Abstract:
A keyboard includes a cover, a housing, and a main body. The main body is sandwiched between the cover and the housing. The keyboard further includes an adjustment mechanism for supporting the keyboard at an inclination. The adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment portion, a supporting portion corresponding to a first through hole defined in the housing, a driving portion configured to drive the supporting portion to move along a central axis of the first through hole, and a securing portion configured to control the supporting portion to stop moving. When the adjustment portion is operated, the driving portion drives the supporting portion to move along the central axis of the first through hole to support the keyboard at different inclinations. When the adjustment portion is free, the securing portion engages with the supporting portion, and the keyboard holds the selected inclination.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a keyboard and an electronic device employing the keyboard. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Keyboard is a basic input device for electronic devices such as personal computers or notebooks. Most keyboards can be maintained at a certain angle with a support apparatus. However, many current keyboards can only be held in one position, and cannot be adjusted to different angles. 
         [0005]    Therefore, a keyboard to overcome the above described shortcoming is desired. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of at least one embodiment. In the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the various views. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a keyboard according to one embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of adjustment mechanism of the keyboard of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an assembled view of the keyboard of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view of  FIG. 3  along line III-III. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of a circled part V of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is similar to a view of part of the keyboard of  FIG. 4 , but showing the adjustment mechanism adjusts inclined angle of the keyboard of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is similar to a view of part of the keyboard of  FIG. 4 , but showing the adjustment mechanism after adjusted the inclined angle of the keyboard of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is an isometric view of an electronic device employed the keyboard of  FIG. 1  according to one embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Reference will be made to the drawings to describe various embodiments in detail. 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a keyboard  100  of one embodiment. The keyboard  100  includes a cover  110 , a housing  130 , and a main body  120 . The housing  130  and the cover  110  define a space for receiving the main body  120 . The main body  120  is sandwiched between the cover  110  and the housing  130 . The main body  120  includes a plurality of keys  121  and a printed circuit board (PCB)  123  arranged under the keys  121 . The cover  110  defines a plurality of openings  111  to expose the keys  121  through the cover  110 . The housing  130  includes a bottom board  131  and side walls  133  extending perpendicularly from edges of the bottom board  131 . The bottom board  131  defines a first through hole  135  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The cover  110  defines a second through hole  113  corresponding to the first through hole  135 . The PCB  123  also defines a third through hole  125  corresponding to the first through hole  135  and the second through hole  113 . 
         [0017]    The keyboard  100  further includes an adjustment mechanism  140  to adjust an inclined angle of the keyboard  100 . The adjustment mechanism  140  is arranged between the cover  110  and the housing  130 . The adjustment mechanism  140  is fixed in the first through hole  135 , the second through hole  113 , and the third through hole  125 . Two ends of the adjustment mechanism  140  are exposed from the keyboard  100  via the first through hole  135  and the second through hole  113 , correspondingly. In the embodiment, the keyboard  100  includes two adjustment mechanisms  140  at two opposite sides of the keyboard  100  to balance the keyboard  100 . 
         [0018]      FIGS. 2-4  show that the adjustment mechanism  140  includes an adjustment portion  150 , a supporting portion  160 , a driving portion  170 , and a securing portion  180 . A user operates the adjustment portion  150  to adjust the inclined angle of the keyboard  120 . The supporting portion  160  can protrude out from the bottom board  131  via the first through hole  135  to support the keyboard  100  at different inclinations on a supporting surface. The driving portion  170  drives the supporting portion  160  to move along a central axis of the first through hole  135  in a first direction X. The securing portion  180  resists the side of the supporting portion  160  to fasten the supporting portion  160  when the supporting portion  160  supports the keyboard  100 . 
         [0019]    The supporting portion  160  includes a bottom plate  161  and a plurality of first side walls  162  extending perpendicularly from the bottom plate  161 . The supporting portion  160  is a hollow pillar and defines a first rectangular opening  165  opposite to the bottom plate  161 . One of the first side walls  162  includes a rack  163 . In the embodiment, the bottom plate  161  and a plurality of first side walls  162  define a first receiving space  164 . 
         [0020]    The driving portion  170  includes a first elastic member  171  and a position unit  172 . The position unit  172  extends from the bottom board  131  and surrounds the first through hole  135 . The position unit  172  includes an upper plate  173  and a plurality of second side walls  174  extended from the bottom board  131  surrounding the first through hole  135 . The position unit  172  defines a second receiving space  177  as shown in  FIG. 6  to movably receive the supporting portion  160 . The shape of the second receiving space  177  mates the supporting portion  160 . The second receiving space  177  defines a second opening  176  to expose the rack  163  of the supporting portion  160 . One end of the first elastic member  171  is received in the first receiving space  164  and resists the bottom plate  161 . The other end of the first elastic member  171  is received in the second receiving space  177  when the supporting portion  160  is also received in the second receiving space  177 . Under this condition, the first elastic member  171  is arranged between the upper plate  173  of the position unit  172  and the bottom plate  161  of the supporting portion  160  to drive the supporting portion  160  to move along the first direction X. In the embodiment, the first elastic member  171  is a spring. 
         [0021]    The securing portion  180  arranged around the first through hole  135  on the bottom board  131 . The securing portion  180  includes a fixing unit  181 , a second elastic member  184 , and a stopping unit  185 . The fixing unit  181  is fixed to the bottom board  131  adjacent to the second opening  176 . The fixing unit  181  includes a position wall  182  and two guide walls  183 . The position wall  182  extends from the bottom board  131  towards the cover  110 . One end of each guide wall  183  connects with the position wall  182 , and other end of each guide wall  183  is near the second opening  176 . The position wall  182  and the two guide walls  183  define a U-shaped groove. An opening of the U-shaped groove aligns with the second opening  176 . 
         [0022]    The second elastic member  184  is sandwiched between the fixing unit  181  and the stopping unit  185 . The stopping unit  185  is driven by second elastic member  184  to move along the two guide walls  183  in the second direction Y perpendicular to the first direction X. Thus, the stopping unit  185  may engage with the rack  163 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 5  shows that the second elastic member  184  includes two second springs. The stopping unit  185  includes a resisting end  188  and a stopping end  189 . The stopping unit  185  defines a fourth through hole  187  between the resisting end  188  and the stopping end  189 . 
         [0024]    The second elastic member  184  includes two second springs, one end of each second spring is fixed on the position wall  182 , and the other end of each spring is fixed on the resisting end  188 . The resisting end  188  defines a first inclined surface  186  in an internal sidewall  190  of the fourth through hole  187  opposite to the second spring  184 . The first inclined surface  186  extends from a top surface of the resisting end  188  near the second spring  184  to the internal sidewall of the fourth through hole  187  near the second spring  184 . The stopping end  189  mates with the rack  163 . 
         [0025]    The adjustment portion  150  includes a button  151 , a connecting bar  153 , and an adjustment end  152 . The connecting bar  153  connects to the button  151  and the adjustment end  152  with two ends. The adjustment end  152  is used to press the first inclined surface  186  of resisting end  188 , thereby driving the stopping unit  185  to move along the second direction Y. The adjustment end  152  defines a second inclined surface  156  corresponding to the first inclined surface  186 . Part of the adjustment end  152  is received in the fourth through hole  187 . When the button  151  is pressed down as shown in  FIG. 6 , the adjustment portion  150  moves along the first direction X, and the second inclined surface  156  resists the first inclined surface  186  to drive the stopping unit  185  to move along the second direction Y. 
         [0026]    The button  151  protrudes from the cover  110  via the second through hole  113  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The keyboard  100  defines a first side  101  and a second side  102  opposite to the first side  101 . The two adjustment mechanisms  140  can adjust the second side  102  that is separated from the supporting surface. 
         [0027]    When the keyboard  100  is in a first state as shown in  FIG. 4 , the supporting portion  160  is received in the second receiving space  177 . The button  151  protrudes out of the cover  110  of the keyboard  100 . The second inclined surface  156  resists the first inclined surface  186  of the resisting end  188 . The stopping end  189  mates with the rack  163 . The top of the first side walls  162  resists the upper plate  173 . The bottom plate  161  and the upper plate  173  compress the first elastic member  172 . The second elastic member  184  is in its natural state. 
         [0028]      FIG. 6  shows that the adjustment mechanism  140  during the process of adjusting the incline angle of the keyboard  100 . When the button  151  is pressed by the user, the adjustment end  152  moves along the first direction X. As the first inclined surface  186  resists the second inclined surface  156 , the stopping unit  185  moves along the second direction Y, thus the stopping end  189  departs from the rack  163  and the second elastic member  184  is compressed. The supporting portion  160  is driven to protrude from the keyboard  100  via the first through hole  135  by the first elastic member  171 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 7  shows that the supporting portion  160  supports the keyboard  100  at different inclinations on the supporting surface. When the user releases the button  151 , the stopping unit  185  moves to the supporting portion  160  along the second direction Y, the stopping end  189  mates with the rack  163  again to stop the movement of the supporting portion  160 . 
         [0030]    In summary, the keyboard  100  includes the adjustment mechanism  140  to adjust an exposed length of the supporting portion  160  when the keyboard  100  is placed on a surface, thereby confirming an inclined angle of the keyboard  100 , thus the keyboard  100  can keep different inclinations as selected by a user. 
         [0031]      FIG. 8  shows that an electronic device  200  includes a display  210  and a keyboard  220  pivotably connected to the display  210 . In the embodiment, the electronic device  200  is a notebook. 
         [0032]    The keyboard  220  is similar to the keyboard  100  shown in  FIG. 1 . The keyboard  220  includes a cover  221 , a housing  223 , and main body  222 . The main body  222  is sandwiched between the cover  221  and the housing  223 . The cover  221  defines an opening (not labeled), a plurality of keys are exposed through the cover  221  via the opening. The housing  223  includes a bottom board  224  for loading the main body  222 . The bottom board  224  defines a first through hole (not labeled), and the cover  221  defines a second through hole corresponding to the first through hole. 
         [0033]    The keyboard  220  further includes an adjustment mechanism  230  to adjust inclined angle of the keyboard  220 . The adjustment mechanism  230  is arranged between the cover  221  and the housing  223 . The adjustment mechanism  230  is fixed in the first through hole and the second through hole. Two ends of the adjustment mechanism  230  are exposed from the keyboard  220  via the first through hole and the second through hole, correspondingly. In the embodiment, the keyboard  220  includes two adjustment mechanisms  230  at two opposite sides of the keyboard  220  to balance the electronic device  200 . The structure and operating manner of the adjustment mechanism  230  is similar to the adjustment mechanism  140 . 
         [0034]    It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only; and changes may be in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts within the principles of the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.