Double-sided keyboard for use in an electronic device
View Patent ↗A keyboard having a plurality of first keys on one side and second keys on the other, separated by a circuit board and a plurality of domes. The circuit board can be activated for entering information in an electronic device by pressing one or more keys on either side via the domes. The keyboard can be fixedly mounted on the cover of the electronic device such that the first keys can be used when the cover is closed and the second keys can be used when the cover is open. The keyboard can also be removably mounted so as to allow a user to change the keyboard side to be used. Alternatively, one side of the keyboard has a touch pad instead of keys.
1. A double-sided keyboard for entering information in an electronic device, the electronic device having a device connector, said keyboard comprising:
a circuit board having a first side and an opposing second side;
a first plurality of keys adjacent to the first side;
a second plurality of keys adjacent to the second side; and
a plurality of electrically conductive members disposed on the first side of the circuit board so that when at least one of the keys is pressed, at least one electrically conductive member is operatively connected to the circuit board for providing a signal indicative of the information for use in the electronic device, wherein the circuit board is electrically connected to a circuit connector, which can be attached to the device connector for electrically connecting the circuit board to the device connector for conveying the signal from the keyboard to the devicc body, and wherein the circuit connector can be attached to the device connector
in a first attaching position to allow a user to access the first plurality of keys and
in a second attaching position to allow a user to access the second plurality of keys, wherein the electrically conductive members comprise a plurality of dome-shaped segments for making electrical contact with the circuit board to activate the circuit board for providing the signals, and wherein the dome-shaped segments are shared with the first and second plurality of keys such that each dome-shaped segment can be caused to make electrical contact with the circuit board by either one of the first plurality of keys or one of the second plurality of keys.
2. The keyboard of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive members comprise:
a first plurality of dome-shaped segments for making electrical contact with the circuit board to activate the circuit board by pressing one of the first plurality of keys; and
a second plurality of dome-shaped segments for making electrical contact with the circuit board to activate the circuit board by pressing one of the second plurality of keys.
3. The keyboard of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive members are fixedly attached to the circuit board.
4. The keyboard of claim 1 , further comprising a mat disposed between the first plurality of keys and the circuit board, wherein the electrically conductive members are attached to the mat.
5. The keyboard of claim 1 , further comprising a mat disposed between the first plurality of keys and the circuit board, wherein the electrically conductive members are integrated with the mat.
6. The keyboard of claim 1 , wherein the keyboard further comprises a first keymat for disposing the first plurality of keys.
7. The keyboard of claim 6 , wherein the keyboard further comprises a second keymat for disposing the second plurality of keys.
8. The keyboard of claim 7 , wherein the circuit board is integrated into the second keymat.
9. The keyboard of claim 7 , further comprising a mat cover adjacent to the first keymat away from the first side of the circuit board for separating the first plurality of keys.
10. The keyboard of claim 7 , further comprising a mat cover adjacent to the second keymat away from the second side of the circuit board for separating the second plurality of keys.
11. The keyboard of claim 1 , wherein the circuit connector can be detached from the device connector so as to allow the user to change the attaching position.
12. An electronic device including a device body having a body direction facing a user to allow the user to enter information in the electronic device, the electronic device comprising:
a device connector disposed on the device body; and
a double-sided keyboard for entering the information, the keyboard having a first side and an opposing second side, the keyboard comprising:
a circuit connector removably attached to the device connector
a circuit electrically connected to the circuit connector;
a first user interface having a plurality of keys disposed on the first side of the keyboard;
a plurality of dome-shaped segments disposed between the keys and the circuit, wherein when at least one of the keys is pressed, at least one of the dome-shaped segments is deformed, causing the first user interface to interact with the circuit for providing signal indicative of the information;
a second user interface disposed on the second side of the keyboard and capable of interacting with the circuit for providing further signal indicative of the information, wherein the circuit connector can be attached to the device connector for conveying the signals from the circuit to the device body either
in a first connecting position such that the first side is oriented in a direction substantially the same as the device direction so as to allow the user to enter the information via the first user interface, or
in a second connecting position such that the second side is oriented in a direction substantially the same as the device orientation so as to allow the user to enter the information via the second user interface.
13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the second user interface comprises a plurality of further keys, and wherein the further keys cause the circuit to make contact with the dome-shaped segments for providing the signals when at least one of the further keys is pressed.
14. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the dome-shaped segments are electrically conductive for causing the circuit to provide the signals when the deformed dome-shaped segment is electrically contacting the circuit.
15. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the second user interface comprises a touch surface, which causes the circuit to provide the signals when the touch surface is touched.
16. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the second user interface comprises a touch surface, which causes the circuit to provide the signals when pressure is asserted at a location of the touch surface.
17. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein when at least one of the keys is pressed, the pressed key asserts the pressure to the touch surface through the deformed dome-shaped segment.
18. A double-sided keyboard for use in an electronic device to allow a user to enter information in the electronic device, the electronic device having a device connector, the keyboard comprising:
a first side and an opposing second side;
a circuit connector
a circuit electrically connected to the circuit connector;
a first user interface having a plurality of keys disposed on the first side of the keyboard;
a plurality of dome-shaped segments disposed between the keys and the circuit, wherein when at least one of the keys is pressed, at least one of the dome-shaped segments is deformed, causing the first user interface to interact with the circuit for providing signal indicative of the information; and
a second user interface disposed on the second side of the keyboard and capable of interacting with the circuit for providing further signal indicative of the information, wherein the circuit connector is electrically connected to the device connector for conveying the signals from the keyboard to the device body when the keyboard is attached to the device body, and wherein the circuit connector can be electrically connected to the device connector either in a first position to allow a user to access the first user interface, or in a second position to allow a user to access the second user interface.
19. The removable keyboard of claim 18 , wherein the second user interface comprises a plurality of further keys, and wherein the further keys cause the circuit to make contact with the dome-shaped segments for providing the signals when at least one of the further keys is pressed.
20. The removable keyboard of claim 18 , wherein the dome-shaped segments are electrically conductive for causing the circuit to provide the signals when the deformed dome-shaped segment is electrically contacting the circuit.
21. The removable keyboard of claim 18 wherein the second user interface comprises a touch surface, which causes the circuit to provide the signals when the touch surface is touched.
22. The removable keyboard of claim 18 , wherein the second user interface comprises a touch surface, which causes the circuit to provide the signals when pressure is asserted at a location of the touch surface.
23. The removable keyboard of claim 22 , wherein when at least one of the keys is pressed, the pressed key asserts the pressure to the touch surface trough the deformed dome-shaped segment.