The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 03, 1999
Filed:
Dec. 20, 1996
Applicant:
Inventor:
Satwinder Malhi, Garland, TX (US);
Assignee:
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F / ; H01H / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
361680 ; 200341 ;
Abstract
A notebook computer (10) including a keyboard (14) having gas or piston expandable keys (18) which may be placed in an expanded or compressed state. While in an expanded state, the keys (18) are approximately the size of the keys on a standard keyboard. While in a compressed state, the keys are essentially flat, allowing the keyboard to be folded upon itself. Accordingly, the keyboard (18) may be folded in a compressed state when the computer is not in use to reduce keyboard area, and unfolded and expanded to provide a full size keyboard when the computer is in use.