EP0150896A2 - Tastenmechanismus für eine Tastatur - Google Patents

Tastenmechanismus für eine Tastatur Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0150896A2
EP0150896A2 EP85300028A EP85300028A EP0150896A2 EP 0150896 A2 EP0150896 A2 EP 0150896A2 EP 85300028 A EP85300028 A EP 85300028A EP 85300028 A EP85300028 A EP 85300028A EP 0150896 A2 EP0150896 A2 EP 0150896A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
shaft
members
keyboard
axis
retaining
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP85300028A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0150896A3 (de
Inventor
David Conner Southward
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
AMSTRAD CONSUMER ELECTRONICS PLC
Original Assignee
AMSTRAD CONSUMER ELECTRONICS PLC
Sinclair Research Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by AMSTRAD CONSUMER ELECTRONICS PLC, Sinclair Research Ltd filed Critical AMSTRAD CONSUMER ELECTRONICS PLC
Publication of EP0150896A2 publication Critical patent/EP0150896A2/de
Publication of EP0150896A3 publication Critical patent/EP0150896A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H3/00—Mechanisms for operating contacts
    • H01H3/02—Operating parts, i.e. for operating driving mechanism by a mechanical force external to the switch
    • H01H3/12—Push-buttons
    • H01H3/122—Push-buttons with enlarged actuating area, e.g. of the elongated bar-type; Stabilising means therefor

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a key mechanism for a keyboard, for example, a computer keyboard.
  • a keyboard includes a plurality of keys the top members of which vary in size and shape in order to present to an operator a visual indication of the functions of the keys associated with the top members which are pressed by the operator in using the keyboard.
  • Top members which have specially large surfaces may not be pressed centrally and may tilt. It is necessary to provide key mechanisms which operate correctly even when a top member which may tilt is pressed off-centre.
  • a key mechanism for a keyboard includes a shaft arranged to transmit an operating force applied to the key mechanism, stabilising arm members connected to the shaft, and guide members for the arm members, the arm and guide members being so arranged as to provide a moment to counter tilting of the shaft caused by the application of an operating force.
  • arm members extend from the shaft in directions transverse to the shaft axis and terminate in flanges, the inner surfaces of which lie immediately adjacent to guide members which are arranged parallel to the axis of the shaft. Tilting of the shaft and consequently the arm members may cause binding contact between one flange and its adjacent guide member. A force causing tilting acts through the shaft on the arn members to exert a correcting moment acting about the region of binding contact.
  • arm members extend in directions orthogonal to the axis of the shaft and lie in a plane passing through the axis of the shaft. That is, the arm members may lie along lines orthogonal to and passing through the shaft axis.
  • Arm members orthogonal to the axis of the shaft may also lie in more than one plane passing through the shaft axis. That is, the arm members may extend in two or more directions radially from the shaft.
  • a key assembly for a keyboard includes a top member bearing or adapted to bear a symbol representative of the key function, a shaft connected to the top member arranged to transmit an operating force applied to the top member, stabilising arm members connected to the shaft, and guide members for the arm members, the arm and guide members extending in directions dependent on the shape of the top member and being so arranged as to provide a moment to counter tilting of the shaft caused by the application of an operating force to the top member.
  • the arm and guide members are so arranged that any binding force will result in a moment to counter tilting of the shaft caused by an operating force to the top member releasing the binding.
  • the key assembly may include any one or more of the alternative arrangements for the key mechanism described above.
  • a keyboard includes a plurality of keys the top members of which vary in size and shape. Top members having long relatively narrow forms require means for ensuring movement of the member with mimal tilting regardless of the point of application to the top member of an operating force.
  • An arrangement for supporting a long relatively narrow top member for a keyboard includes a linking wire member having a straight middle portion terminated by cranked end portions, clip members integral with the top member holding the end portions of the linking wire. member, and retaining and support members integral with a base member holding the middle portion of the linking wire member, a retaining member and a support member displaced from each other along the middle portion of the linking wire member together acting as a clip member for the linking wire member.
  • Clip members may be provided by various combinations of retaining and support members. For example, a single retaining member and a single support member, or a support member straddled by two retaining members, or a retaining member straddled by two support members.
  • a support member may be a solid rectangle with a wire-accommodating depression, and a retaining member may be an L-shaped projection.
  • the support arrangement includes a new clip member configuration formed by laterally displaced retaining and support members.
  • retaining and support members may be employed as clip members for rods or the like, application being particularly suitable for, but not restricted to, keyboards.
  • the new clip member configuration simplifies the design of moulding tool dies for producing parts in which integrally formed clip members are desirable.
  • a key mechanism for a keyboard for example a computer keyboard, includes a shaft 1 to which is attached a top member 2 by the depression of which an operator effects operation of the key mechanism.
  • Two similar arms 3 and 4 are attached to the shaft 1 and extend in opposite directions along a line orthogonal to and in a plane containing the axis of the shaft 1.
  • the arms 3 and 4 have respective rectangular flanges 5 and 6 at their outer ends.
  • the shaft 1, the arms 3 and 4, and the flanges 5 and 6, are accommodated in a complementary housing 7 which includes guide portions for the shaft 1, the arms 3 and 4, and the flanges 5 and 6, respectively.
  • the shaft 1 and its guide portion of the housing 7 are provided with complementary splines (not shown) to prevent twisting of the shaft 1 in its guide.
  • the arms 3, 4 extend beyond the shorter edges of the top member 2.
  • the key mechanism is movable along the axis of the shaft 1 and is intended to effect the closure of an electrical switch contact located below the key mechanism on the application of a downward force to the top member 2.
  • the key mechanism is biassed to its uppermost position by resilient means (not shown) in contact with the lower part of the shaft 1.
  • the dimensions of the arms 3 and 4 and the housing 7 are such that the flanges 5 and 6 are able to contact only the inner walls of their respective guide portions of the housing 7 in the event of the shaft 1 tilting under the effect of an off-centre force applied to the top member 2.
  • the arms 3 and 4 are accommodated between parallel wall members which join the shaft guide portion and the flange guide portion of the housing 7.
  • a downward force F applied at or near an edge of the top member 2 causes tilting of the shaft 1 in addition to forcing it downwards.
  • the arms 3 and 4 also tilt, causing the leading edge of the flange 6 to come into binding contact with the inner wall of its guide portion of the housing 7.
  • the trailing edge of the flange 5 is brought into sliding contact with the inner wall of its guide portion of the housing 7 and the arm 4 is able to rotate about the region of contact between the flange 6 and the adjacent wall of the housing 7 under the influence of the downward force which acts on the arms 3 and 4 through the shaft 1.
  • the overall result is that the shaft 1 and the arms 3 and 4 move downwards under the action of the force F irrespective of the position at which the force F is applied.
  • the top member 2 is generally rectangular in plan and has its major axis lying generally parallel with the arms 3 and 4, when viewed from above.
  • arm configurations which depart from the arrangement of the lines through the arms 3 and 4 being orthogonal to the axis of the shaft 1 and parallel to the major axis of the top member 2, while still providing the result of causing the shaft 1 and arms 3 and 4 to move downwards under the action of a force such as F irrespective of the position at which the force is applied.
  • a key mechanism which includes stabilising arms so arranged in guides as to provide a counter moment to tilting of the arms caused by an operating force applied to the key mechanism.
  • a key mechanism for a keyboard for example, a computer keyboard, is represented as a shaft 1 to which is attached a generally L-shaped top member 8, arms 3, 4, and 9 attached to the shaft 1 and terminating in respective flanges 5, 6 and 10, and a housing 11 providing guide portions for the shaft 1 and the flanges 5, 6 and 10.
  • the arms 3 and 4 are orthogonal to and lie in a plane containing the axis of the shaft 1.
  • the arm 9 is also orthogonal to the axis of the shaft 1 and lies in a plane containing the axis of the shaft 1 and extends generally in the direction of the rectangular extension of the top member 8 creating the L-shape from a basic rectangular shape.
  • the arms 3, 4, 9 extend beyond the boundary of the top member 2.
  • Fig. 4 operates in the same manner as is illustrated by Fig. 3, any tendency for the shaft 1 to tilt being communicated to the stabilising arms 3, 4, and 9 which provide a counter moment to oppose the tilt.
  • orientations of the arms 3, 4 and 9 other than those shown may be employed to produce the stabilising action referred to above.
  • a key arrangement for a keyboard for example a computer keyboard, includes a top member 20 by the depression of which an operator effects operation of a key mechanism (not shown) which includes a shaft 21.
  • the key arrangement of Fig. 5 is shown inverted, downward movement of the top member 20 being upward movement in Fig. 5.
  • the movable top member 20 is supported from a base member by means of a bar member having cranked end portions 22 and 23 joined by a straight middle portion 24.
  • the cranked end portions 22 and 23 of the bar member are held by respective clip members 25 and 26 formed integrally with the top member 20 and the straight middle portion 24 of the bar member are held by retaining and support members 27, 28, 29 and 30 formed integrally with the base member.
  • a retaining member 27 includes a first portion orthogonal to the base member and extending from its lower surface and a second portion parallel to the base member, while a support member 28 is of solid rectangular form with a depression 33 for accommodating the circular transverse cross-section middle portion 24 of the bar in alignment with a jaw formed between the second portion of the retaining member 27 and the lower surface of the base member.
  • the retaining member 27 and support member 28 are spaced slightly but together provide a retaining jaw.
  • the retaining member 27 is formed integrally with the base member by the co-operative action of upper and lower parts of a moulding tool, the second portion of the retaining member 27 being made partly by a projection of the upper part of the moulding tool which leaves an aperture 31 in the base member.
  • the retaining member 29 and the support member 30 are functionally the same as the member 27 and 28, respectively, and are positioned on the opposite side of the middle portion 24 of the bar member from the members 27 and 28.
  • the clip members 25 and 26 and the retaining and support members 27, 28, 29 and 30 provide four jaws which face in the same direction in order to facilitate the insertion of the rod members 22, 23, 24 into the jaws with minimal difficulty.
  • retaining and support members may alternatively be arranged as groups of two retaining members 27 and 40 straddling a support member 28 or a retaining member 27 straddled by two support members 28 and 41.
  • the spacing between the retaining and support members may be varied from a retaining and a support member being immediately adjacent to each other to a mixture of support and retaining members evenly spaced along the middle portion 24 of the bar member 22, 23, 24.
  • the arrangement shown in Fig. 5 may be modified by providing a continuous support member extending from the position of the support member 28 to the support member 30 or a continuous central retaining member may be provided with flanking support members.
EP85300028A 1984-01-12 1985-01-03 Tastenmechanismus für eine Tastatur Withdrawn EP0150896A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08400781A GB2154947A (en) 1984-01-12 1984-01-12 Key mechanism for a keyboard
GB8400781 1984-01-12

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0150896A2 true EP0150896A2 (de) 1985-08-07
EP0150896A3 EP0150896A3 (de) 1985-12-27

Family

ID=10554880

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP85300028A Withdrawn EP0150896A3 (de) 1984-01-12 1985-01-03 Tastenmechanismus für eine Tastatur

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0150896A3 (de)
JP (1) JPS60160523A (de)
AU (1) AU3751685A (de)
BR (1) BR8500096A (de)
ES (1) ES295777Y (de)
GB (1) GB2154947A (de)
ZA (1) ZA8410064B (de)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4022917A1 (de) * 1990-07-19 1992-01-23 Triumph Adler Ag Tastatur fuer eine schreibmaschine o. dgl.
US5469772A (en) * 1993-04-01 1995-11-28 Vandervoort; Paul B. Linearly reciprocating keyboard key incorporating two guide pins

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3681555A (en) * 1970-10-02 1972-08-01 Alps Electric Co Ltd Play-free knob for push-button switch
DE2352230B2 (de) * 1973-10-18 1975-11-06 Schoeller & Co, Elektrotechnische Fabrik, 6000 Frankfurt Drucktastenaggregat
DE7403509U (de) * 1974-02-01 1977-11-10 Standard Elektrik Lorenz Ag, 7000 Stuttgart Laengs mehrerer einzeltasten sich erstreckende breite taste
DE2823367A1 (de) * 1978-05-29 1979-12-06 Blaupunkt Werke Gmbh Drucktaste
GB2089128A (en) * 1980-12-05 1982-06-16 Burroughs Corp Keyboards
US4384796A (en) * 1982-03-18 1983-05-24 Oak Industries Inc. Keyboard space bar stabilizer
US4392037A (en) * 1980-06-07 1983-07-05 Burroughs Corporation Stabilized button for an electrical keyboard

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3681555A (en) * 1970-10-02 1972-08-01 Alps Electric Co Ltd Play-free knob for push-button switch
DE2352230B2 (de) * 1973-10-18 1975-11-06 Schoeller & Co, Elektrotechnische Fabrik, 6000 Frankfurt Drucktastenaggregat
DE7403509U (de) * 1974-02-01 1977-11-10 Standard Elektrik Lorenz Ag, 7000 Stuttgart Laengs mehrerer einzeltasten sich erstreckende breite taste
DE2823367A1 (de) * 1978-05-29 1979-12-06 Blaupunkt Werke Gmbh Drucktaste
US4392037A (en) * 1980-06-07 1983-07-05 Burroughs Corporation Stabilized button for an electrical keyboard
GB2089128A (en) * 1980-12-05 1982-06-16 Burroughs Corp Keyboards
US4384796A (en) * 1982-03-18 1983-05-24 Oak Industries Inc. Keyboard space bar stabilizer

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2154947A (en) 1985-09-18
BR8500096A (pt) 1985-08-20
GB8400781D0 (en) 1984-02-15
ZA8410064B (en) 1986-04-30
ES295777Y (es) 1987-12-16
EP0150896A3 (de) 1985-12-27
JPS60160523A (ja) 1985-08-22
AU3751685A (en) 1985-08-01
ES295777U (es) 1987-06-16

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PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

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AK Designated contracting states

Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE FR IT LI LU NL SE

PUAL Search report despatched

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Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE FR IT LI LU NL SE

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19860827

RAP1 Party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred)

Owner name: AMSTRAD CONSUMER ELECTRONICS PLC

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 19871203

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 19870804

RIN1 Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected)

Inventor name: SOUTHWARD, DAVID CONNER