Keyboard with versatile switch support structures

Claim 2

A keyboard comprising a substrate of insulating material having a plurality of pairs of electrical contact means disposed in a selected pattern on said substrate and having circuit path means connected to said contact means, a support member secured to said substrate extending in generally parallel relation to the substrate in a plane spaced a selected distance from the substrate, said support member having a plurality of openings therein and being secured to said substrate with said openings aligned with respective pairs of said contact means on said substrate, and a plurality of switch mechanisms disposed in respective support member openings, each of said switch mechanisms having a housing which is open at one end and which has an aperture opposite said open end, having a contact element which is movable in said housing to a depressed position at said open housing end and which is biased to a retracted position within said housing, and having a plunger means which is movable in said housing to move said contact element to said depressed position and which has a portion thereof extending from said aperture to be manually engaged for moving said plunger means, said switch mechanism housings each having stop means and resilient detent means engaging respective opposite sides of said support member around said support member openings for mounting said switch mechanisms on said support member in predetermined positions relative to respective pairs of said contact means on said substrate for permitting said contact element to bridge one pair of said contact means on said substrate when said contact element is disposed in said depressed position and for disposing said contact element spaced from at least one of that pair of contact means when the contact element is in said retracted position.

Claim 3

A keyboard as set forth in claim 1 wherein said stop means comprises flange means extending around at least part of said housing intermediate said open housing end and said housing aperture, and said detent means comprise a pair of detent arms extending from said housing adjacent said opening housing end toward said stop flange means at each of two opposite sides of said housing, said arms being depressable toward said housing throughout a major part of the length of said arms to permit said arms to be depressed toward said housing during insertion of said housing into a support member opening and to permit said arms to spring away from said housing thereafter to engage said support member around said opening.

Claim 4

A keyboard as set forth in claim 2 wherein said flange means and detent arms are integrally molded with said housing.

Claim 5

A keyboard as set forth in claim 1 having cam means and cam follower means incorporated on at least one of said switch mechanisms externally of the housing of said one switch mechanism, one of said cam means and cam follower means being incorporated on said plunger means and the other of said cam means and cam follower means being incorporated on said housing of said one mechanism respectively for regulating relative movement between said plunger means and housing to permit movement of said plunger means to move said bridging contact element to said depressed position and to retain said element in said depressed position in response to a first manual movement of said plunger means and to permit subsequent movement of said plunger means to allow said bridging element to move to said retracted position under said bias in response to a second manual movement of said plunger means.

Claim 6

A keyboard as set forth in claim 1 having cam means and cam follower means on at least one of said switch mechanisms externally of the housing of said one switch mechanism for regulating relative movement between said plunger means and housing in said one switch mechanism, one of said cam means and cam follower means being incorporated on said plunger means and the other of said cam means and cam follower means being incorporated on said housing of said one mechanism respectively, said cam means having a series of cam riser surfaces separated by alternate cam shoulders recessed in a groove in said cam means to define a closed loop cam path, said cam riser surfaces having a common riser direction around said path, said groove having a pair of major portions connected at one end and extending in generally opposite directions relative to each other and having a pair of minor portions also extending in generally opposite directions to each other interconnected with each other between the opposite ends of said major path portions, said cam shoulders being disposed at intersections of said path portions, and said cam follower means being resiliently biased into said groove for permitting said follower means to move along one of said major and one of said minor path portions in sequence in response to a first manual movement and release of said plunger means to dispose and retain said bridging element in said depressed position against said bias and for permitting said follower means to move along a second major and a second minor portion of said path in sequence in response to a second manual movement and release of said plunger means to dispose and retain said bridging element in said retracted position under influence of said bias.

Claim 7

A keyboard as set forth in claim 5 wherein said cam means is secured to said switch mechanism housing and said cam follower means is secured to said plunger means for movement with said plunger means.

Claim 8

A keyboard as set forth in claim 6 wherein said cam means comprises a cam block incorporating said cam riser surfaces and cam shoulders in a groove on said cam block, said cam block being secured to said housing.

Claim 9

A keyboard as set forth in claim 7 wherein said stop flange on said one switch mechanism housing has a slot therein and wherein said cam block has a key portion press-fitted into said stop flange a slot for retaining said cam block on said housing.

Claim 10

A keyboard as set forth in claim 6 wherein said cam follower means comprises generally L-shaped spring member having a front leg thereof fitted over said extending portion of said plunger means securing said spring member to said plunger means for movement therewith and having a second leg thereof extending over said cam means groove, said second spring leg having a blade portion separated from the remainder of said second spring leg and having an aperture in said blade, and a generally C-shaped follower element having one end disposed in said blade aperture, having a portion extending between said blade and the remainder of said second leg, and having its opposite end extending into said cam means groove holding said follower element resiliently biased into said groove.

Claim 11

A keyboard as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least some of said switch mechanism have key cap means relatively larger than said housing aperture secured to said extending plunger portion externally of said switch housing for facilitating manual movement of said plunger means.

Claim 12

A keyboard as set forth in claim 1 having at least one of said support member openings disposed between two adjacent support member openings and having one of said switch mechanisms disposed in said one support member opening, having a bar-shaped key cap member secured to said plunger means in said one switch mechanism to extend over each of said adjacent support member openings for facilitating manual movement of said plunger means in said one mechanism, having guide members with mounting portions and guide portions disposed in each of said adjacent support member openings, having slide members secured to said bar-shaped key cap member adjacent each end thereof for slidable movement in said guide portions of said guide members during manual movement of said bar-shaped key cap means, and spring means interconnecting said slide members for balancing moving of said slides during manual movement of said key cap member, said mounting portions of said guide members each having stop means engaging one side of said support member and having resilient detent means extending through one of said adjacent support member openings to engage an opposite side of said support member around one of said adjacent support member openings for positioning said guide members within said openings.

Claim 13

A keyboard as set forth in claim 1 wherein said stop means of each of said guide members comprises a flange resting on said one side of said support member around one of said adjacent openings and said resilient detent means of each of said guide members comprises a pair of detent arms depending from said guide flange into said one adjacent support member opening, said arms each having a shoulder thereon engaging said opposite side of said support member around said one adjacent opening.

Claim 14

A keboard as set forth in claim 12 wherein each of said guide members has a rib upstanding from said flange, said rib having a slot therein and having one of said slides slidably movable in said slot for guiding movement of said slide.

Claim 15

A keyboard as set forth in claim 13 wherein each of said slides has an aperture therein and wherein each of said guide ribs has an additional slot therein, said spring means comprising a generally C-shaped spring element having its ends disposed in respective slide apertures and having its main body portion snap-fitted into said additional slots on said guide rib for positioning said spring means relative to said guides and slides.

Claim 16

A keyboard key device comprising a substrate of insulating material having a pair of electrical contact means disposed on said substrate and having circuit path means connected to said contact means, a support member having an opening therein secured over said substrate in spaced relation to said substrate with said opening aligned with said pair of said contact means, and a switch mechanism disposed in said support member opening, said switch mechanism having a housing which is open at one end and which has an aperture opposite said open end, having a contact element which is movable in said housing to a depressed position at said open housing end and which is biased to a retracted position within said housing, and having a plunger means which is movable in said housing to move said contact element to said depressed position and which has a portion thereof extending from said housing aperture to be manually engaged for moving said plunger means, said switch mechanism housing having stop means and resilient detent engaging respective opposite sides of said support member around said support member opening for mounting said switch mechanism on said support member in predetermined positions relative to said pair of said contact means for permitting said contact element to bridge said pair of contact means on said substrate when said contact element is disposed in said depressed position and for disposing said contact element spaced from at least one of said contact means when the contact means is in said retracted position, and cam means and cam follower means incorporated in said switch mechanism externally of said housing, one of said cam means and cam follower means being incorporated on said plunger means and the other of said cam means and cam follower means being incorporated on said housing of said mechanism respectively for regulating relative movement between said plunger means and housing to permit movement of said plunger means to move said bridging element to said depressed position and to retain said element in said depressed position in response to a first manual movement of said plunger means and to permit subsequent movement of said plunger means to allow said bridging element to move to said retracted position under said bias in response to a second manual movement of said plunger means.

Claim 17

A keyboard key device comprising a substrate of insulating material having a pair of electrical contact means disposed on said substrate and having circuit path means connected to said contact means, a support member having an opening therein secured over said substrate in spaced relation to said substrate with said opening aligned with said pair of said contact means, and a switch mechanism disposed in said support member opening, said switch mechanism having a housing which is open at one end and which has an aperture opposite said open end, having a contact element which is movable in said housing to a depressed position at said open housing end and which is biased to a retracted position within said housing, and having a plunger means which is movable in said housing to move said contact element to said depressed position and which has a portion thereof extending from said housing aperture to be manually engaged for moving said plunger means, said switch mechanism housing having stop means and resilient detent engaging respective opposite sides of said support member around said support member opening for mounting said switch mechanism on said support member in predetermined positions relative to said pair of said contact means for permitting said contact element to bridge said pair of contact means on said substrate when said contact element is disposed in said depressed position and for disposing said contact element spaced from at least one of said contact means when the contact means is in said retracted position, and cam means and cam follower means incorporated in said switch mechanism externally of said housing, one of said cam means and cam follower means being incorporated on said plunger means and the other of said cam means and cam follower means being incorporated on said housing of said mechanism respectively for regulating relative movement between said plunger means and housing to permit movement of said plunger means to move said bridging element to said depressed position and to retain said element in said depressed position in response to a first manual movement of said plunger means and to permit subsequent movement of said plunger means to allow said bridging element to move to said retracted position under said bias in response to a second manual movement of said plunger means.

Claim 18

A keyboard key device as set forth in claim 15 wherein said cam means has a series of cam riser surfaces separated by alternate cam shoulders recessed in a groove in said cam means to define a closed loop cam path, said cam riser surfaces having a common riser direction around said path, said groove having a pair of major portions connected at one end and extending in generally opposite directions relative to each other and having a pair of minor portions also extending in generally opposite directions to each other interconnected with each other between the opposite ends of said major path portions, said cam shoulders being disposed at intersections of said path portions, and said cam follower means being resiliently biased into said groove for permitting said follower means to move along one of said major and one of said minor path portions in sequence in response to a first manual movement and release of said plunger means to dispose and retain said bridging contact element in said depressed position against said bias and for permitting said follower means to move along a second major and a second minor portion of said path in sequence in response to a second manual movement and release of said plunger means to dispose and retain said bridging contact element in said retracted position under influence of said bias.

Claim 19

A keyboard key device as set forth in claim 16 wherein said cam means is secured to said switch mechanism housing and said cam follower means is secured to said plunger means for movement with said plunger means.

Claim 20

A keyboard key device as set forth in claim 17 wherein said cam means comprises a cam block incorporating said cam riser surfaces and cam shoulders in a groove in said cam block, said cam block being secured to said housing.

Claim 21

A keyboard key device as set forth in claim 18 wherein said switch mechanism housing has a flange therein, said flange having a slot therein and wherein said cam block has a key portion press-fitted into said flange slot for retaining said cam block on said housing.

Claim 22

A keyboard key device as set forh in claim 19 wherein said cam follower means comprises generally L-shaped spring member having a first leg thereof fitted over said extending portion of said plunger means securing said spring member to said plunger means for movement therewith and having a second leg thereof extending over said cam means groove, said second spring leg having a blade portion separated from the remainder of said second spring leg and having an aperture in said blade, and a generally C-shaped follower element having one end disposed in said blade aperture, having a portion extending between said blade and the remainder of said second leg, and having its opposite end extending into said cam means groove holding said follower element resiliently biased onto said groove.

Claim 23

A keyboard key device as set forth in claim 15 having key cap means relatively larger than said housing aperture secured to said extending plunger portion externally of said switch housing for facilitating manual movement of said plunger means.

Claim 24

A keyboard key device comprising a substrate of insulating material having a pair of electrical contact means disposed on said substrate and having circuit path means connected to said contact means, a support member having an opening therein secured over said substrate in spaced relation to said substrate with said opening aligned with said pair of said contact means, and a switch mechanism disposed in said support member opening, said switch mechanism having a housing which is open at one end and which has an aperture opposite said open end, having a contact element which is movable in said housing to a depressed position at said open housing end and which is biased to a retracted position within said housing, and having a plunger means which is movable in said housing to move said bridging element to said depressed position and which has a portion thereof extending from said housing aperture to be manually engaged for moving said plunger means, said switch mechanism housing having stop means and resilient detent means engaging respective opposite sides of said support member around said support member opening for mounting said switch mechanism on said support member in predetermined position relative to said pair of said contact means, said one support member opening being disposed between two adjacent support member openings and having said switch mechanism disposed in said one support member opening, having a bar-shaped key cap member secured to said plunger means in said switch mechanism to extend over each of said adjacent support member openings for facilitating manual movement of said plunger means in said mechanism, having guide members with mounting portions and guide portions disposed in each of said adjacent support member openings, having slide members secured to said bar-shaped key cap member adjacent each end thereof for slidable movement in said guide portions of said guide members during manual movement of said bar-shaped key cap means, and having spring means interconnecting said slide members for balancing moving of said slides during manual movement of said key cap member, said mounting portions of said guide members each having stop means engaging one side of said support member and having resilient detent means extending through one of said adjacent support member openings to engage an opposite side of said support member around one of said adjacent support member openings for positioning said guide members within said openings.

Claim 25

A keyboard key device comprising a substrate of insulating material having a pair of electrical contact means disposed on said substrate and having circuit path means connected to said contact means, a support member having an opening therein secured over said substrate in spaced relation to said substrate with said opening aligned with said pair of said contact means, and a switch mechanism disposed in said support member opening, said switch mechanism having a housing which is open at one end and which has an aperture opposite said open end, having a contact element which is movable in said housing to a depressed position at said open housing end and which is biased to a retracted position within said housing, and having a plunger means which is movable in said housing to move said bridging element to said depressed position and which has a portion thereof extending from said housing aperture to be manually engaged for moving said plunger means, said switch mechanism housing having stop means and resilient detent means engaging respective opposite sides of said support member around said support member opening for mounting said switch mechanism on said support member in predetermined position relative to said pair of said contact means, said one support member opening being disposed between two adjacent support member openings and having said switch mechanism disposed in said one support member opening, having a bar-shaped key cap member secured to said plunger means in said switch mechanism to extend over each of said adjacent support member openings for facilitating manual movement of said plunger means in said mechanism, having guide members with mounting portions and guide portions disposed in each of said adjacent support member openings, having slide members secured to said bar-shaped key cap member adjacent each end thereof for slidable movement in said guide portions of said guide members during manual movement of said bar-shaped key cap means, and having spring means interconnecting said slide members for balancing moving of said slides during manual movement of said key cap member, said mounting portions of said guide members each having stop means engaging one side of said support member and having resilient detent means extending through one of said adjacent support member openings to engage an opposite side of said support member around one of said adjacent support member openings for positioning said guide members within said openings.

Claim 26

A keyboard key device as set forth in claim 22 wherein said means supporting each of said guide members on said support member comprises a flange resting on one side of said support member around one of said adjacent openings and resilient detent means depending from said guide flange into said one adjacent opening, said arms each having a shoulder thereon engaging an opposite side of said support member around said one adjacent opening.

Claim 27

A keyboard key device as set forth in claim 23 wherein each of said guide members has a rib upstanding from said flange, said rib having a slot therein and having one of said sides slidably movable in said slot for guiding movement of said slide.

Claim 28

A keyboard key device as set forth in claim 24 wherein each of said slides has an aperture therein and wherein each of said guide ribs has an additional slot therein, said spring means comprising a generally C-shaped spring element having its ends disposed in respective slide apertures and having its main body portion snap-fitted into said additional slots on said guide rib for positioning said spring means relative to said guides and slides.