Vertically expandable keyboard

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a keyboard for entering alphanumeric information, and more particularly to a keyboard having one or more rows of keys which extend vertically to a raised position which is higher than the preceding row.

Keyboards are used to input alphanumeric information into electronic devices including computers. Typical keyboards include a fairly standardized arrangement of several rows of keys, each key representing a letter, number, control character such as tabs, spaces, backspaces, etc and an enter key often used to enter a carriage return. Function keys are often used to provide control functions to the electronic device and can be labeled F1, F2, etc.

Keyboard keys are typically moved between a home position and a struck position when used to enter information. In the home position, the keyboard key is usually disposed at the highest vertical extension. To enter the symbol or control function associated with that key, the key is struck or depressed by the user and the key moves downwards from the home position to the struck position. Upon reaching the struck position, a signal is sent to the electronic device indicating that the key has been struck. Keyboard keys are biased, often by a spring, to return to the home position after being struck so that they are ready to be struck again.

Some stationary keyboards, that is, keyboards that are not adapted for mobility, have keys arranged in rows that are not co-planar. As shown in

FIG. 1

, these keyboards

10

have keys

12

arranged in rows

14

a

-

14

n

, which are tiered so that each row is not co-planar with the other rows. Some keyboards have a sequentially tiered configuration in which each row is higher than the row immediately in front of it. A tiered row arrangement, especially a sequentially tiered row arrangement can provide improved ergonomics, enabling a user to strike the keys

12

easier and faster, and reducing mistakes and fatigue.

However, portable keyboards, such as keyboards used with portable electronic devices are often covered, or folded when the device is not in use. For example, as shown in

FIG. 2

, portable computers

16

usually have a display screen

18

which folds over the keyboard

19

providing a space efficient outer cover protecting the keyboard from damage. These portable electronic devices typically have keyboards with keys arranged in rows which are co-planar with each other and thus do not provide ergonomic benefits of the tiered keyboards mentioned above. It is desirable to provide a tiered keyboard for a portable electronic device that is space efficient and can be covered for protection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, a keyboard is provide having a plurality of vertically extendable rows of keys.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the keyboard includes keys arranged in a plurality of rows. The keyboard has a retracted configuration wherein the rows are generally coplanar with each other and an extended configuration wherein at least some of the rows of keys in the home position are extended from the retracted configuration such that the rows are not coplanar with other rows.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, the rows are sequentially tiered in the extended configuration such that each row is higher than the preceding row moving from the front row to the back row.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the keyboard includes lifters for lifting the rows of keys to the extended configuration.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the keyboard is part of an electronic device such as a portable computer.

The advantages and benefits of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating preferred embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. The invention may take form in various components and arrangements of components, and in various steps and arrangements of steps, preferred embodiments of which will be illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1

is side view diagram illustrating a prior art stationary keyboard having tiered rows of keys;

FIG. 2

is a side view diagram illustrating a known keyboard having co-planar rows of keys for use with a portable electronic device;

FIG. 3

is side view diagram illustrating a keyboard in accordance with the invention in a retracted configuration;

FIG. 4

is a side view diagram illustrating a keyboard in an extended configuration having sequentially tiered rows of keys in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 5

is a side view diagram illustrating a portable electronic device with the keyboard in a retracted configuration in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 6

is a side view diagram illustrating a portable electronic device with the keyboard in an extended configuration having sequentially tiered rows of keys in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 7

is a side view diagram illustrating a keyboard in an extended configuration in accordance with the invention having contoured keys.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It is to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific examples and characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.

Referring to

FIGS. 3 and 4

, a keyboard in accordance with the invention is shown generally at

20

. The keyboard includes a body

21

. The body

21

can be part of an electronic device. The keyboard also includes a plurality of keys

22

arranged in a plurality of rows

24

including a front row

24

a

which is typically disposed nearer the user (not shown) and a back row

24

n

. In

FIG. 3

, only several keys

22

forming part of the front row

24

a

are shown. It should be understood that in all of the illustrations contained herein, a column of keys is shown and, except for row

24

a

, only one key for each row is shown for simplicity.

The keys

22

each include a strike surface

26

which is struck by a user to depress the key. Typically a symbol (not shown), such as a letter, number, etc. is disposed on the strike surface

26

to indicate what symbol will be generated or communicated when the key

22

is struck.

The keys

22

are moveable between a home position, shown at

28

, to a struck position shown with dashed lines at

29

in which the key is fully depressed. Typically, the keys

22

move vertically lower from the home position

28

to the struck position

29

when the user presses or strikes the keys. The symbol corresponding to the key

22

is generated or communicated in a known manner when the key reaches the struck position

29

. Each of the keys preferably moves the same distance from the home position

28

to the struck position

29

.

Each of the keys

22

also includes a shaft

30

extending from the key

22

into a base

32

for supporting the key. The base

32

receives the shaft

30

allowing it to move vertically thereby enabling the key to move between the home and struck positions

28

,

29

. Springs

34

are disposed about the shafts

30

between the keys

22

and the bases

32

to bias the keys

22

towards the home position

28

.

The keyboard

20

also includes a lifter

40

disposed beneath the key

22

for moving to a lifted position to move the key vertically from a retracted configuration as shown in

FIG. 3

to an extended configuration as shown in FIG.

4

. With all rows of keys disposed in the retracted configuration, each of the rows of keys can be co-planar with the other rows and this configuration can be called the flat configuration. In the extended configuration, one or more rows of keys can be tiered with respect to the other rows as described in further detail below and this configuration can be called the tiered configuration. In the extended or tiered configuration, each key is capable of moving from the home position to the struck position when depressed by a user and from the struck position to the home position when released by the user. The lifter

40

can be locked in the lifted position to prevent the rows of keys from moving back to the retracted or flat configuration using any suitable known apparatus, an example of which is shown below.

A lifter

40

can be disposed beneath the base

32

of each key to move the keys individually to the extended configuration. Alternatively, all of the keys in a row, or in a group, can be moved together to utilize few lifters

40

. For example, the bases

32

for all the keys

22

in a row

24

, or group, can be joined together and one or more lifters

40

disposed beneath the joined bases can move the corresponding keys together.

The lifter

40

can be any suitable known apparatus for moving the keys

22

. In one example, which should not be considered limiting, the lifter

40

is a cam having a lobe

42

with an eccentric surface

44

. The lobe

42

contacts the base

32

. The cam

40

can be rotated about an axis

45

, as shown by the arrow

46

in

FIG. 4

, so that the lobe

42

lifts the bases

32

moving the keys

22

to the extended position as shown.

A stop

48

can be used to keep the cam in a suitable position which inhibits the cam from falling back to the horizontal position thereby locking the keys in the extended or tiered configuration. The stop prevents the cam from being over-rotated beyond the position intended to raise the keys. The stop can be connected to the keyboard body

21

or formed integral to the cam in any suitable know manner. Further, the cam can be rotated more than 90 degrees to keep the cam in the raised position to lock the keyboard in the extended or tiered configuration. For example, the axis of rotation

45

for the cam can be offset horizontally from the center of the base

32

so that the cam is rotated more than 90 degrees, such as for 100 to 110 degrees, when lifting the keys to the extended position.

Different lifters

40

can be used for different rows

24

, with each lifter lifting the corresponding row a different height to achieve the tiered configuration. In the example provided, lobes

42

a

,

42

b

and

42

c

each have a different height for lifting the rows of keys different distances to the extended or tiered configuration. Each row of keys can be moved to a position higher than the preceding row, that is the row immediately in front of it, when moving from the front row to the back row to achieve a sequentially tiered configuration. As shown herein, the front row

24

a

, or any other suitable row or rows, may not be lifted such that the row or rows occupies the same position in the extended and retracted positions.

Referring now to

FIGS. 5 and 6

, a portable computer, shown generally at

50

, includes the keyboard

20

. The portable computer

50

includes a display

52

. In

FIG. 5

, the keyboard

20

is shown in the retracted or flat configuration so that the display

52

can be folded over, as shown by arrow

54

, to cover the keyboard. In

FIG. 6

, the display

52

is opened to uncover the keyboard so that the computer may be used. The keyboard is shown in the extended or tiered configuration in which the keys can be moved between the home and struck positions to enter alphanumeric information into the computer.

The cams

40

for moving a single row, or group of keys, can be ganged together in any suitable known manner so that a single actuator can move the entire row. Further, as shown in

FIG. 6

, the cams

40

of all the rows or groups of keys can be ganged together to move in unison using a rod

60

, so that moving the rod will rotate the ganged cams thereby moving the associated keys. The ganged cams can be connected to the cover, such as the display

52

, to rotate the ganged cams and thus move the associated keys between the retracted and extended configurations when the cover is moved to cover or uncover the keys. In this manner, opening or closing the display

52

on a portable computer

50

will move the rod

60

as shown by the arrow

62

to extend or retract the keyboard accordingly.

The strike surfaces

26

of the keys

22

may optionally be contoured, rather than being flat, as shown in FIG.

7

. Therefore, the keys are in the flat configuration when the middles of all of the keys, determined in any suitable manner such as an average distance between the strike surface and the bottom, or the bottoms of the all of the keys are generally co-planer.

The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.