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. 22, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 16, 1998
Rowan L Dordick, Briarcliff Manor, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
An inflatable keyboard having a base and a keypad is provided. The base includes an embedded conduit having apertures or valves extending from a top surface of the base and pressure transducers surrounding the valves. Conductors connect the pressure transducers to an output mounted on the base. Each aperture or valve and pressure transducer corresponds to and communicates with individual inflatable keys. Each inflatable key forms a separate air tight compartment. The inflatable keys are made of a thin flexible and preferably polymer like material and may be formed on a single premolded sheet which is hermetically sealed to the base in order to form the separate air tight compartments. During the inflated state, the inflatable keys are in an extended upright position and are rigid enough so that a user can use the inflatable keys for typing thereon. When the inflatable keys are deflated, the inflatable keys are pushed downward toward the base to form a substantially flat surface, which may be folded or rolled up.