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US4066851A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Keyboard switch assembly having foldable printed circuit board, integral spacer and preformed depression-type alignment fold

Assignee: LUCAS DURALITH AKT Corp
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Filing: 1976-07-01
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Granted: 1978-01-03
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Expires: 1996-07-01
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Abstract

Abstract Keyboard construction using a sheet of flexible and resilient non-conductive material preferably non-conductive plastic which is preformed in a predetermined manner for supporting both contact means and contactor means and which is adapted to be folded so that the contact and contactor means are positionable in spaced apart alignment whereby upon depression electrical contact may be made between said contact means and said contactor means.

Inventors

  • 👤 James N. White
  • 👤 Richard E. Seeger

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 07:42
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H1/00; H01H1/12; H01H1/36; H01H1/40; H01H1/403; H01H13/00; H01H13/70; H01H13/702; H01H13/703; H01H2207/00; H01H2207/02; H01H2209/00; H01H2209/002; H01H2209/01; H01H2211/00; H01H2211/004; H01H2213/00; H01H2213/002; H01H2213/01; H01H2215/00; H01H2215/004; H01H2215/008; H01H2221/00; H01H2221/008; H01H2221/014; H01H2223/00; H01H2223/034; H01H2227/00; H01H2227/002; H01H2227/018; H01H2229/00; H01H2229/002; H01H2229/004; H01H2229/024; H01H2229/028; H01H2229/038; H01H2239/00; H01H2239/016

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim 229 words
A keyboard component for a keyboard comprising a unitary sheet of flexible and resilient insulator plastic having first and second sections supporting contactors and contacts respectively and a tail section supporting terminals, said first section having protrusions supporting at least some of said contactors, said sections being disposed to one another in an L configuration with said first section forming one leg of said "L" and said tail section and said second section forming the other leg of said "L," said first section being foldable over said second section to align said contactors with said contacts, a contactor of an on-off switch supported by said first section, a contact of an on-off switch supported by said second section, said contactor and contact spaced substantially equidistant from the intersection of the legs of the L, a first circuit line supported by said first, second and tail sections, and extending across said intersection of the legs of the L, a second circuit line adjacent said first circuit line and supported by said second and tail sections, said first circuit line coupled to said contactor and said second circuit line coupled to said contact, and terminals supported by said tail, one terminal coupled to each circuit line and actuator means movable between on and off positions to cause said contactor to engage said contact when said actuator is in said on position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 229 words
A keyboard component for a keyboard comprising a unitary sheet of flexible and resilient insulator plastic having first and second sections supporting contactors and contacts respectively and a tail section supporting terminals, said first section having protrusions supporting at least some of said contactors, said sections being disposed to one another in an L configuration with said first section forming one leg of said "L" and said tail section and said second section forming the other leg of said "L," said first section being foldable over said second section to align said contactors with said contacts, a contactor of an on-off switch supported by said first section, a contact of an on-off switch supported by said second section, said contactor and contact spaced substantially equidistant from the intersection of the legs of the L, a first circuit line supported by said first, second and tail sections, and extending across said intersection of the legs of the L, a second circuit line adjacent said first circuit line and supported by said second and tail sections, said first circuit line coupled to said contactor and said second circuit line coupled to said contact, and terminals supported by said tail, one terminal coupled to each circuit line and actuator means movable between on and off positions to cause said contactor to engage said contact when said actuator is in said on position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 39 words
The keyboard component of claim 1 in which said sheet includes a spacer as a part thereof having a plurality of openings therethrough for selective alignment with said contacts and contactors when folded between said first and second sections.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 21 words
The keyboard component of claim 1 in which alignment means is positioned in said sheet between said first and second sections.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
The keyboard component of claim 1, said sheet having a plurality of snapable protrusions supporting at least some of said contactors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 49 words
A keyboard comprising the component of claim 1 with the first section folded over said second section to align said contactors with said contacts and a spacer positioned between said first and second sections and having a plurality of openings, one opening in register with each aligned contactorcontact pair.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 65 words
A keyboard comprising a unitary sheet of flexible and resilient insulator plastic having first and second sections for supporting at least some of contactors and contacts, said sections being relatively foldable with respect to each other, said sheet haing a foldable button retaining section having a plurality of openings, and buttons retained in said openings and movable to selectively urge said contactors against said contacts.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 65 words
A keyboard comprising a unitary sheet of flexible and resilient insulator plastic having first and second sections for supporting at least some of contactors and contacts, said sections being relatively foldable with respect to each other, said sheet haing a foldable button retaining section having a plurality of openings, and buttons retained in said openings and movable to selectively urge said contactors against said contacts.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 54 words
The keyboard of claim 6 wherein one of said sections has a plurality of snappable protrusions supporting said contactors, said protrusions in engagement with said buttons, and a spacer positioned between said first and second sections and having a plurality of openings, a different opening in register with a different one of said protrusions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 34 words
The keyboard of claim 7 in which said sheet includes a spacer section foldable between said first and second sections and having a plurality of openings in selective register with said contacts and contactors.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 71 words
A keyboard component for a keyboard comprising a unitary sheet of flexible and resilient plastic having first and second sections, said first section supporting contractors and said second section supporting contacts on the same surface of the sheet and a preformed fold depression alignment means in said sheet between said first and second sections to align said contactors and contacts to one another when said sections are folded about said depression.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 71 words
A keyboard component for a keyboard comprising a unitary sheet of flexible and resilient plastic having first and second sections, said first section supporting contractors and said second section supporting contacts on the same surface of the sheet and a preformed fold depression alignment means in said sheet between said first and second sections to align said contactors and contacts to one another when said sections are folded about said depression.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 22 words
The component of claim 9 in which said depression is concave with respect to said sheet surface supporting said contactors and contacts.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 18 words
The component of claim 10 in which said sheet has snappable protrusions formed therein which support said contactors.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 18 words
The component of claim 9 in which said sheet has snappable protrusions formed therein which support said contactors.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 32 words
The component of claim 9 in which at least one circuit line is supported by said sheet and extends across said depression between said sections and has the contour of said depression.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 141 words
A keyboard comprising a unitary sheet of flexible and resilient plastic having first and second sections, said first section supporting contactors and said second section supporting contacts on the same surface of the sheet, a preformed fold depression alignment means in said sheet between said first and second sections to align said contactors and contacts to one another when said sections are folded about said depression, a spacer having a plurality of openings in selective alignment with said contactors and contacts and positioned at the center of a sandwich with the first and second sections folded about said spacer, said spacer extending into said depression and against the surface thereof to selectively align said openings with respect to said contactors and contacts, and means for retaining said sheet in a folded condition with said spacer between said first and second sections.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 141 words
A keyboard comprising a unitary sheet of flexible and resilient plastic having first and second sections, said first section supporting contactors and said second section supporting contacts on the same surface of the sheet, a preformed fold depression alignment means in said sheet between said first and second sections to align said contactors and contacts to one another when said sections are folded about said depression, a spacer having a plurality of openings in selective alignment with said contactors and contacts and positioned at the center of a sandwich with the first and second sections folded about said spacer, said spacer extending into said depression and against the surface thereof to selectively align said openings with respect to said contactors and contacts, and means for retaining said sheet in a folded condition with said spacer between said first and second sections.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 14 words
The keyboard of claim 14 in which said spacer is part of said sheet.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 14 words
The keyboard of claim 14 in which said sheet includes snapable protrusions formed therein.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 24 words
The keyboard of claim 16 in which the depression is concave with respect to the surface of said sheet supporting said contactors and contacts.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1981-01-02 1981-07-04 1982-01-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1985-01-02 1985-07-04 1986-01-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1989-01-02 1989-07-04 1990-01-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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