Texas Instruments Corporation

Kenneth E Coulon

Satwinder D Malhi

Jeffrey E Faris

A low profile and light weight keyboard for portable electronic devices, such as notebook computers having a dual scissor movement. In one embodiment, the movement comprises an inner 318 and outer member 333, which connect at four pivot points. The two scissors appear as adjacent portions of the inner and outer members which are connected at a pivot point 308, and connected to each other with 'living hinges.' 310 The inner and outer movement members are attached or bonded to the keycap 302 and base 312 with the living hinge 310.

Low profile keyboard keyswitch using a double scissor movement

Portable electronic devices, such as notebook computers, are provided with the capability of a low profile and light weight keyboard, allowing greater reduction in the size and weight of portable computers without compromising the functionality. In specific embodiments, the present invention provides laptops, notebooks, and sub-notebooks with a low profile keyboard having a polymer top surface. In an embodiment of the invention, a structural rib 214 surrounds at least some portion of the key to advantageously provide a firm offset of the key top from the circuit board 206 for increased key travel over prior art designs. In another embodiment of the present invention, the keyboard key includes alignment pistons 218 affixed to the flexible key layer 202 and extend into holes in the circuit board 206 to provide advantages such as keeping the key's top surface flat, preventing the key from tilting or collapsing on only one or two sides.

Low profile, light weight keyboard

A deployable keyboard similar in size to those found in notebooks or subnotebooks of the prior art or a full size keyboard is provide for portable electronic devices, such as personal data assistants (PDAs) allowing greater flexibility and easier input for the user without compromising the PDAs small format. In other embodiments, laptops, notebooks, sub-notebooks and PDAs are provided with full function keyboards which approximate the size of a typical desktop computer keyboard when in use, but when in a non-use configuration they have significantly smaller dimensions. In one embodiment, a portable pen computer 100 is provided which includes a housing 102, and first and second keyboard sections 110, 112 having a plurality of alphanumeric and/or operational keys. Each of the keyboard sections are connected by a first hinge 108 for folding and attached to the housing with a second hinge 116 for permitting selective pivotal rotation for deployment from a storage position in the bottom portion of the housing. The first hinge located between the keyboard sections divides the keyboard lengthwise into a top section and a bottom section. In a deployed position, the first and second keyboard sections are designed to form a substantially full-size keyboard. The planar top surface contains a display screen which can also be used for pen input of data.

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Plano, TX, United States of America

Kenneth E Coulon