Acer Peripherals, Inc.

Darfon Electronics Corporation

Acer Communications and Multimedia Inc.

Shih-Hung Chao

Zhan-Ling Liu

A pointing device includes a housing, a main body and an input section. The housing contains an upper cover and two extending arms, which extended from the upper cover. The main body is housed under the upper cover and located between the two extending arms of the housing. The input section is placed on the front half of the main body for generating (inputting) key signals. The front half (the input section) and the back half of the main body form a smooth surface.

Pointing device with flexible shape

A method for assembling the rubber domes into a housing of upper casing of a keyboard is provided. The upper casing is in substantially form of shell shape and defines a bottom surface and a top surface. The upper casing includes a multiple of housings distributed over a central portion of the bottom surface. Each housing receives one rubber dome. The method includes the steps of pouring a plurality of rubber domes over the bottom surface of the upper casing; shaking the upper casing such that one rubber dome is disposed into one corresponding housing while a number of leftover rubber domes are not received in any one of the housings; engaging a membrane circuit sheet with the central portion of the bottom surface; flipping the upper casing over such that the leftover rubber domes not covered by the membrane circuit sheet are cleaned up.

Method for assembling the rubber dome into the keyboard and the keyboard thereof

The present invention relates to a structure for keyboard assemblies with enhanced water-resistance for protecting a circuit, or electrical apparatus from liquids. The keyboard assembly makes use of a rubber sheet mounted between the base and the step portion of the keyboard hood.

Keyboard assembly

The present invention relates a water-resistant structure for keyboard assemblies with enhanced water-resistant ability. A keyboard hood is provided with a plurality of first slant walls extending toward the keyboard base, a keyboard base is provided with a plurality of second slant wall extending toward the keyboard hood and in parallel with the first slant walls, and an elastic water-resistant sheet is provided with upward-extending slanted edges sandwiched between the first and the second slant wall so as to form a water-resistant structure when the keyboard assembly has been fabricated. The keyboard base is fastened to the keyboard hood by fastening screws passing through holes formed in the centers of bosses in the keyboard base and screwed into holes in protrusion portions formed as part of the keyboard hood. Step-shaped sections are formed near the tip ends of the protrusion portions so as to form a tight water-proof seal between the keyboard hood and the base when the tip ends are assembled into contact with the base. Plural pairs of first parallel ribs are formed on the base, and the elastic water-resistant sheet is shaped so that it can be deeply embedded into the first slots formed between each pair of the first ribs and can cover the ribs and the keyboard base when the keyboard assembly has been fabricated. A plurality of second ribs are formed on the keyboard hood, which, when the keyboard assembly is fabricated, are deeply embedded into second slots formed in the water-resistant sheet.

The present invention provides a keyboard assembly, which comprises a plurality of key caps; a keyboard hood provided with a plurality of through holes for allowing the key caps to be insert thereinto, and a plurality of protrusions being formed on the top rim of each through hole; a plurality of dome-shaped elastic components disposed within the through holes of the keyboard hood, each dome-shaped elastic component having an upper rim and a bottom, the protrusions formed on the top rim of each through hole being higher than the upper rim of the dome-shaped elastic components disposed within the through holes; a circuit membrane disposed in a manner that it contacts with the upper rims of the dome-shaped elastic components; and a keyboard base fastened to the keyboard hood so as to enclose the end portions of the key caps, the dome-shaped elastic components, the circuit membrane, and the plate therebetween. As the protrusions formed on the top rim of each through hole are higher than the upper rim of the dome-shaped elastic components disposed within the through holes, the dome-shaped components can be received in the through holes without being hit by a wiper sweeping over the through holes.

Keyboard assembly including circuit membrane switch array

A keyboard comprising a plurality of Alpha-Numeric keys, a plurality of Direction keys and a Backspace key, a Delete key or a Enter key is provided. The plurality of Direction keys includes &rarr;,&larr;,&uarr;,&dArr; keys to form an area of Direction keys. The Backspace key, a Delete key or a Enter key is disposed adjacent to the area of Direction keys for allowing a user's fingers to move between Direction keys and Backspace key, a Delete key or a Enter key without moving the palm.

Keyboard with easily accessed &ldquo;backspace&rdquo; key and &ldquo;delete&rdquo; key

The present invention provides a keyboard comprising a cover plate, a base plate, a metal support, and a thin layer membrane. The cover plate comprises a plurality of supporting structures with a plurality of key caps installed on top and is movable in an up-down vertical direction. The thin layer membrane installed below the cover plate comprises a plurality of switches with each switch underlying a key cap for detecting the operation of the plurality of key caps. The metal support installed under the thin layer membrane strengthens the structure of the keyboard. The base plate is installed under the metal support and comprises a plurality of protruding columns of varying heights to accommodate different metal supports of varying thickness. By supporting the metal support of a specific thickness, the protruding columns of corresponding height help to maintain the thin layer membrane at the specified height between the cover plate and the base plate.

Keyboard in which metal plates of varying thickness may be installed

A keyswitch including a keycap, a switch element, a rubber sheet, a housing, a balance lever is provided. The switch element, responsive to the reciprocal movement of the keycap, selectively turns ON. The rubber sheet is disposed on the switch element. The housing includes a pair of hook devices. The hook device and the housing constitutes a slot. A opening is provided on the housing at location corresponding to the hook device. The balance lever includes a longitudinal portion connected to two traverse portions forming an 'U' shape. The end of the traverse portion is disposed into the slot corresponding to the hook device. A protrusion is provided integrally on the rubber sheet at location corresponding to the hook device. The protrusion passed the opening and contacts with the end terminals of the traverse portions of the balance lever to lower the noise.

Keyswitch of multiple-width key

A keyboard comprising a plurality of Alpha-Numeric keys, a plurality of Direction keys and a Backspace key, a Delete key or a Enter key is provided. The plurality of Direction keys includes .fwdarw.,.rarw.,.uparw.,.dwnarw. keys to form an area of Direction keys. The Backspace key, a Delete key or a Enter key is disposed adjacent to the area of Direction keys for allowing a user's fingers to move between Direction keys and Backspace key, a Delete key or a Enter key without moving the palm.

Keyboard with easily accessed 'Backspace' key and 'Delete' key

The push button switch provided includes a housing, a key cap, an elastic actuator, and a membrane switch layer. The housing has a key top guide integral with the housing, and two slots are provided at the vicinity of the key top guide. The key top has a cap and two deformable hooks. The cap has a bottom surface, and a plunger is provided and extends from the bottom surface. The two deformable hooks are provided and extend from an edge of the cap. Each deformable hook corresponds to one of the slots and is disposed within the corresponding slot. The plunger is slidably disposed within the key top guide, which allows a reciprocal movement of the key top with respect to the housing. The actuator has an elastic dome and a deformable sheet membrane integral with the elastic dome. The elastic dome supports the plunger and deforms responsive to the reciprocal movement of the key top. The membrane switch layer is disposed underneath the actuator. The deformable hook includes a hook portion, and a leg is provided and extends from the hook portion. As the key top moves downward under an external force, the leg first impacts against the deformable membrane to prevent the bottom surface of the key top from colliding against a bottom surface of the key top guide.

Growing community of inventors

Taipei Hsien, Taiwan

Shih-Hung Chao