Electric keyboard of snap-contact type
US4200778A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 19, 1978 |
| Grant date | Apr 29, 1980 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 19, 1998 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H13/36
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A keyboard comprises a plurality of keys which, when depressed, elastically deform conductive laminae which thereby go with a snap action from a stable configuration to an unstable configuration to complete an electrical circuit associated thereto. Each lamina has the form of two mutually transverse pairs of parallel edge strips spanned by a diagonal strip and the edge strips have permanent bends set into them such that the diagonal strip is bowed in the stable configuration towards the corresponding key. A fixed contact on the lamina is located adjacent one end of the diagonal strip and a movable contact is located in the central region of the diagonal strip. A single key actuates two identical laminae, one through an actuator resiliently coupled to the key and the other through an actuator fixed to the key.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.