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10 Inventions on Laptop Keyboards, by Umakant Mishra http://www.trizsite.tk

10 Inventions on laptop keyboards! st"dy based on U# patents

Umakant Mishra

Bangalore, [email protected]

http://umakant.trizsite.tk

(This paper was published in May 2005 issue of TRIZsite Journal,

http://trisite!t"/trisite/arti#les/default!asp$%onth&May'year&2005 ! lso a)ailable

at **R+ http://papers!ssrn!#o%/abstra#t&-22. , and

http://d!doi!or1/0!2-/ssrn!-22. 3

$ontents

1. Introduction .......................................................................................................12. Inventions on Laptop keyoards .......................................................................2

2.1 ! tiltale keyoard "or #ortale computers $#atent %1&'(2)* .....................22.2 +olding and sliding keyoard "or #ersonal omputer $#atent %2&)12)* .....-2.- rgonomic +olding keyoard "or laptops $#atent %(1---* ........................(2.( 0ri"old personal computer ith touchpad and keyoard $#atent %32&-&(* %2.% 4pandale keyoard "or small computers $#atent %3-'-%-*.....................&2.& omputer ottom keyoard incorporating arrangement "or enhancedcooling $#atent %3)'21%* .................................................................................)

2.) 5eyoard and noteook type computer $%33%2(* .....................................'

2.' 5eyoard having an integral heat pipe $#atent &21%&%)* ...........................32.3 #ortale computer ith ergonomic keyoard $#atent &-((-1*..................32.1 #ortale electronic device ith a concealale keyoard module $#atent&%%&(-*.........................................................................................................1

-. 6e"erence: ......................................................................................................11

1. Introduction

! desktop keyoard has several sections like character key section, navigationkey section, numeric key section, and "unction key section etc. each consisting o"several numer o" keys. 7oever, a laptop computer does not have so much o"space to accommodate all these keys into the keyoard. 0here are severalconsiderations hile designing a laptop keyoard.

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%e&essary 'eat"res

- 0he laptop keyoard should accommodate as many keys o" a "ull sizekeyoard as possile ithin the limited space o" the keyoard.

- 0he size o" the keyoard should e small to "it inside the laptop o4.

(esirable 'eat"res- It should e light to carry.- It may e e4pandale "or com"ort o" operation.- It may have additional special keys.- It should e tiltale, ad8ustale and ergonomic.- It should e collapsile to consume less storage.

2. Inventions on Laptop keyboards

).1 ! tiltable keyboard 'or *ortable &omp"ters +*atent 1-)

2a&k3ro"nd problem0he keyoards on portale computers are "lat and parallel to its ase. 9hen thelaptop is on a tale, the human arm is at an angle to the keyoard and notcom"ortale to operate a "lat keyoard. +or e4ample hen the laptop is on thetale, a donardly sloping orientation ould make it convenient to operate.0hus it is ene"icial to have the aility o" tilting the keyoard according theposition o" the laptop to the user.

#ol"tion provided by the invention

lancy et al. provided a solution to solve the aove prolem $#atent %1&'(2),assigned to ompa omputer orporation, Issued in ;ec 1332*. !ccording to

the invention, the keyoard structure is recessed ithin an open topped asehousing portion o" a compact noteook or laptop computer.+ront corner portions o" the keyoard structure are secured to the ase housingin a manner permitting the keyoard structure to e pivoted relative to the asehousing.

;uring storage or transport, the keyoard is locked ith the housing in a parallelcondition to the ase housing. 9hen the laptop is used, the keyoard lock can eopened to pop up the keyoard to an ergonomically improved tilted orientation.

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0he structure o" the keyoard slopes "orardly and donardly "or com"ortaleuse. !lthough the keyoard can still e used in a locked "lat position.

45I6 based analysis

0he keyoard should e at the same angle as the userov 3-*. 0he size o" the keyoard is same as a standard keyoardhen used, ut very small $almost hal"* hen dissociated in a stored position.0he keyoard in the invention is segmented to to halves. 0he portions o" the

keyoard are designed "or a pivotal movement on a keyoard a4is.

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9hen the keyoard halves are slided to 8oin together they "orm a completekeyoard o" a standard size. 9hen they are stored, they are slided ack to havea dimension to "it ithin the enclosure.

45I6 based analysis

0he keyoard should change its size to ig or small as and hen reuired +Ideal7inal 5es"lt. 0he size o" a keyoard should e that o" a standard desktopkeyoard "or typing com"ort. But the size o" the keyoard has to e small to "itinto the laptop o4 +$ontradi&tion.

0he invention segments the keyoard into to halves +*rin&iple1:#e3mentation.

0he keyoard portions are designed "or a pivotal movement, hich "acilitates"olding and sliding +*rin&iple1: (ynamize.

).8 9r3onomi& 7oldin3 keyboard 'or laptops +*atent 10888

2a&k3ro"nd problem

0he small size keyoards used in laptops and palmtops are not convenient "ortyping. 0hese keyoards reduce e""iciency and cause 6epetitive ?tress In8uries.


5evin onay disclosed a method o" ergonomic computer keyoard $#atent%(1---, Issued in !pr 3%*, hich solves this classical contradiction on the sizeo" the keyoard. 0he invented keyoard includes to keyoard portions havingkeyoard keys disposed on oth the portions. 0he keyoard portions are

interconnected to give the shape o" a "ull keyoard.

45I6 based analysis

0he keyoard should e large on use and small on storage and carriage. !reduction in the size o" the keyoard reduces its e""iciency. !n increase in thesize o" the keyoard prevents its storage and carriage +$ontradi&tion.

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0he invention splits the keyoard into to +prin&iple1: #e3mentation, opens thekeyoard hen use and "olds the keyoard hen stored +*rin&iple1: (ynamize.

). 4ri'old personal &omp"ter with to"&hpad and keyboard +*atent

)-8-

2a&k3ro"nd

0he noteook computers are small, light ut e4pensive. 0he desktop computersare poer"ul, cheaper ut large. 0here is a need to comine the elements o" othdesktop and a noteook computer and get the ene"its o" oth.


5aridis disclosed a solution $patent %32&-&(, assigned to IB=, uly 33* o" ahyrid packaging design "or a portale personal computer. 0he inventioncomprises a tri"old mechanical structure ith a touchscreen display screen and

a detachale keyoard, hich is easy to pack ith the computer. It has a stylus,a ireless remote control and other devices as ell. 0he user can operatethrough the touchpad using "ingers or a stylus.

45I6 based analysis

0he small noteook computer should contain all the "eatures o" a desktop

computer +desired res"lt.

>ormally a noteook has a "olded display unit +*rin&iple1: (ynamize. 0heinvention proposes to increase the numer o" "olds to three"old +*rin&iple1:!nother dimension.

It uses a detachale keyoard +*rin&iple1: (ynamize.

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). 9;pandable keyboard 'or small &omp"ters +*atent 888

2a&k3ro"nd problem

0he small computers need small keyoards "or carrying along ith the computer.0he user reduces his typing speed hen the size o" the keyoard is even slightly

reduced.

Ane option is make a "olding structure o" the keyoard. 0he "olding structure o"the keyoard, although takes less sur"ace space, increases the depth $or height*signi"icantly. 0here is a need to reduce the size o" the keyoard ithoutincreasing its height unlike a "olding keyoard.


Butler invented an e4pandale keyoard $#atent %3-'-%-, !ug 33* "or smallcomputers hose keys have interlocking side edges and are mounted on ascissorlinkage that allos said keyoard to contract to a idth that is much

narroer than the idth o" a standard desktop computer keyoard.

0he invention is ased on the truth that a signi"icant amount o" space e4istseteen the raised side edges o" any pair o" ad8acent keys in a standard $13mm* pitch. 0his gap eteen the keys is aout hal" o" the idth o" the key. 0heprolem can e addressed i" these gaps are availale or e4panded in openCposition, yet eliminated or contracted in closedC position. 0he elimination o" gapseteen the keys can reduce a 2'23 cm keyoard to 1)1' cm length ithoutincreasing the depth.

45I6 based analysis

0he keyoard should e small to carry and ig to provide typing com"ort+$ontradi&tion.

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0he invention eliminates the gap eteen keys hen the keyoard is packed "orcarrying and e4pands the gap eteen keys hen used "or typing +*rin&iple8:dis&ard and re&over.

).- $omp"ter bottom keyboard in&orporatin3 arran3ement 'or enhan&ed

&oolin3 +*atent )1

2a&k3ro"nd problem

0he portale computers are compact in size and, unlike desktop #s, have nospace "or ventilation. 0his makes the noteook get heated uickly. Ane o" themethods to reduce heat is using high poer cooling "ans. But un"ortunately theyreuire more attery consumption. 0here is need to increase the cooling capacityo" the portale computers.


hiu et al. disclosed a keyoard "or portale computers having enhanced cooling

mechanism $patent %3)'21%, assigned to IB=, >ov 33*. !ccording to theinvention the portale computer has outardly slidale compartments aove thekeyoard. 9hen these compartments are slided out, the structure providesincreased sur"ace areas "or dissipation o" heat.

45I6 based analysis

0he portale computer should automatically cool y itsel" +Ideal 7inal 5es"lt.

0he invention e4poses more internal components o" the computer "or "asterdissipation o" heat +*rin&iple8: *arameter &han3e.

Ane o" methods used y this invention is an openale or slidale laptop ody+*rin&iple1: (ynamize.

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). Keyboard and notebook type &omp"ter +0)

2a&k3ro"nd problem

0he operating sur"ace o" the laptop keyoard is very small ecause o" theminiaturization o" the computer. 0he lo operating sur"ace o" the laptop

keyoards makes them inconvenient "or typing. 7o to increase the operatingsur"ace ithout increasing the size o" the keyoardD


5amayashi et al. invented a keyoard $#atent %33%2(, !ssigned to +u8itsuLimited, >ov 33* that uses a similar method to provide more operating space.0he invention realizes that the transverse directional length is use"ul "or typingcom"ortE hence e can reduce the vertical length o" the keyoard ithouta""ecting the typing com"ort.

!ccording to the invention the size o" the keys are reduced in the verticaldirection and gaps eteen keys are reduced in the vertical direction ithout

changing the size o" the keys or gaps eteen the keys in the transversedirection. 0his makes the length o" the keyoard larger in transverse directionthan that in the vertical direction.

!s the vertical directional length o" the upper sur"ace o" the keyoard isshortened, a relatively large armrest area is otained, improving the operailityresults. !s the transverse directional length o" the keytop is longer than thevertical directional length, it provides the operational com"ort and reliaility.

45I6 based analysis

the keyoard should provide larger operating space "or typing com"ort, utproviding more operating space ill eventually increase the size o" the keyoardthat ill not "it into a laptop.+$ontradi&tion

0he invention reduces the vertical size o" the keys and vertical space eteenkeys, hich reduces the vertical size o" the keyoard keeping the transverse sizein tact. 0his provides operating space as ell as more armrest area +*rin&iple):4akin3 o"t, *rin&iple1: !nother dimension.

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). Keyboard havin3 an inte3ral heat pipe +*atent -)1-

2a&k3ro"nd problem

0he processor o" the computer generates a lot o" heat during operation. It

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=yungung 5im invented an ergonomic keyoard $#atent >umer: &-((-1,assigned to ?amsung lectronics, Act 1*. 0he invention makes the keyoardmore ergonomic ithout surrendering the portaility.

!ccording to the invention, the keyoard unit is attached to an upper sur"ace o"the main ody and is structurally and operationally separated along a central a4isinto a le"t keyoard hal" and a right keyoard hal". Both the keyoard halves arecoupled to the main ody ut rotate on the "irst and second hinges to e suitalypositioned according to user reuirement.

45I6 based analysis

0he invention splits the keyoard into to, one "or each arm +*rin&iple1:#e3mentation, and make them "le4ile to ad8ust ith the angle o" the arm.+*rin&iple1: (ynamize.

).10 *ortable ele&troni& devi&e with a &on&ealable keyboard mod"le +*atent--80

2a&k3ro"nd problem

0he conventional model o" noteook computers includes a keyoard and a touchpad, hich covers all the space on the sur"ace and leaves no space to installother controls. It is necessary to create space on the laptop sur"ace to install

other controls like touch pad, pen control etc.


5uo et al. invented a concealed keyoard $#atent >umer: &%%&(-, assigned toompal electronics, !pr -* hich can e used ith a noteook or #;! orsimilar small devices. 0he keyoard remains inside the main module and can epulled out via an opening. 0his mechanism leaves enough space "or the touch

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control, pen control and other devices to e "i4ed on the main sur"ace o" thelaptop.

45I6 based analysis

0he invention makes a draer type keyoard concealed ithin the laptop, hichcan e pulled or pushed easily according to usage +*rin&iple8: (is&ard and5e&over.

0he sur"ace o" the keyoard is used "or installing other controlling devices+*rin&iple !nother (imension.

3. Reference:

1. F? #atent %1&'(2), ! tiltale keyoard "or laptop computers, lancy et al., assigned toompa, ;ec 32

2. F? #atent %2&)12), +olding and sliding keyoard "or personal computerC, inventor 6ichard#ollitt, assigned to IB=, >ov 3-

-. F? #atent %(1---, omputer keyoardC, 5evin onay, !pr 3%

(. F? #atent %32&-&(, 0ri"old personal computer ith touchpad and keyoardC, ohn #.5aridis, assigned to IB=, ul 33

%. F? #atent %3-'-%-, 4pandale keyoard "or small computers, Invented y Butler, !ug 33

&. F? #atent %3)'21%, ?lidale compartments aove the keyoard "or enhanced coolingmechanism, hiu et al., assigned to IB=, >ov 33

). F? #atent %33%2(, 5eyoard and noteook type computerC, 5amayashi et al., assigned to+u8itsu Limited, >ov 33.

'. F? #atent &21%&%), 5eyoard having a heat pipe "or heat transmission., 6akesh Bhatia,assigned to Intel corporation, !pr 1

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3. F? #atent &-((-1, #ortale computer ith ergonomic keyoard, =yungung 5im,assigned to ?amsung lectronics, Act 1

1. F? #atent &%%&(-, #ortale electronic device ith a concealale keyoard moduleC, 5uo etal., assigned to ompal electronics, !pr -

11. F? #atent and 0rademark A""ice $F?#0A* site, http://.uspto.gov/

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