Flexible Keyboard Keyframe Modules with Dome Structures

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Solution Overview

Problem

Modern tablet computers face challenges with virtual or physical keyboards that are difficult to manipulate, often due to bulkiness, poor tactile feedback, and inadequate color contrast and abrasion resistance on keycaps, making them less suitable for extensive typing.

Innovation Solution

A flexible keyboard design featuring a flexible skin layer made of materials like polyurethane or silicone, with molded keycaps and a dome structure providing tactile feedback, and a keyframe module that includes a metal support plate and hinge mechanism for improved typing experience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If a portable keyboard is made flexible with a flexible shell, then portability and form factor are improved, but tactile feedback deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveform factorVSAvoidtactile feedback

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies flexible shells and thin films by using a fabric skin layer as the outer covering of the keyboard. This fabric layer is stretched over the keyframe modules and keycaps, providing a flexible yet durable surface that maintains portability while enabling tactile feedback through the key actuation mechanism beneath.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the keyboard into modular keyframe units, each containing individual keycaps and underlying mechanical structures. This segmentation allows each key to provide independent tactile feedback while the overall keyboard remains flexible and portable, resolving the contradiction between form factor and tactile feedback.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of manufacture

If keycaps are made from standard materials, then manufacturing is simplified, but color contrast and abrasion resistance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidabrasion resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite materials for the keycaps, combining a base material with a fabric skin layer covering. This composite structure provides both the manufacturing simplicity of molded keycaps and the enhanced durability, color contrast, and abrasion resistance of the fabric covering, which can be laser-marked for durable character display.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Strength

If a rigid keyboard structure is used, then structural integrity is improved, but portability and flexibility deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidflexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs flexible shells and thin films by using a fabric skin layer that covers the entire keyboard surface. This fabric layer provides flexibility and portability while the underlying keyframe modules maintain structural integrity through their rigid construction, allowing the keyboard to bend without compromising the strength of individual key units.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies dynamics by creating a keyboard that transitions from a rigid structure to a flexible form through the fabric covering. The keyboard can be bent and folded for portability, yet maintains its structural integrity during use, adapting between flexible storage state and stable typing state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The flexible keyboard offers enhanced tactile feedback and durability, allowing for optimal typing force and improved usability, while maintaining a compact form factor and providing better color contrast and resistance to wear.

Implementation Method 1

The dome structure can be one of a rubber dome or a metal dome... configured to provide tactile feedback when a key is actuated

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The flexible skin layer can be deformed when at least one of the set of key frame modules are depressed

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDeformation: Deformation

Implementation Method 3

The hinge structure can be configured to compress the dome structure in some embodiments

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentUS9390869B2Keyframe modules for a flexible keyboard

Publication Date: 2016.07.12 LOGITECH EUROPE SA

AI summary

Embodiments provide a flexible keyboard including a flexible skin layer and a set of key frame modules coupled to one side of the flexible skin layer. The flexible skin layer can be made of at least one of polyurethane or polyester. The keyframe module can include a metal support plate for conducting a signal and a key structure situated over the metal support plate for providing tactile feedback when the key frame module is actuated. A plastic key cap structure can be situated over the dome structure. The flexible skin layer can be coupled to the plastic key cap. The key structure can be a dome structure where the flexible skin layer is a rubber or a fabric skin layer. The key structure can be a scissors key structure where the flexible skin layer is a rubber skin layer. Flexible key caps can be molded to the flexible skin layer.