Expandable keyboard device

An expandable keyboard device for use in connection with an electronic device includes a keyboard module having a keyboard housing, a pivot unit connected to the keyboard housing, and a clamping mechanism including a mounting seat connected to the pivot unit and rotatable relative to the keyboard module, and at least one clamping arm cooperating with the mounting seat to define a receiving slot for receiving the electronic device. The clamping arm is movable relative to the mounting seat for clamping the electronic device.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese Patent Application No. 101102195, filed on Jan. 19, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an expandable keyboard device, more particularly to an expandable keyboard device that can be used as an external keyboard of an electronic device.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, due to the development of touch technology, tablet computers have gradually become popular electronic products. Although tablet computers are easy to carry, when they are placed on a desk top for use, there is lacking a support structure to keep them upright. Thus, they can only be laid flat on the desk top. This causes inconvenience for a user to view the screen.

To resolve the aforementioned problem, expandable keyboard devices are developed, apart from supporting the tablet computers upright to facilitate viewing of the screen by a user, can also facilitate the user to input messages. However, the expandable keyboard devices produced by manufacturers are suitable for use on their own tablet computers. That is, the structure for clamping and positioning the tablet computer on the expandable keyboard device is compatible only with their own product. Hence, when the user uses a tablet computer made by other manufacturer, he/she has no choice but to buy the corresponding expandable keyboard device made by said manufacturer so as to be compatible with his/her tablet computer.

An expandable keyboard device, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,937,468, provides positioning of an electronic device, such as a tablet computer, by insertion. Apart from being used as an external keyboard of the tablet computer, it can also support the electronic device in an upright state to facilitate viewing by the user. However, the base structure for positioning of the electronic device thereto is fixed, and is not suitable for use with an electronic device having a certain thickness.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an expandable keyboard device that can position an electronic device through a clamping method and that can provide good clamping effect for different thicknesses of electronic devices.

According to one aspect of this invention, an expandable keyboard device for use in connection with an electronic device comprises a keyboard module including a keyboard housing and a plurality of keys disposed on the keyboard housing, a pivot unit connected to the keyboard housing, and a clamping mechanism including a mounting seat connected to the pivot unit and rotatable relative to the keyboard module, and at least one clamping arm cooperating with the mounting seat to define a receiving slot for receiving the electronic device. The clamping arm is movable relative to the mounting seat for clamping the electronic device.

The clamping mechanism includes two clamping arms, and further includes a pair of clamping members having the clamping arms for clamping therebetween the electronic device, a first biasing member disposed between the clamping members to bias the clamping members away from each other, a restricting mechanism disposed in the mounting seat to restrict movement of the clamping members away from each other, and a releasing member to release the restriction imposed on the clamping members by the restricting mechanism.

Each of the clamping members further has a base plate connected between the clamping arms, and a toothed structure formed on the base plate. The restricting mechanism includes a first gear unit and a second gear unit meshing with each other, a restricting member disposed movably between the first gear unit and the releasing member, and a second biasing member. The first gear unit further meshes with the toothed structure of one of the clamping members. The second gear unit further meshes with the toothed structure of the other one of the clamping members. The restricting member has a first arm section interfering with the first gear unit, and a second arm section abutting against the releasing member. The second biasing member biases the first arm section to interfere with the first gear unit. The releasing member is pressed to actuate the first arm section away from the first gear unit.

The clamping mechanism includes two clamping arms that are spaced apart from each other and that cooperate with the mounting seat to define the receiving slot. The clamping arms are moved away from each other for permitting the electronic device to be received in the receiving slot.

The clamping arms extend gradually upward toward each other.

The mounting seat is connected integrally as one piece with the clamping arms. The clamping arms extend gradually upward toward each other.

The clamping mechanism includes two clamping arms, and further includes a pair of clamping members respectively having the clamping arms, and a first biasing member disposed between the clamping members to bias the clamping members toward each other for clamping the electronic device therebetween.

The mounting seat has a top face with a concavely curved shape.

The clamping mechanism further includes a connector disposed on the mounting seat for electrical connection with the electronic device.

The clamping arm includes a rigid outer layer and a compressible resilient inner layer connected to the rigid outer layer.

The efficiency of this invention resides in that through the disposition of the clamping mechanism, the electronic device can be connected to the expandable keyboard device by a clamping method. Further, because the clamping arm is movable, the width of the receiving slot can be varied to fit electronic devices with different thicknesses, so that a good clamping effect can be achieved. Moreover, through connection of the clamping mechanism with the pivot unit, when the electronic device is clamped and positioned, an inclined angle thereof relative to the keyboard module1can be simultaneously adjusted. Hence, convenience in use can be enhanced.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The above-mentioned and other technical contents, features, and effects of this invention will be clearly presented from the following detailed description of three embodiments in coordination with the reference drawings.

Before this invention is described in detail, it should be noted that, in the following description, similar elements are designated by the same reference numerals.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, an expandable keyboard device100according to the first embodiment of the present invention is shown to comprise a keyboard module1, a pivot unit2and a clamping mechanism3. The keyboard module1includes a keyboard housing11and a plurality of keys12. The keyboard housing11has a top surface111and a rear edge112. The keys12are disposed on the keyboard housing11and are exposed from the top surface111thereof. The pivot unit2is connected to the keyboard housing11in proximity to the rear edge112thereof. In this embodiment, the pivot unit2employs a pair of hinge mechanisms21that are connected to the keyboard housing11and that are spaced apart from each other in a left-right direction.

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 4, the clamping mechanism3includes a mounting seat30, a pair of clamping members32, a first biasing member33, a restricting mechanism34and a releasing member35. The mounting seat30has an elongated hollow structure with two opposite ends connected respectively to the two hinge mechanisms21, so that the mounting seat30can rotate forward and backward relative to the keyboard housing11through the pivot unit2. The first biasing member33, the restricting mechanism34and the releasing member35are disposed within the mounting seat30. Each of the clamping members32includes a base plate321, a clamping arm322extending upwardly from the base plate321, and a toothed structure324formed on a lateral edge323of the base plate321. The base plate321has a protruding block325protruding downwardly therefrom. The clamping members32have the base plates321extending into the mounting seat30, and the clamping arms322extending externally of the mounting seat30and spaced apart from each other in a front-rear direction.

As shown inFIGS. 4 and 6, the clamping arms322and a top face311of the mounting seat30cooperatively define a receiving slot301for receiving a lateral end102of an electronic device101. The lateral end102refers to a lateral end at a bottom portion of the electronic device101. It is worth to mention that, although the top face311of the mounting seat30is flat in this embodiment, the top face311′ of the mounting seat30may be concavely curved, as shown inFIG. 7, so as to match the shape of a curved lateral end102′ of an electronic device101′, thereby stably supporting the lateral end102′ of the electronic device101′. Referring again toFIG. 4, with regard to the specific structures of the mounting seat30and the clamping members32of this invention, they may be varied according to actual requirements, and this figure is presented for the purpose of illustration only. In this embodiment, the first biasing member33is a compression spring that is disposed between the protruding blocks325of the clamping members32to bias the clamping members32away from each other.

With reference toFIGS. 2 to 4, the restricting mechanism34is disposed between the clamping members32. In this embodiment, the restricting mechanism34includes a first gear unit341, a second gear unit342, a restricting member343and a second biasing member348. The first gear unit341is meshed with the toothed structure324of one of the clamping members32. The second gear unit342is meshed with the toothed structure324of the other one of the clamping members32. Further, the first and second gear units341,342also mesh with each other. The restricting member343generally has a strip structure, and includes a first arm section344, a second arm section345and a connecting section346interconnecting the first and second arm sections344,345. The restricting member343is rotatably disposed on the mounting seat30through the connecting section346thereof, and is located between the first gear unit341and the releasing member35. The first arm section344is proximate to the first gear unit341, and has a projecting tooth347meshed releasably with the first gear unit341. The second biasing member348is a compression spring that is disposed between the mounting seat30and the first arm section344and that biases the first arm section344toward the first gear unit341so as to mesh the projecting tooth347with the first gear unit341, thereby forming an interference with the first gear unit341. The second arm section345is proximate to the releasing member35.

The releasing member35of this embodiment includes an exposed end351and an abutment end352. The exposed end351is exposed from the mounting seat30so as to be depressed. The abutment end352is disposed within the mounting seat30and abuts against the second arm section345of the restricting member343. In this embodiment, the exposed end351extends forwardly and outwardly from the mounting seat30so that the releasing member35can be depressed to move rearwardly relative to the mounting seat30. Through the abutment end352that pushes the second arm section345, the entire restricting member343is moved rotatably. The second arm section345is pushed by the releasing member35to displace along a direction (a) (see FIG.3). The first arm section344is biased by the second biasing member348to displace along a direction (b) (seeFIG. 3) which is perpendicular to the direction (a) so as to mesh with the first gear unit341. The releasing member35actuates the first arm section344to move away from and release the interference with the first gear unit341.

Referring toFIGS. 5 and 6, when it is desired to use the clamping mechanism3to clamp the electronic device101, the releasing member35is first depressed to release interference between the restricting member343and the first gear unit341. Because the first biasing member33is a compression spring, the clamping members32are biased to move away from each other to a maximum distance. Next, the electronic device101is placed in the receiving slot301so as to be supported by the mounting seat30and be disposed between the clamping arms322of the clamping members32. The clamping arms322are then pushed toward each other until they abut respectively against front and rear surfaces of the electronic device101. Afterwards, the depressed releasing member35is released, so that the first arm section344of the restricting member343, through a returning force of the second biasing member348, is moved to its original position, as shown inFIG. 3, and forms an interference with the first gear unit341again to thereby stop the first gear unit341from rotation. As such, the clamping members32are limited to abut against the respective front and rear surfaces of the electronic device101. Hence, the electronic device101is clamped and positioned between the clamping arms322. Electrical connection between the electronic device101and the keyboard module1can be achieved through, for example, various sorts of wired or wireless transmission. For example, in this embodiment, the clamping mechanism3further includes a connector36(seeFIG. 1) disposed on the mounting seat30for forming an electrical connection with a connector of the electronic device101.

On the other hand, because the clamping mechanism3is connected to the pivot unit2, the electronic device101in the clamping state can rotate relative to the keyboard module1through the pivot unit2in the direction of double arrow (c) shown inFIG. 6. As such, an inclined angle of the electronic device101relative to the keyboard module1can be adjusted.

With reference toFIGS. 4 to 6, moreover, because the distance between the clamping arms322(i.e., the clamping force exerted on the electronic device101) is determined through engagement of the tooth347of the first arm section344with the first gear unit341, to achieve a better clamping effect upon the electronic device101by the clamping arms322, in this embodiment, each clamping arm322includes a rigid outer layer327and a compressible resilient inner layer326connected to an inner side of the outer layer327. The material of the resilient inner layer326may be, for example, foam, rubber, etc. The resilient inner layer326is used to contact the electronic device101. When the electronic device101is clamped between the clamping arms322, because the tooth347of the first arm section344engages the first gear unit341under the state that the resilient inner layers326of the clamping arms322are compressed to contact the respective front and rear surfaces of the electronic device101, the amount of compression of the resilient inner layers326can be used to absorb gaps between the electronic device101and the clamping arms322caused by the tooth gaps of the first gear unit341. In this manner, the clamping arms322can maintain a good clamping effect on the electronic device101. Further, by using the resilient inner layers326to contact the electronic device101, the surfaces of the electronic device101can be effectively guarded against scratching.

It is worth to mention that, in this embodiment, because the first gear unit341and the second gear unit342mesh with each other, the clamping members32can move simultaneously when bias by the first biasing member33, so that the clamping members32are both movable. However, in an alternative embodiment, the second gear unit342maybe dispensed herewith and the clamping member32that cooperates therewith may be fixed, so that only the clamping member32that cooperates with the first gear unit341is movable to provide adjustment. The clamping arms322can similarly abut against the respective front and rear surfaces of the electronic device101to effect clamping of the electronic device101therebetween. In the case that only one of the clamping members32is movable, the movable clamping member32may be the front or rear one.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the restricting mechanism34uses the gear units341,342to mesh with the toothed structures324, but it is not limited as such. As long as an interference can be produced by at least one of the clamping members32to limit the movement of the clamping members32toward or away from each other, and the releasing member35is used to release the interference, various structural designs may be acceptable.

Referring toFIG. 8, the second embodiment of this invention is shown to be similar to the first embodiment. However, in this embodiment, the restricting mechanism34, the releasing member35and the second biasing member348of the clamping mechanism3shown inFIG. 3are all dispensed herewith. As shown inFIG. 8, the first biasing member33′ is a tension spring connected between the protruding blocks325of the base plates321of the clamping members32. The first biasing member33′ biases the clamping members32toward each other. To clamp the electronic device101by the clamping mechanism3, the clamping arms322are simply pulled away from each other at a distance larger than the thickness of the electronic device101, after which the electronic device101is inserted into the receiving slot301. Through the biasing force of the first biasing member33′, the clamping arms322of the clamping members32are forced to abut against the respective front and rear surfaces of the electronic device101, thereby effectively clamping the electronic device101therebetween.

Referring toFIG. 9, the third embodiment of this invention is shown to be similar to the first embodiment. However, in this embodiment, apart from dispensing the restricting mechanism34, the releasing member35and the second biasing member348of the clamping mechanism3shown inFIG. 3, the structure of the mounting seat30′ is varied. In this embodiment, the mounting seat30′ is connected integrally as one piece with the clamping arms303to form a dovetail structure. A one-piece plate may be bent to form the dovetail structure. The clamping arms extend gradually upward toward each other and then away from each other so that top ends thereof are distal from each other.

To clamp the electronic device101by the clamping mechanism3, the clamping arms303are pulled away from each other to store a restoring force. After the electronic device101is inserted into the receiving slot301between the clamping arms303, through the restoring force of the clamping arms303, the clamping arms303are moved toward each other to clamp therebetween the electronic device101.

In sum, through the disposition of the clamping mechanism3, the electronic device101can be connected to the expandable keyboard device100by a clamping method. Further, because at least one of the clamping arms322,303is movable, the width of the receiving slot301can be varied to fit electronic devices101with different thicknesses, so that a good clamping effect can be achieved. Therefore, the object of this invention can be realized. Moreover, for a user having a different model and size of electronic device101, there is no need to buy expandable keyboard devices having different specifications. This can save the cost significantly. In addition, through connection of the clamping mechanism3with the pivot unit2, when the electronic device101is clamped and positioned, an inclined angle thereof relative to the keyboard module1can be simultaneously adjusted. Hence, convenience in use can be enhanced.