Abstract:
An improved data terminal utilizing tactile switch assemblies with specialized sound apertures provide reduced panel space requirements and indirect sound paths for miniature electronic apparatus. A maximum number of switches can be accommodated on the instrument panel with no separate speaker/microphone grille required. Non-aligned sound apertures provide maximal weather protection for speaker and microphone mounted behind the switch assembly panel. The switch assembly design seals off the remainder of the unit from weather or dust damage.
Abstract:
A tactile switch plate for a keyboard member has a planar body portion provided with a plurality of outwardly deformed carrier portions corresponding in number and spacing to the number and spacing of the keys of the keyboard. Each of the carrier portions is resiliently flexible for movement toward the plane of the body and each carrier portion carries a preferably elastomeric switching member that is adapted to bridge the conductors and establish an electrical circuit between the conductors. The plate and switching members are produced by a molding process and the elastomeric switching members are cured by heat.
Abstract:
Keyboards for use in calculators, control equipment and the like, and which include a circuit board supporting electrical pathways, an insulator separator having openings registerable with portions of the pathways, a non-conductive elastomeric layer supporting a plurality of non-selfsupporting flexible conductive members or pathways and contactors thereon, said flexible conductive circuit contactors registerable with said openings whereby pressure applied to said elastomeric layer causes one or more of said contactors to extend through one or more openings to make electrical contact with portions of one or more circuit pathways supported by said board.
Abstract:
A push-button switch comprises a substrate on which two conductive networks are formed, those networks comprising adjacent but separated conductive paths, a push-button member with a contact member thereon being mounted on the substrate with the contact member normally above and in registration with the separated conductive paths. The contract member is formed of elastic and electrically conductive material and is adapted when it is pushed down via the push-button member to engage the substrate, and hence the separated conductive paths, over an appreciable area, thereby ensuring effective switch operation.
Abstract:
Keyboard encoding apparatus having a plurality of keys with different codes of an N digit binary code assigned to each key. A plurality of groups of contact pads are secured to a sheet of electrically non-conductive material at different key locations which are in registration with the keys. Each group of pads includes at least one power pad and a number of digit pads equal to the number of binary 1''s in the associated code. A power lead is secured to the sheet and has connections to all of the power pads. N digit leads are also secured to the sheet with different digit leads being indicative of different orders of the code. Each of the digit leads has connections to those digit pads which are indicative of a like order of the code. A keying means includes a layer of spongy conductive material at each key location disposed in a normal position a distance away from the contact pads and responsive to the actuation of any one of the keys to provide a common connection of the digit pads and the power pad at the associated key location.
Abstract in simplified Chinese:一种携带式键盘结构,系由富具挠性及弹性之按键体及电路体所组成,按键体上具有复数个键帽,键帽内嵌入有以导电橡胶构成之电性接点,而于电路体内嵌入有以导电橡胶构成之连接线路,本创作所有之组成皆富具挠性及弹性,即可供用户任意地弯曲、折叠或扭揉,并不影响其电气特性。