Elongated spring coil conductors applying tension force to pushbutton actuators in keyboard matrix switch assembly

Claim 2

A keyboard device comprising a matrix of conductors; a housing in which all of said conductors are secured in a normally spaced relationship; pushbuttons projecting fRom a surface of said housing for forcing said conductors of said matrix into temporary electrical contact; 9 said housing including a lower housing member subjacent the surface from which said pushbuttons project; a first set of said conductors comprising flexible conductors secured in said houshing for applying a spring tensioning force to said pushbuttons whereby said pushbuttons are maintained in a desired position in said housing; said first set of conductors comprising a plurality of coiled spring conductors secured at opposite sides of said housing such that one surface of said coiled spring conductors provides said spring tensioning force to the undersurface of said pushbuttons; and a second set of said conductors being disposed in grooves in the inner surface of said lower housing member, said second set of conductors comprising a plurality of conductors formed of deformable conducting material.

Claim 3

The keyboard device recited in claim 1 wherein said housing further includes regularly spaced ridges for providing additional support to said first set of conductors.

Claim 4

The keyboard device recited in claim 1 wherein each of said pushbuttons include prongs which project downward across the intersections of said matrix of conductors, and wherein said housing includes a lower surface provided with openings into which said prongs project for improving the stability of said pushbuttons in said housing.

Claim 5

A keyboard device comprising an array of electrical conductors including a first set of conductors arranged parallel to each other in a first plane and a second set of conductors arranged parallel to each other and transverse to said first set of conductors in a second plane; said first set of conductors comprising flexible conductors; said second set of conductors being supported throughout substantially the entire length thereof to prevent movement thereof; control means normally supported in a first position by said flexible conductors and responsive to external force to be selectively movable to a second position to force said one of said flexible conductors into temporary contact with a transversely disposed conductor whereupon said flexible conductor tends to return said control means to said first position after removal of said external force; and support means for supporting said flexible conductors on both sides of the point of contact with said transversely disposed conductor in order to permit only one point of contact between said transversely disposed conductors.

Claim 6

A keyboard device comprising an array of electrical conductors including a first set of conductors arranged parallel to each other in a first plane and a second set of conductors arranged parallel to each other and transverse to said first set of conductors in a second plane; said first set of conductors comprising flexible conductors; said second set of conductors being supported throughout substantially the entire length thereof to prevent movement thereof; control means normally supported in a first position by said flexible conductors and responsive to external force to be selectively movable to a second position to force said one of said flexible conductors into temporary contact with a transversely disposed conductor whereupon said flexible conductor tends to return said control means to said first position after removal of said external force; and support means for supporting said flexible conductors on both sides of the point of contact with said transversely disposed conductor in order to permit only one point of contact between said transversely disposed conductors.