Keyboard

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9318282-B2
Application number	US-201314047493-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2013
Priority date	Oct 16, 2012
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

A keyboard is provided with a base member, moving members provided on the base member and unit parts. Each of the unit parts includes a contact which is electrically connected when depressed and an elastic member. The moving members include a first moving member which engages with one unit part, and a second moving member which engages with plural unit parts. The second moving member has a structure where the second moving member pushes the elastic member of one unit part and avoids pushing the elastic member of the other unit part.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A keyboard comprising:
a base member;
elastic members;
support parts connected to said base member;
sliders, respectively supported by said support parts, including first sliders configured to push said elastic members, respectively, and second sliders configured to not push said elastic members;
keytops, each connected to at least one slider moving with the at least one slider connected thereto when pushed; and
an electrical connecting member, wherein
when one of the keytops is depressed, one of the sliders connected to the depressed keytop deforms one of the elastic members and the deformed elastic member pushes the electrical connecting member to make an electrical connection,
said keytops including a first keytop attached to one of said first sliders and none of said second sliders, and a second keytop attached to at least one of said first sliders and at least one of said second sliders, said first keytop with the respectively connected sliders and said second keytop with the respectively connected sliders are exchangeably attached to and detached from said base member.

2. The keyboard as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said first sliders and said second sliders are formed so as to face said support parts and slides against the respectively supporting support parts, and said second sliders are formed shorter than said first sliders so that a clearance is formed between said second sliders, connected to said second keytop, and said elastic member when said second keytop is pushed.

3. The keyboard as set forth in claim 1 , wherein
said first sliders and said second sliders are formed so as to face the respectively supporting support parts and slide against the respectively supporting support parts, and
and said second sliders slide against the outside of the respectively supporting support parts and form an empty space inside the respectively supporting support parts.

4. The keyboard as set forth in claim 1 , wherein
said first sliders and said second sliders are formed so as to face the respectively supporting support parts and slide against the respectively supporting support parts, and said second sliders, connected to said second keytop, being arranged at a side of said elastic member when said second keytop is pushed.

5. The keyboard as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said second keytop includes a pushing surface which is pushed by a user, wherein
said second keytop has a cross-sectional shape which is symmetric about a center axis which extends in the pushing direction when cutting in a direction vertical to the longitudinal direction.

6. The keyboard as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a biasing member which is arranged around said support parts and which biases said keytops and the respectively connected sliders in a direction away from said electrical connecting member, wherein an elastic force of said biasing member is smaller than an elastic force of said elastic member.

7. A keyboard comprising:
a base member;
moving members provided on said base member, each of which moves when being pushed;
unit parts, each including a contact which is formed in an electrical connecting member and electrically connected when depressed, an elastic member which is arranged between said moving member and said electrical connecting member, which deforms upon being pushed by said moving member and which pushes said electrical connecting member, and a support part provided on said base member that supports said moving member; and
a biasing member which is arranged around said support part and which biases said moving member in a direction away from said electrical connecting member, wherein an elastic force of said biasing member is smaller than an elastic force of said elastic member; wherein
said moving members include a first moving member which engages with one unit part, and a second moving member which engages with plural unit parts,
said first moving member and said second moving member are exchangeably attached to and detached from said base member, and
said second moving member has a structure where said second moving member pushes said elastic member of one unit part among said unit parts which are engaged with and avoids pushing said elastic member of the other unit part.

Assignees

• Fujitsu Component Ltd

Inventors

• Nakajima Takashi
• Ohtsuka Hiromi
• Taga Daisuke
• Seki Fujio

Classifications

• H01H2221/066

  replaceable · CPC title

• H01H13/85 Primary

  characterised by tactile feedback features · CPC title

• H01H2215/028

  alterable · CPC title

• H01H13/76 Primary

  wherein some or all of the operating members actuate different combinations of the contact sets, e.g. ten operating members actuating different combinations of four contact sets · CPC title