DE2041498A1 - Block keyboard and process for their manufacture - Google Patents

Description

2Q41498

DIPL.-ING. KLAUS BEHN DIPL.-PHYS. ROBERT MÜNZHUBER

PATENT LAWYERS

S MUNICH SS WIDENMAYERSTRASSEB TEL. (O811) Π2 25 30-29 01 92

A 27970 Thu / vs August 20, 1970

SANDERS ASSOCIATES, INC., Daniel Webster Highway, South, Nashua , New Hampshire 05060 / V.St.A.

Block-shaped keyboard and process for their manufacture

The invention relates generally to data entry devices and, particularly, on keyboards that use a minimum of moving parts.

Previously it was common to use different keyboards to enter data into cathode ray tubes and Television playback devices. When designing these keyboards special consideration was given to one To achieve reduction in size, weight, complexity, and cost, while striving for it was to continue to maintain a high level of operational reliability. It was also considered that the keyboards have almost the same keystroke as the keyboard on a conventional typewriter.

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Various circuits and mechanical devices have been used so far. An example the prior art is the known mechanical switch keyboard in the manner of a push button. In a optical methods are also used. It became a light source, a device for their interruption and one needed to determine the interruption. Another well-known Keyboard uses magnetic pickups in which the indentation of a key creates a magnetic coupling which would then generate a signal in a receiving device.

Other types of keyboards include capacitive pickup devices in which each key has is connected to an associated oscillator circuit. This circuit oscillates when its key is indented. Most of these well-known keyboards have spring mechanisms associated with each key, so that an operator triggers a "standard stop" when the key is pressed.

It can be seen from this that the following limitations result from the known keyboards which can occur either individually or in conjunction with them, since they require moving parts which the

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Reduce the lifespan of these keyboards. They are expensive to manufacture because they are either magnetic, Couplings, optical assemblies, or mechanical switches are needed for each key. quite expensive mechanical circuit has a relatively high failure rate, which is due to mechanical Wear, moisture, pollution and others with these mechanical switching devices related vulnerabilities. This is also used in the various types of keyboards The spring mechanism associated with each key is exposed to great wear and tear.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an inexpensive and reliable keyboard.

Another object of the invention is to provide a keyboard without the known movable To create parts.

In addition, an easy-to-manufacture keyboard is to be created that has the same type of "Keystroke" like the keyboard of a well-known typewriter.

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Another object of the invention is to provide a keyboard that is between the can switch upper and lower type symbols.

An inexpensive, block-shaped keyboard is also to be created that is resistant to moisture and Dirt is sealed.

Accordingly, the invention includes features of construction, interconnection of components, and attachment by TejQaiauf used in the construction below are executed.

The block-shaped keyboard according to the invention does not have any of the conventional moving parts. The keyboard is made with a few inexpensive materials, which are brought in layers over a base plate. The first layer applied to the base plate consists of a conductive foil, such as BHkB copper, over this conductive layer a layer of a sponge-like material is applied, in which holes are cut and correspond to the arrangement of the attached keys. An elastic film made of an insulating material follows over this sponge-like layer. On the underside of this elastic, insulating material there are conductive plates, which are also the

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The arrangement of the buttons. Each conductive plate has a terminal attached to it. the Platelets., Connectors and the elastic, insulating Foil together form an elastic., Printed Circuit. About the elastic film made of an insulating Material is brought to a rigid attachment with appropriately shaped holes, which also correspond to the arrangement of the buttons. This attachment is attached to the elastic insulating film. Corresponding the arrangement of the holes in the attachment, symbols are preferably printed on the elastic layer, so that the operator is aware of what symbols he is using "When the operator indent or depress the imprinted symbol that means that the key with the attached to the underside of the elastic insulating film, conductive Platelet makes contact with the conductive foil. The conductive layer is the first on the Base plate attached layer. This establishes a route so that, for example, one can be sent to the first layer of conductive material applied voltage to the connection of the corresponding key pad got. With a suitable encryption device an appropriate code to any receiving device, such as a cathode ray tube player generated.

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The solid and conductive film applied to the substrate as the first layer can be replace with the conductive plates attached to the underside of the flexible, insulating film. That is, the conductive pads and connectors are attached to the base plate while the conductive film is now elastic and attached to the underside of the elastic, insulating film is.

In addition, several keys can be pressed at the same time, with the generation of several Routes becomes necessary. In this case, the conductive film, whether it is elastic or the first layer on the base plate is a section isolated from the rest of the part. This creates the depressed, separate key a special control signal. This control signal can for example with a toggle key and can reverse the code of the encrypted symbol. This toggle button has no effect on the mode of operation the keyboard until one of the remaining keys on the keyboard is pressed.

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In the drawings, embodiments of the invention are shown by way of example demonstrate:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a keyboard with the different sliced layers,

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of one shown in FIG Keyboard with an indented key,

Figure 3 is a cross section of a second keyboard embodiment with a depressed and additionally a separate button,

Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram associated with the various embodiments of the keyboard according to the invention can be used can.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment according to the invention The view has been cut open for clarity. Layers are placed on a solid base plate 24 attached from a material that can be produced at low cost, which the keyboard according to the invention contain. The base plate 24 can be made of any rigid, insulating material such as phenol. A first Material layer or conductive film 20, which can be made of copper, for example, brought. About the

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Conductive material 20 is brought into a layer of a sponge-like material 18, into which Holes 22 are cut. The holes 22 are cut to match the layout of the keys on the keyboard. The sponge-like material 18 can be made of foam rubber or another be compressible material. The thickness and density that add to the compaction factor of the spongy material contribute have been appropriately selected so that the operator has a "stop" performs, which corresponds to the attack performed on a conventional typewriter. That helps, the operator should press the key with a certain uniform force, so as to induce the entry of the symbol specified by the key. To this force is referred to as a so-called "standard stop".

The sponge-like material 18 can be placed over the conductive sheet 20, if an element is provided, which prevents the sponge-like material 18 from slipping. The base plate 24 can serve as a fastening device. The sponge-like material 18 can also be glued to the film 20 to avoid any sideways slipping

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of the material 18 to be excluded. The conductive material 20 can also be glued to the base plate 24 but this is not absolutely necessary.

An elastic, insulating material 14 with guide plates 16 and connections 32 adhering to the underside of the same is placed over the sponge-like layer 18. Thus, the elastic, insulating material 14 forms with the guide plates 16 and %

the connections 32 together an elastic, printed Circuit. The platelets 16 and the connections 32 are conductive and can consist of one conductive material such as copper. The resilient, insulating material 14 can be made of mylar, etc. his * and is glued to the sponge-like material 18 "<* £" so that the plates 16 the holes 22 can capture. ·

The plates 16, like the holes 22, do not necessarily have a circular shape. You can for example square, rectangular, oval, etc., as long as the platelets and holes substantially correspond to one another. From each side of the

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The connections J> 2 can be brought out through the keyboard and connected to a receiving device by means of a connection device. The connection device can be part of the base plate 24. The connections 32 do not necessarily have to come out on the same side of the keyboard 10.

The size of the plate 16 corresponds approximately to the size of the holes 22 in the sponge-like Material 18. These sizes have a significant tolerance, which naturally increases the cost of the keyboard diminished, that is, no special care is required to get a $ 100 match.

The key icon labels 28 are on attached to the flexible, insulating material 14, and are located in the middle of the platelets 16. The inscriptions 28 can either be printed on the elastic layer 14 or in a known manner be glued on. You can also be etched in the plate 16 and preferably in the vicinity of the In order not to disturb the trigger area in the middle of the tiles. Through this, that the inscriptions are etched in,

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no further production stage is required. Of course, the position of the symbol labels 28 is identical with the position of the buttons.

It may be necessary to bring an attachment 12 over the elastic layer 14. The attachment 12 can be made of any rigid material and has holes punched therein so that a person's pingers can comfortably fit into it. The holes i

can be beveled and have an oval, round or other shape. The intent 12 is to the Base plate 24 attached so that the keyboard is now is protected against dirt and moisture.

For clarification, FIG. 2 shows a cross section of the keyboard shown in FIG the base plate 24 is the conductive layer 20, over which the sponge-like layer 18 with the punched holes 22 follows. About the sponge-like material 18 is the flexible, insulating Layer 14 is glued to the conductive plate 16. The symbol lettering 28 is located above the corresponding discs. The attachment 12 with its holes 26 and bevels 27 is located above the elastic printed circuit. The holes 26

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speak the positions of the washers 16 and the holes 22. It is also shown in FIG Keyboard 10 is positioned when a key is indented. As shown in Fig. 2, a contact at a point or area 30 of the leftmost key. A finger (not shown) presses the lettering 28, so that the elastic insulating layer 14 and the guide disks 16 take the form shown. The disks 16 are in contact with the film 20, namely at the point 30 and cause a switching path. The operation of this circuit will be explained later.

Fig. 3 shows a cross section of a further embodiment according to the invention. The main one Difference between the keyboard j) 4 the Fig. 3 and the keyboard 10 of Fig. 2 is that the conductive film is now elastic and to the Underside of the elastic insulating layer 14 is attached, while the guide disks and thus connected connections are now glued to the base plate 24. So are the discs 42 and the Connections (not shown) of the keyboard shown in FIG. 3 are glued to the base plate 24. The slices 42 must be firmly attached to

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lungs of the keys to match. The sponge-like material 18 is over the base plate 24 and the Disk 42 placed. The holes 22 of the sponge-like Layer 18 correspond, as before, to the arrangement of the disks 42. About the spongy Layer 18 comes an elastic, conductive layer 40 that attaches to the underside of the elastic insulating material 14 can be glued. In this case

the insulating layer 14 would only be used because ^

with the operator does not get a blow. The symbol labels 28 and the header 12 have the same shape and are attached in the same way as in the in Fig. 1 and 2 shown keyboard. Of course, the symbol inscriptions 28 can be incorporated into the film 40 are etched in, as already mentioned in FIG. One of the keys is indented so that the foil 4o a connection with the washer 42 at the point orer

at point 44. |

Another embodiment according to the invention of FIG. 3 shows that the film 44 is interrupted at the intermediate space 59 and continues as a film 58. In this way, the key 36 is separated from the rest of the keys on the keyboard 34. The arrival

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No more between slide 38 * disk 42 and the key 56 would thus be completely electrically isolated from the connections of the other keys on the keyboard 34. These Arrangement can be used so that the keyboard can switch, for example between the lower and upper type symbols. Typically, the operator only operates the icons below when typing or »if the keyboard is set up accordingly, always the symbols above. When the operator Pressing a button and pressing the toggle button at the same time creates two independent, electrical ones Circuits which indicate to a decryption device whether the lower or the upper type symbol is meant. The operation of the circuit will be explained later.

Of course, the possibility of changing the keyboard 34 shown in FIG. 3 can also be used in the Keyboard 10 of Fig. 2 can be used. The separation of the change key is not absolutely necessary, if the associated decryption device is designed accordingly. this will explained later.

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ORIGINAL INSPECTED

It should also be noted that the keyboard arrangement ₍ as described in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, can be constructed in various ways. For example, the guide discs on these keyboards can be replaced by guide strips. Thus, each strip can accommodate eight keys, and can be in connection therewith) The conductive layer can be cut into eight pieces of film, so that each piece of film also takes eight specific keys.By placing the appropriate signals on the various conductive strips, a matrix arrangement is formed, in this case for 64 possible keys.

Furthermore, the keys of the keyboard according to the invention can be arranged in any desired arrangement be. If a design of a well-known keyboard is required, then the base plate, which Holds the film layers and covers the keyboard, ^ facing upwards, so that the top row of keys higher than the bottom row. The base plate can be designed like a staircase that it looks even more like a conventional keyboard design. In this case the layers could the keyboard should be flat but elastic. and in a stair-like shape over the stair-like surface

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are held, by means of an intent executed in the staircase-like arrangement. Also could then the corresponding layer heights can be inserted independently in strips at each landing and through a rigid, stair-like intent can be held in the appropriate position.

As shown in Fig. 3, an extended Button 19 may be glued to the elastic layer 14 so as to be convenient for the operator to create reachable position of the buttons. This button 19 can be made of plastic. The resolution 12 would then not be absolutely necessary, except for the key 19 in addition against lateral displacement to support. The symbol lettering could be printed on the surface of the button 19. Naturally such keys 19 can also be used in the embodiment of FIG. By taking advantage of the extended keys 19, the stair-like design described above could be further exploited by the extended keys 19 used in the back row of a known keyboard design are longer are, than those in the row of keys in front, so that the keys 19 in the front row least are extended.

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FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a circuit which can be used in the device according to the invention. The device according to the invention is shown as a keyboard 52 and a toggle key 54. The Leitscheibchenanschlüsse the keyboard 52 are shown as lines 1 through N, the outputs of which are connected to an encryption device 48 * The encryption apparatus 48 converts the corresponding N inputs * transitions to, and indeed each in their respective 7-bit ASCII code. This code is then evaluated in a receiving device that can work with the ASCII code. If another code were desired, then the encryption device 48 is designed so that it can reverse the N inputs to that other code. The conductive foil of the keyboard 52 is connected to a voltage lead 46, so that when a certain key is depressed, the voltage from the lead 46 is coupled to one of the certain .- '■■ "N outputs of the keyboard 52. The existing Voltage is then encrypted by the encryption device 48.

If the keyboard according to the invention is a her associated matrix encryption device in

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an arrangement with N inputs and seven output lines then the additional changeover button does not require complete electrical insulation of the Changeover button contacts. In this case, the output of the toggle key would initially become the shift logic 50, which then reverse certain bits in the output of the encryption device 48 would if the toggle button 54 and another Button would be indented almost at the same time.

When the keyboard according to the invention has an associated scanning keyboard encryption device then the addition of a changeover key could completely separate the changeover key circuit make necessary. The voltage lead would then be connected to the conductive layer for the Toggle button connected. The sampling input voltages (not shown) would then be in a sampling arrangement connected to the keyboard 52. When the toggle button 54 is pressed in, the voltage is reduced by the Feed line 46 coupled to the input of the shift logic 50, the output of which is connected to the encryption · device 48 is coupled. Shift logic 50 reverses certain bits of the seven-bit ASCII output code um, so the specific code is now as that

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the same symbol appears, but which is now in the
appears in the upper part of the type or in the lower part of the type. If the toggle button 54 is engaged, then the encryption device 48 can do so
be appropriate that the output from the shift logic 50 is ineffective. If several keys of the keyboard 52 are indented at the same time, then regardless of the toggle key features, the encryption device 48 can be designed to take into account the key indented first or to take into account none of the inputs.

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Claims (1)

PATENT CLAIMS [1 / Keyboard with many keys, characterized by a conductive film, a sponge-like layer (18) placed over the conductive film (20) with holes (22) cut into it, in which the keys are located, and an elastic insulating layer (14) with lubricatable disks (16) attached underneath, the insulating layer being over ■ the sponge-like layer (18), while the ■ disks (16) correspond to the arrangement of the holes (22). speak, whereby when a key is pressed a corresponding disk (16) with the conductive foil (20) makes contact. 2. Keyboard according to claim 1, characterized in that the keys are marked by labels (28) are designated, which on the top side of the elastic film (l4) over the corresponding conductive Discs (16) are attached. 5. Keyboard according to claim 1, characterized by a rigid attachment (12) attached over the elastic layer (14), with holes (26) of the 209808/1651 - 21 - _ ₂₁ _ 2041493 Mask (12) the arranged vanes (16) correspond. 4. Keyboard according to claim 3, characterized by a base plate (24) to which the underside of the conductive layer (20) and the edges of the attachment (12) are attached, whereby the keyboard is protected from its surroundings by sealing. Ä 5. Keyboard according to claim 1, characterized by an encryption device (48), the inputs of which correspond to each of the slices (16) and are electrically connected to the disks (16); and a power supply line (46) connected to the conductive foil (20) is electrically connected, whereby the indentation of one of the keys causes a voltage from the voltage supply line (46) _ couples with an encryption input, where the locking egg (48) generates a code associated with this input. 6. Keyboard according to claim 5 * characterized in that part of the conductive film (20) - 22 209808/1651 2041493 is electrically insulated from the remaining part of the conductive film (20), this part essentially is the same size as a key and corresponds to it, reducing the indentation of a key that has corresponds to this part, causes a corresponding washer (16) to connect to this part manufactures. 7. Keyboard according to claim 5 * characterized by a key (36 ^ to between the upper and to change the lower type symbols, whereby a conductive disk (42) one with a closure ler coupled toggle key corresponds, so that with simultaneous indentation of the toggle key and any other key a change process takes place. 8. Keyboard according to claim 1, characterized in that the operator must exert a pressure on the sponge-like layer (18) when the keys are indented 9. Keyboard according to claim 1, characterized in that elongated keys (19) on the top the elastic insulating layer (1 * 0 glued 209808/1651 -23- and correspond to the arrangement of the discs, whereby the indentation of an extended key causes a corresponding disk with a conductive film establishes a connection. 10. Keyboard with many keys «marked through a base plate (24), conductive discs (42) attached to the base plate (24) λ and corresponding to the positions of the keys, a compressible layer (18) placed over the disk (42) and the substrate with cut holes (22) which correspond to the positions of the disks, an elastic, conductive film (40) which is placed over the compressible layer and a key indicating element which is attached to the top of the foil and detects the discs, whereby the indentation of the key indicating element causes the foil (40) to make contact with the * corresponding disc (42) of the key indicating element . 11. Keyboard according to claim 10, characterized in that that the display element is an elastic insulating layer in which the keys are identified by suitable, printed symbols (28), 209808 / 1651- - 24 - 2041493 which are aligned with the washers. 12. Keyboard according to claim 11, characterized by a rigid on the elastic insulating layer laid attachment (12), holes (26) in the attachment (12) are available, which the positions the conductive discs. 15 · Keyboard according to claim 12, characterized by an encryption device (48), the inputs of which correspond to each of the slices, wherein the inputs are each electrically connected to one of the discs, and one to the conductive foil electrically connected voltage supply (46), whereby the indentation of a key causes a voltage from the voltage supply (46) to be applied to one of the inputs the encryption device (48) arrives, so that the encryption device one of this input associated code generated. 14. A method for producing a keyboard according to claim 1, characterized in that a sponge-like Layer (18) with incised holes (22), which correspond to the positions of the keys, over a conductive layer (20) is placed, conductive 209808/1651 " ²⁵ " 2041493 Discs (16) are attached to the underside of an elastic insulating layer (l4) at points which correspond to the keys and this elastic insulating layer then over the layer of spongy Material is attached. 15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that that the elastic insulating layer is glued to the sponge-like layer, so that holes and washers substantially coincide with one another and a rigid attachment (12) over the elastic Insulating layer is brought, with holes (26) in the attachment (12) corresponding to the discs. 16. The method according to claim 15 *, characterized in that that symbol designations (28) printed on the elastic insulating layer above each disc are attached and the conductive layer (20) and the attachment (12) attached to a base plate (24) creating a block shape that is sealed off from the environment. 17. A method for producing a keyboard according to claim 10, characterized in that on the top of a base plate (24) conductive Soheib- 209808/165 1 "'■ ²⁶ " chen are glued and attached in such a way that they correspond to the keys, a sponge-like layer is glued on whose incised holes den The positions of the buttons above the base plate and the discs correspond, one above the sponge-like Layer laid elastic, conductive layer and finally a rigid attachment with cut into it Holes, which are the positions of the above the elastic, conductive layer Buttons correspond to and is attached above. 209808/1651