Key Top Corner Arcs Prevent Adjacent Key Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In compact keyboards with reduced key pitches, there is a challenge in preventing simultaneous or consecutive depression of adjacent keys, leading to incorrect inputs and operations, as existing solutions like protruding parts or differentiated key shapes either fail to prevent incorrect inputs or compromise operability and visibility.
Innovation Solution
The design features operation surfaces with specific corner portions that have longer arcs on the upper-left and lower-right corners, allowing for increased contact area and reduced pressure concentration, thereby minimizing the likelihood of adjacent key activation during target key input, while maintaining sufficient surface area for visibility and operability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If key pitches are decreased to miniaturize the keyboard, then the keyboard size is reduced, but the finger movement is restricted causing simultaneous or consecutive depression of adjacent keys
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by forming protruding parts at specific locations on key tops - specifically at corner portions or end portions of the operation surface. These localized protrusions create finger movement restrictions only at critical areas where adjacent keys are most likely to be accidentally pressed, while leaving other areas of the key top smooth and accessible. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining adequate finger movement space in the overall key pitch arrangement while providing local guidance to prevent adjacent key depression.
2Reliability
If protruding parts are formed on the upper face of key tops to prevent incorrect operations, then adjacent key depression is prevented at the protruding part side, but incorrect inputs of adjacent keys located opposite to the protruding part side cannot be prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the protection function across multiple protruding parts positioned at different locations on the key top - specifically at corner portions or end portions. Instead of relying on a single protruding part, multiple protrusions are strategically placed to cover different directions of potential finger movement. This ensures that regardless of which direction the finger moves, at least one protruding part will be encountered to prevent accidental depression of adjacent keys, thereby achieving comprehensive protection against incorrect inputs.
3Reliability
If the surface area of the operation surface is decreased to prevent finger contact with adjacent keys, then adjacent key depression is reduced, but the contact area between operation surface and finger decreases degrading operability and visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the boundary-defining function into specific protruding parts at corner or end portions of the operation surface, rather than reducing the overall surface area. The main body of the operation surface maintains sufficient area for good finger contact and visibility, while the localized protrusions serve as boundary markers that guide finger movement and prevent accidental contact with adjacent keys. This resolves the contradiction by preserving overall surface area while providing local restrictions.
Data Source
AI summary
An operation unit has an operation surface for accepting an input operation. In a plan view, the operation surface has a rectangular contour including a plurality of sides and a plurality of corner portions. When each point at which extensions of adjacent two of the plural sides cross each other is defined as a virtual intersection, and when an intersection at which respective diagonals linking the virtual intersections cross each other is defined as a virtual center, the contour of the corner portion crosses the diagonal that passes through the virtual intersection and the virtual center, at a point between the virtual intersection in the vicinity of the corner portion and the virtual center. The corner portions is a specific corner portion having an intersection with the diagonal at a position closer to the virtual center than the adjacent two corner portions.