Positionable Keyboard Bezel for Tablet Mode Key Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional keyboard designs face issues with key damage and wear when used in tablet orientations, as the grasping force applied can exceed the intended limits, leading to activation of key depression mechanisms and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
A positionable keyboard bezel that adjusts to provide a firm surface for grasping, locking keys, or reducing key travel, thereby protecting the keyboard from damage and wear by positioning itself approximately level with the key touch surfaces or extending underneath the keys to prevent depression.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the keyboard is used in tablet orientation with back-to-back housing arrangement, then the display can be used as a touchscreen tablet while the keyboard faces outwardly, but the grasping force applied to the keyboard can exceed intended limits and cause key depression activation and potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
A positionable bezel is introduced as an intermediary component between the user's hand and the keyboard keys. The bezel provides a grasping surface that absorbs and redirects grasping forces, preventing these forces from being transmitted to the key mechanisms. This mediator allows the keyboard to be used in tablet orientation without compromising key durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The bezel is positioned in advance to create a protective barrier before any grasping action occurs. By being pre-positioned between the user's hand and the keys, the bezel proactively prevents excessive force application to the key mechanisms, rather than reacting after damage occurs.
2Reliability
If a positionable bezel is added to protect the keys, then key damage and wear are reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bezel serves multiple functions: it provides a grasping surface for the user's hand, protects the key mechanisms from excessive force, and can be positioned to lock keys or reduce key travel. By combining these functions into a single component, the patent avoids adding multiple separate protective mechanisms, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bezel is designed to be positionable rather than fixed, allowing it to adapt to different usage scenarios. It can be moved to provide grasping surface, lock keys, or reduce key travel as needed. This dynamic positioning capability allows a single component to replace multiple static protective elements, managing complexity while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A system can include a keyboard housing that includes a keyboard and a positionable keyboard bezel, a display housing that includes a display, a hinge that pivotably connects the keyboard housing and the display housing for orienting the display housing with respect to the keyboard housing, and a positioning mechanism that positions the keyboard bezel in a first state with respect to the keyboard for a first orientation of the display housing with respect to the keyboard housing and that positions the keyboard bezel in a second state with respect to the keyboard for a second orientation of the display housing with respect to the keyboard housing. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.