Keyboard stiffening system

Electronic devices, such as laptop or notebook computers, comprise keyboards that are susceptible to bending and/or other deflecting movement as a result of a user depressing the keyboard keys. For example, when depressing keyboard keys on the central or inner portion of the keyboard, the keyboard tends to bend and/or deflect, which is undesirable and makes using the keyboard difficult.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a perspective view of an electronic device employing an embodiment of a keyboard stiffening system to advantage;

FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating an exploded view of the keyboard stiffening system of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2 - 2 of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating an assembled view of the keyboard stiffening system of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2 - 2 of FIG. 1 ; and

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a bottom perspective view of the keyboard stiffening system of FIG. 1 .

Various embodiments and the advantages thereof are best understood by referring to FIGS. 1-3 like numerals being used for like and corresponding parts of the various drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a perspective view of an electronic device 10 employing an embodiment of a keyboard stiffening system 12 to advantage. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 , electronic device 10 comprises a laptop or notebook computer 14 ; however, it should be understood that electronic device 10 may comprise any type of computing device such as, but not limited to, a tablet personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a desktop computer, a gaming device, or any other type of portable or non-portable computing device. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 , electronic device 10 comprises a display member 16 rotatably coupled to a base member 18 . Display member 16 and base member 18 each comprise a housing 20 and 22 , respectively, formed having a number of walls. For example, housing 22 comprises a top wall defining a working surface 24 , a bottom wall 26 , a front wall 28 , a rear wall 30 and a pair of sidewalls 32 and 34 .

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 , keyboard stiffening system 12 comprises a plurality of extensions 36 extending from a keyboard assembly 38 that are insertible within a plurality of corresponding openings 40 disposed on a keyboard support pan 42 . In operation, keyboard stiffening system 12 reduces and/or substantially eliminates bending and/or deflection of keyboard assembly 38 when a user depresses keycaps 44 of keyboard assembly 38 by securely fastening keyboard assembly 38 to keyboard support pan 42 and minimizing gaps between keyboard assembly 38 and keyboard support pan 42 to prevent and/or substantially eliminate relative movement between keyboard assembly 38 and support pan 42 .

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 , keyboard support pan 42 is disposed in electronic device 10 and is configured to support keyboard assembly 38 on housing 22 . Keyboard support pan 42 is formed of a generally rigid material, such as a metal or plastic, so as to support keyboard assembly 38 with minimal or no deflection of support pan 42 resulting from use of keyboard assembly 38 . In FIG. 1 , keyboard assembly 38 comprises key assemblies 48 coupled to a support plate 50 . In some embodiments, each key assembly 48 comprises a particular keycap 44 and a scissor/plunger mechanism for enabling upward/downward movement of the particular keycap 44 to facilitate keystroke input to an input membrane or other type of keystroke interface. According to some embodiments, support plate 50 is formed from a rigid material, such as a metal or plastic, and is configured to support keyboard assemblies 48 thereon. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 , extensions 36 are integrally formed (e.g., formed as a single unitary body) with and extend outwardly from support plate 50 for engagement with corresponding openings 40 on keyboard support pan 42 . Alternatively, extensions 36 may be coupled to support plate 50 via an adhesive, bonding, welding or other method. During installation of keyboard assembly 38 in electronic device 10 , extensions 36 are aligned with openings 40 and keyboard assembly 38 is moved in the direction indicated by arrow 46 to insert extensions 36 into openings 40 to secure keyboard assembly 38 to housing 22 . According to some embodiments, extensions 36 frictionally engage openings 40 of keyboard support pan 42 to securely fasten keyboard assembly 38 to keyboard support pan 42 to prevent and/or substantially reduce relative movement between keyboard assembly 38 and keyboard pan 42 . In some embodiments, a bezel 52 overlays at least a portion of keyboard assembly 38 and is coupled to housing 22 to prevent removal of keyboard assembly 38 from electronic device 10 .

FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating an exploded view of keyboard stiffening system 12 of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2 - 2 of FIG. 1 . FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating an assembled view of keyboard stiffening system 12 of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2 - 2 of FIG. 1 . In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B , extensions 36 comprise a plurality of hooks 54 extending outwardly and/or downwardly from a bottom surface 56 of support plate 50 . Hooks 54 are configured to be insertible into corresponding openings 40 to secure keyboard assembly 38 to keyboard support pan 42 . In FIGS. 2A and 2B , each of hooks 54 comprise a sloped surface 58 such that after hooks 54 are inserted within openings 40 and keyboard assembly 38 is moved in the direction of arrow 60 ( FIG. 2B ), sloped surfaces 58 of each hook 54 frictionally engage keyboard support pan 42 to clamp keyboard assembly 38 to keyboard support pan 42 and substantially prevent separation of keyboard assembly 38 from keyboard support pan 42 . For example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B , in response to movement of keyboard assembly 38 in the direction of arrow 60 , sloped surfaces 58 cause keyboard assembly 38 to be clamped against keyboard support pan 42 to minimize any potential gaps and relative movement between keyboard support pan 42 and support plate 50 . Accordingly, potential bending and/or deflection of keyboard assembly 38 in the direction of arrow 46 ( FIG. 2A ) is substantially minimized and/or eliminated.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a bottom perspective view of keyboard stiffening system 12 of FIG. 1 . In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 , extensions 36 are spaced apart on bottom surface 56 in lateral and longitudinal directions of support plate 50 , as indicated by arrows 50 a and 50 b , respectively, to minimize and/or substantially eliminate gaps between support plate 50 and keyboard support pan 42 . In FIG. 1 , extensions 36 are evenly spaced apart across bottom surface 56 of support plate 50 (e.g., evenly spaced apart across bottom surface 56 between a front edge 62 , a rear edge 64 and a pair of side edges 66 and 68 of support plate 50 ); however, it should be understood that extensions 36 may be otherwise disposed and/or located. For example, in some embodiments, extensions 36 may be disposed on the central portion of keyboard support plate 50 in addition to or in lieu of extensions 36 being disposed around the periphery of support plate 50 . Further, one or more extensions 36 may extend along an entire length and/or width (or substantially along the entire length or width) of support plate 50 (e.g., extending across or substantially across the entire length of support plate 50 between side edges 66 and 68 and/or across or substantially across the entire width of support plate 50 between front edge 62 and rear edge 64 ).

Thus embodiments of a keyboard stiffening system 12 minimize and/or eliminate bending or deflection of keyboard assembly 38 that may otherwise result by a user utilizing keyboard assembly 38 by eliminating and/or substantially reducing gaps between keyboard support pan 42 and support plate 50 .