015

Abstract

A keyboard device is located in an accommodating space of a housing having first openings and a second opening. The keyboard device includes a flexible body and a transparent liquid. The flexible body is located in the accommodating space, and includes a main body, first pressing portions, patterns, and a second pressing portion. The first pressing portions are respectively located in the first openings. The patterns are located on the main body or the first pressing portions and are respectively exposed through the first openings. The second pressing portion is located in the second opening. The main body, and the first and second pressing portions have an enclosure space therein. The transparent liquid is located in the enclosure space. When the second pressing portion is pressed, the first pressing portions expand to protrude from the first openings, such that the patterns are enlarged.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A keyboard device located in an accommodating space of a housing, wherein the housing has a plurality of first openings and a second opening, and the first and second openings are communicated with the accommodating space, and the keyboard device comprises:
a flexible body located in the accommodating space and comprising:
a main body;
a plurality of first pressing portions protruding from the main body and respectively located in the first openings;
a plurality of patterns located on a surface of the main body or surfaces of the first pressing portions, wherein the patterns are respectively exposed through the first openings; and
a second pressing portion protruding from the main body and located in the second opening, wherein the main body, and the first and second pressing portions have an enclosure space therein, such that the main body, and the first and second pressing portions are communicated with each other; the area and the height of the second pressing portion are respectively greater than the area and the height of each of the first pressing portions; and

a transparent liquid located in the enclosure space, wherein when the second pressing portion is pressed, the first pressing portions expand to protrude from the first openings due to the transparent liquid flowing into the first pressing portions, such that the patterns are enlarged; the viscosity of the transparent liquid is in a range from 1500 to 50000 CPS, such that when the second pressing portion is released, the patterns remain enlarged for a period of time.

2. The keyboard device of claim 1 , wherein the transparent liquid comprises silicone or hydraulic oil.

3. The keyboard device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible body is made of a material that comprises plastic or rubber.

4. The keyboard device of claim 1 , wherein the main body, and the first and second pressing portions are integrally formed as a single piece.

5. The keyboard device of claim 1 , wherein the area of the second pressing portion is larger than the area of each of the first pressing portions.

6. The keyboard device of claim 1 , wherein the patterns comprise numbers, symbols, letters, or combinations thereof.

7. The keyboard device of claim 1 , wherein each of the first pressing portions has at least one protruding point, and a space in each of the protruding points is communicated with the enclosure space, and when the second pressing portion is pressed, the transparent liquid adjacent to the second pressing portion is displaced to force the transparent fluid in other parts of the enclosure space to flow to the first pressing portions and the protruding points, such that the protruding points expand to protrude from the first pressing portions.

8. The keyboard device of claim 7 , wherein the protruding points are arranged in a Braille arrangement.

Assignees

• Wistron Corp

Inventors

• Cheng Ting-Yao
• Chuang Shih-Jung
• Chen Chih-Ta
• Wang yao-wei

Classifications

• G09B21/004

  Details of particular tactile cells, e.g. electro-mechanical or mechanical layout · CPC title

• G06F3/0202

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

• H01H13/7065 Primary

  characterised by the mechanism between keys and layered keyboards · CPC title

• H01H13/83

  characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements · CPC title

• G06F3/016

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title