US3668356A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mechanical key actuator including a cantilever beam restoring force means
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1971-01-04
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Granted: 1972-06-06
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Expires: 1991-01-04
Abstract
Abstract An actuating device having a keytop, base, and an actuator assembly affixed to the base, the assembly including a rod and a cantilever beam arrangement for providing a snap action response to key force and for driving the rod to form an electrical makebreak contact, the base and assembly constituting a unitary flexible-tough thermoplastic body.
Inventors
- 👤 Dennis H Kekas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 14:07
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H13/00; H01H13/70; H01H13/702; H01H13/705; H01H13/02; H01H13/26; H01H3/00; H01H3/32; H01H3/46; H01H2003/466
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
In an actuating device more particularly adapted to electric switches and having a keytop, a base, and an actuator assembly affixed to the base, the assembly including an actuating rod mechanically engaging the keytop, and means for translating the rod along a defined path relative to the base responsive to keytop stroking, and for restoring the rod to its former position in the absence of stroking, the base and the assembly constituting a unitary flexible tough thermoplastic body; wherein the translating means comprise: hinging means; a first and second rigid member; a first and second beam member secured to the base at one of their ends and forming at the other of their ends a hinging engagement with the rod through the hinging means and the corresponding rigid member, each beam member being deflected by a corresponding rigid member as the rod translates; and means for limiting the excursion of the rod such that an acute angle is maintained between the longitudinal axis of each beam member and the axis of the hinging means and corresponding rigid member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
178 words
In an actuating device more particularly adapted to electric switches and having a keytop, a base, and an actuator assembly affixed to the base, the assembly including an actuating rod mechanically engaging the keytop, and means for translating the rod along a defined path relative to the base responsive to keytop stroking, and for restoring the rod to its former position in the absence of stroking, the base and the assembly constituting a unitary flexible tough thermoplastic body; wherein the translating means comprise: hinging means; a first and second rigid member; a first and second beam member secured to the base at one of their ends and forming at the other of their ends a hinging engagement with the rod through the hinging means and the corresponding rigid member, each beam member being deflected by a corresponding rigid member as the rod translates; and means for limiting the excursion of the rod such that an acute angle is maintained between the longitudinal axis of each beam member and the axis of the hinging means and corresponding rigid member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
In an actuating device according to claim 1, wherein: the flexible-tough thermoplastic body is formed from a material selected from at least one of the group consisting of polypropylene, nylon, delrin, polyethylene, polyphenylene oxide, and injection moldable polyurethane.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
In an actuating device according to claim 1, wherein: the keytop forms a substantially hollowed out cavity facing one surface of the base and being spaced apart therefrom such that a distinct acoustic wave is generated upon the keytop being stroked and the cavity impacting the base surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
155 words
In an actuating device more particularly adapted to electric switches and having a keytop, a base, and an actuator assembly affixed to the base; the assembly including an actuating rod mechanically engaging the keytop; and means for translating the rod along a defined path relative to the base responsive to keytop stroking, and for restoring the rod position in the absence of stroking, the base and assembly constituting a unitary flexible tough body; wherein: the translating means comprise: a cantilever beam arrangement secured to the base at one end thereof and further including means for forming a spaced and rigid hinging engagement between the other end of the beam arrangement and the rod, the beam arrangement flexing as the rod translates: and means for limiting the excursion of the rod such that an acute angle is maintained between the flexing beam arrangement and the axis of its spaced and rigid hinging engagement to the rod.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
155 words
In an actuating device more particularly adapted to electric switches and having a keytop, a base, and an actuator assembly affixed to the base; the assembly including an actuating rod mechanically engaging the keytop; and means for translating the rod along a defined path relative to the base responsive to keytop stroking, and for restoring the rod position in the absence of stroking, the base and assembly constituting a unitary flexible tough body; wherein: the translating means comprise: a cantilever beam arrangement secured to the base at one end thereof and further including means for forming a spaced and rigid hinging engagement between the other end of the beam arrangement and the rod, the beam arrangement flexing as the rod translates: and means for limiting the excursion of the rod such that an acute angle is maintained between the flexing beam arrangement and the axis of its spaced and rigid hinging engagement to the rod.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
72 words
In an actuating device according to claim 4, wherein: the cantilever beam arrangement comprises: a substantially cylindrically shaped flexing member surrounding at least a portion of the rod extent, the cylindrical flexing member being secured to the base at one of its ends; and rigid diaphragm means hingedly attached to the other cylindrical flexing member end along the diaphragm outer periphery and hingedly attached to the rod along the diaphragm inner periphery.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
In an actuating device according to claim 4, wherein: the base and assembly constituting the unitary body are formed from a flexible-tough thermoplastic material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
In an actuating device according to claim 4, wherein: the base and assembly constituting the unitary body are formed from a material selected from at least one of a group of materials consisting of polypropylene, nylon, delrin, polyethylene, polyphenylene oxide, and moldable polyurethanes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
In an actuating device according to claim 4, wherein: the base and assembly constituting the unitary body are formed from polypropylene suffused with antimony oxide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
In an actuating device according to claim 8, wherein: the antimony oxide constitutes no more than 20 percent of the propylene and antimony oxide volume.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
59 words
In an actuating device according to claim 4, wherein: each hinging engagement is fashioned from a segment of thermoplastic material having a cross section thickness T parallel to the hinging axis in the range 0.001 inches < or = T < or = 0.01 inches and further wherein the long chain polymers are oriented transverse to the hinging axis.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
178 words
In a mechanical key actuator having a keytop, a base, and an actuator assembly affixed to the base, the assembly including a rod engaging the keytop, and means for moving the rod along a path of distance d relative to the base responsive to keytop stroking, and for restoring the rod to its former position as the stroking force is removed, the base and assembly constituting a unitary flexible tough body, wherein the translating means comprise: a cantilever beam secured to the base at one end thereof and including means for forming a spaced and rigid hinging engagement of length l between the other end of the beam and the rod, the beam flexing as the rod moves; and means for limiting the excursion of the rod with respect to the beam and the base such that an angle theta between the beam longitudinal axis and the rigid hinging engagement axis lies within the range whereby the resulting composition of forces urged by the beam upon the rod includes a force component lying in the restoring force direction.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
178 words
In a mechanical key actuator having a keytop, a base, and an actuator assembly affixed to the base, the assembly including a rod engaging the keytop, and means for moving the rod along a path of distance d relative to the base responsive to keytop stroking, and for restoring the rod to its former position as the stroking force is removed, the base and assembly constituting a unitary flexible tough body, wherein the translating means comprise: a cantilever beam secured to the base at one end thereof and including means for forming a spaced and rigid hinging engagement of length l between the other end of the beam and the rod, the beam flexing as the rod moves; and means for limiting the excursion of the rod with respect to the beam and the base such that an angle theta between the beam longitudinal axis and the rigid hinging engagement axis lies within the range whereby the resulting composition of forces urged by the beam upon the rod includes a force component lying in the restoring force direction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
52 words
In a mechanical key actuator according to claim 11, where the restoring force component F varies as a simple sinusoidal function of angle theta for theta < or = theta < pi /n, n > 2 and as a complex sinusoidal function for pi /n < or = theta < pi /2.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3582584A
Cited
US3582594A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-06 | 1975-12-06 | 1976-06-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-06 | 1979-12-06 | 1980-06-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-06 | 1983-12-06 | 1984-06-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |