Keyboard spill-proofing mechanism
This keyboard spill-proofing mechanism reduces and prevents damage to the electronic circuitry in keyboard that would normally occur due to inadvertent spillages of liquids, such as water, coffee or soda, onto the keyboard. This keyboard spill-proofing mechanism features a membrane sheet positioned below the top case. The membrane sheet includes multiple layers that have electrical circuits. The electrical circuits detect the off/on state of the key caps when they are pressed. The keyboard design features a waterproof base sheet made of an adhesive material that is positioned between the top case and the membrane sheet. The waterproof base sheet is designed such that a plurality of rubber springs connected thereon transmit the off/on state of the key caps to the electrical circuits in the membrane sheet. The waterproof base sheet is also designed so that it has multiple blocking portions which project upward from the waterproof base sheet so as to prevent spilled liquid from flowing downward onto the membrane sheet thereby preventing or reducing possible damage to the electrical circuits in the membrane sheet of the keyboard.
1. A keyboard spill-proofing mechanism comprising:
a top case engaging a plurality of key caps and allowing them to slide freely;
a membrane sheet positioned below said top case, said membrane sheet including a plurality of layers having electrical circuits, which detect the off/on state of said key caps;
a back plate positioned below said membrane sheet;
a waterproof base sheet positioned between said top case and said membrane sheet, wherein said waterproof base sheet includes a plurality of rubber springs positioned thereon which transmit the off/on state of said key caps to said electrical circuits in said membrane sheet and multiple blocking portions which project upward from said waterproof base sheet so as to prevent spilled liquid from flowing onto said membrane sheet; and
a plurality of drain holes opening in the top case and draining through a tube, wherein said tube drains through said waterproof base sheet, membrane sheet, and back plate.
2. The keyboard spill-proofing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein said blocking portions which project upward from said waterproof base sheet are formed around an outer perimeter of said waterproof base sheet.
3. The keyboard spill-proofing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of openings is formed in said waterproof base sheet and wherein said blocking portions which project upward from said waterproof base sheet are formed around an outer perimeter of at least one of said plurality of openings.
4. The keyboard spill-proofing mechanism of claim 3 , wherein said top case further comprises connecting bosses that connect said top case to said back plate by allowing said connecting bosses to penetrate said plurality of openings in said waterproof base sheet.
5. The keyboard spill-proofing mechanism of claim 4 , wherein said plurality of openings are elliptically shaped.
6. The keyboard spill-proofing mechanism of claim 4 , wherein said plurality of openings are circularly shaped.
7. The keyboard spill-proofing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein said blocking portions which project upward from said waterproof base sheet are of a height which prevent liquids from flowing onto said membrane sheet.
8. The keyboard spill-proofing mechanism of claim 7 , wherein said height is 0.2 mm.
9. The keyboard spill-proofing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein said membrane sheet further comprises a spacer sheet disposed between said plurality of layers having electrical circuits.
10. The keyboard spill-proofing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein said waterproof base sheet is made of an adhesive material.
11. The keyboard spill-proofing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein said waterproof base sheet is made of PET film.
12. The keyboard spill-proofing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of rubber springs are coned-shaped.
13. The keyboard spill-proofing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of rubber springs is connected to said waterproof base sheet with an adhesive material.