Sony Corporation

Kazuhiko Otake

Tatsuo Yoshida

Yutaka Ogasawara

Kazuhito Sato

Yasushi Itoshiro

Masayoshi Koganei

Masatoshi Fujino

A keyboard includes a plurality of key row holders each supporting a plurality of key elements constituting each of the plurality of key rows, a support shaft placed to be rotatable about an axial center and support the plurality of key row holders arranged to intersect the axial center, an engaging portion formed on a support surface of each of the plurality of key row holders for the support shaft, and an engaged portion formed spirally on a surface of the support shaft in a direction of the axial center so as to be engaged with the engaging portion of each of the plurality of key row holders, the engaged portion causing the plurality of key row holders to shift in the direction of the axial center by an engagement with the engaging portion upon rotation of the support shaft. The keyboard enables easy and accurate key pitch adjustment.

Keyboard and electronic equipment

An input pen accommodation mechanism for use with a tablet input apparatus. The mechanism comprises a pen accommodation part for accommodating an input pen for coordinate data input, and holding members for holding the input pen as accommodated in the pen accommodation part. The holding members are in elastic contact with the input pen. The pen accommodation part is constituted by a first concave portion and a second concave portion deeper than the first concave portion, the two portions being connected lengthwise. The holding members are located within the first concave portion so as to pinch the input pen sideways within the pen accommodation part.

Input pen accommodation mechanism for tablet input apparatus

A switching apparatus for an electron device, for controlling movement of an image on a display unit, including a plurality of pushbuttons being provided on upper surfaces with directional symbols which represent upward, downward, leftward, rightward directions and random or non-linear paths of travel in which the image displayed is allowed to move. When the pushbuttons are pressed, control signals are transmitted to a control circuit of the electronic device. The pushbuttons with the symbols indicating the four directions are arranged in a cross form, while the pushbuttons with the symbols indicating random and/or non-linear paths of travel are arranged between the pushbuttons forming the cross arms. Further, the pushbuttons with the directional symbols are arranged around a center pushbutton for stopping movement of the displayed image. The pushbuttons are made of a resilient material and assembled as a single unit.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Kazuhiko Otake