WO2003097322A3 - Continuous string of keyboard switches, method and apparatus for manufacturing it; keyboard, method and apparatus for assembling a keyboard; keypad and keyboard switch - Google Patents

Continuous string of keyboard switches, method and apparatus for manufacturing it; keyboard, method and apparatus for assembling a keyboard; keypad and keyboard switch Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2003097322A3
WO2003097322A3 PCT/IB2003/001697 IB0301697W WO03097322A3 WO 2003097322 A3 WO2003097322 A3 WO 2003097322A3 IB 0301697 W IB0301697 W IB 0301697W WO 03097322 A3 WO03097322 A3 WO 03097322A3
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
keyboard
switches
keypad
assembling
manufacturing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/IB2003/001697
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2003097322A2 (en
Inventor
Dale Mcphee Purcocks
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GB0224988A external-priority patent/GB0224988D0/en
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to EP03715255A priority Critical patent/EP1521665A2/en
Priority to US10/515,568 priority patent/US20060011458A1/en
Priority to AU2003219443A priority patent/AU2003219443A1/en
Publication of WO2003097322A2 publication Critical patent/WO2003097322A2/en
Publication of WO2003097322A3 publication Critical patent/WO2003097322A3/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/70—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard
    • H01H13/702—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C45/00—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C45/0003—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor of successively moulded portions rigidly joined to each other
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C2791/00—Shaping characteristics in general
    • B29C2791/001—Shaping in several steps
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C2791/00—Shaping characteristics in general
    • B29C2791/003—Making articles of indefinite length
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C45/00—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C45/0053—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor combined with a final operation, e.g. shaping
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C45/00—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C45/0053—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor combined with a final operation, e.g. shaping
    • B29C45/0055—Shaping
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C45/00—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C45/17—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
    • B29C45/40—Removing or ejecting moulded articles
    • B29C45/42—Removing or ejecting moulded articles using means movable from outside the mould between mould parts, e.g. robots
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2083/00—Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
    • B29L2031/46—Knobs or handles, push-buttons, grips
    • B29L2031/466—Keypads, keytops
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2215/00—Tactile feedback
    • H01H2215/004—Collapsible dome or bubble
    • H01H2215/012—Positioning of individual dome
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2223/00—Casings
    • H01H2223/002—Casings sealed
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2223/00—Casings
    • H01H2223/03—Separate key housing
    • H01H2223/032—Separate key housing with formations for assembling similar housings
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2229/00—Manufacturing
    • H01H2229/022—Modular assembly
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2229/00—Manufacturing
    • H01H2229/044—Injection moulding

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
  • Manufacture Of Switches (AREA)

Abstract

Switches and keyboards, and methods and apparatus for manufacturing same, which may employ an arrangement comprising a plurality of resiliently flexible biasing members (20) that are joined directly to one another, in a substantially side-by-side configuration to form a continuous, flexible string (10) of biasing members.
PCT/IB2003/001697 2002-05-22 2003-03-31 Continuous string of keyboard switches, method and apparatus for manufacturing it; keyboard, method and apparatus for assembling a keyboard; keypad and keyboard switch Ceased WO2003097322A2 (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP03715255A EP1521665A2 (en) 2002-05-22 2003-03-31 Continuous string of keyboard switches, method and apparatus for manufacturing it ; keyboard, method and apparatus for assembling a keyboard ; keypad and keyboard switch
US10/515,568 US20060011458A1 (en) 2002-05-22 2003-03-31 Components
AU2003219443A AU2003219443A1 (en) 2002-05-22 2003-03-31 Continuous string of keyboard switches, method and apparatus for manufacturing it; keyboard, method and apparatus for assembling a keyboard; keypad and keyboard switch

Applications Claiming Priority (12)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ZA200204049 2002-05-22
ZA2002/4049 2002-05-22
ZA2002/4707 2002-06-12
ZA200204707 2002-06-12
ZA200204706 2002-06-12
ZA2002/4706 2002-06-12
ZA200205376 2002-07-05
ZA200205375 2002-07-05
ZA2002/5376 2002-07-05
ZA2002/5375 2002-07-05
GB0224988A GB0224988D0 (en) 2002-10-25 2002-10-25 Components
GB0224988.6 2002-10-25

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2003097322A2 WO2003097322A2 (en) 2003-11-27
WO2003097322A3 true WO2003097322A3 (en) 2004-02-12

Family

ID=29554541

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IB2003/001697 Ceased WO2003097322A2 (en) 2002-05-22 2003-03-31 Continuous string of keyboard switches, method and apparatus for manufacturing it; keyboard, method and apparatus for assembling a keyboard; keypad and keyboard switch

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US20060011458A1 (en)
EP (1) EP1521665A2 (en)
AU (1) AU2003219443A1 (en)
TW (1) TW200404247A (en)
WO (1) WO2003097322A2 (en)

Families Citing this family (37)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20100124634A1 (en) * 1996-09-26 2010-05-20 Slotta Mark R Cushioned cap with annular portion and method for forming same
GB2409576B (en) * 2003-12-24 2006-01-18 Dale Mcphee Purcocks Keyboards
US7657994B2 (en) * 2005-10-19 2010-02-09 Delphi Technologies, Inc. Method for installing a switch pad
US8643599B2 (en) 2006-06-27 2014-02-04 Microsoft Corporation Washable mouse
US7823780B2 (en) * 2006-12-18 2010-11-02 Harrow Products Llc Data interface assembly for electronic locks and readers
US7973255B2 (en) 2007-01-15 2011-07-05 Purcocks Dale Mcphee Keyboards
TW201104718A (en) * 2009-07-23 2011-02-01 Ichia Tech Inc Method of fabricating keycaps
US8561788B2 (en) * 2011-08-25 2013-10-22 Paul Svejkovsky Differential impulse conveyor with improved tray
US9256294B2 (en) * 2012-08-14 2016-02-09 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Self aligning minimal gap keycaps
US9502193B2 (en) 2012-10-30 2016-11-22 Apple Inc. Low-travel key mechanisms using butterfly hinges
US9710069B2 (en) 2012-10-30 2017-07-18 Apple Inc. Flexible printed circuit having flex tails upon which keyboard keycaps are coupled
US9449772B2 (en) 2012-10-30 2016-09-20 Apple Inc. Low-travel key mechanisms using butterfly hinges
HK1217548A1 (en) 2013-02-06 2017-01-13 Apple Inc. Input/output device with a dynamically adjustable appearance and function
EP3005392B1 (en) 2013-05-27 2017-06-21 Apple Inc. Low travel switch assembly
US9908310B2 (en) 2013-07-10 2018-03-06 Apple Inc. Electronic device with a reduced friction surface
TWI494323B (en) 2013-08-30 2015-08-01 Ind Tech Res Inst Modified starch compositions, starch composite foam materials and method for preparing the starch composite foam material
WO2015047606A1 (en) 2013-09-30 2015-04-02 Apple Inc. Keycaps having reduced thickness
JP2016532232A (en) 2013-09-30 2016-10-13 アップル インコーポレイテッド Key cap with reduced thickness
US9793066B1 (en) 2014-01-31 2017-10-17 Apple Inc. Keyboard hinge mechanism
US9779889B2 (en) 2014-03-24 2017-10-03 Apple Inc. Scissor mechanism features for a keyboard
US9704665B2 (en) 2014-05-19 2017-07-11 Apple Inc. Backlit keyboard including reflective component
US9715978B2 (en) 2014-05-27 2017-07-25 Apple Inc. Low travel switch assembly
US10796863B2 (en) 2014-08-15 2020-10-06 Apple Inc. Fabric keyboard
US10082880B1 (en) 2014-08-28 2018-09-25 Apple Inc. System level features of a keyboard
US10134539B2 (en) 2014-09-30 2018-11-20 Apple Inc. Venting system and shield for keyboard
CN206322622U (en) 2015-05-13 2017-07-11 苹果公司 Electronics and Key Mechanisms
JP6637070B2 (en) 2015-05-13 2020-01-29 アップル インコーポレイテッドＡｐｐｌｅ Ｉｎｃ． Keyboard for electronic device
WO2016183488A1 (en) 2015-05-13 2016-11-17 Apple Inc. Keyboard assemblies having reduced thicknesses and method of forming keyboard assemblies
CN206134573U (en) 2015-05-13 2017-04-26 苹果公司 Keys, keys for keyboards and input structures for electronic devices
US9934915B2 (en) 2015-06-10 2018-04-03 Apple Inc. Reduced layer keyboard stack-up
US9971084B2 (en) 2015-09-28 2018-05-15 Apple Inc. Illumination structure for uniform illumination of keys
US10353485B1 (en) 2016-07-27 2019-07-16 Apple Inc. Multifunction input device with an embedded capacitive sensing layer
US10115544B2 (en) 2016-08-08 2018-10-30 Apple Inc. Singulated keyboard assemblies and methods for assembling a keyboard
US10755877B1 (en) 2016-08-29 2020-08-25 Apple Inc. Keyboard for an electronic device
US11500538B2 (en) 2016-09-13 2022-11-15 Apple Inc. Keyless keyboard with force sensing and haptic feedback
CN117270637A (en) 2017-07-26 2023-12-22 苹果公司 Computer with keyboard
US20240399632A1 (en) * 2023-06-01 2024-12-05 Yuan Peng Plastic Co., Ltd. Method for continuously forming plastic caps

Citations (5)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5597940A (en) * 1979-01-22 1980-07-25 Asahi Chem Ind Co Ltd Molding method of and apparatus for linked molding
JPS6327225A (en) * 1986-07-18 1988-02-04 Tdk Corp Injection molding machine
US4775574A (en) * 1986-04-14 1988-10-04 Shin Etsu Polymer Co., Ltd. Covering member of keyboard and a base plate therefor
DE3722236A1 (en) * 1987-07-06 1989-01-19 Friedrich Roth Injection mould for producing nail clips
US20020013990A1 (en) * 1999-07-27 2002-02-07 Darfon Electronics Corp. Elastic strip of keyboard and method for producing the same

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5597940A (en) * 1979-01-22 1980-07-25 Asahi Chem Ind Co Ltd Molding method of and apparatus for linked molding
US4775574A (en) * 1986-04-14 1988-10-04 Shin Etsu Polymer Co., Ltd. Covering member of keyboard and a base plate therefor
JPS6327225A (en) * 1986-07-18 1988-02-04 Tdk Corp Injection molding machine
DE3722236A1 (en) * 1987-07-06 1989-01-19 Friedrich Roth Injection mould for producing nail clips
US20020013990A1 (en) * 1999-07-27 2002-02-07 Darfon Electronics Corp. Elastic strip of keyboard and method for producing the same

Non-Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
DATABASE WPI Section Ch Week 198036, Derwent World Patents Index; Class A32, AN 1980-63183c, XP002255662 *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 004, no. 143 (M - 035) 8 October 1980 (1980-10-08) *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 012, no. 229 (M - 714) 29 June 1988 (1988-06-29) *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2003097322A2 (en) 2003-11-27
AU2003219443A1 (en) 2003-12-02
EP1521665A2 (en) 2005-04-13
TW200404247A (en) 2004-03-16
US20060011458A1 (en) 2006-01-19
AU2003219443A8 (en) 2003-12-02

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