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:
Feb. 01, 2000
Filed:
Aug. 05, 1998
Applicant:
Inventors:
Alphonso Philip Lanzetta, Marlboro, NY (US);
David Andrew Lewis, Carmel, NY (US);
Lawrence Shungwei Mok, Brewster, NY (US);
Stanley Joseph Whitehair, Peekskill, NY (US);
Assignee:
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B41J / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
4004911 ; 400490 ; 4004951 ;
Abstract
The invention is directed to a keyboard where the keys are raised up from a retracted position upon the initialization of usage of the keyboard. An embedded airbag mechanism is self-inflatable to raise keys to the normal operating heights. The keys will be retracted when the airbag is deflated. The rising and retracting of the keys can also be controlled by hinge-like structure. The close and open of the cover of a laptop computer will activate the mechanism to raise and retract the keys on the keyboard.